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Report: AMD B550 Motherboards Confusingly Restart AGESA Version Count

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Confusing nomenclature

AMD Ryzen
(Image credit: AMD)

If you've been keeping track of AMD's AGESA versions, things are apparently about to get a lot more confusing. The latest version we know of is ComboAM4 1.0.0.5, but it looks like the version succeeding will be on the B550 platform and called ComboAM4 v2 1.0.0.0, according to a report on HardwareLuxx.

If you look close, you can see the v2 denotation in the name, followed by a reset of the counter. The AGESA version counting reset might have a purpose, but we we're not sure what that may be. 

AGESAs are part of the microcode in your motherboard's BIOS -- the bit that comes from AMD and decides which CPUs are supported and which features work. They also offer stability and performance fixes from time to time. 

B550 is still on the AM4 socket, and there has been some drama surrounding the support this chipset and older chipsets will have for past or future CPUs. 

Perhaps resetting the counter is the easiest way for AMD to communicate which version users should have installed for the right CPU support; v1 or v2 is easier to communicate than a four-digit number with three dots. The nomenclature change could also simply be platform-dependent, starting at v2 1.0.0.0 on B550 but continuing on to 1.0.0.6 on X570. 

AMD B550 motherboards, which should come with the new AGESA, are expected to land in June. User Reous on HardwareLuxx showed that MSI's MAG B550 Tomahawk will come with ComboAM4 v2 1.0.0.0, and the Gigabyte B550 Aorus Master  with ComboAM4v2 1.0.0.1

Confused? At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter what the next AGESA is called as long as your vendor of your best motherboard pushes it through. Just be sure to refer to supported information to make sure you're installing the right AGESA for your CPU. 

6 Comments Comment from the forums
  • JarredWaltonGPU 26 May 2020 15:46
    I understand major version updates usually mean something big has changed ... but it seems a bit ludicrous to call this AGESA v2 1.0.0.0 instead of just naming it AGESA 2.0.0.0 -- or 1.0.1.0, or 1.0.2.0, or any number of potential options. Having AGESA 1.0.0.0 from the original Zen launch, and now AGESA v2 1.0.0.0 with B550 launch, is not at all a sensible solution IMO.
    Reply
  • poodie13 26 May 2020 22:28
    I disagree. Version AGESA 2.0.0.0 would indicate it is a newer version of AGESA 1.0.0.5
    The V2 provides a hint that it might not be compatible. But AGESA rev2-1.0.0.0 might be less ambiguous?
    Reply
  • InvalidError 26 May 2020 23:52
    JarredWaltonGPU said:
    I understand major version updates usually mean something big has changed ... but it seems a bit ludicrous to call this AGESA v2 1.0.0.0 instead of just naming it AGESA 2.0.0.0 -- or 1.0.1.0, or 1.0.2.0, or any number of potential options.
    One of the reasons AMD cited for lack of backwards compatibility is structural changes in BIOS layout for Zen 3 and beyond. If you start over from a mostly clean slate, it makes sense to upgrade the product name "(AGESA MkII) and reset version numbering.
    Reply
  • JarredWaltonGPU 27 May 2020 20:19
    InvalidError said:
    One of the reasons AMD cited for lack of backwards compatibility is structural changes in BIOS layout for Zen 3 and beyond. If you start over from a mostly clean slate, it makes sense to upgrade the product name "(AGESA MkII) and reset version numbering.
    But the same AGESA still gets used on all the boards that get updated with a new BIOS, right? I fail to see how "AGESA 2.x" doesn't convey this just as well as "AGESA v2 1.x" It's redundant versioning codes. Imagine if Microsoft released Windows v2 10 -- except the "10" technically isn't a version, so maybe Windows 10 v2.

    AGESA v2 1.0.0.0 literally reads as "AGESA version 2 version 1 point 0 point 0 point 0." Why go whole hog and call it "AGESA version 2 release 1 subversion 0 minor version 0 patch 0?" But really, it's AGESA release 2, version 1.0.0.0 -- and v2 doesn't convey that.
    Reply
  • InvalidError 27 May 2020 21:41
    JarredWaltonGPU said:
    I fail to see how "AGESA 2.x" doesn't convey this just as well as "AGESA v2 1.x"
    For the most part, this is all internal version numbering and ultimately does not matter to end-users who will be installing BIOS F50 or whatever the board-specific BIOS version numbering scheme is based on board-specific BIOS versions in the board-specific CPU support tables, not AGESA (or whatever else AMD could have renamed it to if it wanted) versions.
    Reply
  • JarredWaltonGPU 27 May 2020 22:10
    InvalidError said:
    For the most part, this is all internal version numbering and ultimately does not matter to end-users who will be installing BIOS F50 or whatever the board-specific BIOS version numbering scheme is based on board-specific BIOS versions in the board-specific CPU support tables, not AGESA (or whatever else AMD could have renamed it to if it wanted) versions.
    True, though for enthusiasts who care about such things, it's unnecessarily messy. Hopefully (and I fully expect someone will disappoint me), the motherboard vendors clearly mark what AGESA revisions are being used in all BIOS releases.
    Reply