ASRock P67 Extreme4 Windows 10 BIOS Instant Flash

BlizzardFenrir wrote: I have a P67 Extreme4 and an i5-2500K. I recently did a clean install to Windows 10 on an SSD, setting the SATA mode from IDE to AHCI. I also still have my old Windows 7 installation on a hard drive (which was installed under IDE mode). My system is completely stable apart from a problem where CPU usage is always at 100%. It's been documented that updating the BIOS to the latest version fixes this problem: http://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp%3FTID=3132&title=asrock-p67-extreme4-and-windows-10-bios-update http://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp%3FTID=625& Like other users I noticed that the BIOS download page for my board: http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/P67%20Extreme4/%3Fcat=Download&os=BIOS mentions that Instant Flash should be used to update the BIOS if you're running Windows 10, and while the downloads page does not include a download for the Instant Flash version of the BIOS, a direct link was given by one of the moderators, namely this one: http://asrock.pc.cdn.bitgravity.com/BIOS/1155/P67%20Extreme4(3.10)ROM.zip I've also read through the entire second topic and learned that any problems booting into Windows 10 after the update can be solved by checking that the SATA mode is indeed set to AHCI and then booting into safe mode. So that's my research up to this point. Now here is my problem: I've unzipped the BIOS Instant Update file (called "P67EXT43.10") to the root of a blank FAT32 formatted USB drive and tried to start Instant Flash, but it does not recognize it. Instant Flash simply says: "No image file detected". I also tried other format types to no avail. It might be that the UEFI simply does not like my USB drive, but I do not have any other flash drives to try the BIOS update with. I am unsure what to do now. I can see two possibilities, but maybe there are others: I could try to get another USB drive, but there's no guarantee that that's the actual problem. Or I could disconnect my SSD and reconnect my old hard drive with Windows 7, setting SATA mode back to IDE. Then I could use the .exe installer from the downloads page to update BIOS, and upon restart also install the Intel ME drivers under Windows 7 (apparently this is important right after a BIOS update). Then I could shut down, disconnect my Win7 disk and reconnect my SSD, set SATA mode back to AHCI and then boot into Windows 10 and install the Intel ME drivers there. Would this second option give any problems, for example would I be able to boot into Windows 10 after the update despite not having installed the Intel ME drivers there on the first reboot right after updating the BIOS, but instead the second reboot? Or are there any other options I could try? Thanks in advance.

I'm sorry but the forum's link creation tool is not working correctly with some URLs, so your links to the forum threads do not work, except for the link to the 3.10 UEFI version for your board. That means I have not checked those threads.

Please, wait before you attempt to perform a UEFI/BIOS update. I will explain why.

First, a quick check about using Instant Flash. What USB port did you use when you had the failure of Instant Flash detecting the 3.10 UEFI file on your USB flash drive? You must use a USB 2.0 port on the board's IO panel. I still want you to wait before updating your UEFI version.

Next, main topic, the premise of your attempt to update to the latest UEFI/BIOS version for your board. That is, that Windows 10 is causing 100% CPU usage with the current UEFI version, and it has been "documented" that updating the UEFI version fixes this situation.

The reality of this situation (100% CPU usage with Win 10) has evolved, as we have learned more about it. Or at least what I have learned about it, dealing with it in this forum.

The reality is, your CPU is not really at 100% usage. You are seeing the 100% CPU usage in Windows Task Manager, correct? Or what else is showing you 100% CPU usage?

If it is Task Manager that is saying you are at 100% CPU usage, that is false, and wrong. Not your fault, it is a bug in the Windows 10 Task Manager when used with some older PC platforms, like yours. Not that there is anything wrong with your PC or mother board. Allow me to explain.

You said your PC is stable, and you are likely using it to view this forum and create your thread. I believe you that your PC is stable, but consider these things:

If your CPU was always at 100% usage, it would be completely over loaded, constantly busy doing whatever it seems to be doing. Everything you did on the PC would be very slow since the CPU has no free time and resources available to give to other tasks. Is this what you are experiencing?

Next, a CPU at a constant 100% load, would be very hot. That is normal for that situation. Your CPU cooler's fan would be running at or near 100% of its speed, which you could hear easily. We have no idea what you are using as a CPU cooler, but even the best custom liquid CPU coolers would be working hard to keep the CPU cool. A stock Intel CPU cooler would have a hard time maintaining the CPU temperature below the point where the CPU would throttle its speed automatically in an attempt to reduce its temperature. That would further reduce the CPU's performance, and your PC would be barely usable. Are you experiencing this with your PC?

My guess is, you are not having any performance usage problems with your PC. You did not mention anything about that in your post if you do. We can test if what I have told you so far is true, and if I'm wrong, move on from there.

Have you checked the temperature of your CPU? Whether you have or not, please download and run this free program. I've used it for years on all my PCs, HWiNFO64:

https://www.hwinfo.com/download.php

You'll need to click on the Sensors button, that has a red thermometer-like icon on it. You'll then see a display of more information about your CPU and PC than you may have ever seen.

The main things you want to check is the Core Usage percentages, the Core Clock speeds, and the Core temperatures. Don't have anything else running, like your Internet Browser, just your normal Windows desktop. If you really are at 100% CPU usage you'll see the Core Usage readings at 100%, your CPU speed at whatever your maximum is, stock is 3,700MHz Turbo, 3,300MHz Base clock. The Core temperatures will be at 60C - 70C or more.

Please let us know what your results of this test are, and we can then move on from there.