ASUS problems

[Bozo]

I'm working on an ASUS P8Z77-V Pro motherboard with an i7-3770K CPU. This motherboard was installed 4 days ago. Since it was installed it has been nothing but trouble, or I'm a bigger Bozo than I thought. The problems: The USB 2.0 (black connectors) don't work; the SATA 6GB Assmedia ports don't show any drives attached to them in the BIOS but they show up in the operating system after the drivers are loaded; the Corsair Vengeance 1600 MHz RAM is reported by the BIOS as 1333 MHz, and, any attempts to to do any overclocking or to get the RAM up to speed just sends the mother board into multiple reboots until it resets all the settings.
The first thing I suggested was to flash the BIOS to the latest version. The owners response was NO!. Then he showed me another ASUS motherboard that he said was completely dead; couldn't even get into the BIOS. Seems he was trying to upgrade the BIOS on this motherboard so he could install the i7 3770 CPU on it when everything went to hell. He was using the EZ Flash from inside the ASUS BIOS.
I went into the BIOS and set everything up step by step using the manual. ( yes, I used the manual as this new BIOS looks like Greek to me ) Turned on all the appropriate pieces of hardware ( like the USB ports ) and nothing changed. I disconnected the power cord and removed the battery for ~2 hours to clear the BIOS of any garbage that might be in there. No help. I used the jumper on the motherboard to try to clear the BIOS, no help. The only keyboard and mice we had both required a USB port, and neither worked in the black USB ports, even after the OS was installed.
The only thing I can think of is to return the motherboard, unless someone here has some ideas. Or maybe beat it to death with a large ugly hammer or set it on fire.

Thanks,
Bozo

 

[CougTek]

Normally, you have to chose to use the RAM XMS profile in order to operate it at its nominal value.

The other stuff, sounds like a semi-fonctional motherboard to me. If the owner doesn't want to do a BIOS upgrade, then the only other solution I see is the same you mentioned : return the board.

 

[Tea]

Ahh, so you got the good ASUS motherboard in the batch. Most of the others were duds.

They have great RMA service too. They give you an RMA note, and you put the motherboard in a box and ship it. Then they keep the board for a month or maybe two months in the warehouse, nicely protected from any damage by the original packaging you shipped it in, which they carefully don't open unless it's a Tuesday and your lucky number comes up. After that, they put it in a different box and ship it back to you again. Then you test it, discover it has exactly the same problems 'cause it is exactly the same motherboard. So you apply for an RMA number and ship it off to ASUS. After a month or two it comes back. With a little care and attention to detail, you can keep that motherboard busily travelling between your shop and the ASUS depot until (a) your customer spits the dummy and buys a new system from your competition or (b) the post office loses the parcel, or (c) the the warranty runs out (whichever comes first).

If you want express service, just ship an empty box and keep the board you already have. If you need a computer at any time, just run down the street and buy a new motherboard. If you need one that actually works properly get a Gigabyte or an MSI or some similar brand. If your customer insists that ASUS boards are really and truly the best boards you can buy, simply upgrade your customer to a more advanced model. Try to get one from the current century - the last time I remember ASUS boards being among the best it was 1997 and we were plugging Cyrix 6x86MX-200 chips into them.

But of course I could be wrong about ASUS. Perhaps my memory is playing tricks on me and it was actually 1998. Sorry.


(Merc, do you want a turn now? Or will that do as-is?)

 

[Tannin]

Just ignore Tea. Well, she's not too far off the truth, but ignore here anyway. (That's what I do.)

Bozo, I generally find that there is very little point in spending any noticable amount of time on a dud motherboard. Modern boards either work properly or they don't. If it ain't right, nothing you can do will fix it, so don't waste your time trying. Replace the part and get on with your work.

I am assuming that you have done the must-do quick tests:

1. Replace the power supply. Always start with this. It is the problem >50% of the time.
2. Set the CMOS to the factory defaults
3. Swap the RAM
4. Pull the board out of the case so that you can be 100% sure it isn't a mounting-related issue.
5. Swap the PSU again
6. Just on the off-chance, try a different CPU. This hardly ever works, but try it anyway.
7. Stop. You are now wasting time and money. Discard the board.

 

[mubs]

I'm using an Asus P8Z77-V (not Pro version) with an i5-3570K since Nov. 2012 without any problems. I guess Tannin's advice is sound.

 

[Mercutio]

I'm shocked that Asus went so far as to actually issue an RMA number, Tannin. I've never gotten so much as a single response from them at any point in the last 15 years. My assumption when I deal with Asus is that the boards have absolutely zero support.

