I also never had any luck with ASUS USB Flashback. Never worked for me. Not even with the original BIOS. Always had to use afudos with /GAN...

Exactly I can't even flash original unmodded BIOS with ASUS USB Flashback.

@e.v.o, @m1from
I agree totally with Fernando, I am pretty sure your USB Flash drive(s) is (are) not correctly prepared: USB 2 only, small size (4 GB recommended), never previously used with a multi partionning, never used previously on a MAC (no exFAT), no GPT schema, only pure MBR, FAT32 exclusively fresh fully formatted.
On my ASUS X99 the flash backing operation is > 6 minutes, never less.
You should check and prepare the detailed structure of your USB2 keys you are using with tools such as AOMEI Partition Assistant v6.3 Wizard Tool or MiniTool Partition v10.2.1 Tool.
You also can check the exact structrure after copying your correctly named BIOS file on via Rufus v2.15 Tool (log option).

Hello!

I have Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD4H mainboard and would like to upgrade from SATA AHCI Samsung 840 EVO to the fastest SSD possible, keeping my well-tuned Win7x64.
So my highest wishes is to get Samsung M.2 960 EVO 250GB perfectly booting...

My first question: Without any modding of BiOS and doing anything, it is probably only Kingston HyperX Predator SSD nativelly booting? Or maybe some other like OCZ RevoDrive?
If everything fails, I could stick with this not-anymore-fastest solution...
But before that, I will try the NVMe Samsungs...

So, next question, what (250GB) SSD should I to try?
960 EVO is cheapest, fast enough, and should have support in Samsung DataMigration software...
Or is there some better alternative? With better legacy boot support?

I will try this:

1.) Put new drive to PCIExpress adapter and plug it into x4 slot or second x16 slot.
2.) Boot normally from old SATA3 AHCI SSD, let windows (7x64) to recognise new hardware and (maybe manually) install new drivers (what exactly??).
3.) After maybe needed restart(s), get new drive working (as data disk) and test it for speed.
4.) Make modded BiOS (I succeeded with method from first post here, but still little worry about the flashing - is not this case of Gigabyte MB's, with "invalid file" error??).
5.) After succesfull flash, what to set in BiOS? Just UEFI mode? Or something else?
6.) Return to windows - still on old SATA SSD - and use Samsung Data Migration Tool to try to clone windows - I see in its manual, that I should meet all needed requirements...

My current SSD is still MBR type. I saw in the Samsung software, MBR is also supported, so, need I to move to GPT-partitioned disk?

Here is user -Andy-, who get succesfully this MB booting (to SM961). So, booting should be possible. But he installed Win10. Is Win7 really problem? Samsung software supports it (even XP!).

And what about difference between installing fresh OS and clone old one? I really dont want new install, I have my windows for loooong time and well-tuned! I believe, if I let windows to experience new SSD as data disk first, install all necessary drivers and updates (wich one??), then make it bootable should be easyer than new install...??

I will be very happy for any Your suggestions!
Thanks!

Zitat von iX-9 im Beitrag #1974

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Without any modding of BiOS and doing anything, it is probably only Kingston HyperX Predator SSD nativelly booting? Or maybe some other like OCZ RevoDrive?

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Zitat von iX-9 im Beitrag #1974

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4.) Make modded BiOS (I succeeded with method from first post here, but still little worry about the flashing - is not this case of Gigabyte MB's, with "invalid file" error??).

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Zitat von iX-9 im Beitrag #1974

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5.) After successfull flash, what to set in BiOS? Just UEFI mode? Or something else?

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Zitat von iX-9 im Beitrag #1974

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My current SSD is still MBR type. I saw in the Samsung software, MBR is also supported, so, need I to move to GPT-partitioned disk?

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Simple method in 3 steps:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_qRvvCWpWA

Is it working ?

Guys, hi again! I made a decision and now i'm doing it.
Thanks to the e.v.o advice i bought the Samsung EVO 960 SSD

UPDATE: I did try another USB with the FAT32 and GPT and now its working!
I decided to keep my old post in the offtop:

I did everything (except this: important: choose the UEFI mode partition table = GPT, i set it to the MBR BIOS\UEFI by mistake, gonna redo that one soon)
Currently i stuck at the windows 10 installation on disk screen: i can see the EVO ssd, but it tells me that i do not have the NVMe support component in bios (which i have)
I attached the UEFI tool screenshot with the dxe module , i also attached the modded bios file.
and the screenshot of my bios (Gigabyte p85-d3)
For dxe module, i used this one: >uncompressed NvmExpressDxE_2 module GUID 9A4713C2

For some reason i can see USB\SSD only 50% of the time, they are dissapearing frequently. For USB - tried different ports\USB's, nothing changed.
And for some reason i didn't find the CMS option.

What else can i do? Will GPT option help? Thank you!

I was just curious about certain bios releases that came out for certain NVME supported mainboards and after exploring noticed that the release notes would state that they added 'Samsung 960 support' to a motherboard that already had nvme support so it makes me wonder if anyone is having trouble getting those drives working on unsupported motherboards the drive might be the problem such that a later release of the NVME Dxe Driver may be an option. Later than version 2.

Hello,

I finally flashed modded BIOS with NVMe boot support for my ASUS Z77 Sabertooth and Samsung 960 Pro.
USB Flashback never worked for me(with 3 different USB sticks), even with official unmodded BIOS.

Here my story, I hope it will help somebody with Z77 or others motherboards:

1. Download latest original BIOS
2. Download/make modded BIOS with NVMe boot support
3. Find appropriate AMI AFU Utility here - https://ami.com/en/products/bios-uefi-to...uefi-utilities/ or you can download this one https://ami.com/en/download-license-agre...ate_Utility.zip, for ASUS Z77 Sabertooth - https://ami.com/en/download-license-agre...ate_Utility.zip
4. Launch AFUWINGUI
5. If you will try to flash modded BIOS you probably will get same "security" error, open ORIGINAL unmodded BIOS and flash. Don't reboot/shut down.
6. When original BIOS is flashed with success, just open MODDED version and flash over the original one. No "security" error should appear now.
7. Shut down you PC.
8. Power on and wait till Windows finally loaded(from where you started AFU flash procedure).
9. Install Windows 10 on NVMe and have fun.
10. Hope it helps!

Also after flashing modded BIOS now on POST, I see proper 16GB RAM and iGPU for 3770k is also correctly identified. Probably I run into corrupted BIOS update(failed try with USB Flashback? cause after few attempts with USB Flashback I ended up with 8GB and no iGPU at POST) or something that prevents also USB Flashback from working properly.

Thanks for Win-Raid forum and also link that's helped me on overclock.net: http://www.overclock.net/t/1246595/offic...hread-club/2550
Also, big thanks to @Elchi. I almost give up, but his support and involvement helped me to get things done.

@Fernando I changed filename with and without ASUS BRenamer to the proper one of course, and formatted USB sticks with rufus MBR partitioning, FAT32 fs.

I found on the YT fast mod in 3 steps: