Asus Z690 ProArt Creator WiFi (Thunderbolt 4) + i7-12700K + AMD RX 6800 XT

[ramazarusx]

0816 version?!

Yup

 

[etorix]

Also, it looks like my 6600 video card is partially obstructing the x1 slot, so not sure the Fenvi expansion card is actually going to fit. If it doesn't, what are my other options? I really don't want to give up an nvme slot, as this board only has three to begin with.

If it's a mechanical issues, potential solutions are:

• using an x1 extension cable to deport the Fenvi card;
• using an x16 extension cable to deport the GPU, in a case which allows for it (e.g. Fractal Design Define 7);
• getting a single-slot GPU.

 

[ffjigft]

Can BIOS 9901 be applied when a regression-locked BIOS is installed?

Strictly speaking, yes, but UEFI-tool and FPTW is required.

Basically you need to:

1. Get a copy of current BIOS
2. Extract required components with UEFI-tool and IFRextractor
3. Analysis with UEFI-editor, find the location of "BIOS flash" key value
4. Turn the fuction on by modifying BIOS value temporarily with modded efi shell
5. Flash BIOS with Flash Programming Tool (FPTW) for ME 16.x (found here, and attached to this post fcor convenience. Although the viersion I collected seems to be made for BIOS with ME version 16.0.x, but FPTW worked under BIOS 2103)

Follow the instructions step by step in the UEFI-editor page (with links to other tools, except FPTW, and I attached the tool in this post). If you have questions related, feel free to comment

Check this out.

 

[ffjigft]

Attempted flash with 9901 and 2013

EzFlash

Selected file is not a proper BIOS!

Basically you need to:

1. Get a copy of current BIOS
2. Extract required components with UEFI-tool and IFRextractor
3. Analysis with UEFI-editor, find the location of "BIOS flash" key value
4. Turn the fuction on by modifying BIOS value temporarily with modded efi shell
5. Flash BIOS with Flash Programming Tool (FPTW) for ME 16.x (found here, and attached to this post fcor convenience. Although the viersion I collected seems to be made for BIOS with ME version 16.0.x, but FPTW worked under BIOS 2103)

Follow the instructions step by step in the UEFI-editor page (with links to other tools, except FPTW, and I attached the tool in this post). If you have questions related, feel free to comment

Check this method.

 

[ffjigft]

Hi, @CaseySJ! I just tried a Razer Thunderbolt 4 dock with a Thunderbolt 2 Ethernet and a Thunderbolt 2 Firewire on Hackintosh and Win 11 with NVM36. Nothing at all is showing up, So no chance of Tthunderbolt 1 and 2 devices working?

Intel dropped TB 1 & 2 compatibility with NVM36, so none TB 1&2 device would worl with NVM36 or newer firmware, even with a Tthunderbolt dock. I tested that with a HP TB3 dock and Focusrite Clarett 2Pre Thunderbolt.

However, the dock did improve compatibility (under NVM31). Without the dock, cold boot is required every time after I plughed out and in (physically) the audio interface. With the TB dock, I only need to power on my device before a warm boot.

 

[ffjigft]

I could probably do some testing on this front as I have a TB3 monitor and dock, as well as a few TB 1/2 devices.
I have a some questions before I do. I'm currently on BIOS 2103 with no known issues. If I upgrade to BIOS 2204, that will upgrade to the NVM 36 in question, correct?
For those with knowledge, please confirm-

1. I can still downgrade back from BIOS 2204 to BIOS 2103 and NVM31 with the available 9901 BIOS.
2. Do I need to update the ME chip in Windows?
3. Will the ME chip be downgraded with the NVM firmware, or does it stay at upgraded version?
4. Does the ME firmware have any bearing on the BIOS/NVM issues we're seeing in MacOS?

Devices I can test with:
TB3 UltraFine 4K
CalDigit TS3 Plus
Apple TB3/2 adapter
Apple TB2 Ethernet
Lacie external TB2 SSD's
Seagate TB1 GoFlex Adapter (SRD0001)
OWC Envoy Express (TB3)

1. Most probably, yes. If failed, you can still downgrade with UEFI-tool and FPTW. I succeeded in downgrading 2103 t0 1720 in this way. 2204 can be downgraded to 2013 with ezflash.

Basically you need to:

1. Get a copy of current BIOS
2. Extract required components with UEFI-tool and IFRextractor
3. Analysis with UEFI-editor, find the location of "BIOS flash" key value
4. Turn the fuction on by modifying BIOS value temporarily with modded efi shell
5. Flash BIOS with Flash Programming Tool (FPTW) for ME 16.x (found here, and attached to this post fcor convenience. Although the viersion I collected seems to be made for BIOS with ME version 16.0.x, but FPTW worked under BIOS 2103)

Follow the instructions step by step in the UEFI-editor page (with links to other tools, except FPTW, and I attached the tool in this post). If you have questions related, feel free to comment

2. I've heard about claims that unsuitable ME to current BIOS would cause serious performance issues, but I did not confirm them.
3. As far as I tried, no (for the current using 16.x ME). Untill now, 16.x ME can only be downgraded with a SPI flasher (which I used).
4. Nothing confirmed, but personally I highly suspect that. To be clear, I have not yet installed macOS on my current setup (Z690 Proart).

 

[dehjomz]

1. Most probably, yes. If failed, you can still downgrade with UEFI-tool and FPTW. I succeeded in downgrading 2103 t0 1720 in this way. 2204 can be downgraded to 2013 with ezflash.

