Windows 7 - Gigabyte DualBIOS will not run as advertised

I have a Gigabyte GA-H67A-UD3H-B3 motherboard that supports "DualBIOS" according to the manual. I'm currently on the F4 BIOS.

The manual is hopeless on the topic.

From other forums, I learned that you should be able to see the BIOS version of both BIOSes by examining a system info screen available by F9 key during boot. That screen only shows 1 bios in my case.

From other forums, I also learn that "Alt F12" keys at boot should bring up a screen through which I can copy the main BIOS to the backup BIOS. All I can get with Alt F12 is a standard boot menu--choose HD, DVD, etc.

I also read some poorly written "instructions" on how to get DualBIOS to "kick in"---they involved keeping the power button pressed in during boot, which turns the motherboard on then off within a few seconds. I had no luck with that.

I can't find much online about this and I realize DualBIOS may be bogus even if I could get it to "work".

But if it has some possibility of bailing me out in a jam, I'd like to get it working.

Any help? I haven't contacted Gigabyte support about this, but their responses to others on this topic that I found online were cryptic and useless.

Hi,

Sometimes, advanced options in the BIOS menu are hidden by default. I wonder if this is why you can't see the backup BIOS. Try hitting CTRL+F1 to see whether any other menu options become visible that allow you to "see" the backup BIOS.

If its any consolation, on my P55-UDR3, I stuffed up some overclocking options once, and the backup BIOS kicked in automatically at the next reboot (it posted a message about that in the POST screen and I had to hit ENTER to acknowledge that) - its the only way I was able to determine it worked.

Regards,
Golden

Golden:

Thanks for the response.

On my system, control F1 does nothing at all.

F1 is general help. F9 is system info.

F9 brings up system info OK, listing 11 items--but nothing about any backup BIOS.

Does F9 show 2 BIOSes on your PC?

What about Alt F12 (during the boot process, instead of delete to enter BIOS) to bring up a menu offering to write the main BIOS to the backup?

It seems DualBIOS bailed you out once, so I'd like to have that capability--even though I don't overclock.

I'll check it out - just a sec

Yes - On F9 I see 2 x BIOS. It is shown as:

BIOS Version Main: F13 / Backup: F4

and YES, hitting ALT+F12 during boot give me the option to copy main BIOS to backup

Have you updated all the drivers off the Gigabyte installation CD/DVD? Perhaps that what is missing????

GIGABYTE - Support & Downloads - FAQ

Golden is right that is how you get to the different options

If you use the Gigabyte @bios utility you will be able to see what bios version your using and you will ba able to flash it etc. (this works from within windows) @ BIOS

Your Dual Bios (2nd Bios) is there to protect you against viruses etc and it's also there for you to backup your main bios incase anything goes wrong.

You could also use Q-Flash which allows you to update the BIOS before entering the OS. To do this press the "end" key during the post screen, or press f8 when in the BIOS setup.

But you shouldn't need to access the 2nd BIOS this is purely there for disaster recovery

F8 leads me to Qflash--the BIOS flashing utility.

Which I know how to operate. It's menus say nothing about a second BIOS.

I already know how to flash the BIOS.

I'm aware of the purpose of the second BIOS.

To belabor my point, I cannot find any way to "backup my main BIOS" and have no confirmation at all that it is backed up.

I"ve looked on Gigabyte-dedicated forums, where it is claimed I should see 2 BIOSes mentioned in system info (F9 in BIOS). I do not.

And that I should be able to force a backup from main to secondary by Alt F12 during the boot cycle. I cannot.

But those same Gigabyte forums admit it sometimes doesn't work and they have no solution other than what I stated in my first post--which failed in my case.

Thanks, Golden.

I don't use that disc. I get drivers from the GB site directly.

But that disc also has optional apps.

I am wondering if some of them, (Smart BIOS or whatever it is called), might be required for Dual BIOS???

Which packages do you have installed from that disc?

You should be able to make a backup to external media, using Q-Flash, that should be on the menu, or by using the @BIOS utility.