|
ASRock X99-WS BIOS Upgrade to 3.x Fails |
Post Reply 
|
| Author | |
suprnova74 
Newbie 
Joined: 09 Dec 2015 Status: Offline Points: 6 |
 Post Options
 Thanks(0)
 Quote Reply
 Topic: ASRock X99-WS BIOS Upgrade to 3.x FailsPosted: 08 Nov 2017 at 4:25am |
|
Hi CMG,
I had a similar issue although my motherboard came with v3.x already. It appears that the vcore voltage, at least for me, is quite low @ 0.975ish. I had to add 0.1 volts just to boot reliably (not trying to OC or anything, all stock settings otherwise). I may need to up it another 0.1. i also had issues with the video card causing BSOD's and had to increase the PCI-E voltage by .1 as well which seems to have resolved that issue. You may want to look into that if you're still having stability issues. EDIT: realized this was from September of last year, but as I had many of the same issues, thought it would be good for others as something to check. I had the exact same symptoms (hanging during boot at the windows screen or during os install) and increasing the voltages as above fixed it.
Edited by suprnova74 - 08 Nov 2017 at 9:16am |
|
 |
|
|
CMG
Newbie
Joined: 07 Sep 2016 Location: London UK Status: Offline Points: 17 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 19 Sep 2016 at 6:58am |
|
Hi Parsec,
Thanks for persevering with this. I know my system is complicated, and I took a lot of steps, so sorry for all that. I suggest what is worth checking is booting the Microsoft ISO image for the 2012R2 installation from a USB formatted as NTFS with MBR partition scheme. This is the filename of the ISO image I used from MSDN: en_windows_server_2012_r2_with_update_x64_dvd_6052708.iso. Also the official 2016 Server release will be out soon. Here are answers to your questions: I have 3 bootable versions of Windows available: 1) 1) 2012R2 on SATA SSD. MBR, NTFS 2)
2) 2012R2 installer ISO image on USB stick. MBR,
NTFS 3)
3) 2016TP4 on SATA SSD. MBR, FAT32 I had my ASRock X99-WS system setup running installation (1) Windows Server 2012R2 for a long while, installed on an Intel SATA SSD. For this installation I used a USB stick with the ISO image (2), and I kept this available in case it was ever required. A couple of months ago I installed 2016 TP4 on a different SATA SSD (3). I didn't keep a USB stick of the ISO for this to hand. (1) is my main system, used daily. (3) was a test, used rarely. All 3 of these were installed an running under version 1.30 BIOS. (1) and (3) are installed as legacy MBR/BIOS boot not GPT/UEFI. Recently I started this journey of upgrading the UEFI in order to prepare for adding both the NVMe SSD and the Xeon Phi. I was using (1) for this, but when I got into problems with UEFI 3.x, I tried all 3 of the above. I think I only tried Safe Boot on (1), so I'm not saying Safe Boot doesn't work on (3), just I didn't try it. I had all of 1-3 working on 1.30 BIOS. I couldn't get any working on 3.x (other then trying (1) in Safe Boot). I'm now running (1) on 2.10 BIOS. I will move the KB & Mouse to USB 2 ports. Thanks for the advice. I will have to confirm the SATA SSD/HDD mode later, but I don't think I changed this from default and I don't use RAID on the motherboard. To answer the final question, yes I do have other drives connected, both SATA HDDs and a PCIe RAID card. They definitely would have been connected whilst installing (3). I can't recall if they were when I first installed (1). Cheers Edited by CMG - 19 Sep 2016 at 7:00am |
|
|
|
|
parsec
Moderator Group 
Joined: 04 May 2015 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 4996 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 16 Sep 2016 at 9:06am |
You explained this earlier, although it is clearer to me now, thanks for that. Your first post has this: "I note that using the Windows Safe Boot mode does work under 3.x, but it is not clear to me which driver(s) are failing to load under normal boot mode." That seems to contradict your current post, but that only applies to the Server 2012 R2 installation. Doesn't matter, just noticed that. Just to be clear, the Windows installation on the SATA SSDs were installed using your X99 WS board, when you had a version 2.10 or earlier UEFI version in the board, is that right? If that is correct, the 2012 R2 installation will start in Windows Safe mode, as you said, but the 2016 TP4 installation does not, correct? While I don't recall anyone reporting their Windows installations (all non-server editions) not booting without the Broadwell-E/EP compatible IME software installed, I believe both of your Windows installations do not have the new version of the IME software installed yet, right? Try installing the Broadwell-E/EP compatible IME software when the 2012 R2 installation is booted in Safe mode. Frankly, I've never installed anything with Windows booted into Safe mode, so I'm not sure if that would work. I don't