Legacy BIOS Update for DH55HC

[wolfello]

I have a DH55HC Motherboard and may need a Bios Update in order to upgrade to an i7 cpu.

Can someone please point me in the right direction.

Thanks,

wolfello

[n_scott_pearson]

I have attached the last BIOS.

...S

[ppanickk]

I tried this file and it bricked my computer. Next time be certain before posting files around.

[n_scott_pearson]

Let's be clear, it's not the file's fault. This file is directly from Intel.
The actual issue is the relative age of the existing BIOS. If you are installing BIOS 48 onto a system with, say, BIOS 46 installed, then by all means do a standard F7 install (aside: NEVER use the Windows EBU installers; these are, IMHO, badly broken - and this is why I never redistribute these executables).
Now, if, on the other hand, you had BIOS 23 installed, these two BIOSs are simply too different and the update should be installed using the BIOS Recovery Process.
...S
P.S. I personally recommend *always* using the BIOS Recovery Process. It's a little more work, but a lot more robust.
...S

[ppanickk]

Hello and thanks for the message.

The update process was executed in DOS environment using the command "iflash2 /pf TC0048P.bio". The system restarted and initiated the update process. It was taking too long though (more than 10 minutes). Having no other choice, I left it to its guns to (hopefully) complete the update, and went away to do something else. Upon returning, a good 30 minutes later, the system's fans were running and the screen was black. At that point no amount of resetting, turning it on/off, clearing the CMOS, etc. could get it to boot.

There are ways to recover but these did not work. I prepared a USB drive with only the BIOS file on it, removed the jumper from the motherboard to initiate recovery process but to no avail. The other option would be flashing the BIOS externally. The problem is that the BIOS chip (MX25L6445E) is 8 megabytes whilst the bios file is near 10 megabytes. I was still able to flash (with a warning) using the CH341a programming tool but, again, that didn't work.

The system is bricked, it is like Intel is deliberately compromising the BIOS update / recovery process to force users upgrade their systems. 

For anyone reading this, if you have this motherboard and is working, refrain from trying to update the BIOS. You are almost certain to destroy your equipment (thanks to Intel). 

[Rouxenator]

Thanks - it works! Did it with the built in F7 BIOS Flash tool. 

https://youtu.be/uS8erATnUe8 

[GraeagleBill]

First, let me say that other than swapping out or otherwise upgrading drives and memory cards, I am NOT an expert hardware guy.  I have on occasion run the F7 BIOS updates many years ago, but on the whole I've "let sleeping dogs lay".  

Okay, so what's this all about.  Your post of the P48 BIOS version included the version history in a pdf file, very nice.  However, there's no mention of version 37 which happens to be the version I have on an old DH55HC MB.  (TCIBX10H.86A.0037.2010.0614.1712)

The problem prompting my post here is that a DVD optical drive recently connected to the SATA 2 port (SSD & HDD in ports 0 and 1) while showing in the BIOS and Device Manager fails to appear along with the drives in Windows Explorer.  To the best of my knowledge, the Optical drive is functioning properly, at least Device Manager reports it as such.

So, given all the above, it would seem the first order of business ought to be to get the BIOS up-to-date?  If so, will the "TC00P48.bio" file take my current version 37 BIOS through the series of updates in one swoop, or does one have to obtain the intervening updates and do them one at a time?  OR, do you recognize the "WE no show" issue and there's a simple solution that doesn't involve the BIOS at all?

Thanks so much,

Bill

[Rouxenator]

Sounds like your issue is a Windows problem. Maybe try assigning a new drive letter to the DVD drive in Windows Drive Management? Failing that you could perform a DISM / SFC or even a re-install of Windows.

That said BIOS updates are fun, and easy. My hobby is buying old computers and seeing if I can turn them into something usable. Once I get something running the next step is BIOS update. It was pretty easy on this Intel board so I recommended it. My most recent purchase was a M83 Lenovo and it actually made me write an ISO to CD and connect a physical optical drive to it before it got going.  

[GraeagleBill]

Thanks for the thought Rouxenator, but the drive doesn't even appear in the Windows Disk Management list of drives.

Bill

[AlHill]

You destroyed your board.   And, you do not flash using the CH341a with a .bio file.

Doc (not an Intel employee or contractor)
[Maybe Windows 12 will be better]

[ppanickk]

"You destroyed your board."

Thank you for re-iterating what I already wrote.

"And, you do not flash using the CH341a with a .bio file."

What do you do then? Do you have any suggestions, given the situation?

[AlHill]

You use a .BIN file, which are not provided by Intel for security reasons (so do not ask for one).

Next time, consult a professional before you start playing with your burner.

