Gigabyte Z68 Hybrid-EFI to UEFI Flashing

stulid · 17 May 2012 at 11:05

So a few people were disappointed at Gigabyte with the release of the P67+Z68 range of boards for not using a full fledged UEFI style BIOS, at the time the only lack of function was just the user interface presented to you, all the options were present and correct as you find on a UEFI style one.

Then with the release of Intels Ivybridge CPU's many people discovered (including me) that the maximum multiplier selectable was the maximum Turbo ratio when one core was being used (for a 3570K this is 38X).

Well Gigabyte have slowly been releasing Beta-BIOS'es for these boards that completely wipe+flash from Award to AMI BIOS.

• Current list of boards and BIOS - http://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php/topic,7410.0.html - http://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php/topic,7410.msg70429.html#msg70429 - http://forums.tweaktown.com/gigabyte/28441-gigabyte-latest-beta-bios.html

To flash these, you need to make a bootable USB drive (i.e DOS) with the BIOS file and the included flash utility on it, Qflash or @BIOS will not work (there is a flash utility in the works to fix this).

Enter your boards BIOS and check the USB device is the first bootable device, save+exit.

Then at the command prompt you type in FLASHEFI ***BIOS filename*** and let it do its thing, then follow the instructions given to you when its done.

After powering on you will see the new BIOS splash screen and upon entering the BIOS the Advanced mode of what you find in the Z77 BIOS (BIOS chip size means the 3D mode isn't an option)

It's still work in progress so theres a few options unavailable yet (LLC+Vcore control for example)

But to show the multiplier is now unlocked on Ivybridge, heres a quick 4.2Ghz,

New Beta BIOS'es are coming for you people with boards not listed yet.

Rab · 17 May 2012 at 18:21

thanks for the heads up,this looks good.
but as still beta & no way to go back to old award bios yet,
if by any chance the update goes wrong you not gonna have a working mobo then ?
GA-Z68X-UD3P-B3, the new beta on that site for mine as well, decisions

stulid · 17 May 2012 at 18:27

Rab said:
if by any chance the update goes wrong you not gonna have a working mobo then ?

If (and its a small "if" as I don't think anyone has reported that its gone wrong yet) Gigabytes customer service is excellent and will sort fix the issue im sure.

Thats the benefit of having a UK based RMA center

Rab · 17 May 2012 at 18:47

after reading some more on this, found out the beta for my board has some option's missing. but way they talking, the bios should be out of beta real soon.
will give it ago then me thinks.

stulid · 17 May 2012 at 18:52

All I can say is, I managed to do it without issue, no reason for you not to do it without issues

The biggest faff was creating a USB bootable drive.

nightmare99 · 17 May 2012 at 19:07

at the time the only lack of function was just the user interface presented to you, all the options were present and correct as you find on a UEFI style one.

Well thats not really correct is it for starters you loose out on the whole UEFI framework and will have lower functionality in Windows 8 because of it.

Fair play to gigabyte for making this correction. I have just flashed a Z68AP-D3 2.0 this afternoon to BIOS UA4 and it seems to have fixed the post & boot loop problems the board was having and probably saved it from being rma'd.

stulid · 17 May 2012 at 19:10

nightmare99 said:
Well thats not really correct is it for starters you loose out on the whole UEFI framework and will have lower functionality in Windows 8 because of it.

Fair play to gigabyte for making this correction. I have just flashed a Z68AP-D3 2.0 this afternoon to BIOS UA4 and it seems to have fixed the post & boot loop problems the board was having and probably saved it from being rma'd.

Hence why I said at "the time"

Windows8 isn't out yet and the downloadable trial came out after

And what did a UEFI offer over the Hybrid-EFI apart from the look and flashy'ness?

I went from a Asrock Z68 with UEFI to a UD4 with the Award Hybrid BIOS, there was zero loss of functionality.

P.S mouse control don't count, thats just being lazy.

nightmare99 · 17 May 2012 at 22:09

Hence why I said at "the time"

So your argument is that it is better now only because it is needed to change the IB multi which was not required before IB?

And what did a UEFI offer over the Hybrid-EFI apart from the look and flashy'ness?

Apart from the faster post times and proper Windows 8 support? Even though 8 is not out yet it is a good idea to get the hardware ready ahead of time annd have something current that the pre-release verions can be properly tested on.