see why not, but who knows? I installed the Broadwell-E/EP IME software before I changed to a Broadwell-E CPU on my ASRock X99 board. Then I changed to the Broadwell-E/CP compatible UEFI version, running the CPU at stock/default settings. I did not have any booting problems, but that was with Windows 10 Home version. Only then did I install my Broadwell-E CPU, after doing a full UEFI clear, using the board's jumper and removing the battery. Both of your OS versions should have a USB 3.0 driver to use during their installation, but before it starts the USB 3.0 ports will probably not work. Stick with the USB 2.0 ports on the IO panel for the keyboard and mouse, and try that also for the USB flash drive. You've used that USB flash drive to install Windows (??) on this board in the past, correct? On the SATA SSD? Are you using another type of file system on the SATA SSD, besides the default Windows NTFS file system? SATA mode in the UEFI is AHCI or RAID? Another thing, any time you installed Windows with this board, did you have any other drives (HDD, SSD) connected and running, besides the target OS drive? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
CMG
Newbie
Joined: 07 Sep 2016 Location: London UK Status: Offline Points: 17 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 16 Sep 2016 at 6:08am |
|
Thanks Parsec.
Firstly, I haven't tried booting from the NVMe SSD yet, so none of this is regarding that (yet!). So, I have Windows 2012R2 and 2016 TP4 installed on SATA SSDs and also I have the ISO image for 2012R2 on a USB flash drive. All of these work fine with 1.30 and 2.10 UEFI. All 3 behave the same way when I tried booting them with 3.x UEFI. They will boot; I get the Windows logo with the animated dots going round in a circle. After a while this animation stops, and the whole system locks up. It is not responsive to CTRL-ALT-DEL etc.. have to power off. However, I could start Windows 2012R2 from the SSD in Safe Boot mode. I'm not sure which driver(s) are failing. Because the installation ISO image on the USB will not start, I'm reluctant to upgrade to 3.x BIOS even if it is fixed on the SSD (haven't tried yet). Thanks for the tip on USB 2.0 for the keyboard and
mouse. I will check and move them. I have
an illuminated keyboard so I can tell when it is powered up. At present it
seems random when booting; sometimes it is on, other times not. Regards |
|
|
|
|
parsec
Moderator Group
Joined: 04 May 2015 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 4996 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 15 Sep 2016 at 6:07pm |
You are welcome, thanks for that. The Intel IME situation with Haswell-E/EP and Broadwell-E/EP is one of those unique situations that we rarely deal with. You are right about boards being RMA'd when users experience problems, or they ask about it in forums like this one. I answered plenty of those. Most X99 boards do not have the Broadwell-E/EP UEFI version out of the box. I'm glad (relieved) that helped you, although it should have done so. I am not aware of an F6 type IME driver for any version of the IME software. If it did exist, when you extract the .zip file of the IME software, it would be in a separate folder. I don't think the IME software is the problem in this situation. I'm not sure I have an answer for you about why the Server 2012 R2 ISO installation media won't boot for you. Is that on a USB flash drive? What exactly happens when you say it won't boot? How far does it get in the installation process? Is that with the NVMe SSD? Have you noticed in the boot order with your Server 2012 R2 ISO installation media, do you see multiple entries for it? For example, one that is, "UEFI: <device name>" and "AHCI: <device name>"? Which brings me to the UEFI configuration for using an NVMe SSD as the OS drive. At the bottom of the Boot screen is the CSM option, which is enabled by default. Two ways to configure it. With CSM enabled, find the Launch Storage OpROM Policy option, and set it to UEFI Only. Or you can set CSM to disabled, but that requires your video source to be "GOP compatible", a UEFI booting requirement. The first method is easier. Next, in the Boot order, select the installation media entry that is, UEFI: <device name>, which is normally a USB flash drive ISO installation configured device. I've noticed that large USB flash drives, above 16GB, can cause problems with the installer for some reason. Be sure to use USB 2.0 ports on the IO panel for your keyboard and mouse, or use a PS2 to USB convertor for a USB keyboard, or PS2 keyboard. Let us know how this works out for you. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CMG
Newbie
Joined: 07 Sep 2016 Location: London UK Status: Offline Points: 17 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 15 Sep 2016 at 6:37am |
|
Thanks very much for the comprehensive post Parsec.
