I’m looking for Feedback on my currently devised checklist for updating my Asus Maximus V Extreme Motherboard’s BIOS from 1309x64 to version 1903. Please note that I am running into some errors and there has been some troubleshooting done, so I’m not approaching this as a “It’s not broke so let’s fix it!” kind of thing. After I update the BIOS (successfully) I’m going to run a Clean Re-Install of Windows 10, which I screwed up previously by first choosing express settings, and then installing a number of things in the wrong order.

My Steps may be overly detailed or exacting – for which I apologize – but as a novice I *really* don’t want to mess up with too many assumptions. There are plenty of days where even if I was standing at a crosswalk with perfect visibility for miles all around and not a car in sight, I still wouldn’t cross until the light said, “Okay, you can walk now.”

It sounds like one step I’ll need to take is to Clear the CMOS (apparently via the button on the back of the case (on the motherboard))? I am guessing I would only want to do that after a few steps and I will include it’s position where I think it should fall.


Step 1: Format my Corsair Voyager GS 64GB USB Flash Drive (keeping as MBR). Set up a single new volume on the drive of no more than 1GB in size, and formatted as FAT32 (if FAT16 was an option I might choose that, but it seems to be a choice between FAT, FAT32, and at larger volumes NTFS and ExFAT). The name will be “Voyager GS,” and it will be listed as ‘H:’ for drive letter and path, though I don’t think the name or drive letter/path matter for these purposes.

Step 2: Download the Windows 10 64-bit update for your BIOS, version 1903 (uploaded on 2013/09/16 (or 09/16/2013 for us regular folks)). I would use WinRAR to extract the contents to a new folder named, “MAXIMUS-V-EXTREME-ASUS-1903.” Within is a single file, called “MAXIMUS-V-EXTREME-ASUS-1903.CAP”

Step 3: Per the manual for the Asus Maximus V Extreme (E7627, updated on 08/23/2012), I need to rename the BIOS file to “M5E.CAP” (pages 2-19, 3-1, and 3-53). I assume I can simply rename the file as I would any other by right clicking on the icon, and selecting, “Rename.” Apparently there was some sort of Utility Asus previously offered on it’s Support Pages for renaming files like this, but I can’t find it anymore so perhaps it’s just obsolete.

Step 4: Once the file has been renamed I need to move it to the root directory of the USB Flash Drive (Voyager GS), and that just means I shouldn’t create a folder or try to zip it up again. Just cut from the extracted folder in step and paste into the drive, done. Nothing else whatsoever on the flash drive – not folders, files or anything – beyond the M5E.CAP file.

Step 5: Completely power off the computer (Shut Down and Turn Off the Monitor, the Router, the PSU, and the Surge Protector. Unplug the power cord from the PC/PSU.

Step 6: Open up the case and disconnect all SATA drives (from the 3TB storage HDD to the primary/OS SSD). I will admit I’m unsure about unplugging every drive, but I’m looking to make this as sure a thing as possible. Still, if leaving the primary OS drive connected is generally considered perfectly fine, then that’s what I will do.

Step 7 / 11 (Help?): With the PC fully powered down, and the SATA drives disconnected, press and hold – for a 3 count – the Clear CMOS button on the back of the case/motherboard, then release. [I gather this is a step that should be done before updating the BIOS, perhaps especially if you are unsure if you’re memory or CPU is considered to be OC’d. Alternatively it should be done AFTER you have updated the BIOS].

Step 8: Reconnect a basic keyboard and mouse, the speakers, the Ethernet, the DVI-D cable for the monitor, and the power cord. Turn on the surge protector, power up the PSU, turn on the Router and the Monitor.

Step 9: Insert the USB Flash Drive into a USB Port1 and power on the PC. (following from direction in the manual (chapter 3: BIOS Setup, 3.10.2 ASUS EZ Flash 2)

Step 10: At POST, press to enter the Advanced Mode of the BIOS setup program and go to the Tool menu to select ASUS EZ Flash Utility and press enter to enable it. Press tab to switch to the Drive filed, and use the Up/Down arrow keys to find the USB Flash Drive that contains the latest BIOS, then presss . Press to switch to the Folder Info field, and with the Up/Down arrow keys maneuver to the BIOS file, then press to perform the Bios Update Process. Reboot the system when the update process is done. At some point I will apparently be selecting the ‘Load Optimized Defaults Item’ under the Exit Menu.

Step 11: At this point, I assume I will need to fully power off the PC again and reconnect at least the primary OS Drive if that was previously disconnected. And next either refer back to step 7 for clearing the CMOS once the PC is again powered down and fully disconnected from pretty much everything, or just enter the BIOS and once again go through the process of configuring my BIOS Setup. I have to confess that I have NO IDEA what my password is / was, so that’s probably something I should redo.

Once this checklist is completed (assuming the reader agrees with the steps taken and the order taken) I hope that I will be able to load back up to my flawed Windows 10 64-bit installation, and proceed with running a Clean Install of Windows 10 per the numerous (possibly innumberable) guides and forum posts I have used as reference.

1 Question: the USB Flash Drive I’m using is a 3.0 drive; is it okay to use a 3.0 USB port on the back of the motherboard (blue), or one of the 2.0’s (black)?


And because it seems like something to include, my PC Specs (homebuilt back in 2012 with a few additions since then)

OS:
♦ Windows 10 Home 64-bit (free upgrade from Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit OEM)
CPU:
♦ i5-3570k @ 3.40 GHz (3.8 Turbo)
CPU Fan
♦ COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 EVO RR-212E-20PK-R2 Continuous Direct Contact 120mm Sleeve CPU Cooler Compatible with latest Intel 2011/1366/1155 and AMD FM1/FM2/AM3+
Motherboard
♦ ASUS Maximus V EXTREME Extended ATX Intel Motherboard
RAM
♦ 16 GB of Corsair Dominator Platinum at 1600MHz
PSU
♦ COOLER MASTER RS-A50-SPHA-D3 Silent Pro Hybrid 1050W Intel ATX 12V V2.3 & SSI EPS 12V V2.92
Graphics Card
♦ MSI GeForce GTX 1070 DirectX 12 GTX 1070 GAMING X 8G 8GB 256-Bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support ATX Video Card w/ most current driver
Primary Drive
♦ SAMSUNG 850 PRO 2.5" 256GB SATA III 3-D Vertical Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
Secondary Drive
♦ (Games (E)) - SAMSUNG 850 EVO 2.5" 500GB SATA III 3-D Vertical Internal SSD
Tertiary Drive
♦ (in two Volumes (F & G)): Seagate Barracuda 3TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal HDD

Peripherals / Other
[spoiler]

Case – COOLER MASTER COSMOS II RC-1200-KKN1 Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case
Monitor – Dell UltraSharp U2410 24-inch Widescreen Flat Panel Monitor with PremierColor
Mouse – Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum RGB Tunable Gaming Mouse
Keyboard – Corsair K95 RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard w/ Cherry MX RGB Red switches[/listNum][/spoiler]