I think my motherboard is bricked. Confirmation? and can I RMA?

[Crossxfire45]

EDIT: PROBLEM SOLVED (but probably not that helpful to anyone else looking at a similar problem)

 

-Specs-

MB: ROG STRIX X470 F GAMING

RAM: 2 x 8GB G.Skill Ripjaws V series

GPU: Gigabyte GTX 1070 ti (GV-N107TGAMING-8GD)

CPU: Ryzen 5 2600

PSU: Corsair TX650M

OS: Windows 10 64bit

 

OTHER: BIOS was being updated from v0255 to v4008. The first of which had no problems.

 

 

-What happened- (not a necessary read, but read if you need more details)

So I get a message from "EZ update" (asus' provided update software) telling me a BIOS update is available. I see this and think "its not that big of a deal". Needless to say, I'm a rookie in this field. So I start the process (my computer worked fine before this obviously), I read the warnings: don't power off system etc. My computer resets. I come back 10 minutes later. I've got the "american megatrends" logo screen which i barely bothered to look at (cough* cough* rookie here) I assume I'm supposed to go to the bios screen. I forget what the key to press is and press f4 then f1 and f2 finally gets me there(who knows if this is relevant but details matter).I get there which at this point I figure i should just reconfigure what ever settings I had previously. In this case it was only my ram speed. Miraculously in a feat of complete ignorance, I forget what my max ram speed is and take my best guess. I set it at 3200 only to find out later that its only 3000.

 

Maybe that's what did it but after I pushed the save and reset button, the computer never POSTed afterwards. Now I'm getting the message: 

 

Warning: Bios recovery mode has been detected. Please put the file "SX470FG.cap" into HDD or a removable USB media device and then reset your computer. You can also insert the ASUS support cd to your cd-rom and reset your computer. If you have done these things, please wait a moment and dont shutdown system!!!

 

I'm panic-ing at this point so i go to the web on a separate computer and look up a bunch of random help threads that are similar but not quite applicable to me. Eventually i just message asus support with the problem who don't give me much other that the download for the bios update file and a 4 step tutorial on what to do. I download the file, put it on a newly formatted FAT32 flash drive. Plug it into the computer and reset. I wait 45 minutes just to be safe. I come back and nothing has happened. I reset about a dozen times to see if anything changes. but no POST happens. The fans, LEDs and motherboard troubleshooting lights pop on when I turn on power. I don't know if that means theres hope or not.

 

-What I've done- 

I've taken out my GPU card and left only one stick of ram in. then tuned off and on again. Nothing

I've reset my cmos.  It was the last thing I could think of to do. Nothing

I've turned it on with and with out the GPU in. Both situations result in same out come described below(GPU light is on, no POST)

 

-Current status-

Lights and fans turn on but no POST

The BIOS recovery message no longer shows up. No display. Black screen.

 

The only detail I've failed to specify until now is the 4 trouble shooting lights that are on the mother board. The manual tells me they refer to the components:

1 for CPU

1 for GPU

1 for RAM

1 for BOOTing

 

If its on... theres a problem. 

 

Right now only the GPU(which isnt connected) and the BOOT lights are on. 

 

Well what do you guys think? Its probably bricked right? I've heard of this RMA thing where you send to the manufacturer for repairs. Anyone know about this?

 

Dammit I bought this a month ago and now its probably toast. I'll probably never perform another BIOS update in my life.

 

EDIT: Thank for the replies. I really didn't think this would get fixed in the way it did. BUT HEY now I can be an idiot with a computer that still works.

 

 

 

 

[TrigrH]

so are you still getting this message?:

 

"Warning: Bios recovery mode has been detected. Please put the file "SX470FG.cap" into HDD or a removable USB media device and then reset your computer. You can also insert the ASUS support cd to your cd-rom and reset your computer. If you have done these things, please wait a moment and dont shutdown system!!!"

 

 

[Langley_Man]

I would try this . 

 

pull the ram out of the system. with it off ! and unplugged

 

try turning it on without any ram. it should give an error. if nothing happens or even if a error does show , u can re install the ram and the MOBO should do its self checks for the type and speed for the ram and change the settings accordingly in bios for the proper speed. 

 

Its a long shot but thats all i can think of to be honest.

 

 

[Langley_Man]

2 minutes ago, TrigrH said:

so are you still getting this message?:

 

"Warning: Bios recovery mode has been detected. Please put the file "SX470FG.cap" into HDD or a removable USB media device and then reset your computer. You can also insert the ASUS support cd to your cd-rom and reset your computer. If you have done these things, please wait a moment and dont shutdown system!!!"

