Can’t Flash BIOS.. MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk

[jeffpmaxs6]

I put the PC together a few months ago and had zero issue and runs fine. 5800x3d - 6950xt. My res is 3440x1440 and I’m trying to get more fps. I think a 7900xtx would help. My temps are 50-60c, but I heard undervolting the cpu lowers heat and may give more fps. So I enable this thingy Kobo strike and set a # to 3 that either was going to lower the volts or raise them. Lol. Idk. I would have to write down #’s to compare, to tell if there is any difference. Any input welcome, since it’s new too me and I’m learning the mobo. If my gpu is holding me back I think I barked up the wrong tree going into the BIOS, since that is more for the CPU and ram. : / CPU goes to 4.5Ghz 50-60c and ram running @ 3600 and the timings where they should be at.

Nothing seems broke, but I figured I’d flash the BIOS and undated the drivers, just to do it. Pretty much ran out of the box. I install the AMD drivers for the software and a few days later a AMD chip. Seem optional. But, hey lets fix it anyways. So I get a couple diff usb device with the latest BIOS version on them and when I go to Flash I get entering bios flash, then blank screen. Tried 2 diff usb device, plug into back of mobo, switching the monitor cable on the gpu and also plug it into the mobo. Now if that’s enabling in the BIOS Idk. I heard clear the cmos, take battery out, take pc apart, lol and do this and that in the BIOS. I put the BIOS to default and that didn’t help and then my ram wouldn’t run at 3600, even when I manually changed it. But, last boot it went back to 3600. I didn’t try any other BIOS version, because I figure something should still pop up. I tried Flashing it when I first got it and had no luck. Recognize my cpu, so not sure what I would be fixing anyways.

[_I_]

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/MAG-B550-TOMAHAWK/support
download latest bios, its a zip file, unpack to usb stick, or root of internal drive
boot to bios, select update option, find it on the drive where you placed it

wait for bios update to finish, ifi t flashes black, keep waiting until its complete

you can clear bios settings from bios, there is a reset to defaults option

[pasa]

Erase the cmos. Then follow the method that works without CPU.

[jeffpmaxs6]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย _I_:

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/MAG-B550-TOMAHAWK/support
download latest bios, its a zip file, unpack to usb stick, or root of internal drive
boot to bios, select update option, find it on the drive where you placed it

wait for bios update to finish, ifi t flashes black, keep waiting until its complete

you can clear bios settings from bios, there is a reset to defaults option

Thanks. I did that and more, but I get a black screen when my flash drive with the bios should be popping up. The monitor goes to sleep. I can try another monitor, but it’s been plugged in and I’m just grabbing at straws. I couldn’t flash the bios when I built it either. Works perfect and np, accept trying to flash bios. Lol. Oh well back to, if it isn’t broke don’t fix it. I’m looking for my fps in the wrong place anyways. Since my gpu can go to 99%.

[jeffpmaxs6]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Zechfix:

And this my friends, is why PC's aren't for everyone.
But I loved the 7900xtx part and undervolting a 5800X3D for more FPS.
Flashing the BIOS was also neat.

Couldn't make that up even if I tried. xDDDDDDDDD

Want an honest opinion?Go for a PS5. A console is much more suitable for a person like you.

Who me? I’ve been gaming on PC for 25 years. lol. I started building a AM4 system about six months ago and just finished it off with a 34” oled. Lol go AM5 or console. Well some game do look like they were meant for console. I imaging in time kb and mice won’t be supported in pc game and the community will have to find a work around. Lol.

[Illusion of Progress]

I just updated my MSI MAG X570S Tomahawk Max WiFi (modern motherboard names...) today and it worked fine. Updated from 1.7 to 1.8, and a week or so ago I went from 1.5 to 1.7.

Download the BIOS, unzip it to a flash drive, reboot and enter the BIOS, choose M-Flash and confirm, PC will restart, choose the location of the BIOS, confirm again, and let it do its thing.

When is the PC losing signal in that process? When it goes to restart to M-Flash? If so, your board appears to have the feature like mine where you plug the flash drive into the BIOS USB 2.0 port and can do it automatically that way. Have you tried using that?

