BIOS Update

[JLiu13]

Intel NUC8i7BEH

Unable to update BIOS using power button menu options by pressing F7 and selecting BE0087.bio file.

After selecting the BE0087.bio file after pressing F7 the system boots and power LED blinks 3 times in pattern similar memory error. Need to shutdown by pressing power button until the system shuts down.

Able update BIOS during normal boot by pressing F7 and choosing the bios file.

Please advise if this model of NUC supports BIOS update using power menu options.

Or it is something wrong with my NUC.

[LeonWaksman]

Hi @JLiu13 

The fact that you can enter Power Button Menu and you have there an option for BIOS update, answer your question.

Prepare USB stick fully formatted to FAT32 (disable quick format option during format). Format your USB on Windows machine (rather than Linux or MAC). Save the Bios file BE0087.bio in the root of this USB (leave only one .bio file on this USB). 

Leon

[JLiu13]

Hi Leon,

Thank you for your response. My issue is that the NUC will not update the BIOS following your method.

After selecting the BE0087.bio file after pressing F7 the system boots and power LED blinks 3 times in pattern similar memory error. Need to shutdown by pressing power button until the system shuts down.

Able update BIOS during normal boot by pressing F7 and choosing the bios file.

Please advise if this model of NUC supports BIOS update using power menu options.

Or it is something wrong with my NUC.

[LeonWaksman]

Hi @JLiu13 

Your NUC should support F7 BIOS update by Power Button Menu.

When you say "My issue is that the NUC will not update the BIOS following your method.", did you formatted the USB stick as described in my post (full format to FAT 32 in Windows)?

Instead to Update BIOS using F7 from Power Button Menu, try BIOS Recovery by Power Button Menu: 

1. Prepare USB stick fully formatted to FAT32 (disable quick format option during format). Format your USB on Windows machine (rather  than Linux or MAC). Save the Bios file BE0087.bio on this stick and insert it into front USB slot with amber color (NUC shall be OFF). You may use also one of the rear USB ports (do not use front blue USB port, since sometime the USB stick is not recognized during boot process).

2. Press and hold Power Button for about 3 seconds. Count 1001, 1002, 1003,1004. Release the Power Button. NUC should reboot into Power Button Menu. You should release the Power Button before 4-sec shut down override or when the Power Button LED changes color from blue to amber.
3. Press F4 and the recovery shall start (it can take up to 30 seconds for messages to appear on the screen).
When the recovery finishes, press on Power Button and hold it, until NUC switches OFF. Pull out the power cord. Remove the USB stick.
4. Replace the power cord and press Power Button to switch the computer to ON.
While you see the Intel NUC logo, enter Bios setting by pressing F2 during boot process.
Press F9(followed by "Y"), to set Bios to default settings. Press F10 (followed by "Y"), to save the settings and exit to O.S. Let the NUC fully reboot.
5. If before update, you have customized bios settings, you can enter again to Bios setting to change the necessary settings. 

Leon

[JLiu13]

Hi Leon,

Thank you for your kind help and support.

I formatted the USB stick as advised by you (Full format). I tried 2 USB sticks 16 GB capacity and 8 GB capacity and copied the BE0087.bio to USB stick.

I am able to do bios recovery process by using F4 key using power button method for bios recovery.

However this recovery method not updating Intel Management Engine Firmware and EC firmware.

Post Bios screen displays option for updating BIOS by choosing F7 key.

This method updated the BIOS and also updated Intel Management Engine Firmware and EC firmware.

However when I use Power Button method and choose F7 key I get option to choose the drive and BIOS file to update.

I choose the USB drive and the bios file (BE0087.bio) and then press Enter key to update bios.

NUC shuts and restarts and hangs with blinking blue light in power button 3 times and stop and repeats blinking 3 times and this goes on forever.

I have shut down the NUC by force by pressing the power button for longer period.

Hope I have explained the situation to the best of my ability.

I await your investigation on similar NUC to check if this problem exists or only in my NUC.

I await your kind response and hope you can try this method another NUC8i7BEH.

Kind regards,

Santhana

[n_scott_pearson]

Try opening the NUC, removing the yellow BIOS Jumper and then repeating the process. This should, in theory, allow ME upgrade regardless of state.

...S

[JLiu13]

Hi Scott,

Very kind of you to suggest ways to update.

I managed to update bios as mentioned in my earlier message and using procedure during boot options.

I have not tried removing yellow jumper and try updating.

Maybe it will work and I can try.

This is bit difficult in BEH models due to 2.5 inch drive connections.

But question still remains why NUC will hang using power button option to update using F7 key.

[LeonWaksman]

The 2.5" drive cable will not destruct your access to BIOS Security Jumper if you disconnect the connectors from the board.

Leon

[LeonWaksman]

Hi Santhana,

On the beginning I want to emphasize that I'm not an Intel employee. I'm volunteer in the Intel Community Forum, trying to give help as much I can. However, you should understand that my resources are limited (for example I don't have NUC BE to check F7 update from Power Button Menu). However, I have few other NUC computers, where this option works as expected. In addition if you read the NUC BIOS Readme.pdf (you may download it from the BIOS Download page), you will find that F7 option should work in Power Button Menu.

I don't know where you find this information that "...recovery method not updating Intel Management Engine Firmware and EC firmware."?

According to what I know, the Recovery method is more complete that the F7 update. The BIOS Recovery by BIOS Security Jumper is the most thorough method for BIOS update.

I believe that in next days you will have more feedback from Intel.

Leon

[JLiu13]

Hi Leon,

Thank you for your kind response and trying to help me with the issue in my NUC.
Very sorry for the inconveniences caused.