 

 

The op has stated hes getting no post.. meaning black screen 

[Crossxfire45]

Just now, TrigrH said:

so are you still getting this message?:

 

"Warning: Bios recovery mode has been detected. Please put the file "SX470FG.cap" into HDD or a removable USB media device and then reset your computer. You can also insert the ASUS support cd to your cd-rom and reset your computer. If you have done these things, please wait a moment and dont shutdown system!!!"

 

 

Apologies. Thats something I should have clarified. No the message no longer appears. no display from motherboard at all. will add this to post. 

[TrigrH]

1 minute ago, LangleyNerd said:

The op has stated hes getting no post.. meaning black screen 

yeah but he hasn't got a GPU in.

[TrigrH]

Just now, Crossxfire45 said:

Apologies. Thats something I should have clarified. No the message no longer appears. no display from motherboard at all. will add this to post. 

can you put the GPU back in? you dont have onboard graphics so you need it in.

[Langley_Man]

as far as RMA yes its the process of using the manufacturing warenty which u should still be coverd. 

 

if my suggestion doesnt work i would suggest contacting ASUS tech support via phone or email for help and instructions on the next step

[t4ils]

2 minutes ago, LangleyNerd said:

The op has stated hes getting no post.. meaning black screen 

The way the OP said this:

Quote

Maybe that's what did it but after I pushed the save and reset button, the computer never POSTed afterwards. Now I'm getting the message: 

 

Warning: Bios recovery mode has been detected. Please put the file "SX470FG.cap" into HDD or a removable USB media device and then reset your computer. You can also insert the ASUS support cd to your cd-rom and reset your computer. If you have done these things, please wait a moment and dont shutdown system!!!

...kind of made it confusing on whether it was actually "POSTing" or not.

[Langley_Man]

LOL yea i just re read that .. 

 

if u dont have GPU connected... ummmm pro tip.. CONNECT IT ! !!! ! ! lol

[Crossxfire45]

I did not think I needed the gpu connected to POST. When I first built I believe I was able to access bios without the GPU. Either way. I should also specify that I have plugged it in(ensuring firm power cable connection along with connection into the PCIe slot) with the same result: GPU light is on,  no display. will update post

[t4ils]

1 minute ago, Crossxfire45 said:

Apologies. Thats something I should have clarified. No the message no longer appears. no display from motherboard at all. will add this to post. 

If it doesn't output anything to the GPU and you already tried clearing CMOS, I guess your best bet would be to RMA it since there's really no other way to flash a new BIOS on that motherboard.

 

What I'm more surprised about is how it looked like the installation process succeeded (or at least I think it did ) from the Windows utility. From what I remember, those would often fail to flash the new BIOS update and everyone would complain about their motherboards being bricked afterwards.

Also, pro-tip: never update the BIOS unless you're having compatibility issues with new hardware or for special cases, like the Meltdown vulnerability.

[TrigrH]

1 minute ago, Crossxfire45 said:

I did not think I needed the gpu connected to POST. When I first built I believe I was able to access bios without the GPU. Either way. I should also specify that I have plugged it in(ensuring firm power cable connection along with connection into the PCIe slot) with the same result: GPU light is on,  no display. will update post

now how did you reset cmos?
 

[TrigrH]

1 minute ago, t4ils said:

If it doesn't output anything to the GPU and you already tried clearing CMOS, I guess your best bet would be to RMA it since there's really no other way to flash a new BIOS on that motherboard.

it has asus crash free bios 3, we can fix this.

[Crossxfire45]

Just now, TrigrH said:

now how did you reset cmos?
 

I removed the Mobo battery for 15 minutes. Then put it back in. 

[Langley_Man]

where is the cable from your monitor going ? back of the GPU card in the PCIE slot?

 

if the card wasnt installed it wouldnt of been able to send a signal to the monitor  to show you that it posted . 

[Crossxfire45]

Just now, LangleyNerd said:

where is the cable from your monitor going ? back of the GPU card in the PCIE slot?

 

if the card wasnt installed it wouldnt of been able to send a signal to the monitor  to show you that it posted . 

I've tried both cases. plugged it into gpu(while its plugged in) and motherboard

[TrigrH]

7 minutes ago, Crossxfire45 said:

I removed the Mobo battery for 15 minutes. Then put it back in. 

This is what I suggest you do:

 

Unplug everything from the back of the PC other than a standard USB keyboard, monitor cable and PSU power.