[Zef]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย jeffpmaxs6:

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย _I_:

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/MAG-B550-TOMAHAWK/support
download latest bios, its a zip file, unpack to usb stick, or root of internal drive
boot to bios, select update option, find it on the drive where you placed it

wait for bios update to finish, ifi t flashes black, keep waiting until its complete

you can clear bios settings from bios, there is a reset to defaults option

Thanks. I did that and more, but I get a black screen when my flash drive with the bios should be popping up. The monitor goes to sleep. I can try another monitor, but it’s been plugged in and I’m just grabbing at straws. I couldn’t flash the bios when I built it either. Works perfect and np, accept trying to flash bios. Lol. Oh well back to, if it isn’t broke don’t fix it. I’m looking for my fps in the wrong place anyways. Since my gpu can go to 99%.

If you can't flash your firmware when inside the BIOS the first thing i would do is try a CMOS reset ( extract battery and if needed short the 2 pins on your mobo with a metal screwdriver).

After that try another USB stick, maybe it's in a file system it can't read.

If that doesn't help on most modern motherboard you can just put the bios update file on your stick, put it in a dedicated USB port on the back of your PC labeled BIOS and hit the switch to start to upgrade process that way.

Let it's do it thing until it fully rebooted (once or twice) and you're back at the windows logon session.

[jeffpmaxs6]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Illusion of Progress:

I just updated my MSI MAG X570S Tomahawk Max WiFi (modern motherboard names...) today and it worked fine. Updated from 1.7 to 1.8, and a week or so ago I went from 1.5 to 1.7.

Download the BIOS, unzip it to a flash drive, reboot and enter the BIOS, choose M-Flash and confirm, PC will restart, choose the location of the BIOS, confirm again, and let it do its thing.

When is the PC losing signal in that process? When it goes to restart to M-Flash? If so, your board appears to have the feature like mine where you plug the flash drive into the BIOS USB 2.0 port and can do it automatically that way. Have you tried using that?

No, I wasn’t sure what you were talking about BIOS USB port, so I switch to a USB 2 port. The only port I haven’t tried is the one labeled Flash BIOS port. Lol.

[SoadY w/ bad eyes]

This generally happens when you have your BIOS / Windows accidentally set to CSM Legacy.

Reset the CMOS battery so you can return to the BIOS screen and make sure the BIOS is set to UEFI mode. I presume you're using Display Port? If so pop a HDMI cable in a different slot as the Mflash screen may appear on that instead.

[jeffpmaxs6]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Zef:

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย jeffpmaxs6:

Thanks. I did that and more, but I get a black screen when my flash drive with the bios should be popping up. The monitor goes to sleep. I can try another monitor, but it’s been plugged in and I’m just grabbing at straws. I couldn’t flash the bios when I built it either. Works perfect and np, accept trying to flash bios. Lol. Oh well back to, if it isn’t broke don’t fix it. I’m looking for my fps in the wrong place anyways. Since my gpu can go to 99%.

If you can't flash your firmware when inside the BIOS the first thing i would do is try a CMOS reset ( extract battery and if needed short the 2 pins on your mobo with a metal screwdriver).

After that try another USB stick, maybe it's in a file system it can't read.

If that doesn't help on most modern motherboard you can just put the bios update file on your stick, put it in a dedicated USB port on the back of your PC labeled BIOS and hit the switch to start to upgrade process that way.

Let it's do it thing until it fully rebooted (once or twice) and you're back at the windows logon session.

I tried all the ports, accept the one labeled Flash BIOS Port. I have a flash BIOS button too. Lol thanks. I’m sure it will work now. Idk if it matters, but I’ll try to save my current BIOS first, plus learn what these updates are fixing.

[jeffpmaxs6]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย SoadY w/ bad eyes:

This generally happens when you have your BIOS / Windows accidentally set to CSM Legacy.

Reset the CMOS battery so you can return to the BIOS screen and make sure the BIOS is set to UEFI mode. I presume you're using Display Port? If so pop a HDMI cable in a different slot as the Mflash screen may appear on that instead.

The problem was I was using the wrong USB port. The mobo has a USB Flash BIOS port on the back of the mobo.

[emoticorpse]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย jeffpmaxs6:

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย SoadY w/ bad eyes:

This generally happens when you have your BIOS / Windows accidentally set to CSM Legacy.

