CPU/DRAM LEDs flashing

[lewis2s6d]

PC Specialist PC has served me well for over 7 years - very happy customer!

Sadly it has started to develop issues. It started not booting properly now and again (no POST beep), and would need to be restarted a couple of times before it would eventually boot to the BIOS menu:

Once it got started however, it had no problems at all. I was doing some reasonably heavy multitasking/gaming on it a couple of nights ago and it didn't break a sweat - it's never crashed in use.

As of a couple of days ago however, it won't work at all. I replaced the CMOS battery and reset the CMOS, but to no avail. I've tried flashing the BIOS via the USB flashing feature on the motherboard, but I couldn't get this to work. The CPU and DRAM LEDs are both flashing when the PC is started up - any ideas? What's the most likely culprit for a gradual death - motherboard, PSU, CPU?

 

[SpyderTracks]

Is there an overclock applied? As CPU's age, their overclocks will need to be adjusted as the silicon degrades.

Have you tried resetting BIOS to defaults?

 

[lewis2s6d]

Is there an overclock applied? As CPU's age, their overclocks will need to be adjusted as the silicon degrades.

Have you tried resetting BIOS to defaults?

Thanks for the speedy reply!

Nope, never overclocked (I think the message in the image above is a default one after a reset?)

I can't get it to boot to the BIOS menu at the moment - is there any other way I can get it to defaults? I've tried the USB BIOS Flashback with the latest BIOS (renamed Z77V.CAT) but it was unsuccessful - five second of flashing from the LED then a solid light (indicated naming/file error of BIOS on memory stick according to manual?).

 

[SpyderTracks]

Thanks for the speedy reply!

Nope, never overclocked (I think the message in the image above is a default one after a reset?)

I can't get it to boot to the BIOS menu at the moment - is there any other way I can get it to defaults? I've tried the USB BIOS Flashback with the latest BIOS (renamed Z77V.CAT) but it was unsuccessful - five second of flashing from the LED then a solid light (indicated naming/file error of BIOS on memory stick according to manual?).

So what happens if you press F1 on that POST screen?

 

[lewis2s6d]

So what happens if you press F1 on that POST screen?

It used to take me into the BIOS - however I can't even get that POST screen anymore (it used to take a few reboots to get there a couple days ago)!

Currently all I get is fans etc and the flashing LEDs on the motherboard.

 

[SpyderTracks]

It used to take me into the BIOS - however I can't even get that POST screen anymore (it used to take a few reboots to get there a couple days ago)!

Currently all I get is fans etc and the flashing LEDs on the motherboard.

That sounds like the BIOS is corrupt.

Not a good sign unfortunately.

You can try the following to reset the BIOS via hardware:

[Motherboard/Desktop] How to restore BIOS setting? | Official Support | ASUS Global

If that doesn't work, it does sound like it may have given up the ghost unfortunately.

 

[lewis2s6d]

That sounds like the BIOS is corrupt.

Not a good sign unfortunately.

You can try the following to reset the BIOS via hardware:

[Motherboard/Desktop] How to restore BIOS setting? | Official Support | ASUS Global

Uhoh. I have tried that a couple of times unfortunately (not easy to move that jumper with big hands)!

If that doesn't work, it does sound like it may have given up the ghost unfortunately.

Diagnosis: motherboard death? Sounds expensive... Anything else I can try?

 

[SpyderTracks]

Uhoh. I have tried that a couple of times unfortunately (not easy to move that jumper with big hands)!



Diagnosis: motherboard death? Sounds expensive... Anything else I can try?

If you can't get into the BIOS, it does point to BIOS failure and that hardware reset is the last resort at resurrection. If that's failing then unfortunately the motherboard is toast.

Given the older nature of it, it's not really worth replacing like for like as 1. will be difficult to source that gen motherboard to fit the CPU, and 2. doesn't really make sense given the age of it.

It may be time to consider an upgrade. You can certainly still use a lot of parts from the build to reduce costs.

 

[lewis2s6d]

If you can't get into the BIOS, it does point to BIOS failure and that hardware reset is the last resort at resurrection. If that's failing then unfortunately the motherboard is toast.

Given the older nature of it, it's not really worth replacing like for like as 1. will be difficult to source that gen motherboard to fit the CPU, and 2. doesn't really make sense given the age of it.

It may be time to consider an upgrade. You can certainly still use a lot of parts from the build to reduce costs.

Sad times! It's served well at any rate.

Thanks very much for your help. An upgrade may have to be on the cards - presumably I can just start with the MOBO and CPU and go from there!

 

[SpyderTracks]

Sad times! It's served well at any rate.

Thanks very much for your help. An upgrade may have to be on the cards - presumably I can just start with the MOBO and CPU and go from there!

You'd have to do a minimum of mobo, cpu and RAM as we're now on DDR4 so your current RAM wouldn't be compatible.

 

[Scott]

Are you 100% certain that you had the correct BIOS upgrade file and you followed all the instructions to a T? There are often times you need to gradually step up the BIOS rather than just installing the latest one.

What you describe is CPU-Motherboard incompatibility. This suggests that the BIOS is incorrect or insufficient for the pairing you have. The screenshot you provided, if it is your own, definitely shows an overclock applied to the system. This would easily explain your initial issue and would have been resolved very quickly had you asked at the time.

