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Maximus IX Hero wont boot with memory slots A1/A2 populated

Gabrielmage
Level 7
Hello guys,

I'm having trouble with my motherboard, when i first started the build all memory slots worked fine, but after a couple of days i was playing some overwatch and the game started closing by itself (3 times), i kept re-opening it until windows BSOD (Bad-pool-header), by the time my pc rebooted i couldn't get the bios to boot, i would get a 55 or 3F q-code. I tried several times to clean cmos, memoryOK!, battery removal and installing memory dimms in different locations until i got it to work.

At that point i was happy, but as soon as i would get inside windows it would BSOD on me. I decided to reinstall windows, and at first everything was working fine until it started crashing on me again.

So.. i decided to test it with 2 dimms of memory installed at a time as i was afraid that my memory got fried or something, the pc is rock solid with 2 dimms at a time.

The thing is that i can not for the life of me get the pc to boot on the memory banks A1/2, if i install something on A1 and/or A2 i keep getting q-code 49 and a continuous loop between 01-03. If i install all banks at once i usually get a q-code 55, but if i install anything on B1/2 the pc boots right away. No cmos clean, memoryOK! nor battery removal helped me this time.

I've tried with a different memory stick from a friend, and got the same results. Do you guys have any ideas?

Build:

Asus: Maximus IX Hero (latest bios)
Intel: i7 7700K (@ stock speeds)
Corsair: Vengance LED 32gb (4*8) 3000mhz (@2133mhz)
Cosair: H100i v2
Gigabyte: GTX 1080
EVGA: SuperNova G3 850W
Windows 10 Pro

Thanks in advance for you help! 🙂
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69 REPLIES 69

Raja@ASUS wrote:
What's the part number of your memory kit?

To debug, do this:

1) update to the latest UEFI version
2) See if the board POSTs with a single memory module in slot A2.
3) If it does not POST, power down the board, turn off the PSU, and move the memory module to slot B2.
4) Power up the system, once it POSTs, enter UEFI, go into the DRAM timing section and select Maximus Tweak Mode 2.
5) Save and exit UEFI.
6) When the system POSTs, enter UEFI, then press the power button on the board to power it down.
7) Turn off the PSU.
😎 Insert a second memory module into A2, (leave the other module in B2).
9) Power up the system.
10) If steps 2-9 do not work, try again but this time use Maximus Tweak Mode 1. Do not use XMP at any part of this process. Want to see if the board will POST at 2133.
11) Try the same as above, but this time set System Agent Voltage and IO voltage to 1.25V manually - just to see if its a timing related issue.

If none of this works, it's highly unlikely there is an electrical issue with the board - given you have tried multiple motherboards. The issue is either with the CPU cooler/board mounting, CPU, or the firmware. That latter I can rule out once you supply me with a memory kit part number, as I can ask someone here to replicate if need be.

-Raja


Hey Raja, tried everything you said

When i used only A2 i get a CC q-code, followed by a 55. (And I'm unable to boot)
If i install B2 + A2, i get a 49 first, then a loop between 01 and 03.

This is the same for all cases you've proposed I test

Memory kit part number: CMU32GX4M4C3000C15B.

Gabrielmage wrote:
Hey Raja, tried everything you said

When i used only A2 i get a CC q-code, followed by a 55. (And I'm unable to boot)
If i install B2 + A2, i get a 49 first, then a loop between 01 and 03.

This is the same for all cases you've proposed I test

Memory kit part number: CMU32GX4M4C3000C15B.



Even with System Agent and IO voltage set manually to 1.25V? What happens if you manually set DRAM voltage to 1.35V, as well? Test that out also (same test method as my previous post), and let me know what happens. See if you still get the same codes.

Raja@ASUS wrote:
Even with System Agent and IO voltage set manually to 1.25V? What happens if you manually set DRAM voltage to 1.35V, as well? Test that out also (same test method as my previous post), and let me know what happens. See if you still get the same codes.


