X99 Extreme 4/3.1 - wrong firmware flashed
Printed From: ASRock.com
Category: Technical Support
Forum Name: Intel Motherboards
Forum Description: Question about ASRock Intel Motherboards
URL: https://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3238
Printed Date: 19 Jul 2025 at 10:35pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.04 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: X99 Extreme 4/3.1 - wrong firmware flashed
Posted By: gravelc
Subject: X99 Extreme 4/3.1 - wrong firmware flashed
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2016 at 11:57am
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Don't know how it's happened, but somehow I've flashed my X99 Extreme 4/3.1 with X99 Extreme 4 firmware at some stage. I thought it was supposed to check if the correct firmware is used, but guess not. Anyway, since then I've update over the internet and my B firmware must also have been updated (again, no idea how). So the A firmware is Extreme 4 3.30, and the B firmware is 3.40. I can't flash an Extreme 4/3.1 firmware due to the checks. The board isn't functioning properly - can't use the PCI 3.1 board or OC. Is there anyway I can flash a proper Extreme 4/3.1 firmware? Really really frustrated by this. Don't know how I managed to download the wrong firmware (as I'm pretty careful), and don't know how it passed the check and was actually able to be flashed. |
Replies:
Posted By: wardog
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2016 at 7:22pm
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Between the two top PCIe slots, what is silkscreened there for a model name? |
Posted By: gravelc
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2016 at 10:17pm
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Just says Extreme 4 - bought it from Umart (big store) in Australia brand new. Came sealed in the correct box (Extreme 4/3.1) and with the 3.1 card. The picture on the box shows the board should also have extreme 4/3.1 between the PCI slots. I think I've been ripped off - can't believe it. I've had the board for months - will be very difficult to prove I have been sold the wrong one. Practically - what is the difference between the 2? |
Posted By: wardog
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2016 at 9:18am
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The /3.1 has a SATA Express 10 Gb/s connector. From the manual, pg 6 + 7, do you or don't you have the "16 SATA Express Connector (SATAE_1)" connector below the normal SATA ports? |
Posted By: Xaltar
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2016 at 11:44am
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This is what Wardog is referring to:  There is also the location of the fan header on the 3.1 version next to the Nvidia SLI logo at the bottom right of the image vs next to the SATA ports on the regular Extreme 4. Obviously it was moved to accommodate the SATA Express port.
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Posted By: gravelc
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2016 at 3:30pm
Nope - port is not there. Definitely the wrong board.  There's a yellow sticker on the ethernet port that has a serial number - this doesn't match the one on the box. Should it? I'm wondering how this has taken place - Umart pulling a swifty, or ASRock. Will contact Umart first thing Monday. Hoping they don't think I'm lying to them, as there no evidence that this is the exact board I was sold. The board is still under warranty - it's just taken me ages to work out the issue. Have never had something like this happen before. |
Posted By: Xaltar
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2016 at 4:23pm
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There are numerous reasons it could happen ranging from mistaken packaging in the factory to the reseller accidentally or purposefully mixing up packaging when testing the board (some test most don't). Regardless of the reason, if Umart refuses an exchange try contacting ASRock Tech Support directly, I am sure they will help you out. This is not the first time I have seen a board not match the packaging, however in the other instance (here on the forums) the board was purchased used and clearly the previous owner had removed the sticker covering the screen printed model number. In some cases several board models will use the same base PCB, sometimes the PCB may have already been screen printed with a different model number so the manufacturer covers it with a sticker with the correct designation. It is quite common for users to remove this sticker and try to pass off the board as a more expensive model, this happens with most manufacturers in my experience. This could not be the case in your situation, the board layout is actually different. It must have been miss packaged at some point. The only concern I have is the mismatched serial number, that could cause issues (accusations that you swapped out the board). Hopefully it is not an issue. Most decent resellers check to make sure the numbers match at the point of sale/shipping but if Umart does not then you may be OK. Again, contact ASRock directly if you run into problems. [edit] Also, have Umart run the serial number of the board you have (the one on the board itself) if they have it on record that should be enough to convince them of an error on their part. How could you swap out a board with another one they have in stock or sold to someone else, they may even try to contact whoever got the other (correct) board for your packaging.
