ASUS Z87 Motherboards - Overview, Guides and Official Support

[ChongL]

I highly doubt my problem is board related, but Windows has been freezing on the splash screen where it says "Starting Windows" about 80% of the time. I have reinstalled the OS and it was OK for a little bit, but the issue came back after a while (maybe I corrupted something while I was OCing)? After multiple boot attempts with freezing, I cranked it back down to 4.0GHz from 4.7GHz it was able to boot OK after running CHKDSK on my RAID1 storage array. Had a graceful shutdown and it would not boot before I left for work this morning after 5+ tries of freezing @4.0.

I'm going to try rolling back to a backup I made yesterday when the freezing issue had only happened once when I get home.

For the record I have disabled ASMedia onboard SATA to rule out some devices and have the latest Catalyst and Intel RST drivers, and all the latest updates. Flashed the latest 0711 BIOS as well. I'll update tonight after work.

Any other ideas to try?

[Raja@ASUS]

Return to stock. Make sure CPU has not degraded in any way from being pushed.

[djt]

Having to hold the power button longer for the board to start: Are the onboard standby LEDs illuminated when you are pressing the power button? Might be a slight delay as the PSU switches on. Personally, I don't turn my PSU off at the wall every night - I utilize S3. ErP compliant means very low power leakage in S3 (standby) from these PSUs.

Yes I have seen the standby LED's illuminated. The reason why I was disconnecting it from the wall to begin with was as a extra precaution when swapping out hard drives (I'm using a Icydock FlexCage).

Can't really advise any more as I have to go by how you are describing the symptoms and that makes it difficult. I would not worry about overclocking your CPU until you've worked the basics of how the board works out and identified if there are any issues. The double-pump (restart) is normal from AC power cycle. The switch-on delay you are citing could just be your PSU getting power to the board after turn on, and you pressing the case power button too soon.

I wasn't looking at overclocking just yet, I was mainly interested in the most optimized settings for what limited hardware I have connected to the board. I've seen options in BIOS like ?memory scrambler? and haven't had a clue whether they should be enabled or disabled as an example.

Thanks again for the help.

[Praz]

I wasn't looking at overclocking just yet, I was mainly interested in the most optimized settings for what limited hardware I have connected to the board. I've seen options in BIOS like ?memory scrambler? and haven't had a clue whether they should be enabled or disabled as an example.

Unless pushing the board most of the secondary settings are already optimized at the defaults.

[cstkl1]

Hmm becareful of the new cpuz 1.65 n ai suite. It messes with the voltages.. N if u didnt check i can easily overvolt.
I have seen cache at 1.95. Digital i/o offset -0.999. Etc.
went back to 1.64.

Its the rog cpuz 1.65 x64 to be more specific.

[cstkl1]

Hmm new bios m6e. If apply in ai suite say stock in bios at offset auto. set in aisuite vcssa offset +0.175.
Get 1.0v

Restart. Vcssa is 1.0v in bios but offset auto.
Isnt this like dangerous?
Cause what if i set in bios say + 0.100n then + 0.100 in aisuite.
So after restart n load might end up with default at +0.200 with offset +0.100

[Raja@ASUS]

Not quite sure I follow. Any changes you make in AI suite are not written to UEFI. If you're saving profiles in AI Suite, then don't apply them if you're making changes in UEFI too. Things are dangerous if misused that is true - like it's dangerous to type in 2V for CPU VID and apply it (internal) when CPU is on air. I guess we just trust the users will not try that kind of misadventure.

Can you clarify what you mean a bit better please?

[ChongL]

Going back to optimized defaults did not fix the problem. However, moving the network card to a different PCI-e port did? Seems like both of the 1x slots on the bottom were causing issues with my ASUS PCE-AC66 card that caused the freezing on the loading screen. Is this something you guys can look into?

I have it in one of the X16 slots now and it boots up all the time. The one lockup I had was from clocking too high again afterwards.

[cstkl1]

Not quite sure I follow. Any changes you make in AI suite are not written to UEFI. If you're saving profiles in AI Suite, then don't apply them if you're making changes in UEFI too. Things are dangerous if misused that is true - like it's dangerous to type in 2V for CPU VID and apply it (internal) when CPU is on air. I guess we just trust the users will not try that kind of misadventure.

Can you clarify what you mean a bit better please?

Was testing some rams. Running using offset so vcssa is stock. Bios read at aisuite is 0.816 etc default offset 0.000.
Entered windows n was stressing ram. Ended up upping vcssa to +0.175v. Aisuite voltage read 1v

Restarted computer n entered bios. Was abt to type in offset vcssa +0.175v. Noticed the default read voltage now at 1v with offset 0.000.

So wondering if i didnt notice n entered offset 0.175 in bios. Will i end up with 1.175v??. Had to shutdown. Off psu to get it back to normal

The changes in aisuite for bios 031 made a change to the default voltage. Nvr happened before on older bios

[Raja@ASUS]

Going back to optimized defaults did not fix the problem. However, moving the network card to a different PCI-e port did? Seems like both of the 1x slots on the bottom were causing issues with my ASUS PCE-AC66 card that caused the freezing on the loading screen. Is this something you guys can look into?

I have it in one of the X16 slots now and it boots up all the time. The one lockup I had was from clocking too high again afterwards.

This is a known issue. I should have some news on this one soon.

[Raja@ASUS]

Was testing some rams. Running using offset so vcssa is stock. Bios read at aisuite is 0.816 etc default offset 0.000.
Entered windows n was stressing ram. Ended up upping vcssa to +0.175v. Aisuite voltage read 1v

Restarted computer n entered bios. Was abt to type in offset vcssa +0.175v. Noticed the default read voltage now at 1v with offset 0.000.