Oh, and my other favorite hilarious Asus-ism (not that it applies in this case): The driver packaging they use does not just assume but REQUIRES a desktop version of Windows in order to install, even for workstation-type Xeon boards. Which means that you have to go through the hassle of digging up real installers for the crap that doesn't work after you install Windows Server. Yay.

 

[Bozo]

We have a plan: Ordered a new Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD5H. When new arrives, try to flash the ASUS just to see if we can and if it helps. Either way, send ASUS motherboard back for a refund. Send completely dead ASUS motherboard back to ASUS ( if we can ) and see what happens. Install Gigabyte motherboard and be happy.
If we get a motherboard back from ASUS, test it. If it works, give it to someone I really don't like. If it doesn't work, set it on fire and take pictures to send to ASUS.

Merc: When I was trying to install driver from the ASUS CD, I drilled down into the drivers folder where I found the 'Setup.exe' file from the hardware manufacturer. It was a pain doing this for each driver, but it did work on Server 2008 R2. I also opened Device Manager and selected 'Update Driver' then selected 'Browse to a location...' and point it at the Drivers folder on the ASUS CD. Most drivers installed fine.
Of course, most of the drivers were way out of date, but that is to be expected.

Thanks!

 

[Mercutio]

I promise that was not the case for my Z8NC, Bozo.

 

[Bozo]

With the drivers being way out of date, I ended up searching for the updated ones anyway.
The last three Supermicro motherboards ( I was ASKED to order these ) didn't come with a CD at all. Score 1 for ASUS.

 

[Tannin]

Good decision, Bozo.

 

[Tea]

MEMO
TO: All Storage Forum members
FROM: me
Watch out for an ASUS motherboard arriving unmarked and unexpected in the post. If this happens to you, cross Bozo off your Christmas card list. He is not the good and loyal friend you thought he was.

 

[P5-133XL]

I have no problem receiving bad MB's. I use them to store old working but no longer used cards. I sit the MB's on 12 inch deep shelves and then fill up their slots. My theory is that the MB slots ground them so that static is less of a problem. It is also much easier to find any card that I happen to need than storing lots of loose unused cards in anti-static bags and then storing them in boxes.

 

[mubs]

Awesome idea, Mark. That way the cards don't get damaged by other stuff sitting on top of it.

Bozo, you know what to do!

 

[CityK]

I see some things never change (ASUS modis operandi: pretend the problem doesn't exist) ... About the only good reports I know of, with respect to "ASUS" and "RMA" being mentioned in the same sentence, are in relation to the Nexus 7 .... the Google man must wield a big stick

 

[mubs]

My only experience with a Gigabyte product was like that: returned in the same box with a scribbled note that no problems were found with the video card when it had intermittent issues which I had explained.

 

[Mercutio]

Good thing Intel is out of the motherboard business. We wouldn't want any uniformly high quality suppliers cluttering up the place!

 

[Bozo]

This might sound odd to all of you, but Intel leaving the motherboard market is weighing heavily on my retiring. ( I'm 65 now ) I don't need the headaches and aggravation of lesser motherboards at work.

 

[Tannin]

I have had one crook motherboard in the last three years. Might be more than three years actually. One. OK, I don't sell so many systems these days and will retire completely soon but that's still quite impressive. I am selling MSI at present but also do Gigabyte from time to time.

 

[Bozo]

The new Gigabyte motherboard arrived. It seems to have issues. Two of the memory slots don't work. I'll try new memory when it gets here. When I installed the OS from an image, it boots fine but as soon as the OS starts to load, it shuts off all the USB ports. Therefore no keyboard or mouse. Loading Win 7 from scratch works but does some stupid stuff. When installing Win 7 creates 3 partitions. The 100Mb boot partition, a 128Mb partition, and the operating system partition. All the partitions are GPT.
And so it goes....

 

[P5-133XL]

Your Win 7 is pre-creating a bitlocker partition, so if you use that feature you will not have to repartition the HD. This is normal behavior for any Windows version that has Bitlocker. If you do not with Windows to auto-create partitions then you will have to delete all the partitions and manually create your own partition structure during install.

If you are using the image from your ASUS MB to install on the Gigabyte MB my guess would be that the USB drivers are different. The easiest way to fix this is temporarily use a PS/2 keyboard/mouse to install the correct Gigabyte drivers. However, that is not the only possible Windows setting that could cause this: http://www.thewindowsclub.com/disable-enable-usb-windowunlock-pen-drive-at-office-or-school-computer.

You've already dealt with the memory slot issue by ordering new memory sticks. I'd also make sure that the BIOS setup is set to optimized or default to deal with a possibly messed up CMOS..