Raja: Upping the DRAM voltage changed nothing, behaves exactly the same, same codes and everything. I've been in contact with Intel support as well, just so you know I've run their Diagnostic tool and the CPU's IMC seems to be working fine, the test passed without errors. (I've attached a screenshot)

Gabrielmage wrote:
Just out of curiosity, you pc won't boot with 4 dimms at the same time, but do all dimms work? Because i couldn't make it boot with the A1/2 but worked fine with B1/2


I am having the same issue. All 4 dimms work but only 2 at a time, for me they only work in the last 2 slots furthest from the CPU. If I install the 2 slots closest to the CPU I get no post at all.

Newegg won't refund RMA unless ASUS says it's defective.

I agree that the CPUs nowadays get bent so easily. That being said, and considering that you've tried other RAM modules, I guess there's no other way other than RMAing the board.

damianme wrote:
I agree that the CPUs nowadays get bent so easily. That being said, and considering that you've tried other RAM modules, I guess there's no other way other than RMAing the board.


The one thing i couldn't try yet is the CPU in another motherboard, i'll try to do that this weekend with a friend. If everything works, then i guess is RMA again for me.

Hi,
Please let me know if anyone has managed to overcome this problem with only B1 and B2 memory sockets available?

I have had the same problem lately with the Maximus viii Hero Alpha when I rebuilt the pc in a new case. I installed Windows 11 which worked fine for a couple of days with 1 memory module in A2 and 1 memory module in B2 as recommended by ASUS. Then Windows reported a hardware issue and wanted the windows 11 system disk. I shut down instead, hoping to run BIOS setup, but the motherboard would not boot and no video output. I re-seated the CPU after checking the pins and re-seated the memory modules but still no BOOT. I was a bit concerned in case the new graphics card failed, when tested in another PC IT was working OK. I them swapped he memory modules and only got them to work in Slots B1 and B2. Looking at the same problem other users had, regarding distortion of motherboard, made me think that I fitted a Be Quiet! Pure Rock 2 cooler to this motherboard and was not happy at the time to fit this cooler as the standoff Pillars are made of metal that lock on to the motherboard over visible circuits. Contacting Be Quiet! mentioning the insulation problem there claimed no problems with the product, but I them noticed on close inspection of the Pillars that they have in fact very thin almost invisible nylon washers attached to the bottom of the Pillar. So the sales team do not know their own product. I then decided to fit the cooler which fits quite tight to their own brackets. This may be the problem which has done damage to the motherboard. Intel coolers do not fit so tightly.

Stanford

Raja
Level 13
I've never used Intel's tests as they can provide false positives.

If the SA/IO voltage at 1.25V and DRAM voltage set manually to 1.35V do not help, something weird is going on with the board itself. Almost wondering if the CPU cooler is causing it.

Raja@ASUS wrote:
I've never used Intel's tests as they can provide false positives.

If the SA/IO voltage at 1.25V and DRAM voltage set manually to 1.35V do not help, something weird is going on with the board itself. Almost wondering if the CPU cooler is causing it.


I'm using a Corsair H100i V2, have you ever had issues related to them? I mean, there is no much pressure on the board itself, its not like a giant air cooler weighting down on it.

Also, I've tried the 4 memory dimms in a friends PC, and it booted right away. Were you able to test the mother my memory kit as you said you would?

I'm running out of options here, I could get a replacement for the CPU but i don't know if the issue lies there. I might be able to try it in another another pc with my memories.

Thanks!

Gabrielmage wrote:
I'm using a Corsair H100i V2, have you ever had issues related to them? I mean, there is no much pressure on the board itself, its not like a giant air cooler weighting down on it.

Also, I've tried the 4 memory dimms in a friends PC, and it booted right away. Were you able to test the mother my memory kit as you said you would?

I'm running out of options here, I could get a replacement for the CPU but i don't know if the issue lies there. I might be able to try it in another another pc with my memories.

Thanks!



I won't be testing the kit myself - still checking if HQ has the same kit. If they do I will ask for a replication.

Trying the CPU in a different board would be a good idea.