motherboard manufacturers Archives

Winsage

April 16, 2026

FAT32 breaks free from its outdated limitation in latest Windows update

The FAT32 file system, historically limited to a 32GB partition size due to a design choice by Microsoft engineer Dave Plummer, can inherently support volumes up to 2TB with a 512-byte sector size and theoretically up to 16TB with 4KB sectors. While Windows maintained this 32GB limit, motherboard manufacturers had already developed firmware to utilize larger FAT32 drives. Tools like Rufus and GUIFormat were used to format high-capacity media, as Windows did not allow direct FAT32 formatting for drives larger than 32GB. However, with the introduction of Windows 11 Insider Preview Builds 26220.8165 and 26300.8170, users can now format large flash drives and external volumes as FAT32 directly from the Command Prompt without third-party software.

AppWizard

December 19, 2025

Riot Games found a motherboard security flaw that helps PC cheaters

Riot Games has identified a significant security vulnerability in recent motherboards that could be exploited by cheaters, allowing cheats to operate undetected and undermining competitive gaming integrity. Major motherboard manufacturers, including Asrock, Asus, Gigabyte, and MSI, have released BIOS updates to mitigate this issue. If unaddressed, the vulnerability would have rendered existing direct memory access (DMA) detection and prevention technologies ineffective. The vulnerability involves DMA hardware devices connecting via PCIe slots, which could bypass input-output memory management unit (IOMMU) protections. Riot's Vanguard anti-cheat software may soon require players to update their BIOS to continue playing Valorant, and other anti-cheat systems are likely to implement similar checks.

AppWizard

September 12, 2025

Let’s kill off the PCIe slot – we need a better way to install a graphics card

The PCIe slot, primarily used for graphics cards, is becoming inadequate as graphics cards grow larger and require more power, leading to overheating and compatibility issues. Modern motherboards have attempted to address these limitations, but the existing design is still faltering. Most additional features are now integrated into motherboards or available via USB, rendering the PCIe slot largely obsolete. A proposed solution includes a modular graphics card system that integrates directly onto the motherboard, utilizing a secure socket system for power and data, which could improve cooling and eliminate the need for anti-sag brackets. This approach could enhance reliability and efficiency in graphics card design.

AppWizard

August 13, 2025

BIOS shock: getting past Battlefield 6’s anti-cheat error was the faffiest thing a PC game has ever required of me

PC gaming enthusiasts faced technical challenges accessing the Battlefield 6 beta due to a security error indicating that "Secure Boot is not enabled." Secure Boot is a feature in Windows 10 and 11 that ensures only safe software loads during startup, but enabling it requires navigating the BIOS menu, which can be complex and risky. EA's guidance on enabling Secure Boot led to further complications, including issues with disk partition compatibility that required converting from MBR to GPT. Additionally, EA's anti-cheat software, Javelin, necessitates Secure Boot for enhanced security against cheating, a trend also seen in other gaming companies' anti-cheat systems. EA reported blocking over 330,000 cheat attempts during the beta weekend, though concerns about the effectiveness of these measures remain.

Winsage

October 28, 2024

Microsoft’s Windows 11 24H2 issues just keep getting worse, with the new update now causing crashes on Intel motherboards

Microsoft's Windows 11 24H2 update has caused frequent crashes and unexpected reboots for users with Intel Z890 motherboards, attributed to a conflict between dedicated and integrated GPUs. Users from various manufacturers, including MSI and Gigabyte, are experiencing similar issues. To resolve the crashes, users are advised to disable integrated graphics in their motherboard BIOS. While the issue is inconvenient, it does not pose a risk of permanent hardware damage. Additionally, users have faced random Blue Screen of Death errors linked to Western Digital SSDs. Motherboard manufacturers are releasing urgent BIOS updates to address these problems.

Winsage

October 28, 2024

Asus now lets you update the BIOS without unzipping the file on Z890 boards

Asus has introduced a new feature in its EZ Flash utility for Z890 motherboards that allows users to apply BIOS updates directly from compressed ZIP files without needing to unzip them first. The BIOS interface resolution has also been upgraded to 1920 x 1080. Intel's 0x12b microcode update addresses instability issues with Raptor Lake CPUs, while users have reported compatibility challenges with the Windows 11 24H2 update on systems using Intel's Core Ultra 200S series CPUs paired with Z890 motherboards, particularly related to the integrated Iris Xe-LPG graphics. Workarounds include disabling the integrated GPU in BIOS before the update or installing available BIOS updates for Z890 motherboards. Major manufacturers like Asus, ASRock, Gigabyte, and MSI are rolling out patched BIOS versions. Accessing the BIOS and updating may vary by manufacturer, but many modern boards allow direct downloading and application of updates through the BIOS interface.