OK, well give me all the numbers you can read, hopefully you can read them all. Also, since your LAN is working, run ipconfig/all and get the current LAN Mac and let me know that too so I can put all that in final once we get fixed,
Or I guess we can skip all that since it's not a big deal for UUID/Serial/DTS due to hacked win

For the chip removal, use something plastic like bic ink pen cap tip, and nudge one side up a little at a time until it's loose enough to get something thin/flat underneath it then you can pull straight up and outward from both sides at once.
You can get more on ebay cheap, but you would have to wait for shipping time 2-3 weeks usually. You can also tied some flat ribbon cable or something thin and wide as the chip once you have it out, all the way around it, that way you can always easily pull it up from both sides at once.

You don't have any backup from before you tried the crossflash? The backup you sent, is about 90% NVRAM errors 100's in a row, all referring to your CPU mostly.
Whatever BIOS is there now, if that is what gave this backup, is not setup properly for the CPU.

Hacked is always OK with missing or incorrect UUID, DTS Keys, etc so as long as you always use that it will be OK. Valid method using the OEM activation in the board BIOS will not work without the correct details.
So if that's never an issue you don't have to worry, and since LAN MAC is working that's good!

I think you should try the crossflash again as I said above, using your programmer this time. First, make sure your programmer and software version are working properly by reading the chip (Not a saved BIOS file), saving and then verifying.
You want it to say chip memory or main memory and buffer match after running verify. Once you can read a chip and verify then it's OK. if not try other software version until you find one that works properly, here's a few versions
https://www.sendspace.com/file/0oof4w

Once you have it working properly, program the other boards rom with your programmer for a test run, verify it wrote OK, then put in board and test. If it fails OK, at least we know it wasn't fully the method of force flashing that caused the brick initially.

After that, I can send you something to try I think. Are you sure this model is closest match to your board?

Zitat von Lost_N_BIOS im Beitrag #16

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OK, well give me all the numbers you can read, hopefully you can read them all. Also, since your LAN is working, run ipconfig/all and get the current LAN Mac and let me know that too so I can put all that in final once we get fixed,
Or I guess we can skip all that since it's not a big deal for UUID/Serial/DTS due to hacked win

For the chip removal, use something plastic like bic ink pen cap tip, and nudge one side up a little at a time until it's loose enough to get something thin/flat underneath it then you can pull straight up and outward from both sides at once.
You can get more on ebay cheap, but you would have to wait for shipping time 2-3 weeks usually. You can also tied some flat ribbon cable or something thin and wide as the chip once you have it out, all the way around it, that way you can always easily pull it up from both sides at once.

You don't have any backup from before you tried the crossflash? The backup you sent, is about 90% NVRAM errors 100's in a row, all referring to your CPU mostly.
Whatever BIOS is there now, if that is what gave this backup, is not setup properly for the CPU.

Hacked is always OK with missing or incorrect UUID, DTS Keys, etc so as long as you always use that it will be OK. Valid method using the OEM activation in the board BIOS will not work without the correct details.
So if that's never an issue you don't have to worry, and since LAN MAC is working that's good!

I think you should try the crossflash again as I said above, using your programmer this time. First, make sure your programmer and software version are working properly by reading the chip (Not a saved BIOS file), saving and then verifying.
You want it to say chip memory or main memory and buffer match after running verify. Once you can read a chip and verify then it's OK. if not try other software version until you find one that works properly, here's a few versions
https://www.sendspace.com/file/0oof4w

Once you have it working properly, program the other boards rom with your programmer for a test run, verify it wrote OK, then put in board and test. If it fails OK, at least we know it wasn't fully the method of force flashing that caused the brick initially.

After that, I can send you something to try I think. Are you sure this model is closest match to your board?

---

I meant to go ahead and try programming in the BIOS you original tried to crossflash that failed, just to test and verify that the BIOS fails and not the method used when trying to crossflash initially.

Ah, okay.

So I checked the BIOS I flashed when I bricked the board, I actually got the same result. Flashed back to the CM5575 ROM, so I can stay with my original BIOS for now...

Keep in mind I didn't read the other part about the CPU, but I do run a Xeon X3440 here.

So, that BIOS you tried again just now, for the other board. Did you modify it before flashing before, or straight stock from Asus?

