ROG STRIX Z790-F GAMING WiFi won't boot up

[Yapper1]

Hello everyone! I have a problem with my PC, more precisely the Motherboard.

The problem is when I shut down the PC. It won't power up at all from the power button or reset or anything, unless I reset the CMOS from the button at the back. Then I get into the BIOS, everything looks OK and if I change anything and try to save the settings, the PC shuts down to reset and cannot be powered up by the power button or anything else. The cycle repeats if I reset the CMOS. The only way to get  the PC to start normally into Windows is to not change anything in the BIOS so it only restarts(not shut down) and then it loads normally. I've updated the BIOS to 1501. I was on 1402 before, tried with 1303 as well, still the same. Tried the flashback from USB, tried the flashback from the BIOS: all results are the same. The moment the PC needs to shutdown(even when updating the BIOS itself) it doesn't boot up. I have to reset the CMOS. What I notice is that the flashback LED keeps blinking even when I don't have a USB inserted in the flashback port or haven't pressed the flashback button after rebooting the PC.

I swapped the PSU - it wasn't it. I did a test on the RAM - it was fine, 0 errors. The Q-LED shows everything is fine when the PC boots up. I ran the tests without the GPU so it isn't that. I tried a minimum configuration with nothing external connected: only CPU, RAM, PSU and Motherboard - all the same. I also swapped the CMOS battery - no change.

My configuration:
Motherboard - ROG STRIX Z790-F GAMING WiFi
CPU - Intel Corei7 13700K
GPU - NVIDIA RTX 4090
PSU - ROG-THOR-1000P2-GAMING 1000W
RAM - Kingston Fury Renegade 6400 DDR5 32GB
OS - Windows 11 (all updated)

Thank you in advance!

[inge70]

You should stick to one thread. Describing your problem in 2 threads is confusing and won't help any more.

[bwandowando]

sure, thanks

[Paul9388]

I am also experiencing a similar issue with my Z790-F motherboard. I bought it and assembled my PC a year and 3 months ago. Worked perfectly. The issue started three days ago. I was using my PC as usual, shut it down, and the next day, it wouldn’t turn on. The power button doesn't respond. It only works after pressing the reset CMOS button or a few seconds after turning on the PSU. If I turn the PSU off and on, the power button will function for a few seconds.

Additionally, I couldn't boot normally from BIOS. I encountered many blue screens and various error codes. After several attempts, I managed to boot into Safe Mode, where the system remains stable until a restart. However, if I try to change any BIOS settings or enable the XMP profile for my RAM, the power shuts off completely. The same thing happens when I try to boot from a USB - the system just powers down.

The only thing that helped me boot into normal mode was removing one stick of RAM. Instead of having two 16GB sticks, I left only one in the A2 slot, and the system booted normally. It works fine when loaded like that, heavy applications and games run without issues, and the PC restarts without any problems. However, when I shut it down, the only way to turn it back on is by resetting the CMOS and booting from BIOS without making any changes or enabling XMP.

I’ve tried various troubleshooting steps. Interestingly, both RAM sticks work individually, but when used together, the system fails to boot into normal mode. I ran memory tests, all of which passed. I also tried different RAM sticks in different slots, both alone and together, used a different PSU, reconnected all cables, replaced the BIOS battery, and updated the BIOS to version 2503.

My PC specs are as follows: i7 13700K with Corsair AIO, Z790-F motherboard, Corsair Vengeance 32GB RAM, MSI RTX 4070 Ti, Corsair RM850x PSU, and Samsung M.2 2TB SSD.

For now, I’m keeping my PC in sleep mode, not sure what to do next. 

[bwandowando]

*sigh

Welcome to the club. I encountered this specific issue and plagued my rig for a few weeks. I was able to resolve it by updating my bios to a more recent one. Here are my experiences

• https://rog-forum.asus.com/t5/gaming-motherboards/rog-strix-z790-f-gaming-wifi-won-t-boot-up/m-p/103...
• https://rog-forum.asus.com/t5/gaming-motherboards/rog-strix-z790-f-gaming-wifi-won-t-boot-up/m-p/101...
• https://rog-forum.asus.com/t5/gaming-motherboards/left-pc-for-2-weeks-for-vacation-now-it-wont-turn-...

So far, this specific issue is now a thing of the past for me, but a new issue has appeared

• https://rog-forum.asus.com/t5/gaming-motherboards/3-weeks-after-bios-2503-update-asusz790-f-random-c...

So far my rig is "stable" for the past few days, but im running everything in STOCK/ DEFAULTS, and i even disabled XMP. It's the only way.

It may also havent been explicitly stated, but I also reseated my RAM and GPU, as well as cleaned and de-dusted my RIG. I also turn my rig off everyday.

During times that I see a WHITE LED illuminating from the MOTHERBOARD, what i do is i let it boot properly and dont do anything. Eventually there will be a display even if the WHITELED persists, and I do 2-3 GRACEFUL restarts and the WHITE LED eventually disappears.  THe boot times are VEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERY long with the latest BIOS.

Good luck with your motherboard. As being suggested by @Jiaszzz_ROG , might as well have it RMAd, in my case, this is the computer that I use for my deep learning and ML tasks at work thus I cant send this for RMA unless I cant really make it to properly power up (which takes like 10-20 CMOS resets when it's acting up)

[Jiaszzz_ROG]

Hello @Paul9388 

Due to the ongoing local holidays in our area, our response time may experience delays.
We apologize for any inconvenience the delayed replies may have caused.

May I ask if the issue you described occurred after any changes were made, such as adjusting BIOS settings or connecting an external device?
Could you also provide the part number of your current memory? And when installing two memory sticks, did you place them in the DIMM_A2 and B2 slots?

ASUS has verified the motherboard for the best stability and compatibility when installed with the devices in Memory QVL list.
If possible, we recommend cross-testing memory from the ROG STRIX Z790-F GAMING WIFI QVL list. 
Additionally, since your CPU model may be related to the issue, please cross-test the CPU if necessary to isolate the potential problem.

Thank you.

[Paul9388]

Hi, @Jiaszzz_ROG 
Yes, I use the correct slots. All issues are occured just randomly, when I tried to turn on my PC in the morning as usual. I didn't install any updates and didn't make any component changes before that happened. 

I've sent both ram sticks for RMA, and going to send the motherboard on Monday. Weird thing, but both parts broke down simultaneously. 

[Jiaszzz_ROG]

Hello @Paul9388

Thank you for providing the update and explanation of the situation.
If you decide to send the motherboard for repair, you can contact your retailer or the ASUS service support to arrange it.
After sending it for repair, if you have any concerns regarding the repair status or details, feel free to DM me and share the serial number and RMA number, as it may involve personal data verification.

Thank you.

[Jiaszzz_ROG]

Hello @bwandowando 

We advise against mixing different topics and content within the same discussion thread, as it may cause confusion for those who join the conversation later on. 
Please make sure to update your post in the corresponding discussion thread. 

Thank you.