Bios flash question?

[phreakwarz]

If I get a B450 or x470 mb for a 3700x, how do I flash withou a cpu ? I have flashed with a cpu. Do you still build as usual with all parts installed? Or just certain parts?

 

[VirtualLarry]

Some boards allow flashing the BIOS from a particular USB port on the back, with a USB stick containing the BIOS update file, and there's a little button or something that you push. You would connect the mobo to power, I don't think that it even requires any RAM installed, and not a CPU, and it will flash. (It uses some chipset microcontroller, probably the USB3.0 controller, with some additional firmware to enable that.)

Most boards, though, you need a "supported" CPU installed, in order to flash the BIOS. AM4 boards are specifically VERY unforgiving, as far as being able to plug in an "unsupported" CPU, and trying to flash the BIOS that way. In my experience, the board simple acts quite dead, until you get the proper firmware on there. Unlike some Intel-chipset boards, that will actually POST with an unrecognized CPU, that displays some generic identity string, but will still POST and do a flash procedure.

 

[vailr]

Edit: the lowest priced X570 board "ASRock X570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 AM4" on Newegg is $145, after $10 MIR.

There are some cheaper X570 boards to be made available: ~$170 was one price mentioned on a YouTube review. As mentioned, some boards include a special USB port that enables bios flashing with no CPU or memory installed. Examine the I/O ports photo on Newegg if that feature is included.
Otherwise, a temporarily installed older model CPU would be needed, to be able to perform the bios flash update & get a 3700X CPU running on an older chipset board.

 

[DrMrLordX]

If I get a B450 or x470 mb for a 3700x, how do I flash withou a cpu ? I have flashed with a cpu. Do you still build as usual with all parts installed? Or just certain parts?

Just an FYI, some retailers have been openly advertising that their boards are flashed with a UEFI that will support 3700x. Microcenter was telling in-store customers that today.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Just an FYI, some retailers have been openly advertising that their boards are flashed with a UEFI that will support 3700x. Microcenter was telling in-store customers that today.

That's good news. Better than when Zen+ / Ryzen 2000-series was introduced. Yeah, there were the box stickers, but they weren't always accurate.

 

[rexian96]

During Ryzen 2000 launch I remember there was a CPU loaner program available for new CPU purchasers just for flashing the latest BIOS on the older chipsets. Anyone know if such a thing is planned for 3000 series?

I am in the same boat and planning to buy an Asus or MSI mini-ITX B450 board along with 3600. As far as I know, no mini-ITX board supports USB flashback.