Contribute
Register

Can't boot into new BIOS v. with mac formatted drive connected

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Jul 10, 2013
Messages
395
Motherboard
Gigabyte X299X Designare 10G
CPU
i9-10900X
Graphics
RX 5500 XT
Mac
  1. iMac
  2. MacBook Pro
  3. Mac Pro
Classic Mac
  1. eMac
  2. iBook
  3. iMac
  4. PowerBook
Mobile Phone
  1. Android
Hello there,

I'm having the strangest issue across all of my new builds, as with my signature build, my other X299 Deluxe II has the exact same behaviour.

Whenever I try to boot to BIOS (latest BIOS installed v.2417) with a macOS formatted drive attached, it just goes to black screen! I have to either remove all drives and let it boot into BIOS (due to not having any bootable drive off-course) or log into windows, shut down completely and then boot to "F2" to be able to log into BIOS.

I found this article on Asus website, but it just seems preposterous to have to do that to enter BIOS! We have never had such issues with previous BIOS versions and this is just very uncomfortable and inconvenient.
I'm not sure if -as the article says- has something to do with the loading of "Windows8" features with the new set of BIOS installed on new Z3xx and X299 series boards.

This is my personal experience, tried with both Z3xx and X299 boards with new BIOS. Hope anyone anyone else can give this a go and report back, because it would be very troublesome if we couldn't boot to BIOS and make changes quickly, I have some of my build in a rack mount config and removing it is just too much pain.

No matter if I log into windows first as the article says, as far as a mac formatted drive is connected, BIOS won't show..

Hope we can find a solution.
 
Hello there,

I'm having the strangest issue across all of my new builds, as with my signature build, my other X299 Deluxe II has the exact same behaviour.

Whenever I try to boot to BIOS (latest BIOS installed v.2417) with a macOS formatted drive attached, it just goes to black screen! I have to either remove all drives and let it boot into BIOS (due to not having any bootable drive off-course) or log into windows, shut down completely and then boot to "F2" to be able to log into BIOS.

I found this article on Asus website, but it just seems preposterous to have to do that to enter BIOS! We have never had such issues with previous BIOS versions and this is just very uncomfortable and inconvenient.
I'm not sure if -as the article says- has something to do with the loading of "Windows8" features with the new set of BIOS installed on new Z3xx and X299 series boards.

This is my personal experience, tried with both Z3xx and X299 boards with new BIOS. Hope anyone anyone else can give this a go and report back, because it would be very troublesome if we couldn't boot to BIOS and make changes quickly, I have some of my build in a rack mount config and removing it is just too much pain.

No matter if I log into windows first as the article says, as far as a mac formatted drive is connected, BIOS won't show..

Hope we can find a solution.

Hi there.

Curious a BIOS update doesn't let you get into Setup easily. Could it be a keyboard initialisation issue? Could you ensure your keyboard (or its radio) is in USB port no.1 ? Could you test with a PS/2 keyboard ?

:)
 
@dolgarrenan,

That is an odd situation and not one i've come across before ...

If the issue only started when you flashed the new BIOS then it seems most likely that there is either a issue with it or a new feature/setting that needs looking at ...

Can you re-flash the previous BIOS Version ?

I do remember seeing a few threads on TMx86 that specifically mentioned issues with a new Asus BIOS and not being able to boot MacOS ..... not sure if its related to your issue :-


Maybe try searching the ASUS support forums for answer/clue ...

Cheers
Jay
 
Last edited:
@dolgarrenan,

That is an odd situation and not one i've come across before ...

If the issue only started when you flashed the new BIOS then it seems most likely that there is either a issue with it or a new feature/setting that needs looking at ...

Can you re-flash the previous BIOS Version ?

I do remember seeing a few threads on TMx86 that specifically mentioned issues with a new Asus BIOS and not being able to boot MacOS ..... not sure if its related to your issue :-


Maybe try searching the ASUS support forums for answer/clue ...

Cheers
Jay
Hi @jaymonkey, thank you for your insight!

I have tried the above and no luck (some long time ago), the problem doesn't reside into booting into the OS, it all comes down to booting into BIOS with a "clover boot" macOS formatted disk attached to the MB..

I have researched the Asus website and found only a mention to a post where anyone using windows10 could not boot into BIOS because os a feature activated from Windows8 "quickstart" or whatever. The post says that in order to boot into BIOS you need, either to do a full shutdown (tried and failed) and start cold, or to go to windows pref panel /update /system recovery / reboot with advanced options or something like this.

Once in the blue screen, reboot to UEFI options.. That is the only way to log into the BIOS with a mac formatted drive or with a clover boot loader installed.. I haven't tried with a mac drive without clover yet, that's my next step.