Very kind of you to volunteer  in the Intel Community Forum and understand the situation that you have limited resources to replicate the issue with my NUC model.

I made several tests today.

I am able to update BIOS using jumper removal method and got updated Intel Management Engine Firmware and EC firmware.
However during test using F4 Bios recovery method using power button option the EC firmware and Intel Management Firmware are not updated and I took picture with my camera and will share the same later today.

Power button update method using F7 key did not work and I tried plug the USB in rear port.

Power LED kept blinking in pattern of 3 times each time. I forcefully shutdown NUC.

The information on EC firmware and Intel Management Engine Firm ware I read from the attached document.

Hope I will have some feedback from Intel soon if they can test the same model of NUC.

Wish you nice day.

Kind regards,

Santhana

[LeonWaksman]

Hi Santhana,

FYI, the document attached to your post contains instruction for BIOS update for NUC equipped with Aptio V BIOS (using .cap file), while you have NUC equipped with the older Visual BIOS (using .bio file for update). Those are the BIOS Update and Recovery Instructions for Intel® NUC with Visual BIOS

Any way in both methods there is no mention that while using BIOS Recovery from Power Button Menu, the ME or EC firmware is not updated. Both methods (F7, F4) updating: ME firmware, Recovery Block Firmware, Boot Block Firmware, MicroCode Block Firmware, Main Block Firmware and Graphics Firmware.

Regards

Leon

[JLiu13]

Dear Leon,

Thank you for your information and very useful.

However I am facing issues with my NUC and not sure what is the cause.

I am attaching the pictures of BIOS update using F7 (During Boot Options) and F4 (Power Button Method).

Hope I could get some feedback from Intel soon if this is related my hardware issue of my NUC.

F7 update was done using boot menu options.

Kind regards,

Santhana

[LeonWaksman]

Hi Santhana,

Looks that you are right while the BIOS instructions for Visual BIOS (or the sample image at least) are misleading. From the images you have attached we may see that the ME and the Descriptor Area Firmware are updated during F7 update only. As I already informed you in my other post, can't check if the F7 method from the Power Button Menu works in NUC BE.  I hope that to day you will have some competent answer from Intel.

Leon

[JLiu13]

Dear Leon,

Thank you so much for your kind response and updates.

Now it is clear based on my pictures what really is happening.

The Bios update instructions are either wrong or something wrong with .bio file or it could be my hardware issue.

I raised support request from Intel and got response today.

I am reviewing it and not sure if this will solve the issue.

I will share the same with you.

Kind regards,

Santhana

[LeonWaksman]

Hi Santhana,

I've performed test on my NUC8i7HVK (with Visual BIOS). 

The BIOS Update (F7) by Power Button Menu works exactly like the F7 method during boot process (i.e. you get a screen with storage devices and after choosing the USB stick, you can chose the .bio file). During BIOS update process ME and EC firmware are updated.

In BIOS Recovery (F4) by Power Button Menu -  ME and EC firmware are not updated.

Leon

[JLiu13]

Dear Leon,

Very kind of you to conduct tests to resolve my issue.

Thank you so much for the update and also information F4 recovery update which is same as I experienced.

It appears something wrong my NUC.

Also I made another test during post bios screen by using F10 to enter boot menu options.

After entering boot menu options I could see Windows boot partition as there are no other boot devices.

I pressed Escape key and nothing happened and I could exit the boot menu option.

Then pressed Enter Key by selecting Windows boot partition.

System booted to Windows 10.

I am bit surprised why I cannot exit the boot menu option by using Escape key and there is no response when I press the Escape key.

It looks like something wrong my NUC as this time there were no USB involved.

I am sharing the details I experienced with NUC today.

Kind regards,

Santhana

[DeividA_Intel]

Hello JLiu13,  

Thank you for posting on the Intel® communities.   

I do appreciate the information provided. I will proceed to check the issue internally and post back soon with more details. 

Best regards, 

Deivid A.  

Intel Customer Support Technician 

[JLiu13]

Hello Deivid,

Thank you for your kind support and shall await your further information on this issue.

Kind regards,

Santhana

[DeividA_Intel]

Hello JLiu13, 

Based on the troubleshooting performed and the internal research, I recommend you to get in contact with us directly to discuss the warranty options that we have.

You can use one of the following links:

- US Canada: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/contact-support.html#@11 

- Europe, Middle East, and Africa: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/contact-support/emea-contact.html 

- Asia-Pacific: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/contact-support/apac-contact.html 

- Latin America: https://www.intel.la/content/www/xl/es/support/contact-support/lar-contact.html 

Thanks for the comprehension.

Regards,  

Deivid A.  

Intel Customer Support Technician 

[JLiu13]

Hello Deivid,

Thank you so much for your kind support and help to investigate my strange issue.

One thing I informed Technical Support when I got this unit is about Memory voltage in BIOS which shows as 1.16 V and not 1.2 volts

I am not sure if this has anything to do with the issue I am facing as my NUC otherwise boots normal.

I have also contacted warranty support team and sent them details on my memory module which is HyperX Impact DDR4 SODIMM, 2133 MHZ.

I hope soon to have some solution.

Wish you nice day.

Kind regards,

Santhana

[DeividA_Intel]

Hello JLiu13, 

Thanks for the update, in this case, I recommend you to continue with the warranty support agent and they will help you with the process, also you can share this thread with the agent if needed.

Since a replacement is the next step and you contacted us directly I will close this thread. 

Best regards,  

Deivid A.  

Intel Customer Support Technician