If it was stock BIOS from asus, and it's a brick when you program it on chip with your programmer, then these boards are not close enough to each other for a crossflash.

So, lets try an entire menu swap (Setup only from one into the other). Are you ready to do some more programming, extracting chip back and forth etc. Or do you want to wait and order another BIOS chip or two in case you break the chip legs?

Is your CPU ES/QC/Confidential sample (Q3AS stepping), or retail SLBLF Stepping?

It was straight from ASUS' website.

Sure, I can hold up for some more programming. And no, my CPU is retail pretty much.

Thanks, I didn't check back if you modified BIOS or not. Pretty much retail, and retail are not always same, sometimes OEM use ES and don't mention, and due to different microcodes sometimes that is why I asked.
If you have an image of the CPU IHS cover it will show the stepping, if not don't worry until next time you have heatsink off.

OK, one second I will send you two BIOS to try, one will surely fail but it's best we check this thing now instead of last in case it works. Second is idea I had since you started thread, it may work, or may partially work (ie visible settings, but no function)
If neither work properly, I will dig further and see what can be done.

OK, here is 3 quick mods for you to test. https://www.sendspace.com/file/zd4cc9
Please test them in numerical order, thanks!

And here is mod #4, I noticed some key differences within the Intel ME's internal settings from your board to the other.
So this is straight crossflash type test again, but this time with your boards ME inserted into the other boards BIOS. Program all these tests w/ the flash programmer, no "BIOS flashing"
And importantly for this one, please while programming the BIOS remove your boards CMOS battery and unplug it from the wall, then press and hold power on button or clear CMOS button for 10 seconds or so, to drain all power from the system to ensure ME reset during this ME change
https://nofile.io/f/qEJqUSr4HnB/cm5575-mod4.zip

One of them may fail completely like the crossflash, but I want to check this method anyway to be sure.
The other two may have better luck, if any of them work, please report what happens in BIOS and which BIOS by number gave you this result etc.
Do you see new settings, if so does what you set apply and reflect change in windows etc. stuff like that.

All may fail too, so be ready for that as well, don't get your hopes up until we start seeing some progress first

Zitat von Lost_N_BIOS im Beitrag #23

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Thanks, I didn't check back if you modified BIOS or not. Pretty much retail, and retail are not always same, sometimes OEM use ES and don't mention, and due to different microcodes sometimes that is why I asked.
If you have an image of the CPU IHS cover it will show the stepping, if not don't worry until next time you have heatsink off.

OK, one second I will send you two BIOS to try, one will surely fail but it's best we check this thing now instead of last in case it works. Second is idea I had since you started thread, it may work, or may partially work (ie visible settings, but no function)
If neither work properly, I will dig further and see what can be done.

OK, here is 3 quick mods for you to test. https://www.sendspace.com/file/zd4cc9
Please test them in numerical order, thanks!

And here is mod #4, I noticed some key differences within the Intel ME's internal settings from your board to the other.
So this is straight crossflash type test again, but this time with your boards ME inserted into the other boards BIOS. Program all these tests w/ the flash programmer, no "BIOS flashing"
And importantly for this one, please while programming the BIOS remove your boards CMOS battery and unplug it from the wall, then press and hold power on button or clear CMOS button for 10 seconds or so, to drain all power from the system to ensure ME reset during this ME change
https://nofile.io/f/qEJqUSr4HnB/cm5575-mod4.zip

One of them may fail completely like the crossflash, but I want to check this method anyway to be sure.
The other two may have better luck, if any of them work, please report what happens in BIOS and which BIOS by number gave you this result etc.
Do you see new settings, if so does what you set apply and reflect change in windows etc. stuff like that.

All may fail too, so be ready for that as well, don't get your hopes up until we start seeing some progress first

---

So I tested first BIOS, it was the P7H55-M SI BIOS. Second worked, but was stuck on a loading screen (said WAIT) and didn't load. Took a 10 minute video from YT and still didn't load yet. Third just won't load the BIOS at all.

The fourth is unknown, I couldn't download due to that "not being available".


EDIT: Gonna try again at least booting up into Windows and then loading the BIOS #2.

EDIT #2: Second BIOS doesn't work with the Ethernet port. F.
But still same load screen.

EDIT #3: Installed drivers for the ethernet port and now ethernet is working again.

