What do you use for remote BIOS flashing without IPMI?

ASUS Pro WS X570-ACE has no IPMI indeed. I have this board in my lab in São Paulo. Good board but this is the problem with consumer workstation grade.

For the clip, the CH341A with the black PCB is the common one. The green PCB is faster but more problems with voltage. I recommend the black one for first time.

The clip is not difficult but the orientation is everything. You need mark pin 1 with red tape or something very visible. Send a photo where pin 1 is, where the notch is, everything.

The Ryzen 9 5950X need BIOS version 2602 or more new in this board. You can check in ASUS web page. If the board is old stock, it probably has version 1004 or something from 2019. Then it no boot, no video, nothing.

I have done this flash many times. The CH341A is 8 euro in AliExpress. The clip, buy two because one always break the first time. The cable is short, 20cm maybe, so the server need be out of rack or the technician need hold the programmer inside the case. This is the difficult part.

This is easy to say but Hetzner auction server is cheap because no IPMI. The motherboard replacement is for upgrade, not for new server. Sometimes you work with what you have.

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- @MARIA3: pin 1 orientation
- SOIC8 clip has red wire or dot for pin 1
- BIOS chip has dot or notch for pin 1
- match them, do not reverse
- reversed = possible smoke
- photo guide template:
1. Server off, PSU off but plugged in (for ground)
2. Locate BIOS chip, often near SATA ports or battery
3. Clean area with alcohol wipe if dusty
4. Attach clip, verify no pins bent outside
5. Connect to programmer
6. Power on programmer only, not server
7. Flashrom -r backup.rom
8. Flashrom -w newbios.rom
9. Flashrom -v newbios.rom
10. Remove clip, close case, boot
- include: screenshot of flashrom success output
- technician can send photo of screen for confirmation
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We've got "include screenshot of success output" as a step now. This thread keeps delivering.

Real talk though: has anyone actually gotten a random datacenter tech to do this successfully? I feel like you're asking a lot of someone who's basically there to swap drives and cable things.

Total beginner question: why not just pay a freelancer in Frankfurt to go do this? Like find someone on a local forum or something? Would cost more than mailing a Pi but less than flying there yourself no?

The freelancer way is possible. I know someone in Frankfurt who does this, but he wants 150 Euro for the trip plus 50 per hour. For one motherboard flash this is expensive.

The Pi way is cheaper but you need the Frustration tolerance.

No. Hetzner techs are not random, they are employees, but they have rules. No customer tools, no customer instructions for internal work. This is the problem.

I buy scrap servers and this is common problem. I have three CH341A programmers from dead lots, all work. The trick is the tape, yes, but also I use a USB extension cable so the programmer hangs outside the case. No need hold inside.

For remote work, I send the programmer with a breadboard, clip already wired. The technician only needs clip on chip, plug USB to laptop. I connect with AnyDesk to laptop, run flashrom myself. Less things to explain.

The breadboard is 2 euro. Worth it.

The AnyDesk idea is good. I can prepare everything in Madrid and send. The technician only put clip and plug USB. Then I control from here.

But I need find the technician first. Hetzner no help — https://www.hetzner.com. Maybe I ask in local Nuremberg forum? Or there is service for this?

There are server handshake services in Germany for this. I used one in Nuremberg for a Supermicro IPMI setup. They charge per hour, minimum two hours. For Frankfurt I don't know specific name, but search for "Serverhands" or "Rack and Stack" service.

Expect 80-120 EUR per hour. Not cheap but they know what SOIC8 is.

In Brazil we have nothing like this. If you need this here, you go or you pay someone from Mercado Livre to go. The price is always mystery.

For Hetzner, I think the best is sell the board and buy one with IPMI. The ASRock Rack X570D4U has IPMI and works with 5950X. I see sometimes in auction. More money but no this problem.