Doc (not an Intel employee or contractor)
[Maybe Windows 12 will be better]

[ppanickk]

"You use a .BIN file, which are not provided by Intel for security reasons (so do not ask for one)"

So you are suggesting that the manufacturers that do provide their BIOSes in bin format (or in a format that can be flashed directly with a flasher) compromise security? 

"Next time, consult a professional before you start playing with your burner."

Please define professional. Someone who is doing that for business or an experienced user? The cost of the professional, if you manage to find one, will far exceed the cost of the system as whole. 

[AlHill]

Look, I am not going to play this game with you. 

.BIN files are not provided for desktop boards because you are basically stealing the identity of another board.  Those .BIN files that you do find are from someone who as copied the bios from one board, and sells the .BIN file to people, like you.   Now, if you have a damaged board, and copy the bios in .BIN format, that is "acceptible".  But, most that you find are clones from good boards and should not be used.   Consider, for example, you will have the same MAC address as another board.

By professional I mean someone who has experience with these boards.   I have been using Intel desktop boards for a VERY long time.   And, Scott has been using them longer than me.   I have updated the bios on desktop boards probably three times a year for the past 30 years or so.   Do the math.   And, I have seen a good number of guys with a chip burner make mistakes and roach/brick their boards, and try to blame it on Intel.  And, you could have come this forum BEFORE you tried anything and asked questions.

Now, regarding your questioning the .BIO file that was posted, it is intels .bio file for your board.   Here is an archived page with the same .bio file, and the release notes.

https://web.archive.org/web/20191119132257/https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/20725/BIOS-Update-TCIBX10H-86A-?product=42409

So, you have bricked your board.  Not Intel, not the .bio file.  No one else is responsible except you.  Like the saying goes:  Live and learn.

Doc (not an Intel employee or contractor)
[Maybe Windows 12 will be better]

[AlHill]

One question:   Why did you not use the F7 method to update the bios rather than messing with iflash?

Doc (not an Intel employee or contractor)
[Maybe Windows 12 will be better]

[ppanickk]

I am not familiar with Intel boards BIOS updating and the absence of documentation does not help. The procedure I followed was found online, on a third-party website. 

[ppanickk]

Thank you for the long message but this is no game.

You are actually mistaken about the working BIOS files. To put matters into perspective, I have a Lenovo Ideacentre Y900 of which the BIOS was password-protected from the previous owner. There was no way to unlock it and used the serial number of that system to download a working BIOS file directly from Lenovo that I used to successfully flash the BIOS on that system, with my external flasher, in order to remove the password. Of course more work was needed later to also add details like serial number UUID, MAC address etc but, the bottomline is, it worked!

About the procedure now for the Intel board now. If you followed this thread closely, you would have read that I followed the conventional procedure first, before resorting to the flasher, and it FAILED. Is that my fault too? Would your 30 years of experience have predicted that by following the standard procedure to update the BIOS would result to a failed BIOS update? I don't think so.

My mistake was not that I tried to flash the BIOS file, it was that I did not back up the BIOS prior to flashing, but it is too late now.

"Like the saying goes:  Live and learn"

I agree. But it seems it applies more to you than it does to me.

[AlHill]

Lenovo's bios belongs to lenovo and they can do what they want.   Not relevent here because this is an intel bios and board.  So, it is your mistake to assume they are the same.  And, to help you further, dell's bios belongs to dell, asus bios belongs to asus, msi bios belongs to msi, etc., etc., etc.  They may or may not have the same restrictions as Intel.

The conventional way to update the bios is via F7.

No, live and learn applies to you.  I have never bricked a board.

Now, it is time for you to move on.  Yoiu have bricked your board, because of  your lack of experience and knowledge, and tried to blame it on someone else.   Take your new-found knowledge, and your chip burner, and go play somewhere else.

I have no more time to waste on you.

Doc (not an Intel employee or contractor)
[Maybe Windows 12 will be better]

[ppanickk]

"Lenovo's bios belongs to lenovo and they can do what they want.   Not relevent here because this is an intel bios and board.  So, it is your mistake to assume they are the same.  And, to help you further, dell's bios belongs to dell, asus bios belongs to asus, msi bios belongs to msi, etc., etc., etc.  They may or may not have the same restrictions as Intel."

So if other big manufacturers do not impose the same "Security" restrictions as Intel does then who's to blame? These "Security" features is another way of destroying equipment and forcing consumers to go and buy the "new stuff". 

"No, live and learn applies to you.  I have never bricked a board."

Nope, it applies to you. Other manufacturers are more consumer friendly. You did not know that because you're too obsessed with Intel.

"Now, it is time for you to move on.  Yoiu have bricked your board, because of  your lack of experience and knowledge, and tried to blame it on someone else.   Take your new-found knowledge, and your chip burner, and go play somewhere else."

