Changing the new motherboard BIOS without updating the CPU
Changing the new motherboard BIOS without updating the CPU
Hello everyone, I'm setting up a gaming PC and have purchased all the required parts. I plan to install everything now. Before starting, I need to know if it's safe to update the BIOS without the CPU first, then assemble the system with the CPU and other components. I've seen some YouTube videos suggesting this might not be recommended for first-time motherboard use. Also, should I activate the RAM expo profile after updating the BIOS without a Windows installation on the M.2 drive? My PC specs are: motherboard Asus B650 TUF Gaming WiFi Plus, CPU Ryzen 7800X3D, RAM Corsair DDR5 32GB 6000mhz, GPU RTX 4090. Thanks for your advice.
You can update the BIOS using BIOS Flashback without the CPU if you want. That's what I did when I was building my system to make sure the board would be compatible with my 5900X. In fact, it might even be necessary. There's a small chance that your board doesn't have the necessary BIOS version to boot with the 7800X3D in the first place, since that chip is newer than the board, and the board might have been sitting on a shelf for months before being purchased. However, you won't be able to enable Expo without the CPU. You won't be able to get into the BIOS at all, actually. BIOS Flashback just involves putting a properly configured USB into the correct slot, and hitting the button. It won't show anything to your monitor during the process, and you won't ever enter the BIOS itself. As far as I know, the only modern boards able to go into the BIOS without a CPU are some server boards. Modern consumer boards need a CPU in order to POST at all.
Other consumer boards are capable of this too, though not all of them. The real issue is whether it will actually function initially, because only a handful of consumer groups support BIOS updates without a CPU. The manual doesn't state the board can update without one, so I suspect that's unlikely. If my assumption is right, you'd need a CPU that matches the board out of the box, or pick a board that doesn't require updates to work with your chosen processor.
Edit: Further investigation shows your board does support the CPU, allowing BIOS updates once the machine is assembled.
Edited January 4, 2024 by Average Nerd Added more info
It's acceptable to proceed with the update. I tend to hold off until after the OS is set up, because on most ASUS boards the BIOS Flashback update takes significantly longer than the in-BIOS version. That way you'll spend less time waiting and can monitor progress easily. Usually I delay enabling XMP/EXPO until after Windows installation, as an unstable profile beforehand raises corruption chances, though a blue screen is still possible if anything goes wrong. In practice, a 6000MT/s speed on a 7800X3D board is unlikely to cause problems, so it probably won't affect the outcome.
I don't have a specific example from the past decade that fits this description, but you might look into modern consumer boards with integrated graphics or dedicated GPUs released around 2014 onwards.
The article states that boards from MSI and Aorus enable this functionality.
It seems you're checking a specific section, but the text isn't provided here. Could you share the passage or clarify what you're referring to?
BIOS Flashback doesn’t imply the motherboard can boot up or access BIOS without a CPU. It’s completely detached—no display appears. You don’t require a connected monitor at all. Just a power supply, motherboard, and flash drive are sufficient.
Yes, I get it now. They weren't discussing BIOS access or starting up, just updating the BIOS without a CPU present. Did I miss anything?