I just replaced my drive "C" -- a Western Digital 10k rpm Raptor, with a SanDisk Extreme SSD 120GB on my 780i-based rig.  Even though I'm limited by the 780i SATA 2.0 xfr speed, it is remarkably faster.  But there is a downside: on occasions (maybe once-twice/day) it takes a dump, and I just sit there waiting for the dump to finish. Discussions on this and other forums have lead me to believe that I need to bring my BIOSs up-to-date.
 
To that end, I downloaded the NVDIA maintenance package: alas, I got three similar icons on my desktop now:

1. Performance
2. System Monitor
3. System Update

I seems logical that I should use System Update to update the BIOS (after backing up the old one); however, I don't want to do something stupid and turn my rig into a 56 lb. brick .... what is the best course for me?
 

NEVER flash your BIOS through the Windows environment using the Nvidia tools....you are asking for major headaches. Flash the BIOS using the methods supplied when you download the BIOS update....either CD or USB method.

VistaHead
NEVER flash your BIOS through the Windows environment using the Nvidia tools....

Just how do I do that?  Is there some tool other than the NVIDIA System Update program? I've never flashed a BIOS before ...

you should have downloaded a .iso file, you will need burn the image to disk making a bootable disk, you can use third party apps for this such as nero but you can also use the built in windows app, right click the .iso file and choose "open with" in the menu you will see windows disk image burner, select that and burn to cd, next boot from that cd. first though clear your cmos or choose failsafe defaults, that should set all your bios setting back to factory stock and make your cd drive the first boot device, after you boot from the cd just follow the prompts to flash your bios. after you are finished clear your cmos one last time and reboot, go into the bios and make your changes as needed, make sure to disable the floppy controler unless you use one or you will get boot errors about it being missing. 
most importantly un-install the nvidia package you installed and forget it ever existed, those apps cause more problems than they are worth.  

What is going on when you install a new bios over windows?
 
I did that. My board is now no more working, mean it starts but all what i see is a black monitor and the monitor get no more a signal. I chanced my graphic but i have the same problem

VistaHead


NEVER flash your BIOS through the Windows environment using the Nvidia tools....you are asking for major headaches. Flash the BIOS using the methods supplied when you download the BIOS update....either CD or USB method.

you forgot the best method there is which is floppy drive this is how i did all of my bios flashes on my 680i and 780i boards and never once had an issue

i did over windows tool.
 
so now is my 780i no more booting, after the peep i get all the times the code 7F, my monitor tell's me just Check signal cable.
7F is mean that the graphic is not install or no power or no monitor plugged
Bios reset is not working
 
What can i do now???

Stevie_21


i did over windows tool.

so now is my 780i no more booting, after the peep i get all the times the code 7F, my monitor tell's me just Check signal cable.
7F is mean that the graphic is not install or no power or no monitor plugged
Bios reset is not working

What can i do now???

 
Load the BIOs via the boot method from CD or USB.
 
For your problems remove the power to the PC from the wall socket. Take out the motherboard battery. Reset the CMOs (check your user's manual). Wait 15 minutes and replace the battery and then see if your system will start up.

rjohnson11

Stevie_21


i did over windows tool.

so now is my 780i no more booting, after the peep i get all the times the code 7F, my monitor tell's me just Check signal cable.
7F is mean that the graphic is not install or no power or no monitor plugged
Bios reset is not working

What can i do now???

Load the BIOs via the boot method from CD or USB.

For your problems remove the power to the PC from the wall socket. Take out the motherboard battery. Reset the CMOs (check your user's manual). Wait 15 minutes and replace the battery and then see if your system will start up.

+1, you need to re-flash the bios, lucky you did not completely corrupt your bios or you would have to replace the chip with a new one. I really wish every MB maker would stop trying to make a program to flash from within windows, they never work correctly   

NICE THANKS
 
my bios is working again
 
Thanks

thanks on EVGA
 
to build a program under win the bios update to do!!!
 
so everybody can crash the bios, and so: you need new parts or maybe a new motherboard
 
really cool evga i trust your program

not evga, it was a nvidia program. Asus, Gigabyte and other have them too and they all suck. 

SORRY EVGA
 
But you can download the program on evga site. So have 50% evga fault to
 
or i see this wrong

Before I update, is it worthwhile to backup the BIOS?  If so, what is the best procedure?

don't update your bios when is not really need.
 
Best way is.
 
Take p10 is the new version of the bios. Take a USB stick and prepare him to a boot able stick, copy your file (P10) to the stick and plug him in to the Motherboard. Start the Pc.
 
so i did

I'm not sure that this is possible. If you update the BIOS and you are unhappy with the update, usually it's possible to flash with an older version. But I think "backing up" the information on your specific flash chip is a task that may not be impossible, but I think it would require some very specialized software.
 
It is probably a good idea to get your specific settings that you are currently using, especially if you are overclocking. Easiest method is to just take a picture/video of your monitor with a digital camera while looking at the settings, but of course you can also just write the settings down (RAM timings / speed, CPU frequency, hard drive / boot settings, etc.).
 
 

quadlatte

rjohnson11

Stevie_21


i did over windows tool.

so now is my 780i no more booting, after the peep i get all the times the code 7F, my monitor tell's me just Check signal cable.
7F is mean that the graphic is not install or no power or no monitor plugged
Bios reset is not working

What can i do now???

Load the BIOs via the boot method from CD or USB.

For your problems remove the power to the PC from the wall socket. Take out the motherboard battery. Reset the CMOs (check your user's manual). Wait 15 minutes and replace the battery and then see if your system will start up.

+1, you need to re-flash the bios, lucky you did not completely corrupt your bios or you would have to replace the chip with a new one. I really wish every MB maker would stop trying to make a program to flash from within windows, they never work correctly   

 
The X79 flashes the BIOs from the command line inside Windows and this is the preferred method. Works very well as a matter of fact.

rjohnson11

quadlatte

rjohnson11

Stevie_21


i did over windows tool.

so now is my 780i no more booting, after the peep i get all the times the code 7F, my monitor tell's me just Check signal cable.
7F is mean that the graphic is not install or no power or no monitor plugged
Bios reset is not working

What can i do now???

Load the BIOs via the boot method from CD or USB.

For your problems remove the power to the PC from the wall socket. Take out the motherboard battery. Reset the CMOs (check your user's manual). Wait 15 minutes and replace the battery and then see if your system will start up.

+1, you need to re-flash the bios, lucky you did not completely corrupt your bios or you would have to replace the chip with a new one. I really wish every MB maker would stop trying to make a program to flash from within windows, they never work correctly   

The X79 flashes the BIOs from the command line inside Windows and this is the preferred method. Works very well as a matter of fact.

i still prefer the non-windows way, i just dont trust these other types of methods yet.

I think you can trust the new BIOs a bit more than the older ones.

rjohnson11


I think you can trust the new BIOs a bit more than the older ones.

its windows that worries me

Windows 7 kernel is very stable. No worries!

These threads often start to drift.  Here's a reset:

1. I just replace a WD rotating drive with a SanDisk Extreme SSD as the system/software drive for my 780i system.
2. I am now getting at least one core dump per day; sometimes two.
3. It was suggested that I update my 780i BIOS.
4. I've never done that before, and don't want to mess up and create a brick.
5. So, should I backup the original BIOS?  If so, how?
6. Apparently, most agree that I should not use the NVIDIA windows tools to load a new BIOS, but to download an ico image, burn it to a CD-ROM, and boot from that -- I know how to do that.
7. Thanks for your help !!