Gigabyte only rushed this out because they like every other mainboard manufacturer had promised IB support and the multi issue would leave them looking a little silly.

stulid · 17 May 2012 at 22:15

nightmare99 said:
So your argument is that it is better now only because it is needed to change the IB multi which was not required before IB?

I didn't say that at all :confused:

I said at the time (pre win8 preview, pre-Ivybridge) it had no loss of functionality, do you understand this?

Apart from the faster post times and proper Windows 8 support? Even though 8 is not out yet it is a good idea to get the hardware ready ahead of time annd have something current that the pre-release verions can be properly tested on.

Faster boot times? I have seen a video of a Z68 Gigabyte board posting faster than a competitors product

Even mine could do it in a blazing fast time.

Mr Krugga · 19 Jun 2012 at 21:32

Weird, flashed my Z68X-UD4-B3 with the U1A bios, it verified, said it was successful and to shut down the PC and unplug the cord.

Once I turned it back on, it would only post a blue screen.

Looks like I've got a dead mobo.

EDIT: false alarm.

Turns out Apple Cinema Display, my Hazro HZ27WC and the like, are not compatible with the UEFI 3D BIOS from Gigabyte so don't be surprised if it doesn't work with such setup.

Rolling back to F10 now.

EDIT2: can't roll back to Hybrid EFI BIOS, buyers, beware!

Frozen_Texas · 20 Jun 2012 at 14:00

Mr Krugga said:
EDIT2: can't roll back to Hybrid EFI BIOS, buyers, beware!

there is always some workaround (Back to AWARD from AMI BIOS):
http://forums.tweaktown.com/gigabyte/28441-gigabyte-latest-beta-bios-613.html#post429680

Orcvader · 20 Jun 2012 at 15:17

My GA-Z68MX is listed! I'll probably wait for later versions though, considering I don't use an IB chip.

broona · 1 Jan 2013 at 13:08

I've got a Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD3 (rev. 1.0), currently running an old F6 standard BIOS.

I'm getting an Ivy Bridge i5-3570k this week, so I need to update the BIOS to accept 22nm CPU's anyway, is it worth upgrading to UEFI or just stick with the old style? Cheers.

Nightglow · 1 Jan 2013 at 13:14

Thanks Stulid, another top post, shame my board isn't on the list

.

Orcvader · 1 Jan 2013 at 19:03

broona said:
I've got a Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD3 (rev. 1.0), currently running an old F6 standard BIOS.

I'm getting an Ivy Bridge i5-3570k this week, so I need to update the BIOS to accept 22nm CPU's anyway, is it worth upgrading to UEFI or just stick with the old style? Cheers.

Upgrade to UEFI. Should see faster booting times from it as well.

broona · 1 Jan 2013 at 22:52

Orcvader said:
Upgrade to UEFI. Should see faster booting times from it as well.

Cheers, upgraded this afternoon.

One problem now though, I can't get into the BIOS whilst connected via HDMI, so I have to plug in an old monitor, bit of a pain...

Subliminal Aura · 1 Jan 2013 at 23:52

broona said:
Cheers, upgraded this afternoon.

One problem now though, I can't get into the BIOS whilst connected via HDMI, so I have to plug in an old monitor, bit of a pain...

Why heeelllo there

Clr_cmos(mobo jumper) seems to kick start these motherboards when it comes to detecting displays.... I've had this issue with both Asus + Gigabyte boards z68->z77

broona · 2 Jan 2013 at 00:35

Subliminal Aura said:
Why heeelllo there

Clr_cmos(mobo jumper) seems to kick start these motherboards when it comes to detecting displays.... I've had this issue with both Asus + Gigabyte boards z68->z77

Good evening sir!

Cheers, will try that tomorrow.

Subliminal Aura · 2 Jan 2013 at 00:40

broona said:
Good evening sir!

Cheers, will try that tomorrow.

Yeah just power the machine down properly, wait a minute then do it.

UEFI seems to hold state and partially initializes devices so it's probably not even scanning hdmi.... Good luck

timmothy · 26 Jan 2013 at 14:25

I have bought the Z68AP-D3 Rev. 1.0. I need to flash the bios so that I can overclock my shiny new 3570k. I have downloaded the bios but i cant find where the included flash utility is. Could someone please help me through the process. Wish I had done some more research on motherboards now

***Gigabyte Z68 Hybrid-EFI to UEFI Flashing***

Gigabyte Z68 Hybrid-EFI to UEFI Flashing