Wednesday, March 20th 2019
MSI Rolls Out AMD 400-series BIOS Updates with "Zen 2" Microcode
MSI mid-March began quietly rolling out BIOS updates for its socket AM4 motherboards based on AMD 400-series chipset, with a very ominous BIOS change-log entry: "Support new upcoming AMD CPU." At first, we dismissed this for being the company's follow-up to its 6th March announcement of support for some of the newer Athlon processor models, namely the 220GE and 240GE. After updating our MSI B450 Gaming Pro Carbon AC with one of these BIOSes, however, we discovered a very interesting microcode string - AGESA COMBO-AM4 0.0.7.2.
Such a major change in AGESA shouldn't be warranted to add support for two new chips based on existing "Raven Ridge" architecture that both AGESA "Summit Ridge" and AGESA PiR (Pinnacle Ridge) series microcodes should be able to comfortably run. We spoke with sources familiar with AMD microcode, who revealed that this AGESA COMBO-AM4 0.0.7.2 is designed for the upcoming "Zen 2" microarchitecture, and its first socket AM4 implementation, codenamed "Matisse." AMD internal versions of AGESA with Matisse support begin with the version sequence 0.0.7.x., and as we head closer to formal launch of these chips, AMD could release a 1.0.0.0 version of "AGESA COMBO-AM4." For our B450 Gaming Pro Carbon AC, the BIOS version packing this new AGESA is v1.60, and we wager this board should now be able to run Ryzen "Matisse" engineering samples. Now, if we can only get our hands on one.
Such a major change in AGESA shouldn't be warranted to add support for two new chips based on existing "Raven Ridge" architecture that both AGESA "Summit Ridge" and AGESA PiR (Pinnacle Ridge) series microcodes should be able to comfortably run. We spoke with sources familiar with AMD microcode, who revealed that this AGESA COMBO-AM4 0.0.7.2 is designed for the upcoming "Zen 2" microarchitecture, and its first socket AM4 implementation, codenamed "Matisse." AMD internal versions of AGESA with Matisse support begin with the version sequence 0.0.7.x., and as we head closer to formal launch of these chips, AMD could release a 1.0.0.0 version of "AGESA COMBO-AM4." For our B450 Gaming Pro Carbon AC, the BIOS version packing this new AGESA is v1.60, and we wager this board should now be able to run Ryzen "Matisse" engineering samples. Now, if we can only get our hands on one.
10 Comments on MSI Rolls Out AMD 400-series BIOS Updates with "Zen 2" Microcode
I guess new motherboards, will be out closer to launch.
TDC/EDC limits stays at stock levels and thus PBO will have no affect with the new bios!, I have tested it on Asus Prime X470 Pro(2700X) on day it came out (Many Asus boards got the update including B350/A320)and other Asus and MSI owners confirmed the same- PBO is buggy with this new bios and I am still waiting for Asus support.
www.overclock.net/forum/27894398-post160.html
www.overclock.net/forum/11-amd-motherboards/1690489-asus-prime-x470-pro-issues-successes-37.html
Downgrading the bios is not easy, and only AMD RYZEN can help after raising the TDC/EDC limits.
If PBO still works for you please share.
This is the current update from them, they're computer engineers Team still working on the issue:Too bad there is no Media attention to this Bug that affects all AM4 boards with the new bios-just searching "AGESA PBO" for last days shows many complaints.
www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/B450-GAMING-PRO-CARBON-AC#down-driver
So if your X470 MB with the new Bios "broke" PBO option- contact support and see if they got new bios coming to fix the known bug.