Asus Maximus stuck at USBFINAL

[Number1]

I built this system last week and it has work properly until this morning. I left it on all night to download a file and this morning it would not come out of sleep. I turned the power off and on and it would not go past checkmem so I reset the BIOS.

Now I get the bios logo on the VGA display and it stops at USBFINAL (displayed on the LCD poster display).

I disconected all USB devices.
I reset the BIOS several times, no changes.

CPU E8400 @ stock speed
Video: Saphire 3650
RAM 2 Geg Crucial Balistic 8400 @ 1066
BIOS 0907
My tentative diagnostic = BAD MOTHERBOARD?????

Any ideas?

 

[olmer]

Did you flash your BIOS? If so try again with EZ from media (not auto update).

 

[Number1]

I flashed the BIOS last week to the latest version, 0907. It worked fine for days.

If I have to flash it again, there is something wrong with the motherboard and it should be returned in my oppinion.


Edit: DHOO, what was I thinking, I can't reflah it even if I wanted to anyway. It freezes at USBFINAL.

 

[Number1]

Progress I think!!

I pluged the system back in after a few hours and it decided to pass USBFINAL and then indicated CMOSERROR. I entered the BIOS and reset all the parameters to known previously working setting and rebooted. Windows would not load. I tried to boot using the windows instalation CD and do a repair but the process would also freeze.

I decided to run memtest and sure enough, both memory sticks indicate errors.

Ill pick up 2 sticks at the store tomorow and try that.

 

[Number1]

Now, I set the voltage for the RAM to 2.2 V and SATA to IDE mode and the system booted and everything looks normal.

This morning I could not even get into the BIOS.

I wonder if I should RMA my RAM and get another brand??

 

[mbf]

Is 2.2V the default for your RAM? I ask because the JEDEC default value for DDR2 typically is 1.8V. What happens if you set all memory-related settings to Auto?

 

[Number1]

Yes 2.2 is the specified voltage for this RAM.

Well the computer ran fine all evening yesterday but this morning it would not come out of sleep again. It rebooted and passed the BIOS but windows would not load. I ran MEM test and it reported multiple RAM errors.
I removed one stick and it still would not boot.
I removed the other stick and replaced it with the other one and the PC booted to windows right away.

Good, I got my problem for sure now, a bad memory stick...

Time for an RMA to NCIX.

 

[mbf]

Good to hear you've figured out the cause of the problem. Especially since I'm about to take the "Maximus plunge" too in the foreseeable future... 🙂

 

[Number1]

OK everything is running fine now with new OCZ REAPER PC8500 2 G RAM Kit.

Here is the post mortem.

I isolated the problem to my own noobness. I used the automatic overclocking feature of the board. When I raised the front side bus to 450 MHz, the board automatically raised the board voltages including the RAM voltage to 2.36 V. The system ran OK for a short while but I started getting some instabilities. I reset the board to normal setting and it seams to run OK but I kept getting odd errors. Then one morning, it would not even go trough the BIOS.

Not knowing what I was doing and the auto overclocking features of the board ruined the RAM.

I RMA'd the fried RAM, hopefully I will get a refund, if not, oh well.

For the record, the new RAM is rated at between 2.1 and 2.3 Volts and it is now manually set at 2.11 as indicated by Asus probe and Everest Ultimate Edition. Memtest passed flawlessly.

😱