Yes, there is a lot of info there as I tried to explain all of the steps that I went through. The consistent thing I found is that 3.10, 3.20, 3.30 (not Beta) all failed to boot Windows Server 2012R2. I didn't know about Intel IME. I checked and I have version 10.0.25.1048 installed, not the version 11.0.4.1186 which you point out is necessary. So, from your explanation and my observation that the failures I see are all in the startup of Windows, this sounds like a good explanation to me. It does leave me with a further question though, before I proceed
with it. How can I boot the Windows installer ISOs after going to 3.x? I don't want
to be unable to boot the setup ISO. Is it possible perhaps to supply the IME
driver using the "F6" option during install that is usually used for additional RAID
drivers? Note that I did try booting Windows
Server 2016TP4 with one of these 3.x UEFIs and that didn't work either, so the
upcoming 2016 Server distro might not boot for me if I update BIOS to 3.x. The way you describe the release process for the new CPUs and UEFI/BIOS support sounds like a nightmare. I guess this would result in a lot of mobos being RMA'd if they can't boot with the latest CPUs on sale at any given time. Naturally the mobos on sale would have been produced a while ago and have old BIOS. Mine is not very old and has a 1.30 version sticker. ANyway, my system is running now on 2.10 UEFI, although there are a
couple of niggles*. I'm pleased to say the NVMe SSD is working (as a data drive) thanks to your
help * USB keyboard does not always initialise during startup, preventing F2, F11 etc * Boot order was being corrupted. Seems to be OK now after resetting CMOS. Edited by CMG - 15 Sep 2016 at 6:57am |
|
|
|
|
parsec
Moderator Group
Joined: 04 May 2015 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 4996 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 14 Sep 2016 at 1:20pm |
I think this is the first time we've had a post about issues with the various UEFI versions of the X99 WS board. You have a lot of information in a few sentences, moving around between UEFI versions, OS versions, and OS drives, so not easy to sort it all out. Since this thread seems to be aimed at the 3.x UEFI versions, which includes three versions, four if you included the Beta 3.20 version, I'll go with that, although mixing these versions is difficult to deal with. There is an alternate fix for you in the last paragraph of this post, which may be your best bet. Most of the following describes why you are in your current situation, including a potential fix. An important preface to all of this, your Xeon 1620 v3 processor is a Haswell-EP processor. All of the 3.xx UEFI versions are the Broadwell-E and Broadwell-EP compatibility UEFI versions. While it is fine to use a Haswell-E or Haswell-EP processor with the Broadwell-E and Broadwell-EP compatible UEFIs, the Intel Management Engine (IME) software for use with the Broadwell-E and Broadwell-EP compatibility UEFIs, must be installed. For Win 2012 R2 64 bit, that would be the Intel Management Engine driver ver:11.0.4.1186, available on your board's Win 2012 R2 64 bit download page: http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/X99%20WS/?cat=Download&os=2K12b64 The same IME software installer will work with Windows 10, as it will install what is required for the target OS version. While that may not be obvious or documented in your board's download pages, Intel does also does not document this very well, if at all. While the Intel ARK processor information pages for Haswell-E and Broadwell-E processors include a link to a driver download page for these processors, that page does not include IME software. The Intel ARK processor information pages for Xeon E5 v3 processors do not include a link to any driver or software downloads whatsoever. I imagine Intel assumes owners of these processors and compatible mother boards are all savvy enough to know an IME software update is required when a UEFI update for the compatible next generation processors are applied. I happen to know that from years of experience dealing with Intel IME software related situations and issues. Everyone is not that (un)lucky. To make this situation even worse, the Broadwell-E/EP compatible UEFI versions were available