2. I've heard about claims that unsuitable ME to current BIOS would cause serious performance issues, but I did not confirm them.
3. As far as I tried, no (for the current using 16.x ME). Untill now, 16.x ME can only be downgraded with a SPI flasher (which I used).
4. Nothing confirmed, but personally I highly suspect that. To be clear, I have not yet installed macOS on my current setup (Z690 Proart).

The performance issues regarding the outdated ME version surround raptor lake. A new ME is necessary to ensure all NVME slots are recognized, as well as to ensure the right clocking behavior. I don't believe Alder Lake had any such issues...

 

[ffjigft]

@CaseySJ,

You're right, after seeing on last firmware ProArt Z690 Creator wifi 1003 version, I have found it on GUID EED54281-1C11-4358-BF5A-F64995FBF11B freeform (RAW data).

I have attached this file of this motherboard.

This Thunderbolt firmware GUID is used by 2 Drivers and one Application (all included on BIOS firmware) :

• a driver with guid D312F13E-9D2A-4E53-89B7-F6E9A810C92A, which include the following string DevFwUpdatedDone
• a driver with guid CCF23F50-F7C1-4F00-8E70-13643C37E8B0, which include the following strings :

Spoiler

BIOS is updating Thunderbolt Nvm firmware.
Do not shut down or reset the system to prevent system bootup failure.
TbtNvmDrvSetImage: Invalid arguments

Image write started:

Got a FATAL error, exiting...
ImageSize : 0x%05x
Written so far : 0x%05x bytes
Got a error at offset 0x%08x!!!!

Image write finished.

Got an error while writing the image. As a recovery, starting again

Image write wasn't successful due to a device error
Image was updated successfully and passed the authentication

• an Application with GUID 5EDCCC1A-F4CA-42F4-8D3E-CA4C0B396BF7, which include the following strings :

Spoiler

Press any key to continue . . .
NVM.binCan't find NVM.bin.
Can't find %S.

****************************************
* ASUS TbtNvmDrvShellUpdate tool V1.6 *
****************************************
Support TBT module: Maple ridge
Support Platform: %s

Command: TbtNvmDrvShellUpdate.efi [Nvm.bin]

NVM file is not illegal,please check NVM file.

This file NVM version is %x.%x

This platform don't support Tbt NVM update so far
Please check BIOS version and contact Asus customer service

Please Unplug all device from Thunderbolt before update

Check file is valid and prepare for update, please wait a moment...

Can't get Thunderbolt device!! please make sure it work normally.
If you make sure it work normally, but it's still fail,
that mean this platform don't support Tbt NVM update so far.
Please check BIOS version and contact Asus customer service.

Current NVM is newer!! no need update.

Update fail!!
Please check file is valid or contact Asus customer service
Update done!!, please reset now

@etorix @CaseySJ Bros, it seems I've made it, a seperate EFI shell tool for downgrading Thunderbolt firmware!

I accidentally retrived a .efi from BIOS 9901 with UEFI-Tool, and the part has almost identical file structure compared to the .efi Thunderbolt firmware update tool (extracted by @Elias64Fr from BIOS 1003) under IDA tool. Just now, I upgraded from NVM31 to NVM36 with the tool, and then downgraded back successfully!

To be notice, I'm now using BIOS 9901, so theoretically this may not work under other BIOS (I do not think that would happen). I am curious whether this tool is still functional for other BIOS, even for other Asus motherboards with Maple Ridge TB4 controller intergated!

To use the tool:

1. Format a USB disk to FAT32
2. Place efi tool in the USB disk, and ensure the file name is "shell.efl"
3. Place the Thunderbolt firmware you want to flash in the USB disk, and ensure the file name is "NVM.bin"
4. Enter BIOS -> Advanced Mode -> Exit -> Launch EFI shell from USB disk
5. Wait until the flash is completed

The attached file are the EFI tool for flashing (upgrade & downgrate), NVM31 firmware (extracted by @Elias64Fr ) and NVM36 firmware (found in Asus ThunderboltEX4 firmware update pack).

This won't work. I made a mistake.

 

[dehjomz]

@etorix @CaseySJ Bros, it seems I've made it, a seperate EFI shell tool for downgrading Thunderbolt firmware!

I accidentally retrived a .efi from BIOS 9901 with UEFI-Tool, and the part has almost identical file structure compared to the .efi Thunderbolt firmware update tool (extracted by @Elias64Fr from BIOS 1003) under IDA tool. Just now, I upgraded from NVM31 to NVM36 with the tool, and then downgraded back successfully!

To be notice, I'm now using BIOS 9901, so theoretically this may not work under other BIOS (I do not think that would happen). I am curious whether this tool is still functional for other BIOS, even for other Asus motherboards with Maple Ridge TB4 controller intergated!

To use the tool:

1. Format a USB disk to FAT32
2. Place efi tool in the USB disk, and ensure the file name is "shell.efl"
3. Place the Thunderbolt firmware you want to flash in the USB disk, and ensure the file name is "NVM.bin"
4. Enter BIOS -> Advanced Mode -> Exit -> Launch EFI shell from USB disk
5. Wait until the flash is completed

The attached file are the EFI tool for flashing (upgrade & downgrate), NVM31 firmware (extracted by @Elias64Fr ) and NVM36 firmware (found in Asus ThunderboltEX4 firmware update pack).

Tool does not allow downgrade from 36->31 on 2305. Says “current nvm is newer!! No need update.”

Is there a way to force the update to allow the rollback ?

 

[zappy39]

Tool does not allow downgrade from 36->31 on 2305. Says “current nvm is newer!! No need update.”

Is there a way to force the update to allow the rollback ?

Doesn't work on bios 2204 36->31 on the ThunderboltEX4 PCI-E Card same

current nvm is newer!! No need update.