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Posted By: wardog
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2016 at 7:46pm
That is most likely the NIC's MAC ID displayed there. Does it somewhat match, in terms of format, what the SN on the box reads? It's possible ...... that that's the SN ASRock > Support > SN Finding: http://www.asrock.com/support/index.asp?cat=FindSN" rel="nofollow - http://www.asrock.com/support/index.asp?cat=FindSN |
gravelc wrote:Posted By: gravelc
Date Posted: 15 Aug 2016 at 7:55am
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Is the SN alright - same format and is the yellow sticker in the image from the last post. Definitely the serial number on the box and mobo itself do not match. Interestingly, the mobo says 'made in China' while the box says 'made in Vietnam' - so didn't happen at the factory step of the supply chain. |
Posted By: parsec
Date Posted: 15 Aug 2016 at 12:10pm
I can confirm on a different ASRock board (Z87 Extreme6) that the yellow sticker on the RJ45 Ethernet port has the board's serial number on it. That board happens to be in its box, so it was easy to check both at the same time. The serial number on the yellow sticker matched exactly the serial number on the large sticker on the board's box. Both the mother board and this sticker said "Made In China". I can add some speculation based upon other information that I know to be true. Vietnam production of ASRock boards is relatively new. My ASRock Z170 Extreme7+ board was made in Vietnam, according to the board's label and the label on its box. X99 boards in general are in production longer than most other Intel chipset boards, because the Intel HEDT platform is designed to work with two processor generations. In this case, Haswell-E and Broadwell-E. The original production of the X99 Extreme4, whose first UEFI/BIOS date is 8/8/2014, is quite likely China. The X99 Extreme4/3.1 has a first UEFI/BIOS date of 3/30/2015. The first UEFI/BIOS date of one ASRock Z170 board that still had the first version available for download, is 6/30/2015. IMO, it is very likely that the X99 Extreme4/3.1 boards were made in Vietnam. So what happened to you and your board? Did someone buy an X99 Extreme4/3.1 board, that already had an X99 Extreme4 (China production) board, swapped his old board into the box, kept the new one, and returned it to UMart? You said the box was sealed when you got it, was that with clear cellophane wrap around the entire box? Or was it with clear or opaque, round, sticky seals that you see on some boxes? If it was clear cellophane wrap around the entire box, it is possible for a store to rewrap a box in what is called shrink wrap. I worked at a big retailer in the USA, and watched a lady I worked with many times working on re-wrap, putting clear, cellophane "shrink wrap" around boxes. It came in large rolls, which was wrapped around the box, the three open edges sealed with a heated clamp device, and then the "bag" of cellophane she just made around the box was shrunk tight with a heat gun, like a hair dryer. This was done to boxes containing kids toys, when the cellophane was torn by little fingers, etc. They did not do that to returned items. Do I know if UMart does rewrap like that? No I don't, no idea whatsoever. Just saying I know it is possible, I've seen it personally. While you know your board is not what it should be, I noticed something else in the pictures of these two boards on ASRock's website. The original X99 Extreme4 board has small text above the PCIE2 slot that says, "REV. 1.00". The newer X99 Extreme4/3.1 board has "REV. 1.04" in the same location. I highly doubt that any X99 Extreme4/3.1 board would not have "REV. 1.04" on it. Good luck dealing with UMart, that is one weird situation.  ------------- http://valid.x86.fr/48rujh" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: gravelc
Date Posted: 15 Aug 2016 at 1:20pm
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Umart have offered me AU$30 store credit. Not sure whether to take it or not. There is a US$69 price difference between the two in Newegg, but Umart don't sell the older version, so can't compare the local price difference. Also, I did receive the USB3.1 card, which is worth something. Plugging a Samsung T3 USB3.1 drive into it results in a BSOD every time, but that's a whole other issue, and probably not related to the mobo version (I think). |
Posted By: Xaltar
Date Posted: 15 Aug 2016 at 1:28pm
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If it is still under warranty you shouldn't accept the credit, you need to demand they replace the product. If you have all your receipts and documentation that is. As I said in my last post, get them to look up the serial number of the board you have on their system, if it came from their store they should have a record of it, if they do then that proves that they made a mistake and gave you the wrong board for your box. Unfortunately, if it was a return where the previous owner swapped out the board then it will be impossible to prove. -------------
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Posted By: gravelc
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2016 at 7:32am
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I have emailed Umart and asked for a replacement mobo with matching serial number to the box it's supplied in (so I know it's new). |
Posted By: Xaltar
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2016 at 12:55pm
Best of luck to you  -------------
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Posted By: gravelc
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2016 at 1:58pm
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They've asked for the mobo back: "For any other solution, we'll need to board back, as per our Service Centre request. We can certainly waive any labour charges as we need to find out how this happened." Doesn't bother me how it happened - I'm only interested in verification that it did happen, so I can get a replacement. I've offered to just take my PC in without dismantling it - in hindsight, it's pretty easy to see it's wrong without having to pull the mobo out. If no dice there, it's on to consumer protection, which is unequivocal in Australia: "A product or good has a major problem when it is significantly different from the sample or description. You can ask for a replacement or refund if the problem with the product is major." I'm hoping it will be all sorted amicably. |
Posted By: wardog
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2016 at 2:30pm
So are we all here. Keep us posted. |