Fix the Modern Warfare 4 BIOS Update Error on AMD & ASRock PCs (TPM Attestation Fix)

Why RICOCHET keeps blocking your launch even after a BIOS flash — and the fTPM fix that actually clears it on AMD AM4 and ASRock boards.

By Oyekale Olawale · LinkedIn

Quick Answer

If Modern Warfare 4 throws a “BIOS update required” or TPM attestation error on an AMD AM4 system, your fTPM firmware version is almost certainly outdated (the pattern is 3.*.0.* instead of the required 3.*.2.*). Flash the newest BIOS for your exact ASRock model from ASRock’s support page, confirm the fix in tpm.msc, and check that Windows Security reports the security processor as “Ready.” If your CPU’s codename isn’t Raven2, Picasso, Matisse, Renoir, Cezanne, or Vermeer, no BIOS update will fix it — the chip itself doesn’t support the corrected firmware.

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I spent an evening chasing this exact error on a Ryzen 5 3600 build with an ASRock B450 board — BIOS already “up to date” according to the board’s own update tool, TPM showing as ready in tpm.msc, and MW4 still refusing to get past the security check. The fix had nothing to do with the BIOS version number and everything to do with the fTPM firmware bundled inside it. That distinction is the part most guides skip, so it’s where this one starts.

Why This Error Happens on AMD AM4 Systems

Modern Warfare 4 uses RICOCHET anti-cheat, which requires both TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot enabled before it will let you into any online mode. On Intel systems this is usually a one-toggle fix (enable PTT, done). On AMD AM4 systems, it’s messier, because AMD’s firmware-based TPM — fTPM — has a documented history of shipping with an outdated internal version that passes basic TPM checks but fails attestation, the deeper cryptographic handshake RICOCHET actually performs.

Microsoft and AMD track this under support article PA-420, which describes TPM attestation failing with error code 0x80070490 on AMD platforms using ASP firmware TPM. AMD shipped the corrected firmware to motherboard manufacturers back in 2022, but as ASRock’s own support desk confirms, some manufacturers never redistributed it in a consumer-facing BIOS update — which is exactly why your board can say “BIOS up to date” while still running the broken fTPM version underneath.

If you’re also getting connection or performance issues on other devices, it’s worth ruling out unrelated hardware — a system interrupts high CPU usage problem or a flaky network adapter can produce symptoms that look similar to a launch failure but have nothing to do with TPM at all.

Step 1: Confirm What’s Actually Enabled Before You Touch the BIOS

Don’t guess. Check the actual state of TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot first — it takes two minutes and tells you exactly which part of the requirement is failing.

Check TPM 2.0 status

• Press Windows key + R, type tpm.msc, and press Enter.
• “TPM is ready for use” means TPM 2.0 is active on your system.
• “Compatible TPM cannot be found” means it’s disabled in BIOS, or unsupported on this board.
• While the window is open, note the Manufacturer Version under TPM Manufacturer Information — this is the number that matters for AMD systems (more on that below).

Check Secure Boot and BIOS Mode

• Press Windows key + R, type msinfo32, and press Enter.
• Look for Secure Boot State: “On” means it’s already active; “Off” means your board supports it but it’s disabled; “Unsupported” means check your board’s documentation.
• Look for BIOS Mode: it must read “UEFI.” If it says “Legacy,” Secure Boot cannot be turned on until you switch the boot mode — which usually means converting the disk partition style first.

Step 2: Enable TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot in BIOS

Once you know what’s actually off, restart and enter your BIOS (usually Delete or F2 during POST on ASRock boards).

• Disable CSM. Go to Boot > CSM (Compatibility Support Module) and set it to Disabled — Legacy/CSM boot mode blocks Secure Boot entirely.
• Enable fTPM. Go to Advanced > CPU Configuration, find “AMD fTPM switch,” and set it to “AMD CPU fTPM.” On Intel boards this is Intel Platform Trust Technology (PTT), usually under Security or Advanced.
• Switch on Secure Boot. Go to Security > Secure Boot, set Secure Boot Mode to “Custom,” then select “Install default Secure Boot keys” (this option greys out if the keys are already loaded). Finally set Secure Boot itself to “Enabled.”
• Save and restart. Press F10 to save. After reboot, go back into Security > Secure Boot and confirm it now shows “Active,” not just “Enabled.”

If your disk is still MBR, Secure Boot won’t hold no matter what you toggle. Open an elevated Command Prompt in Windows and run mbr2gpt /convert /allowFullOS to convert the partition style to GPT without a full reinstall — back up your data first, and skip this step entirely if you have multiple OS installs, since the conversion can behave unpredictably in that setup.

The ASRock-Specific Fix: Updating fTPM Firmware, Not Just the BIOS

This is the step that actually clears the “BIOS update required” message for most AM4 owners, and it’s the one people miss because they assume “BIOS is current” means “fTPM is current.” They’re not the same thing. ASRock’s own support desk confirms the fTPM version needs to follow the pattern 3.*.2.* — anything reading 3.*.0.* is the affected version.