 

[Bozo]

The GPT problem originated in the BIOS. xHCI was being loaded, whatever xHCI is. I went through the BIOS and set everything I could find to Legacy. I left the SATA ports set as AHCI. Windows loaded fine without all the goofy partitions.
There is no way to attach a PS2 device to this motherboard.
I'm tempted to try to install the image I was trying install earlier.

Thanks

 

[Mercutio]

Whomever is building your images isn't doing it right.

 

[Bozo]

Whomever is building your images isn't doing it right.

Could you explain???

 

[Mercutio]

Either your images aren't Sysprepped or the person making them is not adding any drivers at all to the standard install, which defeats the purpose of making sysprep images in the first place.

 

[Tannin]

Just install from the install DVD. It's vastly easier, trouble-free in all cases except those where there is a genuine hardware problem (and here you want the install to fail so that you can become aware of the issue and deal with it), and a lot quicker unless you do vast numbers of installs and can justify the very large investment in time it takes to create, test, and maintain appropriate installation images.

 

[Mercutio]

It's not vastly faster once applications and drivers are added in. Now, I have a custom install Image for Windows 7 that includes a crap ton of extra driver and the 100-odd post SP1 Windows Updates, but that's because I know how to make one. But the difference between installing from THAT and installing from a prepared image that includes MS Office, preconfigured printers, the full set of local apps and security software? Well, it takes about six minutes to unspool and boot a 15GB .TIB image vs. about 15 to install from a Windows 7 Flash drive (DVD? Really? REALLY?) and THEN there's the couple hours of dicking around with updates, app installs and environment configuration.

No, Images are a wonderful thing.

 

[Howell]

Low client variability, low additional software= oem install
High client variability, low additional software= oem install
High client variability, high additional software= image install

In between, it's a judgement call.

 

[ddrueding]

Low client variability, low additional software= oem install
High client variability, low additional software= oem install
High client variability, high additional software= image install

In between, it's a judgement call.

You sure? All three of those would have been OEM for me, with the fourth (that you omitted) being the only image install.

Low client variability, high additional software= image install

 

[Howell]

Oops you're right, the 3rd should have been low/high.

 

[Mercutio]

As long as you're using native SATA ports, there's actually not TONS of variability in modern builds. If you have a driver base that includes Realtek, Intel, Marvel, Broadcom and Atheros Ethernet and Intel, Realtek, Broadcom, Atheros and RALink 802.11, plus maybe four USB3 drivers and up to date chipset drivers, you're going to at least wind up with a system that boots regardless of what the exactly which motherboard you're using.

 

[Bozo]

I used an image made with Macrium. Macrium boots using Windows PE which allowed to install drivers. I also used Macrium's bare metal install option which allowed to install drivers. The operating system booted fine. The problem wasn't not seeing the USB ports, it is the USB ports being turned off. I attached a wired USB mouse to the USB 2.0 ports, and as soon as the operating system started to load, the light on the bottom of the mouse went off. Nothing we did changed this. Even loading the USB 3.0 drivers that came with the motherboard thinking we could at least get into the operating system and find out what's wrong didn't help.
The ASUS motherboard was sent back for a refund. The Gigabyte motherboard still won't boot if there is memory install in either of the memory slot closest to the CPU. I've tried 3 different flavors of memory, still don't work. It's going back too.
I must be spoiled. For the last 15+ years 99% of my builds have been with Intel motherboards. As long as I didn't do anything stupid, I installed the Intel motherboard, pressed the power button, and they worked. Every time it tried using something different it seemed like a crap shoot. Even when I did manage to get them working, as soon as the moon changed phases, they would puke.
I went to OEM XS and found a new in the box Intel DZ68BC motherboard which will work fine. The Gigabyte board is going back.

 

[Tannin]

You must be doing something wrong. Gigabyte boards just work.

 

[Bozo]

I should have done more checking before buying the Gigabyte board. Seems this particular one has memory slot issues and the PCIe x16 slot pulling out of the board.

 

[Tea]

In fact, you are probably attending the wrong church. Go to a different place of worship from now on.

Or possibly your fate was written in the stars. Change your birthday immediately!

 

[Bozo]

Actually, I think I need an exorcist.

 

[Bozo]

I sent the ASUS motherboard to ASUS for repair. It was returned in 10 days. It is my original motherboard and it works!

 

[time]

Firmware?

 

[Bozo]

A BIOS flash that went bad.

 

[Stereodude]

A BIOS flash that went bad.

That's covered by warranty? :scratch:

 

[LunarMist]

So here it is 2012, and the BIOS cannot be easily recovered from a bad flash? :rambo: