Help
cancel
Turn on suggestions
Auto-suggest helps you quickly narrow down your search results by suggesting possible matches as you type.
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Can someone explain the BIOS FlashBack: COPY BIOS1 TO BIOS2, etc..

Snacko
Level 7

‎02-17-2018 06:36 AM - last edited on ‎03-06-2024 10:03 PM by Community Admin

The manual is not very clear on how this exactly works. So I am a little confused, and have some questions.. 😉

Assume BIOS1 is 3401, and BIOS2 is 3007. (I hope this doesn't confuse things, it just helps me think this through..)


  • The "Now BIOS Status: 2" is indicating that the currently used BIOS(3007) and it's settings are being used in the BIOS now, right?
  • Are there two backed up BIOS spaces? BIOS1(3401) and BIOS2(3007)? And then one of them(3007) is actually being used as indicated by the "Now BIOS Status: 2"?
  • OR, is there just the currently loaded BIOS(3007), and one backup BIOS1(3401)?? So then, the "COPY BIOS2 to BIOS1" just means to backup the current BIOS? And sometimes BIOS1 is the backup, and sometimes BIOS2 is the backup?
  • Is the backed up BIOS(s) persistent? If I were to EZ Flash BIOS a totally different BIOS, will my BIOS1 and/or BIOS2 still be saved when this new BIOS is flashed? Or do they get wiped and BIOS1 and BIOS2 are empty whenever a new BIOS is flashed?

Do you have a strategy to use this Forced BIOS Boot; and Copy BIOS to BIOS tool??? :confused:
On item 4, I can see the benefit of it being persistent if I was testing a new BIOS but wanted to easily revert back to my old BIOS and settings? But if it not persistent, then It would be useful if I was overclocking and just wanted to flash back the same BIOS and settings that were stable.

Thanks

71706
Intel I9-10850k / Asus ROG Maximus XIII Hero / G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 64GB (4 x 16GB) DDR4 3200 / Thermaltake Water 3.0 Ultimate CPU Cooler 360MM
Gigabyte RTX 3080 Gaming OC / Corsair 850watt CMPSU-850TX / 2 x M.2 (1 TB / 2 TB) EVO Plus/ /2x SanDisk 250gb SSDs (Raid0 total 500gb) / WD 2TB 3D Blue SSD
Labels:
0 Kudos
4,371 Views
3 REPLIES 3

Korth
Level 14

‎02-17-2018 07:26 AM

You have to be in BIOS1 to copy BIOS1 to BIOS2.
You have to be in BIOS2 to copy BIOS2 to BIOS1.

If you're unable to flash from within BIOS then you have the option of flashing from a USB image, described in the manual.

Both of the BIOS images are "persistent" NVRAM.
They're each flashed onto an NVRAM chip. They each remain unchanged until/unless their NVRAM is reflashed (or somehow corrupted).

Many BIOS settings are not permanently flashed into firmware but are stored in "semi-persistent" CMOS/RTC "NVRAM".
Clear CMOS erases this data (resets it back to factory defaults).
Disconnecting all power inputs and CR2032 battery from the motherboard erases this data (after the memory remains unpowered for a few minutes).
This (one) CMOS storage area is always used by the active firmware, switching between two BIOS images can corrupt any information it contains (especially if they're different BIOS versions). It's all non-critical data and the computer can (should) always run on factory default settings when no data are present, but you can't normally transfer your settings from one BIOS to another without manually re-entering them.
"All opinions are not equal. Some are a very great deal more robust, sophisticated and well supported in logic and argument than others." - Douglas Adams

[/Korth]
0 Kudos

Snacko
Level 7

‎02-17-2018 11:30 AM

Thanks Korth! That is very helpful and I have saved it in my notes for future reference.

I assume if one of these BIOS has an old version on it, then Forcing that BIOS to boot when your current BIOS is much newer is more prone to failure? Say than versions that are closer or the same? I was thinking I could keep my 1601 BIOS on BIOS1 since I have that overclocked to 4.8ghz. And test these newer BiOS on BIOS2, to see how I can overclock them. But then Forcing 1601 over 3702 may not work? And

I see that the BIOS has a 'Notes' feature. If I write a note there what is on BIOS1 and BIOS2, I am guessing that those notes are lost when a BIOS is flashed? Or one of these is Forced to boot? So I would need to keep track of what they contain on paper?
Intel I9-10850k / Asus ROG Maximus XIII Hero / G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 64GB (4 x 16GB) DDR4 3200 / Thermaltake Water 3.0 Ultimate CPU Cooler 360MM
Gigabyte RTX 3080 Gaming OC / Corsair 850watt CMPSU-850TX / 2 x M.2 (1 TB / 2 TB) EVO Plus/ /2x SanDisk 250gb SSDs (Raid0 total 500gb) / WD 2TB 3D Blue SSD
0 Kudos

Korth
Level 14

‎02-18-2018 12:28 AM

I'm not sure if it's strictly required, but I always Clear CMOS (then manually go through all the settings again, top to bottom) when switching BIOS chips.

I suspect ASUS UEFI stores some settings and changelogs and stuff in the BIOS chip, though I'm not sure exactly what does and doesn't get stored or where it gets saved. They seem to change things around a little on each chipset generation, sometimes each motherboard model, sometimes even each BIOS revision. My focus has always been to just know what options are in BIOS, what they do, and how to configure them to work the best way possible on my hardware ... I don't really delve much into how ASUS engineered a particular motherboard iteration unless I'm planning some kind of motherboard-level component modding, lol.

I find it more useful to note (write down) my BIOS settings than the board-specific mechanisms about how they're implemented. Prepare for the worst - assume your computer doesn't work and doesn't boot past BIOS - you may never need written hardcopy of your notes, but having them handy when you do need them is a real time saver.
"All opinions are not equal. Some are a very great deal more robust, sophisticated and well supported in logic and argument than others." - Douglas Adams

[/Korth]
0 Kudos