X99-Pro QCode "bf" and PC won't boot

[xeromynd]

Still trying to narrow down my issues to the cause. As far as I can remember, since I built my new PC, I've had this issue.

I just got a new motherboard (replacement from Asus), and none of my hardware is overclocked, no XMP, no GPU overclock, etc...

(I got this problem even months ago, when I DID have overclocks set, and additional voltage added to System Agent, VCore, and DRAM.)

 

Sometimes, while turning my PC on, I'll get the QCode "bF." The machine turns on, no video signal or UEFI BIOS, fans spin at 100%, and after maybe 90 seconds, the PC turns off, and stays off. If I turn it on again, the same things happens.

 

Motherboard manual says that QCode bF is "reserved for future AMI codes"  Real helpful ASUS...

 

The only thing that can break this loop and successfully boot is either:

1.) Reseating my RAM.

--or--

2.) Shutting down while the PC is on (and in aforementioned black screen, fans spinning, etc...) If I shutdown while this is happening and turn the PC back on again I get the American Megatrends screen with the "Overclocking Failed" message. This leads me into the UEFI, where I can then shut down, and the PC might boot again.

 

Anyone have any idea what's going on here? I'm testing memory with memtest, 1 stick at a time but so far no errors on three sticks. I doubt the motherboard (a replacement I JUST got) is bad, so I'm ruling that out. I really don't want to believe it's the CPU (though I do have a replacement plan on it, so that wouldn't be a huge deal). I've read threads about people also getting bF QCode with the same PC behavior, and the usual response is that there is an unstable overclock, or something needs more voltage (VCore, System Agent, lots of answers...) but as I mentioned, I have NO overclock yet. Which doesn't make sense.

 

[cynexit]

40 minutes ago, xeromynd said:

I've read threads about people also getting bF QCode with the same PC behavior, and the usual response is that there is an unstable overclock, or something needs more voltage (VCore, System Agent, lots of answers...) but as I mentioned, I have NO overclock yet. Which doesn't make sense.

 

Just for fun, have you tried to simply add a bit more voltage and see how it goes? Best case it works, worst case the same thing happens, sometimes this really helps the CPU.

[xeromynd]

1 minute ago, cynexit said:

 

Just for fun, have you tried to simply add a bit more voltage and see how it goes? Best case it works, worst case the same thing happens, sometimes this really helps the CPU.

Not yet, no. I'm testing the last stick of RAM for errors now. Maybe I'll fiddle with that, but why should I even have to? Shouldn't everything work at stock clocks and default settings? Not to mention (and I'll add this to the original post), when I did have everything overclocked (months ago), I was still getting this problem occasionally.

[xeromynd]

So after getting nowhere, RMAing my motherboard to rule that out, finding out that I accidentally broke the warranty on my Dominator RAM (stupid on my part), and having all sorts of weird boot issues, and stuff. I finally caved, went to Micro Center, bought myself 16GB of 2666 Crucial Ballistix Elite memory, which is NOT on the QVL. Popped that stuff in, loaded its XMP profile and everything, and I haven't had the same problems since. Still monitoring and crossing my fingers though, but so far it seems like my problems were solved.

 

I'm not sure why the Dominator sticks didn't show errors in Memtest, but oh well. I'm pretty much done with Corsair products at this point honestly.