Biosupdate on Asus mobo with unsupported CPU

[ElecTriX]

I have bought the Asus z97m-plus and Intel i7 4790K cpu. The problem is that the bios on the motherboard probably doesn't have the updated bios for supporting the CPU.

After talking to Asus customer support they can't give me a straight and correct answer as to if the motherboard can be updated even though an unsupported CPU is installed (they wrote "It might work but we can't guarantee it".. uhm.. thanks).

They say that IF it works I will be able to boot to bios and update using the EZ Flash-tool but I need to know if this even is possible before opening the package of the motherboard (the reseller won't accept a return if it has been opened).

Anybody that knows if the cpu runs in "safe-mode" or something so you can update the bios even if the cpu's not supported on the motherboard?

Thanks!

 

[Railgun]

http://www.asus.com/uk/Motherboards/Z97MPLUS/HelpDesk_CPU/

Core i7-4790K (4.0Ghz, 4C, HT, L3:8M, HD Graphic, 88W, rev.C0)
Since BIOS ver 0330

Z97M-PLUS BIOS 0330
1. Enhance compatibility for new Anniversary Edition(G3258) and Devil's Canyon CPU(i7-4790K, i5-4690K).
2. Optimize overclocking function and performance for new Anniversary Edition(G3258) and Devil's Canyon CPU(i7-4790K, i5-4690K).

 

[ElecTriX]

http://www.asus.com/uk/Motherboards/Z97MPLUS/HelpDesk_CPU/

Core i7-4790K (4.0Ghz, 4C, HT, L3:8M, HD Graphic, 88W, rev.C0)
Since BIOS ver 0330

Well.. yes I know this already? Did you read everything I've written?
The problem is that I need to update the bios with a CPU that is not supported and I'm asking if it's possible as Asus says that it MAYBE is..

 

[monkeydelmagico]

The Z97/4790k combo should boot right through. The CPU support list shows it as good. Usually if there is going to be a problem Asus adds a disclaimer in the notes column.

I just got done updating a Asus Sabertooth Z87 to accept a 4690k with the flash utility. I knew going in that it was not going to boot. The notes section on the CPU support list said:

*Before using the new Intel 4th Gen Core processors, we suggest that you first download the BIOS updater for new Intel 4th Gen Core Processors and then update the BIOS using this tool.

Even then it was not too difficult. The hardest part was figuring out what to re-name the bios file to.

 

[ElecTriX]

The Z97/4790k combo should boot right through. The CPU support list shows it as good. Usually if there is going to be a problem Asus adds a disclaimer in the notes column.

I just got done updating a Asus Sabertooth Z87 to accept a 4690k with the flash utility. I knew going in that it was not going to boot. The notes section on the CPU support list said:

*Before using the new Intel 4th Gen Core processors, we suggest that you first download the BIOS updater for new Intel 4th Gen Core Processors and then update the BIOS using this tool.

Even then it was not too difficult. The hardest part was figuring out what to re-name the bios file to.

So your Sabertooth Z87 didn't have support for the 4690K and yet you could boot to bios to update it?

 

[monkeydelmagico]

So your Sabertooth Z87 didn't have support for the 4690K and yet you could boot to bios to update it?

No, it would not boot. I used the Asus usb flash utility to update the BIOS without a cpu installed. Yours should not have that problem and should boot with the CPU installed.

 

[Railgun]

Did you read everything I've written?

Nope. I just make things work. :thumbsup:

 

[ElecTriX]

No, it would not boot. I used the Asus usb flash utility to update the BIOS without a cpu installed. Yours should not have that problem and should boot with the CPU installed.

You used the "Flashback"-feature you mean? So you think that it will boot with the cpu even if it doesn't have support?

I got a response from Asus confirming that my bios-version is 0325 (based on the serial no) and recommended me to return it as they couldn't answer if it will work to update with the CPU..

 

[monkeydelmagico]

Yes, I think it will boot. It might recognize as 4790 or 4770 until you update to bios to 0330.

 

[Insert_Nickname]

If its any help, my old ASUS P6T SE could post with an, at the time, unsupported D0 i7-920, allowing me to update the BIOS to get proper support for it.

Don't know if UEFI allows that sort of trick any more...

 

[Flapdrol1337]

I thought the z97 boards were new enough to recognise the devils canyon cpu's with the first bios?

Have you actually tested the hardware yet electrix?

 

[ElecTriX]

I thought the z97 boards were new enough to recognise the devils canyon cpu's with the first bios?

Have you actually tested the hardware yet electrix?

Not yet, I will test everything tomorrow. Many have stated on other forums that it should work so I'm taking somewhat of a leap of faith and hoping that it will work to at least get me into the bios to update it..

In all of this I am very surprised that Asus hasn't given me any good feedback regarding this. Shouldn't techsupport know this, it's 2014 and the unsupported CPU + bios-update problem has existed well of 10 years now so it should be something they should know (at least that's my opinion).

 

[monkeydelmagico]

The goober at tech support probably knows less about your mobo than you do.

 

[ElecTriX]

The goober at tech support probably knows less about your mobo than you do.

Yeah, apparently so.. I just think that as it is such a "tech"-question that they should forward the question to someone who can answer this.

Right now every Asus-rep (both Swedish and.. the ones from Asus.com) has said that "We don't know, we recommend you return it instead"..

*Sigh*

On another forum a user has stated that he had a z97-A mobo with a bios that didn't have support for his 4790K, it still worked so he could update the bios. This is actually what gives me the hope that it will work..

 

[monkeydelmagico]

On another forum a user has stated that he had a z97-A mobo with a bios that didn't have support for his 4790K, it still worked so he could update the bios. This is actually what gives me the hope that it will work..

Both the 4770 and non-k 4790 are supported by your version of bios as well. These chips are so closely related to yours that it should work.

* disclaimer: author is not affiliated with ASUS nor a professional computer builder or designer. All advice should be considered layman and subject to total fail.

 

[ElecTriX]

Both the 4770 and non-k 4790 are supported by your version of bios as well. These chips are so closely related to yours that it should work.

* disclaimer: author is not affiliated with ASUS nor a professional computer builder or designer. All advice should be considered layman and subject to total fail.

Exactly my thought as well, at least when it comes to non-k 4790. Heheh btw, nice disclaimer you did there

 

[ElecTriX]

Everything went perfect. I installed the CPU, booted into bios (0325) and updated to latest available bios. Thanks everybody for the help!

 

[Compman55]

Glad it worked for you. To date, I have never had a motherboard show a black screen / no post due to an incorrect CPU microcode. What normally happens is the CPU is reported wrong, clocked or multiplied wrong, or is unstable in the OS environment. A good example of this is a ivy bridge used in a sandy bridge motherboard. Boots but shows wrong info and Win7 install blue screens.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

To date, I have never had a motherboard show a black screen / no post due to an incorrect CPU microcode.

Glad it worked for you and OP. I can tell you that a 4690k would NOT boot in my ASUS Z87 without the bios flash first. Total black screen.

 

[tcsenter]

Easy enough to test, if you don't get a POST screen to access the BIOS, or cannot boot using a simple bootable environment such as WinPE, Linux boot loader, or even DOS then it won't update the BIOS, either.

 

[Despoiler]

Generally speaking and in my experience, as long as the BIOS you have installed supports the series of processor, then a new processor model will work even if the microcode doesn't know about that specific model. You will not be able to POST though if the BIOS installed doesn't support the series of processor.