You may still be able to salvage the system if you can do an in-place USB upgrade. Is it via a hotswitch button to force the BIOS upgrade from a dedicated USB? If it is..... you have a chance to go around it. If not, it would need a specialist to look at it and would cost more than the board is worth.

 

[lewis2s6d]

Are you 100% certain that you had the correct BIOS upgrade file and you followed all the instructions to a T? There are often times you need to gradually step up the BIOS rather than just installing the latest one.

Not 100% at all. By the looks of it I was trying to update from version 1606 to version 2104. Downloaded the new one from ASUS. Tried it named as downloaded, in the root drive of a FAT32 mem stick, no joy. Tried renaming it to Z77V.CAT (it's not clear in the manual what it should be named, only that it should be named correctly) - still no joy. Haven't tried gradually stepping up!

What you describe is CPU-Motherboard incompatibility. This suggests that the BIOS is incorrect or insufficient for the pairing you have. The screenshot you provided, if it is your own, definitely shows an overclock applied to the system. This would easily explain your initial issue and would have been resolved very quickly had you asked at the time.

It is my screenshot from a couple days ago. I never applied an overclock and I didn't have it overclocked from PCS - I'd read that it might also bring up that screen after repeated sudden losses of power?

You may still be able to salvage the system if you can do an in-place USB upgrade. Is it via a hotswitch button to force the BIOS upgrade from a dedicated USB? If it is..... you have a chance to go around it. If not, it would need a specialist to look at it and would cost more than the board is worth.

Yep, there's a dedicated USB (one furthest away on the networking port group according to manual) and a button to press. I powered the pc off until all the lights went off. Turned power back on. Pressed the button with USB in place, it flashed for 5 seconds and then stayed on (indicating wrongly named file and/or failure to update bios as per the manual). Have I missed something obvious?

 

[Scott]

You're not meant to turn the power on as far as I know. It updates in standby according to the manual?

Also, according to the manual, the naming convention is as follows:

P8Z77-V - Z77VB.CAP

That means you should have named the download Z77VB.CAP rather than Z77V.CAT


So..... if you still have the file, rename it Z77VB.CAP
Plug in the power, but do not turn on the PC
Plug in the USB
Hold the USB Flashback button for 3 seconds
Cross your fingers

FYI, this is the file I downloaded to look at https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA1155/P8Z77-V/P8Z77-V-ASUS-2104.zip
Extract it and rename it as above. It's a CAP file to start with which seems correct.

 

[lewis2s6d]

Also, according to the manual, the naming convention is as follows:

P8Z77-V - Z77VB.CAP

That means you should have named the download Z77VB.CAP rather than Z77V.CAT

Ah I looked everywhere in the manual for this but couldn't find it! Where was it at?! Hopefully it'll work...I'll give it a whirl when I get home from work.

 

[Scott]

Were you looking at the physical manual? I just went onto the ASUS website, into the documentation for the model and dug around at the various literature. There are often amendments made to the manuals etc so it's always best to go to the manufacturer website and get the latest instruction/information.

Z77/H77 BIOS Renaming Rule for USB Flashback - https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA1155/P8H77-M/DE103_Z77_H77_Series_BIOS_Renaming.pdf

P8Z77-V User's Manual (English) - https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA1155/P8Z77-V/E7074_P8Z77-V.pdf

The upper link has the naming convention information. The bottom one describes how to use Flashback (Don't turn the PC on, etc).

 

[lewis2s6d]

Were you looking at the physical manual? I just went onto the ASUS website, into the documentation for the model and dug around at the various literature. There are often amendments made to the manuals etc so it's always best to go to the manufacturer website and get the latest instruction/information.

Z77/H77 BIOS Renaming Rule for USB Flashback - https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA1155/P8H77-M/DE103_Z77_H77_Series_BIOS_Renaming.pdf

P8Z77-V User's Manual (English) - https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA1155/P8Z77-V/E7074_P8Z77-V.pdf

The upper link has the naming convention information. The bottom one describes how to use Flashback (Don't turn the PC on, etc).

I'm such an idiot, that's exactly where I got the manual from but was apparently too blind to spot the renaming rules document! Thanks for that!

Fingers crossed...

 

[Scott]

Easy done, hopefully you can get it back to life

 

[lewis2s6d]

Easy done, hopefully you can get it back to life

So I tried renaming the file to Z77VB.CAP and watched as the LED flashed...1...2...3..4...5 seconds...still flashing...nope! Stayed on. No boot!

Then on a whim remembered that (as you pointed out above) it already has the CAP file type as downloaded, so I removed the extension and tried again.

IT LIVES!!!!

Thanks both so much for your help. Are there any other diagnostics I should run to check it's health generally (in case something caused the original issue and then I killed this BIOS myself trying to fix them)? No other symptoms so far...!

 

[lewis2s6d]

Tried renaming it to Z77V.CAT

For the record this was a typo in my post, no cats were harmed in the resurrection of this PC 😂

 

[Scott]

Great news.

The only thing you would need to configure is anything you had configured through preference before. It's completely stock/default settings now so only customisation is missing.