NUC8i7BEH unstable after updating BIOS to 0064

[SChau10]

I updated the BIOS of my NUC8i7BEH today from 0056 to 0064, and afterwards encountered 3 hard hangs (mouse arrow frozen) and one BSOD within a period of ~10 minutes. Windows 10 launched into auto recovery due to repeated system hangs/crashes.

My system configuration:

Model: NUC8i7BEH, Product code: BOXNUC8i7BEH1, SA J72992-303, Date of Manufacture: 09/2018

Memory: 2 x Samsung 4GB 1Rx16 PC4-2400T-SC0-11 M471A5244CB0-CRC SO-DIMMs

Storage: Samsung 970 PRO 512GB NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD

OS: Windows 10 Pro 1809 (RS5 / "October 2018 update), build 17763.316

With BIOS 0056, this system has been rock solid running Win10 for many weeks. With BIOS 0064, same system is so unstable it is completely unusable. I made no changes to any hardware, drivers or apps, but just updated the BIOS from 0056 to 0064, which completed successfully.

System regained stability and usability after BIOS recovery back to 0056.

[n_scott_pearson]

Reinstall BIOS 64, but this time use the BIOS Recovery method. The jumper-based method is best, but you can try using the Power Button Menu method if you wish.

...S

[SChau10]

Thanks Scott! Flashing 0064 with power button menu method has restored system stability.

Just curious as to why the power button method worked better than the F7 method for this BIOS.

[n_scott_pearson]

The recovery process forces an overwrite of all portions of the firmware, whereas the EBU, F7 and iFlash2 methods only write the updated sections.

...S

[SChau10]

OK, I get it now. Today I did a jumper recovery of my NUC8i7BEH to BIOS 0064, and can see an additional item "Descriptor Area" getting updated along with the other usual items.

I went for the jumper recovery since the NUC exhibited some unexpected & persistent failures with its TB3 controller, while I attempted to get an external TB3 NVMe SSD enclosure (TEKQ Cube) to work with this NUC. After the jumper recovery and a re-installation of the TB3 driver the enclosure started working. I even managed to boot Win10 OS from a Samsung NVMe SSD installed into this enclosure.

All is well with my NUC8i7BEH now. Thanks again, Scott, for the pointers!

[n_scott_pearson]

That's why I'm here. Glad it worked out.

...S