Many thanks for the reply domatlapuk but after some google research I've found other people with similar issues trying to update their original BIOSes. I don't know why and how but this board is actually a P5GC-MX/1333 flashed with wrong BIOS by the manufacturer I flashed using a P5GC-MX/1333 BIOS with HP SLIC and cert, found here at MDL and it worked and activated without issues My BIOS splash screen has now changed and is showing P5GC-MX/1333 and so does everest That was some weird s**t Thanks again, netRAT.