I will move on when I decide to move on, you have no authority telling me what to do.

"I have no more time to waste on you."

What you mean is that you are not used to people winning an argument against you and you don't want to admit it. It's OK, move along, go do whatever makes you happy! 

[n_scott_pearson]

Quite simply, the intervening BIOS releases are not available. As a result, to upgrade to the latest (final) BIOS, you need to use the BIOS Recovery process. Here is what you need to do:

1. NOTE: Read these instructions completely before starting. Follow all instructions EXACTLY.
2. On some other Windows-based PC, download/copy the .BIO file for the BIOS release you wish to install.
3. Insert a 32GB or smaller (the smaller the better) USB 2.0 flash drive into the PC. Do not use USB 3.0 flash drives (most are not compatible). It is also better (though not required) to use a flash drive that has an access LED that you can watch.
4. Format this USB flash drive using the Windows Format applet. Specify to install the FAT32 file system (Important: NOT vFAT, NOT exFAT; FAT32 only). You must also specify that the Quick Format option be Disabled (unchecked).
5. NOTE: If FAT32 is not offered as a choice by the Format applet, your flash drive is too big; use another.
6. Copy the .BIO file into the root folder of this USB flash drive. This should be the only .BIO file in the root folder of the USB flash drive.
7. Properly eject the USB flash drive. Do not just yank it out. Do this from File Explorer or using the Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media System Tray applet.
8. Power off the Desktop Board system.
9. Remove the yellow BIOS Configuration jumper from the board. It will be the only yellow jumper; the rest will usually be black.
10. Plug the USB flash drive into one of the black USB 2.0 ports on the back panel of the board. Avoid using blue USB 3.0 or yellow USB 2.0/3.0 charging ports. Also avoid using front panel USB ports.
11. Power on the system.
12. The BIOS Recovery process should start automatically. You should see a progress report on your main monitor.
13. NOTE: If you do not see a progress report displayed on a monitor, do not power off the system for at least 15 minutes. While it is rare, it is possible for the process to proceed without providing an onscreen display; you must give it ample time to complete, just in case.
14. When the BIOS Recovery process is complete, you will be asked to power off the system. Do so then.
15. Restore the yellow BIOS Configuration jumper to the pins it was on previously. This should be across pins 1 and 2 of this (three pin) header.
16. Remove the USB flash drive from the back panel of the board.
17. Power on the board.
18. Immediately begin pressing the F2 key, over and over (approx. once per second) until you see a BIOS Setup (or Visual BIOS) screen displayed.
19. Verify, using the BIOS version string, that the BIOS installed properly. Stop if it isn't.
20. Press the F9 key (followed by the Y key) to reset of the BIOS configuration.
21. Press the F10 key (followed by the Y key) to save the BIOS Configuration and exit BIOS Setup.
22. Once screen is cleared (goes black), begin pressing the F2 key, over and over, until you see the BIOS Setup screen displayed.
23. Make any changes to the BIOS configuration that you desire (for example, disabling NUMLOCK) or that you require (for example, setting Boot Order, enabling UEFI, etc.).
24. Press the F10 key (followed by the Y key) to save the BIOS Configuration and exit BIOS Setup.
25. Test.

Here are some additional thoughts:

• If BIOS Recovery will not start, try using a different USB port. You can try using the blue USB 3.0 or yellow USB 2.0/3.0 ports as well if no other choices. You can also try using front panel USB ports.
• If switching USB ports didn't work, try using a different USB flash drive. Remember that all USB flash drives must be reformatted at least once using the process described in Step 4 above.
• As always, it is helpful to use a USB flash drive that has an access LED so that you can visually see if it is being accessed.
• If you are seeing USB flash drive being accessed but BIOS Recovery does not start, a common cause is compatibility with the memory present. The BIOS Recovery engine, as it is with USB 3.0 flash drives, can be very picky with regards to memory compatibility. Try removing all but one DIMM/SODIMM.
• For more information on the BIOS Recovery process, consult Intel Desktop Boards Recovery BIOS Update Instructions.

Hope this helps,

...S

[GraeagleBill]

Thank you Scott!  Your instructions proved to be PERFECT!  In effect, my BIOS upgraded from P37 to P48 in one operation without a hitch.  I happened to have an old USB 2.0 8GB that formatted easily and I simply copied the .bio file from your earlier post referencing the latest BIOS version to its root.

For anyone that might be interested in what the recovery script looks like when it runs, I've attached a iPhone screenshot herein.  I also included a shot of the jumper in case anyone is unfamiliar with its appearance on the board.

Thanks again Scott,

Bill