DH87MC BIOS Update

[HoneyPhantom]

Please bear with me, this is my first PC and I'm not very knowledgeable;;

I recently bought a used PC with the motherboard DH87MC. I'm trying to change out the CPU and I want to update the BIOS beforehand. Where can I get the most updated BIOS version for my motherboard? It looks like Intel doesn't have it on their website for some reason, and I don't want to download it from a sketchy website...

My current BIOS is MCH8710H.86A.0047.2013.0606.1508 (6/6/13), if it helps.

[AlHill]

This is your first PC?   You know that this board is already a decade old, correct?

And, you will not be able to run Windows 11.  What processor did you have in mind?

Bios 0164 and release notes are attached.

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

[Bumblebemicro]

Hi Al. Thanks for your input and your patience. I have doubts about the file you uploaded. Did you get it when Intel was still supporting the Dh87mc motherboard? or did you get it from an alternate site? I mention this because in total virus there are several detections in the relationship section. I wanted to give a new look to my machine, I understand that an updated bios improves the performance a little bit. However these detections overwhelm me. I am not an expert, so I don't know why that happens. I'm a bit desperate, if the file was from an alternate site maybe you have a file that will allow me to return to a safe and original version the bios of the dh87mc. Thank you very much for your support.

[AlHill]

The bios update came from Intel.  I use it on my board. 

If you want, you can download it yourself using the wayback machine:

https://web.archive.org/web/20191119130931/https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/28272/BIOS-Update-MCH8710H-86A-?product=69045

Doc (not an Intel employee or contractor)
[If you find any Intel driver you might need, download and save it now.]

[Bumblebemicro]

Al thanks for answering, you reassure me, an apology if my question made you uncomfortable, with these things you never know, I feel that the internet changed a lot. Woow your motherboard is the legendary dh87mc. Hopefully windows will let us upgrade to its 24h2 version hahaha... I still have hope. good day to you, best regards and good luck.

[n_scott_pearson]

At this point, since Intel is no longer hosting BIOS updates for the (now long discontinued) Desktop Board products, using the wayback machine is the only way to get an update.

Al's file is a binary match to the one that I have in my archive - which I saved away while I was an employee of Intel (before I retired) - and McAfee, my anti-virus facility, is detecting no issues with the file at all. I am more inclined to believe that you are seeing false-positives with your facility.

Just saying,

...S

[Bumblebemicro]

Scott thanks for responding and taking the time to review Al's file with your file. The coincidence of both files is one more reason to be calm, yes, I have read that it is more common than it seems false positives in legitimate files, how complicated. I hope you are enjoying your retirement, best of luck, good day to you.

[n_scott_pearson]

Oh, I see the issue. You are looking at a Windows executable while we are providing and looking at the MC0164.BIO file.

The file that you are scanning appears to have embedded .DLL files - some of which are products of Dell! You seem to have some sort of repackaging that was done by Dell. Do not use this file!

You have BIOS 47 installed currently whereas the one we are providing is BIOS 164. These are so far apart that you could end up bricking your board if you do this wrong. You must use the BIOS Recovery process. Since Intel's page describing this process is no longer posted, I will have to explain what you need to do:

1. NOTE: Read these instructions completely before starting. You must follow all instructions EXACTLY; no shortcuts, no skipped steps.
2. On some other Windows-based PC, download the MC0164.BIO file.
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 MC0164.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 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 the 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.

Hope this helps,

...S

[Bumblebemicro]

Hi Scott, an apology for the delay, after the previous conversation I went quiet hahaha. Back on topic, I used the file uploaded by Al for my bios update. The bios I have now is the 0164-10/23/2018. thank you very much for the instructive, I think I was lucky in the update, I had no problems, and I think it will be useful for others who want to do the same. On the other hand, when I uploaded the MC0164.bio file from Al to the VirusTotal website and performed the scan. VirusTotal launches me 4 sections after scanning the file, which are detection, details, relations and community. In the section of relations appears several detections to .DLL files as you mention - see figure 1 - however, in the section of detections it comes out clean - see figure 2 -. I do not know how to interpret the results of VirusTotal, my little experience in handling this type of tools leaves me very confused and full of doubts. But thanks to your intervention and that of Al I am more calm. Best regards and good luck.

Figure 1

Relations

Figure 2

Detection

[n_scott_pearson]

I have no idea what this report is. This is a binary file containing some number of compressed and encrypted segments.

...S