DX4860 Can't update Bios for Ivy Bridge chip

biggal76
biggal76 Member Posts: 2 New User
edited March 1 in 2020 Archives
Hi. I am trying to update my BIOS to PO3.A3 so that I can update to an I7-3770 chip which I already purchased. The instructions just say to click the Win_dos.bat icon and it will flash but it doesn't work from within windows. There is an exe file as well AFUWINx64.exe file which I attempted and that didnt' do anything.  I tried booting into command prompt and installing from DOS with the BIOS_DOS.bat and got an error that it wasnt for 64 bit OS.  I then tried to do the Win_dos.bat from command prompt and that gave a cannot run driver error. I cant find any solutions online and do not know what else to try. Any other ideas? Also, the two memory card slots closest to the CPU stopped working when I tried to upgrade my memory. I'm not sure what happened as Ive changed memory many times in the past, power was unplugged and I know how to insert the cards.  Is there any chance that the BIOS flash may fix this?

Answers

  • vbraks
    vbraks Member Posts: 11

    Tinkerer
    did you replace the original memory back to where it was before the failed memory upgrade to see if slots still work?
    though it is possible that a bios update will account for more/different memory modules
  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,234 Trailblazer
    edited July 2020
    Which DX4860 model do you have? Which processor? They had a couple of different MBs on these and I'm not sure the BIOSes are the same between them. If you have the Ivy Bridge based system, which has the third gen processors installed, then that BIOS will work. If you have one of the second gen chips it will not.
    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • biggal76
    biggal76 Member Posts: 2 New User
    Yes, I tried all combos of the memory. and could only make 2 of the 4 slots work.  Then I kept trying different ways to flash the bios and kept searching online.  Turns out the motherboard cannot accept any of the bios flashes.  I threw away the old computer and built a new one.
  • SeniorPCguy
    SeniorPCguy Member Posts: 1 New User
    I have the same problem updating my BIOS on a Gateway DX4860-UB32P.  It originally had Windows 7 Premium installed.  Now it has Windows 10 Pro x64.  I have an i5-2400 CPU installed but would like to upgrade to a 3rd Gen Intel CPU. The P11-A3 BIOS from Gateway Support does not install.  I get message that BIOS mismatch after the 100% read during upgrade.  Where is correct BIOS for this Gateway PC?
  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,234 Trailblazer
    2nd gen chipsets don't support 3rd gen CPUs. You can upgrade within the 2nd gen family, though watch the wattage, if you bump up the wattage you might need to bump cooling as well.
    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • ashleyx42
    ashleyx42 Member Posts: 4 New User
    billsey said:
    2nd gen chipsets don't support 3rd gen CPUs. You can upgrade within the 2nd gen family, though watch the wattage, if you bump up the wattage you might need to bump cooling as well.
    this is inaccurate, all DX4860 models have a IPISB-VR rev 1.01 motherboard with a LGA 1155 socket & a H67 Express chipset, the only difference is the BIOS which it doesn't allow you to update to newer version of because of different bios sizes, PO2.A2 is a 2nd model of DX4860 with a bios that supports ivy bridge cpus.

    the best CPU you can find for the LGA 1155 is a     Intel Core i7-3770K, but you'll find it only works on the DX4860 model that comes with an i5 instead of an i3 and the one that came with Windows 8, the next 2 bios versions

    if you get a CH341A & SOIC8 test clip off of amazon (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y06x1f22B0 for tutorial) you should be able to fully reflash the bios to the newer versions

    i don't understand why acer didn't push support for this motherboard, selling a system with LGA 1155 but not fully supporting it from the get-go seems like a scam to me
  • AdamEvans
    AdamEvans Member Posts: 1 New User
    ashleyx42 said:
    billsey said:
    2nd gen chipsets don't support 3rd gen CPUs. You can upgrade within the 2nd gen family, though watch the wattage, if you bump up the wattage you might need to bump cooling as well.
    this is inaccurate, all DX4860 models have a IPISB-VR rev 1.01 motherboard with a LGA 1155 socket & a H67 Express chipset, the only difference is the BIOS which it doesn't allow you to update to newer version of because of different bios sizes, PO2.A2 is a 2nd model of DX4860 with a bios that supports ivy bridge cpus.

    the best CPU you can find for the LGA 1155 is a Intel Core i7-3770K, but you'll find it only works on the DX4860 model that comes with an i5 instead of an i3 and the one that came with Windows 8, the next 2 bios versions

    if you get a CH341A & SOIC8 test clip off of amazon (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y06x1f22B0 link for tutorial) you should be able to fully reflash the bios to the newer versions

    i don't understand why acer didn't push support for this motherboard, selling a system with LGA 1155 but not fully supporting it from the get-go seems like a scam to me
    Thanks a lot for detailed instructions, was more than helpful!

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