Question How easy is it to "damage" the motherboard when flashing, if you've followed all the directions?

[joe360]

Looking to update the BIOS on my ASRock b450M Pro4. I've never had to flash/update a BIOS before, and I know it always comes with scary warnings about permanent damage. Just wondering how often this actually happens if you've followed all the correct steps from the manufacture.

If it makers Ryzen 5 3600 (the Motherboard came with and support for Matisse pre-loaded) but I've run into some memory errors and I'm trying to rule out bad kit vs. incompatibility. As an aside question, the ram in question is Patriot Viper 4 16GB (2x8 GB) DD4 3200 CL 16 (PV416G320C6K). Ran both the Windows Memory Diagnostic Test and Memtest86 and multiple errors within seconds of running the test, so I'm assuming bad kit. I've already re-seated the modules. The kit isn't on the QVL list, but I've read those QVL lists are limited anyway, so I'm not sure the likelihood of incompatibility.

 

[UsandThem]

I've never had an issue following the directions (and flashing within the BIOS). I've never used a utility and done it within Windows just as an extra precaution.

That said, if you are having memory errors and something gets corrupted during the flash (or it crashes), that could be a cause for concern. Have you tried testing for memory errors with only one of the modules installed? You might try that and see if the RAM issues are a result from having both modules installed (or maybe one of the modules could be bad).

 

[Shmee]

With multiple errors on memtest86, that sounds like unstable memory. I would RMA / return the kit. If you still have errors in memtest, or other issues, then either it's another bad kit, or your memory controller is possibly bad, thus pointing to CPU. RAM incompatibility on Ryzen boards often manifests itself in the ways of multiple reboots or no posts, until it can downclock to stable settings. Errors generally indicate the RAM itself is bad.

Lastly, I would not recommend updating BIOS in the OS, best to use the motherboard utility from BIOS. In this case however, I would not try flashing when your RAM is likely bad. Get it replaced first IMO.

 

[Insert_Nickname]

I think I've had one or two bad BIOS flashes in 25-odd years, and those where a long time ago.

Not done anything special, just reset to defaults before flashing. Always done it from the BIOS itself* using the manufacturer provided built-in utility.

*When I started working with PCs, you had to flash BIOS from a DOS floppy. That was quite a bit scarier then it is today.

If it makers Ryzen 5 3600 (the Motherboard came with and support for Matisse pre-loaded) but I've run into some memory errors and I'm trying to rule out bad kit vs. incompatibility. As an aside question, the ram in question is Patriot Viper 4 16GB (2x8 GB) DD4 3200 CL 16 (PV416G320C6K). Ran both the Windows Memory Diagnostic Test and Memtest86 and multiple errors within seconds of running the test, so I'm assuming bad kit. I've already re-seated the modules. The kit isn't on the QVL list, but I've read those QVL lists are limited anyway, so I'm not sure the likelihood of incompatibility.

Have you tried letting the BIOS set its own timings? I'm not up to speed with Asrock boards, but Asus allows the firmware to automatically train timings when you choose a memory frequency. It might be nothing more then an XMP sub timing that Ryzen dislikes for some reason.

Or Ryzen might just dislike that kit. That happend with my 1700.

 

[joe360]

I think I've had one or two bad BIOS flashes in 25-odd years, and those where a long time ago.

Not done anything special, just reset to defaults before flashing. Always done it from the BIOS itself* using the manufacturer provided built-in utility.

*When I started working with PCs, you had to flash BIOS from a DOS floppy. That was quite a bit scarier then it is today.



Have you tried letting the BIOS set its own timings? I'm not up to speed with Asrock boards, but Asus allows the firmware to automatically train timings when you choose a memory frequency. It might be nothing more then an XMP sub timing that Ryzen dislikes for some reason.

Or Ryzen might just dislike that kit. That happend with my 1700.

On the initial setup, everything was preset to "Auto" which set the speed at 2133. System crashed once, which led to testing. I thought maybe it was crashing due to the underclock, so I set to the XMP profile #1 3200 Mhz, timing was set per RAM spec, and V was at 1.35. Re-tested, same errors.

 

[Iron Woode]

On the initial setup, everything was preset to "Auto" which set the speed at 2133. System crashed once, which led to testing. I thought maybe it was crashing due to the underclock, so I set to the XMP profile #1 3200 Mhz, timing was set per RAM spec, and V was at 1.35. Re-tested, same errors.

always test ram one stick at a time.

if one or both get errors then RMA the ram.

 

[Insert_Nickname]

On the initial setup, everything was preset to "Auto" which set the speed at 2133. System crashed once, which led to testing. I thought maybe it was crashing due to the underclock, so I set to the XMP profile #1 3200 Mhz, timing was set per RAM spec, and V was at 1.35. Re-tested, same errors.

If you're getting errors at JEDEC speeds/timings, that definitely sounds like bad RAM. Fault on arrival does happen from time to time.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

First eliminate the faulty ram, as advised above.

Now here is my experience and observations about Asrock AM4 bios flashing. Most importantly, always flash any and all bridge bios first, in chronological order. Your board came 3rd gen ready, so you are past that part. But for searchers, that part is super important. Sometimes with 1st gen boards there will be more than one bridge bios. For instance, getting a x370 with a 2017 bios ready for a Picasso, required 3 flashes.

The part about the AMD all-in-one drivers needing to be installed first is for APUs. And I now ignore the advice about not installing a later bios if you have an older gen CPU. I have decided it is a bad translation, or perhaps, poorly worded is a better description. What they must mean is that the bios in question is superfluous if you are using the older gens. Because I have done it repeatedly now on different boards, and using win 10 pro and Manjaro, I have yet to have a problem.

I use instant flash under the tool tab in the UEFI. It is fast and easy.