Asus Z170 USB Drive Booting Problems.

[blackop]

Thanks in advance, my friends.

In early December, I built my latest Skylake machine. I'm loving it! However, upon the build, whenever I plugged the Windows 10 Retail Version USB stick into USB port 1, it would stall at post, and if I hit delete to enter the bios, it took some time. No harm, no foul. I got a bad USB stick, I guess. I had Windows 10 on another USB stick. Plugged it in the same port, no problem. Booted and installed Windows 10 from it just fine.

I contacted MS support to resolve the issue, get another USB stick, but that's another story I'll spare you the agony of.

So, time has passed. I've enjoyed my machine. However, just on a lark, I wanted to see if, after updating the bios to the latest version--this is the second time now, I think--whether it would boot from the Retail Windows 10 USB drive or not in USB slot 1. Nope. So, I slipped it into the second USB drive. It booted fine and asked if I wanted to install windows. In Windows 10, the same USB stick, if plugged into the machine, works just fine in port 1--the port it doesn't want to boot from, and stalls boot. It's recognized, shows up in DiskMgt, etc... Fat 32, Active.

Is this a bad USB that I shouldn't trust? LOL Lot's of other USB sticks work and boot up just fine in USB slot 1, but this USB drive seems to want slot 2, or any other number on my mobo. I didn't know of this was an MS/Skylake issue or not, but I'm using the latest bios version.

Again, any help would be deeply appreciated. Thanks!

Bios settings: Legacy boot enabled. Secureboot disabled. CLM enabled for legacy enable.

intel Core i5 6500 @ 3.2 GHZ
Asus Z170 Pro Gaming Motherboard/Chipset
GSkill DDR4 8GB
Corsair 650 Watt PSU
Samsung 850 EVO SSD, 250G
EVGA Geforce 5600 Ti
Windows 10 Pro Retail 64-bit

 

[Timur Born]

What is USB port 1 and what is 2 on that board? 1 doesn't happen to be the Asmedia based USB 3.1 port?

 

[blackop]

What is USB port 1 and what is 2 on that board? 1 doesn't happen to be the Asmedia based USB 3.1 port?

Thanks for replying!

Nope. On the back of the motherboard, there are two USB 2.0 slots at the very top the back panel. I only have my mouse plugged into one of those USB 2.0 slots. Below these are the USB 3.0 slots. There are four of them. The first one of the four is the one I'm having trouble only with one USB flash drive--jump drive--with.

I hope this information helps. Again, thanks!

 

[Timur Born]

I guess it's either a physical port problem or a BIOS bug then. Good that the others work at least.

 

[blackop]

I guess it's either a physical port problem or a BIOS bug then. Good that the others work at least.

Updates!

I contacted Asus, and their pretty sure this is an issue with the flash drive and or compatibility with the Skylake chipset.

They've escalated my case to the techs in the lab to re-create my issue and will be in touch. Wish me luck!

 

[blackop]

I guess it's either a physical port problem or a BIOS bug then. Good that the others work at least.

That's the odd thing, this USB flash drive--it's the one that comes with the retail version of Windows 10 PRO--won't work ONLY in USB 3.0 slot 1. It works in other slots just fine.

Heard back from Asus, they have no idea what is going on, and they refuse to state it's a hardware issue.

Again, any help or insight would be deeply appreciated. Thanks!

 

[nerp]

Is that USB port one that offers 'fast charging?' That might have something to do with it.

 

[legolas_tk]

Hi Blackop,

Did you ever update the firmware on the USB in Asus website? ASMedia USB 3.1 FW update tool FW versions:141231_30_02_0D?

Did you upgrade the USB drivers as well?

 

[shimpster]

Just in case any pertinence

Microsoft Warns Windows 7 Has A Serious Problem

http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonk...warns-windows-7-boot-up-problem/#7161b546395e

 

[WilliamM2]

Just in case any pertinence

Microsoft Warns Windows 7 Has A Serious Problem

http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonk...warns-windows-7-boot-up-problem/#7161b546395e

He's using windows 10. Hasn't installed any win 7 updates, and of course he never mentioned getting that red warning box.

So how did you feel this could possibly be pertinent? Just Microsoft bashing?

 

[vailr]

There could be a difference between the particular USB thumb drive controllers that makes a difference. For example: a USB 2.0 thumb drive will exhibit different boot abilities than a USB 3.0 thumb drive, and different brands of thumb drives will include different controller chips inside the thumb drive.
In other words: don't assume that an official Microsoft thumb drive is always going to work 100%. Especially when the bios setting factor of UEFI vs. Legacy support is thrown into the equation.
My advice: create your own USB thumb drive Windows installer, using Rufus (free software). When booting the USB thumb drive, you may find that only a USB 2.0 thumb drive inserted in a USB 2.0 port adjacent to the PS/2 port at the back of the machine will work. Whereas a USB 3.0 thumb drive inserted in a USB 3.0 port may or may not work.

 

[RLGL]

When the tick is inserted, how is it configured in the boot settings? UEFI?
How about CSM, enabled?

 

[blackop]

Is that USB port one that offers 'fast charging?' That might have something to do with it.

Good question, as the handbook for the motherboard doesn't mention a fast charging USB port at all.

 

[blackop]

Hi Blackop,

Did you ever update the firmware on the USB in Asus website? ASMedia USB 3.1 FW update tool FW versions:141231_30_02_0D?

Did you upgrade the USB drivers as well?

Yes, I applied the firmware update tool. I have installed the latest USB 3.0/3.1 drivers that came on the CD. I just compared file version on Asus's website and it's the current version. Thanks! Would that make any difference on the USB ports when there is no O/S installed? Or do the drivers update the UEFI bios? Thanks!

 

[blackop]

There could be a difference between the particular USB thumb drive controllers that makes a difference. For example: a USB 2.0 thumb drive will exhibit different boot abilities than a USB 3.0 thumb drive, and different brands of thumb drives will include different controller chips inside the thumb drive.
In other words: don't assume that an official Microsoft thumb drive is always going to work 100%. Especially when the bios setting factor of UEFI vs. Legacy support is thrown into the equation.
My advice: create your own USB thumb drive Windows installer, using Rufus (free software). When booting the USB thumb drive, you may find that only a USB 2.0 thumb drive inserted in a USB 2.0 port adjacent to the PS/2 port at the back of the machine will work. Whereas a USB 3.0 thumb drive inserted in a USB 3.0 port may or may not work.

That's what I and Asus is thinking: There's an incompatibility between the MS flash drive and USB 3.0 port number 1. Odd that it works just fine in all the other USB 3.0 ports.

 

[blackop]

When the tick is inserted, how is it configured in the boot settings? UEFI?
How about CSM, enabled?

I've tried every configuration. Currently, it's set to default: CSM: enabled for legacy devices. Thanks!