GA-EP43-DS3LR

[tokafondo]

Hello all and my compliments and thanks for this fantastic work.

I'd like to get my GA-EP43-DS3LR motherboard bios updated, as it has the intel raid option rom versio 8.0.0.1039, that seems not to be reliable with SSD disks.

If it were possible, it would be nice to create 2 versions of the updated rom: one with the 8.9.1.1002 RAID bios, and another one with the 9.6.0.1014 RAID bios, for me to test wich fits best.

In the meanwhile, I will try to do it myself, but I don't have access to that binary rom files. I'll have to search for them.

Thanks!!

[tokafondo]

This is me, again with a couple, of addendums:

1. There is a 'hidden' bios update (E2 version) for this motherboard. I say 'hidden' because is not available for direct download in the gigabyte website (at least I couldn't find it). It only shows when using the @bios utility, and selecting 'updating bios from server'. That bios updates the Intel Option Rom to 8.5.xxxx, still far from the 8.7.1007 recommended minimum.
   
2. The F2b bios available for download in gigabyte website has an important bug: it won't recognize your arrays, nor load the raid option rom. I was lucky to have a notebook so I could download the F1 bios from gigabyte website and reflash it so I'm typing this with my computer again. But maybe others won't have the same luck.
   

I have attached the three versions, for you to examine them if you want it.

  P43DS3LR.F1.zip (Size: 537.31 KB / Downloads: 2)

  P43DS3LR.E2.zip (Size: 536.93 KB / Downloads: 7)

  P43DS3LR.F2b.zip (Size: 477.07 KB / Downloads: 3)

[1234s282]

OK , heres the E2 version of the bios with RAID ROM v8.9.1.1002 and v9.6.0.1014:-

Flash at your own risk!

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/747181/Gigabyte%...34s282.zip

Best of luck

Admin

[tokafondo]

OK. Thanks for your work.

I tested both of them, and they showed the array, but none of them allowed me to boot. Do you know that screen where the list of pci devices is listed, with their vendor and device id is displayed? Well:

• With 9.x option rom, "insert boot disk" message is displayed, no matter if the array is recognized.
  
• With 8.x option rom, it directly hangs there, needing to hard reset the computer to be rebooted.
  

I tried first 9.x and then 8.x, and seeing that none of them worked, I tried to reflash stock E2 version. But... The built-in flash utility hangs when I try to reflash it again. Why? It took me some time to figure that disabling the RAID in the BIOS allowed me to reflash to E2 version. And that way I am working again with my computer.

That leads me to wonder if Intel supply rom option in the form of source code to manufacturers, and they tune it to their needs before including it in the main BIOS binary.

Thanks, anyway. I hope gigabyte will update BIOS of this motherboard to newer intel option rom versions.

THANKS!!!

[1234s282]

Sorry it didnt work , we have removed the mod from our servers - glad you were able to recover

I think there something to do with PCI VEN & DEV ID's which means that the roms have to be modded in some way first - I shall see if i can gain further information on this

Regards
Admin