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Maximus XII Boot Loop after Intel ME Version 14.1.75.2420 Firmware Update

Dagwood15
Level 7

a month ago

Hello all,

After I updated to  ME Version 14.1.75.2420 using the ME Update Tool that I downloaded from the ASUS website, my computer boots up until it reaches the point where it's looking for the OS (Win11 on M.2_2), then it does a "hard" reset where relays click and all the lights on the MB go out for a couple of seconds, then the cycle starts over again.  I flashed the latest BIOS (3201), but no luck.  I was able to get the system to boot to Win 10 using an old hard drive I had lying around. With that, I tried running the ME Update Tool again, but no luck. So far, since the update I cannot get it to boot to M.2_2. Any advice?

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3 REPLIES 3

Jiaszzz_ROG
Customer Service Agent

3 weeks ago

Hello @Dagwood15 

Thank you for reaching out to us.
Could you confirm which motherboard model you are currently using—ROG MAXIMUS HERO, APEX, or EXTREME? Additionally, at the time the issue occurs, what Intel ME version is displayed in the BIOS? If you test different M.2 slots or SSDs, does the behavior change?
If your current Intel ME version is already 14.1.75.2420, we recommend updating the BIOS using the USB BIOS FlashBack function and clear CMOS afterward.

For detailed instructions on Intel ME and BIOS updates, please refer to the FAQs linked below to ensure all steps are followed correctly:
[Motherboard] Intel® Management Engine Firmware Update Instructions(ME)
[Motherboard] How to use USB BIOS FlashBack™?
[Motherboard] How to Clear CMOS

Thank you.

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Dagwood15
Level 7
In response to Jiaszzz_ROG

3 weeks ago

Thanks for replying.  The motherboard is a ROG MAXIMUS XII Formula. The problem started when I used the ME Update tool to upload version 14.1.75.2420.  This is the ME version that shows on the BIOS page. The current BIOS is 3201 x64, which I updated using the BIOS Flashback.  I tried moving the old drive to slot 2_1 with no change in behavior. I tried a new drive in slots 2_1 and 2_2.  The windows installer recognizes the M2 drives, but when I try to install windows 10 or 11, I get an error when the installer tries to boot off the new drive.

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Dagwood15
Level 7
In response to Dagwood15

3 weeks ago - last edited 3 weeks ago

Summary of the Problem After Intel ME Update (Thanks to Grok 3.0 for the help)
After updating the Intel Management Engine (ME) firmware to version 14.1.75.2420 on my ROG Maximus XII Formula (BIOS 3201), the system stopped booting from its M.2 drives, specifically the original M.2 drive in M.2_2. Initially, the original M.2 drive entered a boot loop, then progressed to an INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE BSOD after bootloader repairs, indicating a failure in the NVMe boot chain. I was able to install Windows 11 on a legacy SATA drive which booted fine, isolating the issue to NVMe handling. Attempts to install Windows 11 on a new M.2 drive also failed (stalling at 10% or rebooting to USB), suggesting the ME update disrupted the Z490 chipset’s NVMe controller initialization or driver compatibility. The root cause was likely a mismatch between the updated ME firmware and the existing Windows installations, compounded by an incomplete partition layout during the new M.2 drive installs. The final fix involved manually setting up the new M.2 drive with a proper EFI partition and ensuring its bootloader was independent, bypassing the original M.2 drive’s corrupted state.
Effective Steps to Fix the Issue
  • Confirmed Original M.2 Drive Accessibility: From the legacy drive’s Windows 11, verified the original M.2 drive’s 1862 GB partition was readable as E:, allowing data backup before further steps.
  • Installed New M.2 Drive in M.2_1: Placed the new M.2 drive in M.2_1 (CPU-tied slot) to leverage optimal PCIe 3.0 x4 bandwidth for booting.
  • Created Fresh Windows 11 USB: Used the latest Windows 11 Media Creation Tool to remake the install USB, ensuring updated NVMe drivers compatible with ME 14.1.75.2420.
  • Adjusted BIOS Settings: Set M.2_1 Configuration to “PCIe” (from Auto) in Advanced > PCH Storage Configuration, and confirmed VT-d Pre-boot Disabled, Secure Boot off, Fast Boot off, optimizing NVMe detection.
  • Manually Partitioned New M.2 Drive: Booted from USB, used diskpart to clean Disk 4 (new M.2 drive), converted to GPT, created a 300 MB EFI partition (FAT32, S:) and a ~1863 GB primary partition (NTFS, W:), ensuring a proper UEFI layout.
  • Installed Windows 11 on New M.2 Drive: Selected the ~1863 GB partition for install, which completed to 100% and continued after choosing “Volume 13” at the boot prompt, successfully setting up Windows.
  • Made New M.2 Drive Boot Independent: From the new M.2 drive’s Windows, ran bcdboot C:\Windows /s S: /f UEFI to rebuild the bootloader on its own 300 MB ESP, then disconnected the legacy drive, allowing standalone booting.
  • Set New M.2 Drive as Boot Priority: In BIOS, set “Windows Boot Manager” for the new M.2 drive (M.2_1) as Boot Option #1, ensuring it boots without legacy drive dependency.
  • Reassigned Drive Letters: In Disk Management, changed M.2_3 (data drive) from F: to 😧 and later set the original M.2 drive to E:, aligning with my preferred layout.
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