CWWK x86 P5 MAX - BIOS Issue after update – System not booting

2025-11-13 22:15:27
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5 Comments
Last modified time:2025-11-13 22:20:28

Subject: Issue after BIOS update – System not booting


Dear Support Team,

I recently purchased the CWWK x86 P5 MAX motherboard along with an adapter card to install 6 NVMe drives via SFF-8654.

Motherboard: 

https://cwwk.net/products/cwwk-x86pi-p5-p6-development-board-mini-router-12th-generation-intel-n100-i3-n305-ddr5-4800mhz-firewall-computer-2x-i226-v-2-5g-upgraded-version?_pos=4&_sid=18c8a1be6&_ss=r

Expansion card: 

https://cwwk.net/products/cwwk-ssf8654-extended-6-m-2-card-adaprer


After receiving the board and installing a NVMe SSD directly to the motherboard, I was able to see it correctly recognized also from the BIOS and I managed to install trueNAS without issues. However, after installing the expansion card, I was UNABLE to see the additional SSDs mounted on the second card from the BIOS


At that point, I searched online for a BIOS update and installed the following version:

https://drive.x86pi.com/BIOS/Intel/3.x86Pi(P1-P2-P3-P4-P5-P6-P7-P8-P9)BIOS/5.X86Pi-P5-Alder%20Lake-N(N95-N97-N100-N200-N305)BIOS/2.x86Pi-P5-4M2(4M2%20x1)N95-N97-N100-N200-N300-i3-N305-BIOS-2024.12.09

Unfortunately, even though the BIOS update completed successfully (green confirmation messages), after the reboot the system no longer started.

There are no POST beeps, and the processor does not seem to perform any checks. There is also no video signal on the screen.

I have already tried resetting the CMOS by both removing the battery and shorting the jumper pins, leaving them disconnected for more than 30 seconds, but without any result.


This is my previous BIOS

QS-ADLN-8654 Ver: 31.0 09/06/2024 00:14:15

AlderLake ULX i3-N305
Crucial 32GB 4800 MHz

What can I do in this situation?
How can I flash another BIOS version now?

Can you post the link for the correct BIOS which allow the 6 nvme upgrade card to be correctly used by the board?



Best regards,


David


    2025-11-14 22:42:00
    You might have corrupt the bios.  I've used the CH341A - they can be found on Amazon - the one with the clip - to direct flash new firmware. 
    2025-11-14 23:22:51

    I have already purchased the CH341A programmer in the meantime.
    However, I would like to know which BIOS version is the correct one. I can barely see under the heatsink that the motherboard version might be V1, But I’m not sure which one to download among these:

    https://drive.x86pi.com/BIOS/1.miniPC-BIOS/x86Pi(P1_P2_P3_P4_P5_P6_P7)/CW-X86-P5

    or 

    https://drive.x86pi.com/BIOS/Intel/3.x86Pi(P1-P2-P3-P4-P5-P6-P7-P8-P9)BIOS/5.X86Pi-P5-Alder%20Lake-N(N95-N97-N100-N200-N305)BIOS

    and moreover, no one of this is the one pre-installed.

    2025-11-15 00:13:34
    I think your second link
    To me I think its m2 x4 one, it's probably using bifurication for the adapter through SFF?  So the first firmware in there...
    Maybe one of the support team members can better answer.

    2025-11-15 20:05:43

    Hi,

    I already tried to flash the second bios (4 m2 x1, which I guess means 4x PCIx1.0 lines) but is it not working.


    By doing some research I found that the board is not actually a CWWK board, but a quanshan product.
    In fact also the BIOS displays QS as manufacturer and the boar is called QS-ADLK-8654 du to the SFF-8654 connector (6x PCIx1.0 lines).


    I also found this pages but I did not find any BIOS there
    https://www.changwang.com/product?id=36
    https://www.quanshan.cn/project.html?id=4

    If someone has purchased this board QS-ADLK-8654,
    can please make a copy of the BIOS and make it available?

    KIND REGARDS

    2025-11-19 23:17:40


    I finally managed to find the BIOS for the P5-MAX board at the following link:

    https://drive.x86pi.cn/BIOS/1.miniPC-BIOS/x86Pi(P1_P2_P3_P4_P5_P6_P7)/CW-X86-P5-MAX

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