I have only seen another user with a laptop laptop with the same issue, but someone replied to him to move to the laptop forum without realising his issue might be as of general interest.

I would't want to encourage anyone who has a Z370 or Z390 board to update BIOS just to give this a try, but I think there might be more people around with the same issue that has not realised just because they don't try to boot into BIOS often..

With my X299 build behaviour is the same..

EDIT: I have tried to rollback to a previous BIOS v but it just won't let me, Asus has locked the BIOS downwards..
 
Hi there.

Curious a BIOS update doesn't let you get into Setup easily. Could it be a keyboard initialisation issue? Could you ensure your keyboard (or its radio) is in USB port no.1 ? Could you test with a PS/2 keyboard ?

:)
It's not about keyboard or anything, it's just booting into BIOS with a mac formatted drive with clover installed... Haven't tried with a mac formatted drive without the boot loader.. Weird issue!
 
I would't want to encourage anyone who has a Z370 or Z390 board to update BIOS just to give this a try, but I think there might be more people around with the same issue that has not realised just because they don't try to boot into BIOS often..

EDIT: I have tried to rollback to a previous BIOS v but it just won't let me, Asus has locked the BIOS downwards..


@dolgarrenan,

Its's pretty bad when manufacturers lock-out the ability to downgrade a firmware, no real need for it especially on something as open as a PC motherboard ..

I doubt that the issue is related specifically to a MacOS drive being connected, i think it may be more likely related to a GUID formatted drive being connected to the system.

Try formatting a spare drive as GUID, see if its same behaviour with it connected (with your MacOS drive disconnected)

Is your Windows Drive GUID formatted or MBR ?

Cheers
Jay
 
I agree it is unhelpful that motherboard manufacturers prevent a BIOS rollback, for whatever reason. If the board came with a certain BIOS then why not let it be used again if required?

You probably realise you can revert to an earlier BIOS version - it's just not straight-forward. I did this myself a couple of years back (Gigabyte) and it worked fine.

YMMV and your choice etc.

Search is your best friend. These two links are not necessarily perfect answers but illustrate the process:

ASUS -

Gigabyte-
 
Last edited:
@dolgarrenan,

Its's pretty bad when manufacturers lock-out the ability to downgrade a firmware, no real need for it especially on something as open as a PC motherboard ..

I doubt that the issue is related specifically to a MacOS drive being connected, i think it may be more likely related to a GUID formatted drive being connected to the system.

Try formatting a spare drive as GUID, see if its same behaviour with it connected (with your MacOS drive disconnected)

Is your Windows Drive GUID formatted or MBR ?

Cheers
Jay
My Windows drive is on GUID partition map... I did also thought about it, but then realised Windows does GUID as standard and even with the Windows drive could not boot to BIOS unless from the OS with the mentioned method.

I am out of ideas.. Even modifying the BIOS with UEFITool seems difficult nowadays, a year ago I was just able to use the BIOS flashback on my X299 to flash a "modded" BIOS but now it's just seems to make BIOS unstable and erratic..
 
I agree it is unhelpful that motherboard manufacturers prevent a BIOS rollback, for whtever reason. If the board came with a certain BIOS then why not let it be used again if required?

Although this might not solve the OP problem, you probably realise you can revert to an earlier BIOS version - it's just not straight-forward like upgrading - and is nerve-wracking if otherwise ASUS, or Gigabyte, says you can't do it.

I did this myself a couple of years back (Gigabyte) and it worked fine, however it needs care and there are obviously serious risks if you get something wrong. Prepare and double-check, then double-check again etc. Similar techniques are often used to recover otherwise 'dead' motherboards.

Search is your best friend. These two links are not necessarily the perfect answers in this case but illustrate the process:

ASUS -

Gigabyte-

Out there on-line you will find numerous other helpful guides.
Been there once and ruined a brand new Asus TUF Z390M, not my cup of tea tbh..
 
My Windows drive is on GUID partition map... I did also thought about it, but then realised Windows does GUID as standard and even with the Windows drive could not boot to BIOS unless from the OS with the mentioned method.


@dolgarrenan,

If thats the case then it may suggest that Asus have indeed implemented some sort of BIOS lockout when Windows 10 is installed in UEFI mode (IE: on a GUID formatted partition) and requires you to enter the BIOS via the Windows 10 procedure rather than through the post boot key shortcut.

This behaviour also reminds me of Windows "Fast Startup" feature which is known to disable post boot entry to the BIOS.
Check to see if you have the Windows "Fast Startup" feature enabled .. if it is disable it :-


Quote from the guide linked above :-

Windows Fast Startup Guide said:
Depending on your system, you may not be able to access BIOS/UEFI settings when you shut down a computer with Fast Startup enabled. When a computer hibernates, it does not enter a fully powered down mode.


Cheers
Jay
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top