Rampage IV Extreme died in it's sleep.

[bassetwrangler]

After six months of daily use, I shutdown normally last night but this morning my system would not start. Power supply is not being turned on. Start button, Reset button and BIOS LEDs are all lighted but pressing the case's power button or the motherboard's Start button does nothing (Debug LEDs are not lighted). Swapped power supplies with the same result. I’ve built more than 10 systems and I’m a software engineer with a high degree of technical knowledge.

I tried all the simple things (remove and replace battery, clear CMOS) with no success. Has anybody seen this problem or know of any other trouble shooting techniques?

[bassetwrangler]

Mason@ASUS wrote:
Hi OP,
I have to say this is a strange one as I haven't heard of many cases where a board falls into a permanent sleep.
I would probably reseat everything including the CPU and then rebuild the system and see if you get any different result. If not, PM me and I'll help you with an RMA if you haven't already gotten one issued for you for this case.

I was hesitant to reseat the CPU since Socket 2011 is so subject to damage and I KNEW that this was an unlikely source of the problem. But since I had my RMA in hand (and had just submitted my ARS request form) I removed the CPU, inspected the socket and replaced it and, to my great surprise, the motherboard came back to life.

I sent xship_rma@asus.com a message requesting that the RMA (RMA# X-USPT281288) be cancelled and the ARS request form be ignored. If you could do anything to be sure that it is cancelled and I do not receive the replacement which, apparently, I do not need I would appreciate it.

Thank you.

[Toddd240]

bassetwrangler wrote:
I was hesitant to reseat the CPU since Socket 2011 is so subject to damage and I KNEW that this was an unlikely source of the problem. But since I had my RMA in hand (and had just submitted my ARS request form) I removed the CPU, inspected the socket and replaced it and, to my great surprise, the motherboard came back to life.

I sent xship_rma@asus.com a message requesting that the RMA (RMA# X-USPT281288) be cancelled and the ARS request form be ignored. If you could do anything to be sure that it is cancelled and I do not receive the replacement which, apparently, I do not need I would appreciate it.

Thank you.

wow that's like the patient walking out of the coroner's vehicle.

[chrsplmr]

awesome job op... no quit in ya.. all ROG.c.

[jollywombat]

Is there a bent or slightly out of place pin or something? Very odd to see that behavior, but glad to hear it worked out.

[bassetwrangler]

jollywombat wrote:
Is there a bent or slightly out of place pin or something? Very odd to see that behavior, but glad to hear it worked out.

Not that I could detect by direct observation or with magnification. Remember, it was in use daily for six months and not recently moved or jarred. I run my 3960x with x 45 multiplier, am liquid cooled and I closely monitor temperature. The socket contacts could have been affected by environment somehow (humidity?) but I've never seen that happen before. Once that CPU is clamped in, it's not going anywhere.

I'm happy it's working again (and it was an opportunity to blow out six months worth of dust and dog hair) but I don't fault ASUS and do appreciate the forum responders.

[bassetwrangler]

Reseating the CPU must not have corrected the problem because the motherboard is again dead (does not turn on the power supply from either the external Power On or internal Start switches). After it revived yeseterday, I rebooted it multiple times and used the machine (even upgrading the BIOS) for more than twelve hours and shut it down normally. This morning it is dead. Reseating the CPU and cleaning the contact surfaces with a pencil eraser had no effect this time.

This is maddening. I'm going to try and revive the RMA I cancelled to get a replacement this time.

[HiVizMan]

Please have a look at the amount of bend your board has near the socket area. I have found that if I tighten the block too much I get measurable motherboard curvature. This can impact on the traces and might be the reason why your system is not powering up.

[bassetwrangler]

HiVizMan wrote:
Please have a look at the amount of bend your board has near the socket area. I have found that if I tighten the block too much I get measurable motherboard curvature. This can impact on the traces and might be the reason why your system is not powering up.

Interesting theory. I'm using an EK-Supreme HF cooling block and it seems like the Rampage's heavy duty back plate would prevent much curvature.

But to add to this incredible behavior, when I returned from a lunch run yesterday the computer had come to life and booted itself while I was gone. It was displaying the BIOS menu, because I had tried going to the 2nd BIOS when it was unresponsive to the Power or internal Start buttons which had not been configured to ignore the CPU fan speed (I'm liquid cooled). I switched back to the 1st BIOS (which was correctly configured), reset and successfully rebooted Windows. I am now afraid to shut down the system for fear of it going catatonic again.

I do mostly firmware work now, but for many years I was a Window's (and other OS) driver developer so I pretty familiar with the intrinsics of PCs. This behavior (of spontaneously coming to life) seems as if it is driven by some external event. But since it persisted when I disconnected everything from the motherboard except one stick of ram and the power supply, I can't imagine what it might be. In any case, I'm far less curious than my desire and need to make this problem go away so I'll be reviving my RMA ASAP.

[wolfs21t]

I am having the same problem as the OP in this tread. Computer fails to boot but start and reset lights are lit and Power supply LED is lit as well.

[HiVizMan]

Have you tried all the steps listed in the original thread? I would strongly suggest that you start your own support thread here wolf.