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

[stulid]

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.

 

[stulid]

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

 

[stulid]

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.

 

[stulid]

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.

 

[stulid]

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

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.

 

[stulid]

Just updated my board with this bios. It's awful for overclocking I'm unable to run anything other than stock settings on my 2500k. Was running 4.6ghz happily before on the F7 bios.

Time to flash back although tbh I might get a new board as this one has been nothing but hassle.

Why are you flashing it to a UEFI when you are running a Sandybridge CPU? this is for Ivybridge CPU's.

 

[stulid]

It works a lot better apart from overclocking which does not work at all. Boot time into win 8 is far better.

UEFI should work fine with sandy chips as far as I'm aware...?

Not this one as the overclocking options are limited as stated in the opening post.

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

Don't think they will ever be added.

If you have a Sandybridge then flash back unless you dont mind being limited.

 

[stulid]

Flashed back to f7 bios and now as soon as it shows the "loading operating system" it resets itself. Can access the bios ok and select boot devices etc but nothing more.

Tbh I have had enough of the boot locks and loops with this board so have ordered an MSI GD65 to replace it.

No idea why it resets when booting and re flashing the bios with q flash does not help...

Stupid gigabyte...

SATA controller set correctly? (AHCI/IDE etc)

 

[stulid]

Anyone know of any problems with the GA-Z68-D3-B3 bios not allowing you to boot Ivy CPU?

If I clear the CMOS before powering on it will let me into the bios but then on next reboot it won't even POST.

Have re-flashed the bios and still get the same problem, i'm not missing something stupidly simple am i?

Nope, should just work as usual.

 

[stulid]

So its working from reboot now