before Intel released the corresponding Broadwell-E/EP IME software update, and before the Broadwell-E/EP processors were available at retail. About three months apart. The marketing politics of mother boards, requiring them to be or among the first to have these UEFI updates available, although only half of what is necessary, forces all mother board manufactures to make them available before they should be. Otherwise as I witnessed in this forum, frantic owners of X99 boards are asking where the Broadwell-E/EP UEFI updates are. That also becomes, "... won't my board have a UEFI update to support Broadwell-E/EP processors?". Or worse, mutates into, "XYZ mother boards won't support Broadwell-E/EP, that a low information users posts in another forum. Then we get to deal with all kinds of issues caused by the Broadwell-E/EP UEFI versions being applied to boards without the necessary IME software. If you have not installed that version of the IME software on all your OS installations, you must do so. If you have an still have all the issues with the various UEFI versions, please let us know. I cannot guarantee the IME software will fix all your issues, but it is a good start. Regarding the Instant Flash files on an SD card, formatted FAT16 on a Mac PC. If you click the "How to Update" link on the Instant Flash entry for each UEFI version, you'll find this: Save the BIOS files on a device such as USB disk (FAT32 format), hard disk (FAT32 format) and floppy drive. Using an SD card, formatted FAT16 on a Mac PC instead, is IMO scary. As you discovered, that media simply will not work, and was never suggested for use. If you mean after a UEFI flash, which is also a UEFI clear, the board will POST and then shutoff and restart, or just restart, that happens on my ASRock X99 Extreme6/3.1 board with a Broadwell-E processor too. In general unusual behavior, but now normal for X99 system, as far as I know. NVMe support is provided starting with UEFI version 1.70, and modified in 2.10. If you've never installed an OS on an NVMe SSD, you must configure the CSM option to allow that to work. The CoProcessor question I don't have an answer for. Normally, once you apply the UEFI update for a new processor generation, which updates the CPU microcode, among other things, you cannot go back to earlier UEFI versions, since the CPU microcode is not updated in every UEFI update. So once you installed 3.10, you are stuck with its CPU microcode. BUT, your board has the Dual UEFI capability, with which you should be able to over write the entire UEFI image in the main UEFI chip. I suggest you read the manual about using the backup UEFI procedure, and perform it carefully. Don't forget to switch back to the Main UEFI chip. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CMG
Newbie
Joined: 07 Sep 2016 Location: London UK Status: Offline Points: 17 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 14 Sep 2016 at 6:08am |
|
3.x BIOS on X-99 WS doesn't work at all. A serious and easy to repeat issue. Should I report via the email form to ASRock?
thanks CMG
|
|
|
|
|
CMG
Newbie
Joined: 07 Sep 2016 Location: London UK Status: Offline Points: 17 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 08 Sep 2016 at 4:54am |
|
In order
to prepare for installing an Intel PCIe SSD, I have attempted to update the
BIOS on my ASRock X99-WS, with many problems. All 3.x
versions hang Windows. 2.10 does not retain the HDD boot priority and my Intel NVMe
SSD is not recognised by the Intel drivers when I attempt to install it under
2.10. Further, I have had numerous hangs and crashes during the BIOS flash
procedure. I will create separate threads for the different issues. Below are
details regarding the problems with the 3.x BIOS. I would greatly appreciate it if Support can help get an upto
date and stable BIOS for this motherboard ASAP!
Here is what I tried:
Here are full details of my system:
Thanks in advance CMG Edited by CMG - 08 Sep 2016 at 4:56am |
|
|
|
|
Post Reply
|
|
Tweet
|
| Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |
Topic Options
CMG wrote:
This is repeatable every time. I also tried another installation of Server
2016TP4 and even the Windows 2012R2 install disk from a UEFI USB stick. Both
of these also fail in the same way.
- will register
as a separate item.