The only BIOS that was not your board BIOS was #4.
#1 was "BIOS Region" from the other board swapped to your board BIOS, so yes mainly the other board BIOS, but not
#2 BIOS was your boards BIOS with only "Setup" module taken from other BIOS and put into your BIOS. No need for a video, or to wait, quick test is always fine
#3 BIOS has other boards Setup and SingleLinkArchBIOS swapped in.

So, BIOS #2 with setup swapped is working? It's booting past BIOS, and into windows? IF yes, that is good! So how about the BIOS settings (JumperFree overclock etc) you wanted this all done for, are the visible in the BIOS and when you change them do they apply once saved and loaded to windows?

Sorry about the 4th BIOS test, I uploaded to that site because sendspace was giving me an error, maybe since both messed up on me now it was on my end? Here it is again
https://www.sendspace.com/file/kc16yv

BIOS #2 works and boots into Windows perfectly, but the BIOS settings don't appear since because of the WAIT screen. I'll test the 4th BIOS.

EDIT: BIOS #4 works, surprisingly. Same as BIOS #1.

EDIT #2. Again: I decided to try out BIOS #2 again, and somehow the Realtek Ethernet controller driver won't load up properly in Windows, tried re-installing the drivers and it's completely gone. Ethernet functionality is gone.

Very surprised! So, BIOS 2, BIOS 4, and BIOS 1 work, at least in some way correct? BIOS 2 has the "Wait" issue, and you cannot enter BIOS, but windows eventually loads?

BIOS #1 is mainly the other board BIOS. This was BIOS Region swap, BIOS region equals 95% of the BIOS, minus flash descriptor which would be same on both boards, and Intel ME which is same on both except for 3-4 settings are set differently on either.

BIOS #2, I could possibly figure out the Ethernet and get that working, but seems like one of these others might be a better choice, correct? You had Ethernet working once, but then not again?
Could be LAN MAC ID issue, is your LAN MAC ID printed on the board on a sticker, it's usually on either side of the 24pin or on top/bottom of one of the PCI/PCIE ports.

BIOS #4 is a "Crossflash" BIOS, the only change in that BIOS is your boards ME which is exact same as the one originally in there but with 3-4 setting changes dealing with "clock controls and crystals"
Since BIOS #4 works, that means crossflash is possible, you just did it with your programmer, only those 3-4 settings were changed in Intel ME internal programming.
Can you enter BIOS with this, if yes, in the JumperFree section do any of the overclock type settings apply and reflect in windows once you change them?

I assumed you'd want BIOS #4, the originally planned crossflash, provided the BIOS settings changes work and allow you to adjust properly. There may not be necessary hardware on your board for these to work, like clock controllers/drivers and crystals etc.

Zitat von Lost_N_BIOS im Beitrag #28

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Very surprised! So, BIOS 2, BIOS 4, and BIOS 1 work, at least in some way correct? BIOS 2 has the "Wait" issue, and you cannot enter BIOS, but windows eventually loads?

BIOS #1 is mainly the other board BIOS. This was BIOS Region swap, BIOS region equals 95% of the BIOS, minus flash descriptor which would be same on both boards, and Intel ME which is same on both except for 3-4 settings are set differently on either.

BIOS #2, I could possibly figure out the Ethernet and get that working, but seems like one of these others might be a better choice, correct? You had Ethernet working once, but then not again?
Could be LAN MAC ID issue, is your LAN MAC ID printed on the board on a sticker, it's usually on either side of the 24pin or on top/bottom of one of the PCI/PCIE ports.

BIOS #4 is a "Crossflash" BIOS, the only change in that BIOS is your boards ME which is exact same as the one originally in there but with 3-4 setting changes dealing with "clock controls and crystals"
Since BIOS #4 works, that means crossflash is possible, you just did it with your programmer, only those 3-4 settings were changed in Intel ME internal programming.
Can you enter BIOS with this, if yes, in the JumperFree section do any of the overclock type settings apply and reflect in windows once you change them?

I assumed you'd want BIOS #4, the originally planned crossflash, provided the BIOS settings changes work and allow you to adjust properly. There may not be necessary hardware on your board for these to work, like clock controllers/drivers and crystals etc.

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It's not shown at top inside advanced section? Did you clear CMOS and load defaults after programming it in? It should be right there on top inside advanced section, but I can't "See" BIOS layout so not sure if that is a page or click into menu etc.