Strix X670E-I Gaming WIFI - EXPO cannot access BIOS on Display port

[chrislocho]

After updating the BIOS from factory version (some 2023 version) I am unable to access BIOS with EXPO enabled. When the ROG logo usually appears and the prompt to press f2 or del comes up, I get {DisplayPort no signal} instead. I was able to access the BIOS in the previous version.

The weirdest thing is that I followed some tip online and used the HDMI port on the graphics card and able to get into BIOS fine. Otherwise, the system runs fine and posts, haven't done extensive testing though.

I have rolled back a few versions (2611/2413/2412/2214) hoping I would get one that works with EXPO&DP but no luck. 

Would anyone have any solutions to this? Seems like an odd bug that doesn't let the display port show BIOS. Right now I'm contemplating just turning off EXPO since a few months down the line I might forget about this and try to get into BIOS then panic all over again. 

Thanks in advance! 

CPU: 7800X3D
MB: Strix X670E-I Gaming WIFI
GPU: 4080S FE
RAM: (in QVL) G.SKILL F-5 6000J3038F16GX2-TZ5NR 

[Jiaszzz_ROG]

Hello, @chrislocho 

Thank you for reaching out to us.
Could you please confirm that the DP port initially worked properly and the system could boot into BIOS when EXPO was enabled, but after rolling back to an older BIOS version, regardless of which BIOS version is updated, the system is unable to enter BIOS when EXPO is enabled but works fine when HDMI is connected?
May I ask if you have used any extension cables or adapters to connect the GPU or any other hardware?
Under the latest BIOS version 2611, with only one RAM module installed in the DIMM_A slot and after clearing CMOS, does the issue persist when enabling EXPO and loading the memory timings optimized by ASUS?

Is there any difference when disabling Fast Boot in the BIOS settings?

Thank you.

[chrislocho · Accepted solution]

Dear Jiaszzz, 

Good news is that I got Expo working with the BIOS. Unfortunately I don't remember which setting did the trick. 

One of my tries I only disabled fast boot, but it by itself did not work. 

What I have recorded as changes are: 
Fast boot- disabled
Memory context restore( both of them) - Enabled
Launch CSM - Enabled
Power down mode - Enabled ( I don't think I changed this)
EXPO -1 
FCLK - 2000mhz for 6000 ram
And for good measure I bought a brand new DP cable.

IIRC I changed the desktop refresh rate back to 60 and the BIOS option came up. I changed it back along with the Display port cable and all was well from there. 

Although this may not be the best solution for any others in the future, at least this is a list to get them started. 
Benchmarked fine and got (slightly better than expected) scores.
I am using a shielded riser cable.

[achugh]

Hi @chrislocho now that everything is working for you, you should go back into BIOS and set your CSM value to DISABLED. This will make you BIOS work in UEFI mode instead of LEGACY mode which will enable newer features and better Windows Recovery Support when things go bad. Using HWiNFO FREEWARE tool you can check if it is reporting your SYSTEM SUMMARY is showing UEFI or not.

Hopefully this information will help you avoid issues in future as well.

[chrislocho]

Hey @achugh ,  thanks for the tip! I took your advice and went and turned CSM off.... Then the problem emerged again. Thankfully I'm that little bit more knowledgeable now that I could get around this bug by using the HDMI cable to get into BIOS again. So now its back to Enabled.  

With CSM Enabled, I opened HWiNFO and checked. Is UEFI BIOS : Capable - what I want ? 

[achugh]

Hi @chrislocho , it seems your GFX Card and the built-in CPU Graphics (called iGPU) are not playing nice (that's my guess at the moment). When you say you have an HDMI cable connected or a Display Port Cable connected. Can you please elaborate on where on your PC are these cables connected?

Is you Display Port cable connected to the motherboard's Rear I/O HDMI or Display Port? Or both these cables are connected to your 4080S FE GFX card?

Can you also confirm that your 4080S FE GFX card is in the 1st PCIe X16 slot closest to the CPU? Also what all slots for M.2 are in use in your configuration?

Looking at your motherboard's BIOS manual it seems enabling CSM will get you VGA compatibility support by going into legacy mode. See page 86 of your BIOS manual at https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/Socket%20AM5/ROG_STRIX_X670E-E_GAMING_WIFI/E20544_ROG_STRIX_X6... below.

I am not sure if you always had CSM enabled and after the BIOS upgrade the system got reset to defaults where CSM got disabled causing you troubles or something else changed in the BIOS to detect connected hardware.