BIOS Problems - ASUS Prime Z370-A

[1voyager2]

I did a BIOS update several months ago when putting this mobo into service..
Since then, the BIOS has become more and more erratic with time in how it operates.

One or both DRAM modules will stop showing as installed and have to be reinserted to get them functional again.
Right now only one of my two 8GB modules is showing as functional.

The mobo will not start up unless it has sat, after the last shut down, at least an hour or as long as over night, then only if the power has been turned off de-energizing the board.

Once it is up and running, it can be restarted, as long as it is not shut down again.

Usually when startup is attempted without the wait, nothing happens.
Often, the LEDs on the fans will turn on and the fans will begin to turn.
After a second or two the fans will shut down, LEDs turn off and the blades stop rotating.

Now, it has begun to show a Fan Error F1 prompt during POST.
Both CPU and OPT CPU fans are N/A and non functional.
If I set one, the other, or both of them to "ignore" the CPU fan will begin to operate, but the OPT CPU stays completely non functional.

I have done a couple of hard resets: removed the battery and jumped the CLRTC pins.
I have just done another BIOS update.
Other than taking a long time to complete it seemed to go smoothly.
It is still picking and choosing how it wants to act from the above list.

Have I in effect bricked the BIOS?
Any suggestions on how to get this thing back to operating as it should?

I'm about to $617-can this mobo and get a new one.

 

[UsandThem]

Couldn't you just flash it back to the older BIOS version that worked better for you if you think the newer BIOS created problems?

From your description, it almost sounds like it could be a PSU issue (although you would have to try another one to rule that out).

 

[1voyager2]

Been there, done that.
Way back at the beginning of the problems, I tried taking it back to the original BIOS version.
No satisfaction.
Did a check on the PSU, no problems found, and tried another PSU, no changes in the problems.

 

[UsandThem]

Been there, done that.
Way back at the beginning of the problems, I tried taking it back to the original BIOS version.
No satisfaction.
Did a check on the PSU, no problems found, and tried another PSU, no changes in the problems.

If you've narrowed down the issues to your motherboard, you can either RMA it and wait for it to be sent back, or buy a different board.

Generally when a person "bricks" the BIOS, the PC will not boot at all. If you were able to reflash it to a different BIOS version, it's likely it's not any BIOS problem causing what you described. Maybe your motherboard developed issues right around the time you happened to flash your BIOS, and that wasn't the source of your issues.

 

[1voyager2]

I have been distracted by other things and busy with them.
I finally got fed up with the whole mess and ordered a new PSU and mobo.
Gonna get this fixed one way or another!

After installing the new PSU last night, the startup problems are no more.
Even though the old PSU checks out as OK with an el cheapo PS tester, apparently when it comes under any load it has problems.
It still has 2 years left under warranty.
I'll arrange for an RMA soon.

The CPU/OPT CPU fan problem still exists.
I'm going to test the fans in a day or two.
If they're OK, then it almost has to be the mobo.

EDIT:
When I said I tried another PSU, my memory failed me.
That's when the presently replaced PSU was installed.

 

[1voyager2]

I do not believe it!

I bought a 2 fan Noctua NH-U12P SE2 in Nov. of 2010.
I moved it from build to build for 3 builds using it for 9 years almost exactly.
Both fans died within a very few days of each other.
How's that for matched parts?
I never replaced it because I saw no real advantage to replacing it with any of the newer comparable coolers.

Replacing the fans will run close to $30.
A newer version, NH-U12S, will run almost 2x that.
It will have more heat pipes but only 1 fan.
It looks like it will not interfere with RAM access like the old one does when using only one fan.
Not sure about when using 2 fans, though.
I like the design change for the retainer clips, looks to be much easier to attach the fan.

Anyone familiar with the newer model and it's efficiency and use compared to the older one?

I probably should put this in another thread.
I'll try it here first to see what I get.