Just to be precisely clear what is not working

Board is at P1.30 level

Power on

Select Tool

Select Internet Flash

Connection is made and a popup called Internet Flash starts

Message Downloading firmware

100%

At this point mouse cursor frozen and keyboard also inoperational

Wait > 10 minutes  (this time)

Nothing

C-A-D  does not work

Have to unplug power to power it off

Reboot and it is still at P1.30

After hours of effort and some witnesses to make sure I am not going mad:

Firmware flash

STILL busted

have tried from a USB key, or from within Windows or from the BIOS where it cleverly downloads something from the internet.   For the Internet and unpacked (obviously!) file it says 100% then totally hangs, well mouse does not move, and due to paranoia I leave it for a full 30 minutes, yes really.

So then after a total hang, power off, disconnect, wait 10 seconds, reconnect, power on and BIOS (thanksfully!) is still operational at 1.30

--------

BOOTING Issue

So the PSU starting and stopping is evidence that the PSU thinks there is a short.  however I really checked carefully and NOTHING seen.

I then found (wierdly) that connecting the SSD via an independent power supply meant that the motherboard PSU (1000W!!) did not cut out, so then I was able to install Windows and Ubuntu to the SSD as a test

THEN I replaced the all metal bodied SSD with a regular 3.5" /normal/ spinning disk and used the original PSU and have had no problems for last 12 hours.

SO, I have absolultely NO IDEA how the connected SSD, which works fine in 2 other systems, in this system seems to cause a PSU short.  

Hmm.

SO, we are back to the flashing.  In the old days a bad flash could brick your motherboard.  Can someone tell me that this is impossible here?  (it's got 2 sides for lastgood etc or some safe mechanism meaning that it can't be bricked?)  Then I can continue to try an upgrade.