Flashing the update with Instant Flash

• Go to ASRock’s support page and search your exact motherboard model — not a similar one, the exact model number matters for BIOS files.
• Download the latest BIOS file and copy it, unzipped, to the root of a FAT32-formatted USB drive.
• Enter BIOS setup, find Instant Flash under the Tool menu, select the USB drive, and choose the BIOS file.
• Let the flash complete without interrupting power — a failed flash mid-write can leave the board unable to boot.
• After reboot, recheck tpm.msc for the new version number, then open windowsdefender://securityprocessor and confirm the security processor shows “Ready,” not “Not Ready.”

One quirk worth flagging from testing and from ASRock’s own user forums: on a handful of AM4 boards, Instant Flash stays greyed out until you first disable “Security Device Support” (the fTPM toggle) in BIOS, flash, then re-enable fTPM afterward. If your Instant Flash option won’t activate, that’s the first thing to check before assuming the USB drive or file is bad.

If “Not Ready” persists after the flash, confirm your PC has an active internet connection during boot — attestation certificate enrollment needs it — then restart once more before rechecking. This is also a good point to run Activision’s own Secure Attestation Wizard and make sure Windows Update has nothing pending; some AIK (Attestation Identity Key) enrollment issues clear up once Windows itself is fully current.

Is Your CPU Even Eligible for the Fix?

This is the part that trips people up most, and it’s worth checking before you spend an evening flashing BIOS versions. AMD has confirmed the corrected fTPM firmware (3.*.2.*, sometimes labeled TPMB) is only available for AM4 CPUs using these codenames:

You can check your CPU’s codename against ASRock’s own AM4 compatibility list before assuming a firmware fix exists. If it’s not on there, according to AMD’s official position, that chip doesn’t meet the attestation requirement at the hardware level — no BIOS version will change that. Newer AMD 600 and 800 series (AM5) boards don’t have this problem at all; TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot ship enabled by default on those platforms.

fTPM vs. a Discrete TPM Module (dTPM)

There’s a second AMD firmware issue worth knowing about, separate from attestation: some Ryzen systems with fTPM enabled get brief, periodic system stutters, documented by AMD under article PA-410. It’s caused by fTPM making extended memory transactions to the motherboard’s SPI flash. If your board has a header for an add-in discrete TPM module, switching to that hardware TPM sidesteps both the stutter and, in some cases, attestation quirks entirely — because it isn’t dependent on CPU firmware at all.

If you switch from fTPM to a dTPM module, suspend BitLocker first if it’s active. Clearing or swapping TPM devices outside the Windows API can otherwise trigger BitLocker recovery mode on next boot, and you’ll need a recovery key to get back in.

A note on flashing BIOS firmware: this is one of the few PC fixes where a mistake can genuinely brick a motherboard. If you’re not comfortable identifying your exact board revision, downloading the matching file, or your system loses power mid-flash, it’s worth having a technician or your motherboard’s official support channel walk you through it rather than troubleshooting blind. This guide covers the general process; it isn’t a substitute for your manufacturer’s specific instructions.

While you’re in the BIOS anyway, it’s a good moment to check for anything else that’s been nagging at your system. Unstable power delivery or an overheating board can also cause a PC shutting off mid-game, and it shares some of the same BIOS-level diagnosis steps.

Common Error Messages and What They Actually Mean

If everything above checks out and you’re still stuck, it’s worth confirming the problem is actually TPM-related and not a separate driver or peripheral conflict — a laptop keyboard that stops responding after a Windows update and a stalled game launch can sometimes trace back to the same botched driver install. And if your storage has been sluggish on top of everything else, an SSD running slow on Windows 11 is worth ruling out separately — it won’t cause the TPM error, but it compounds the frustration of a slow BIOS update process.

FAQ

Why does MW4 say I need a BIOS update when my BIOS is already current?

Because “BIOS version” and “fTPM firmware version” aren’t the same number. Your board can report the latest general BIOS while still running an outdated fTPM build that fails attestation. Check the fTPM Manufacturer Version in tpm.msc, not just the BIOS revision.

Do I need TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot to play Modern Warfare 4 at all?

Yes. Activision requires both for any online mode on PC, enforced by RICOCHET anti-cheat. There’s no software bypass, and there isn’t expected to be one.

What if my CPU isn’t on the supported codename list?

Then no BIOS or fTPM update will resolve the attestation failure. Your options are a discrete TPM module if your board supports one, or a CPU/motherboard upgrade to AM5, where TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot are enabled by default.

Is it safe to flash my ASRock BIOS just to fix a game?

It’s routine, but not risk-free. Use Instant Flash with a stable power source, download the file for your exact board model, and don’t interrupt the process. If you’re unsure at any step, ASRock’s technical support or a local technician is the safer route.

My laptop shows the same error — can I fix it the same way?

Sometimes, but laptop manufacturers control BIOS releases directly, and not all of them have redistributed the corrected fTPM firmware yet. Check your laptop maker’s support site for a BIOS update mentioning TPM or attestation before assuming there’s no fix.

Conclusion

The “BIOS update required” error in Modern Warfare 4 is rarely about your BIOS being out of date in the way you’d expect. On AMD AM4 systems, it almost always comes down to an fTPM firmware version that never got corrected past the 3.*.0.* pattern, and the fix is a specific Instant Flash update from your board manufacturer, not a generic “update everything” approach. Check your version in tpm.msc, confirm your CPU codename is actually eligible, and flash carefully. If you’ve already covered the basic TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot setup and you’re still stuck on AMD hardware, the fTPM version check above is very likely where the real problem is hiding.