How to properly convert Asus .CAP Bios files into .BIN?

Discussion in 'BIOS Mods' started by Dr4w, Jul 1, 2020.

  1. Dr4w

    Dr4w MDL Junior Member

    Feb 3, 2017
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    As title, how do I properly convert Asus .CAP Bios files into .BIN to make them flashable through a CH341A Bios programmer?
     
  2. TigTex

    TigTex MDL Senior Member

    Oct 5, 2009
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    On UEFI intel systems: You can't "convert"
    Asus CAP files are only the BIOS part of the ROM. You will need to dump your damaged / old bios to grab the intel descriptor and intel ME. You will need CH341A to create a dump, the CAP from asus website that is the same version that was on your motherboard before it failed and UEFItool to merge the bios region from the CAP file to the corrupted bios region on your dump.
    If you don't have a dump, you might be lucky and find it online. It's possible to do a full manual rebuild with a clean ME region and descriptor but it's not that simple. You will lose the motherboard's serial number unless you back them up.

    On UEFI amd systems. Usually all you need is to "extract" the bios using uefitool and you will have a exactly 8MB / 16MB rom file ready to be flashed. You will lose the motherboard's serial number unless you back them up.

    On non uefi systems, it depends from case to case but usually it's ready to flash and all you need is to backup the motherboard serialnumber / macaddress.

    win-raid forum has a good reading on this
     
  3. Dr4w

    Dr4w MDL Junior Member

    Feb 3, 2017
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    I'm on UEFI Intel. I have an healthy/safe dump, but I wanted to also have a converted .CAP just to be more safe. Are you sure you can't convert it? Looking at the files they seem to be similar and the dimension is the same as the dump. Like it sounds weird that if you f**k up your chip and don't have a working backup you're f**ked. How are you supposed to flash another Bios in it? No way to make the programmer work with .CAP files? Win-raid sources about this are like from 2014, sure stuff changed meanwhile. Like I know there are tools like FD44Editor that should make you able to do this, or not?
     
  4. TigTex

    TigTex MDL Senior Member

    Oct 5, 2009
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    FD44Editor is for non-uefi bios. What is the model of your board?
     
  5. Dr4w

    Dr4w MDL Junior Member

    Feb 3, 2017
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    Are you sure about it? I read people using it for Z97 boards and similar on Win-Raid. Btw I have an M51AC which is an H87M-PRO with a "locked" bios.
     
  6. TigTex

    TigTex MDL Senior Member

    Oct 5, 2009
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    Just rename the file.
    Before flashing, make sure that the file has the exact same size as the dump you made.
     
  7. DGHn

    DGHn MDL Novice

    Jan 10, 2021
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    Hi
    did it work properly?