 

Take the ram stick furthest from the CPU and install it into the second closest slot to the CPU (DIMM B2), leave the other stick out.

 

Make sure the graphics card is in the top slot.

 

Make sure the keyboard is in the top USB port on the motherboard NOT THE CASE.

 

Format a USB stick as fat32.

 

Put this zip onto the usb:

http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/SocketAM4/ROG_STRIX-X470-F-GAMING/ROG-STRIX-X470-F-GAMING-ASUS-0225.zip?_ga=2.154917886.773919819.1530944878-1738040467.1526377061

 

also put the file thats inside the zip on the usb. (so have a zipped copy and a unzipped copy on the usb)

 

install the usb stick into the top USB port next to the keyboard on the motherboard NOT THE CASE.

 

turn the system on.

[Crossxfire45]

Okay for all those still listening. I managed to POST. I don't know why it worked THIS TIME but ok its not dead yet. Here's what happened. All i did was plug my GPU back in and then plug it into the monitor (I had the USB with the newer BIOS plugged in as well as only one stick of ram in the 2nd closest slot to cpu but both of those things were already done before this). I swear to god every time i plugged in my GPU and connected the monitor to it, It did nothing. For some reason It worked this time.

 

But theres a new problem

So my plan was to just set the bios to default settings and restart, BUT THEN i go to click on EZmode version of the BIOS for shits and giggles. Annnnnnd it freezes. Yeah. So right now my computer is on a frozen BIOS screen and I'm scared touching it anymore will somehow screw everything back up. Do I have any choice but to reset the power?

[TrigrH]

4 minutes ago, Crossxfire45 said:

Okay for all those still listening. I managed to POST. I don't know why it worked THIS TIME but ok its not dead yet. Here's what happened. All i did was plug my GPU back in and then plug it into the monitor (I had the USB with the newer BIOS plugged in as well as only one stick of ram in the 2nd closest slot to cpu but both of those things were already done before this). I swear to god every time i plugged in my GPU and connected the monitor to it, It did nothing. For some reason It worked this time.

 

But theres a new problem

So my plan was to just set the bios to default settings and restart, BUT THEN i go to click on EZmode version of the BIOS for shits and giggles. Annnnnnd it freezes. Yeah. So right now my computer is on a frozen BIOS screen and I'm scared touching it anymore will somehow screw everything back up. Do I have any choice but to reset the power?

ctrl + alt + del resets the PC

[Crossxfire45]

Ok well I probably look like an idiot. But I appreciate the help you may have bothered to contribute. Everything seems to be working fine for now. I dont know why but I wont question it. 

[TrigrH]

25 minutes ago, Crossxfire45 said:

Ok well I probably look like an idiot. But I appreciate the help you may have bothered to contribute. Everything seems to be working fine for now. I dont know why but I wont question it. 

i strongly recommend using the usb to flash to Version 4011 if you are on 4008, cos clearly something is screwy. Getting off a bad bios version is safer than staying on it imo.

[Guyse]

Hey @Crossxfire45 our board has some bugs ASUS hasn't addressed yet but the community was able to find solutions.This is kinda unrelated to your post but I wanna get this out to as many people with the same board.

 

1.total black screen but PC still on yet you wont be able to restart using the power button
2.whole pc restarts out of nowhere

 

Experienced them myself and I thought I had a busted part.

Don't fret cos its happening also to the Rog Crosshair VII X470
those two are the really annoying stuff but there are solutions that the
community has found and actually works.

1.Turn off all CPU temp sensing apps that run at startup (leave just one you trust, I left my MSI afterburner to be the only one to start at boot)
2.Do not run multiple temp sensing apps at once. Take time on each of them and only use them when needing to edit something.
3.Avoid using the cpu temp feature in aura sync.

4.CAM (NZXT app software) <--- this, use it only for lighting options and nzxt fan (if you are using nzxt fans) and on your stuff that runs only on cam then close it afterwards.
5.AI Suite <--- this app is hell, causes a lot black magic hell on your pc, I personally uninstalled it along with the others in the community.

 

Asus said that its a bug between them and the windows 10 but they still aren't really showing signs to address these though.

 

been 3 weeks now since I did what the community suggested and all is fine now, I'm  leaving a link so you can read if you want.
 https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?102858-Asus-Strix-X470-F-Gaming-owners-thread

on page 8 there's a video but I do suggest to skim through from the beginning.

[OddityZero]

I got this exact error, (But on the Reg Strix X470-I version) and after reading through, I don't know what to do to fix it.