So wondering if i didnt notice n entered offset 0.175 in bios. Will i end up with 1.175v??. Had to shutdown. Off psu to get it back to normal

The changes in aisuite for bios 031 made a change to the default voltage. Nvr happened before on older bios

Okay, this is just UEFI reading the VID at reset. It won't actually be 1.00v. The offset will still be from default. It's just the way the voltage is read at reset. AI Suite does not change UEFI voltage for real. If you shutdown, it should come back reading the default VID.

-Raja

[ChongL]

This is a known issue. I should have some news on this one soon.

Good to know...I'll standby for an update

[cstkl1]

Raja can u show a guide how to set rtl manually like default.
Know we have been through this but so far its working great on asrock ocf.

So if theres a way pls tell. Its always changing n it can mean bsod in 1 min or prime custom test each fft run on large 45 mins pass 7 hours.

I really cannot find any other fault.

Symptoms exactly same as p67 until i key in manually the rtl.

[LardArse]

check rtl iol values at settings
add 2~3 or so to the biggest rtl value you see and key it into rtl initial value
once u see that it boots with the right initial value , disable dram swizzling bit2 and key in rtls / iols manually with the settings you first see.
and then loosen or tighten from there, RTL and iol should usually move in opposite directions.
variables for rtl is mainly TCL and freq & command rate, and slightly twcl.

[cstkl1]

check rtl iol values at settings
add 2~3 or so to the biggest rtl value you see and key it into rtl initial value
once u see that it boots with the right initial value , disable dram swizzling bit2 and key in rtls / iols manually with the settings you first see.
and then loosen or tighten from there, RTL and iol should usually move in opposite directions.
variables for rtl is mainly TCL and freq & command rate, and slightly twcl.

Ty. Ty. Found out on all of the rest except the most key part. Initial... N the proper procedure. Testing it now.

Ty sham. Ty raja for ure patience. Been bugging u abt rtl since x58 lol.

[cstkl1]

Awesome working. Last note is there a minimum delta between initial n max rtl value??

[LardArse]

usually at least one clock or more
obviously as well, initial and eventual values must fall within reasonable range according the frequency and TCL and command rate
higher the freq the bigger, the lower the tcl the lower, 1T lower than 2t and match accordingly with IOL of course

[cstkl1]

Got it. Again ty. Btw new bios is great.

[ChongL]

OK even the X16 slot isn't working with the wireless card anymore

[audiofreak]

Submitted an issue on the website for Z87-Pro BIOS USB smart card reader bug (system hang on boot/POST if you have a smart card inserted, resumes boot once card removed).

It got closed with a single word "Close!" by some guy called Jacek Zuchowski.

I tried emailing techsupport@asus.com but I got no reply.

It is really annoying to have to remove smart card from the USB smart card reader for the system to boot. BIOS 1205 which was released in the meantime does not fix it.

[Praz]

Submitted an issue on the website for Z87-Pro BIOS USB smart card reader bug (system hang on boot/POST if you have a smart card inserted, resumes boot once card removed).

It got closed with a single word "Close!" by some guy called Jacek Zuchowski.

I tried emailing techsupport@asus.com but I got no reply.

It is really annoying to have to remove smart card from the USB smart card reader for the system to boot. BIOS 1205 which was released in the meantime does not fix it.

Set your boot drive as the first boot device in the UEFI. Disable the second and third boot options. If the issue remains you need to accurately and completely list your system components/operating system including the the make and model of the card reader, the smart card and where the card reader is connected to. Raja will need this info for reporting to HQ. Also please keep in mind that his support is limited for users outside of North America.

[cstkl1]

No way u can do this on any other board. Sham RTL guide and bios 031.
4x4gb is different...2400mhz 9-11-10-28 1t 1.65v. Gskill binned this at this voltage. No room at all.

[audiofreak]

Set your boot drive as the first boot device in the UEFI. Disable the second and third boot options. If the issue remains you need to accurately and completely list your system components/operating system including the the make and model of the card reader, the smart card and where the card reader is connected to. Raja will need this info for reporting to HQ. Also please keep in mind that his support is limited for users outside of North America.

Boot is set to boot from Windows Boot Manager (UEFI install), other boot devices are disabled, CSM is enabled but UEFI boot is set to first.
I have already provided info about reader and card in the bug report which was closed in the most rude and unhelpfull way I have ever seen.

Regarding "limited support outside of North America" -- when you are selling on a global market you need to be able to handle support requests from everywhere. If you can't then don't sell your boards here.

Local support cannot fix BIOS for me, only BIOS engineers working in ASUS can. When we are at that, as far as I know smart cards usually are not bootable, not to mention that USB smart card reader should not be treated as storage class device. Finally, every I/O operation should have a timeout. I left the card in for several hours just to see what happens and the board just stays there with a blank screen until I remove the card from the reader.

[cstkl1]

Boot is set to boot from Windows Boot Manager (UEFI install), other boot devices are disabled, CSM is enabled but UEFI boot is set to first.
I have already provided info about reader and card in the bug report which was closed in the most rude and unhelpfull way I have ever seen.

Regarding "limited support outside of North America" -- when you are selling on a global market you need to be able to handle support requests from everywhere. If you can't then don't sell your boards here.

Local support cannot fix BIOS for me, only BIOS engineers working in ASUS can. When we are at that, as far as I know smart cards usually are not bootable, not to mention that USB smart card reader should not be treated as storage class device. Finally, every I/O operation should have a timeout. I left the card in for several hours just to see what happens and the board just stays there with a blank screen until I remove the card from the reader.

Read what he wrote. He said "HIS" support. Btw give some time. If its happening to ure smart reader .. Its happening on other things as well.

[cstkl1]

Btw whats swizzling bit 4 for?? Not on the rog guide.