Reset the CMOS battery so you can return to the BIOS screen and make sure the BIOS is set to UEFI mode. I presume you're using Display Port? If so pop a HDMI cable in a different slot as the Mflash screen may appear on that instead.

The problem was I was using the wrong USB port. The mobo has a USB Flash BIOS port on the back of the mobo.

Pretty sure you're bios is still supposed to see files on usb drives even if they're not in that specific bios usb port?. I always just use my front panel case to upgrade my bios?

It's not automatic though, I have to manually point it to the directory/file.

[jeffpmaxs6]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย emoticorpse:

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย jeffpmaxs6:

The problem was I was using the wrong USB port. The mobo has a USB Flash BIOS port on the back of the mobo.

Pretty sure you're bios is still supposed to see files on usb drives even if they're not in that specific bios usb port?. I always just use my front panel case to upgrade my bios?

It's not automatic though, I have to manually point it to the directory/file.

I tried the front ports and back ports and just get a black screen when it enters flash BIOS. There might be a way to get it to show, but I think I’ll have better luck just using the one that says Flash BIOS port. Lol.

[Illusion of Progress]

Did you successfully flash it since a post has been marked as the solution?

The "BIOS" USB port is only where the flash drive needs to be if using the "blind" flash method (meaning, the one where you hold the flash BIOS button to initiate it and let it do it on its own). If you initiate it within the BIOS with the M-Flash option, that port is not necessarily where it needs to be. I flashed mine twice in the last week and a half and didn't use that port either time.

So you're likely looking at some other reason, which the marked post might still have mentioned.

The drive might be the wrong file system.

I've heard some people can't get certain drives detected and have to use 32 GB or slower USB version drives sometimes too.

But if either of those was your issue, you'd probably get it simply not detecting the drive when being given the list of locations rather than a Black screen.

Again, the marked post mentions this, but reset your BIOS to optimized defaults (I think it's prompted by pressing F5 on these boards while in the BIOS)/ Alternatively, unplus the PSU from the wall, remove the CMOS battery, press the power button and hold it a few times, and then let it sit for a few minutes. Put the CMOS battery back in, plug it back in, and power it on. It might take a while (and some reboots) to "train" itself. After this, see if you can get into the BIOS and get the M-Flash option working without changing any settings from the default.

[jeffpmaxs6]

โพสต์ดั้งเดิมโดย Illusion of Progress:

Did you successfully flash it since a post has been marked as the solution?

The "BIOS" USB port is only where the flash drive needs to be if using the "blind" flash method (meaning, the one where you hold the flash BIOS button to initiate it and let it do it on its own). If you initiate it within the BIOS with the M-Flash option, that port is not necessarily where it needs to be. I flashed mine twice in the last week and a half and didn't use that port either time.

So you're likely looking at some other reason, which the marked post might still have mentioned.

The drive might be the wrong file system.

I've heard some people can't get certain drives detected and have to use 32 GB or slower USB version drives sometimes too.

But if either of those was your issue, you'd probably get it simply not detecting the drive when being given the list of locations rather than a Black screen.

Again, the marked post mentions this, but reset your BIOS to optimized defaults (I think it's prompted by pressing F5 on these boards while in the BIOS)/ Alternatively, unplus the PSU from the wall, remove the CMOS battery, press the power button and hold it a few times, and then let it sit for a few minutes. Put the CMOS battery back in, plug it back in, and power it on. It might take a while (and some reboots) to "train" itself. After this, see if you can get into the BIOS and get the M-Flash option working without changing any settings from the default.

No, I tried that bios port, but miss the hold button part. Lol. That doesn’t sound like the way I want to flash the BIOS anyways with my luck. I tried putting the BIOS at default and changing things with no luck. I was going to clear the cmos, until I realize I would have to take my card out. I’m not that egger at the moment. It’s a tight fit with many screws and wires. Thanks for the walk through though. There so many BIOS version I’m not sure which one to pick. Lol. Half way down I seen one that said 5800x3d support. It had the same numbers as my bios, accept diff letters at the end. I guess getting the latest BIOS is too simple and I have to be difficult. Lol. I feel I should do some bench marks and testing first.

[Illusion of Progress]

If you're going to update at all (staying on the current one if it has no known issues that are affecting you/a risk to you is also an option), then the latest non-Beta version should be your choice. There's no reason to update but choose a less than latest one unless you have a specific reason to.