[SOLVED] 4790K Devil's Canyon wont boot on ASUS Maximus VI Gene

[kingWhiffyJr]

Replacing the CPU in my rig, from i5-4670K to i7-4790K Devil's Canyon on my Maximus VI Gene. ASUS website says the board and chip are compatible since bios 1504. I have 1603.

When placed in, can't even get to post. Error LED code 00 (or D0 most likely which means CPU initialization error)

When the i5-4670K is thrown back in, everything is fine and boots up no problem.


Steps tried:
-Cleared CMOS with the button on the back of the mobo.
-Loaded optimized defaults in BIOS
-Tried powering on with no RAM
-RMA'd the i7-4790k for a replacement
- Reinstalled latest bios 1603 using EZ Flash and USB
-Removed graphics card and other unnecessary peripherals (except Corsair H60 CPU cooler)
-Reseated all cables and chip (I'm not putting the CPU in wrong, I swear)

I'm completely flummoxed and the customer support at ASUS seems just as confused. It's not a bad chip (original and replacement both have same issue), its not a bad board (the i5 boots up no problem) it can't be bios (freshly installed)

What is going on here? Anyone have any ideas? Thanks in advance.

 

[alceryes]

It sounds like ASUS is wrong. That chip is NOT compatible with that board.
Have you searched the wwws to see if there's any evidence of that combo being successfully used in the wild?

 

[Karadjgne]

It's the same chip. The i7-4790k is a i5-4670k with hyperthreading enabled at a factory level and a couple of voltage tweaks. And the Gene is one of Asus top performance models back then, as MAXIMUS should have been a clue. The only requirement for a bios update was to enable microcode recognition of the DC chips because all the original bios were written only for the Haswell series.

Asus is NOT wrong.
CM8064601710501 / BX80646I74790K / BXC80646I74790K / BXF80646I74790K
i7-4790K, 4 GHz, 4C, HT, L3:8M, HD Graphic, 88W, rev.C0 Bios: 1504

i7-4790K, 4 GHz, L3 8 MB, TDP 88 Watt, Rev C0, HD Graphics, Hyper-Threading, Quad-core Bios: 1504
(not sourced from Asus btw)

Op. I'd revert the bios, or first install 1504, then install 1603. I believe 1603 is just an update and may not include all the cpu tables. The i5 works because it's original bios series, the i7 is a later series, so isn't recognised by the original bios. Since 1504 is the original DC series, I'd start there.

 

[Bob125484]

I am not 100% sure but it looks like this is what Asus is asking on their bios/CPU support
https://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/MAXIMUS_VI_GENE/HelpDesk_BIOS/

1.....download bios Version 2.00.0220 14/07/24 7.16 MBytes using your old 4670K then update it
BIOS updater for New 4th Gen Intel Core Processors
Before using the new Intel 4th Gen Core processors, we suggest that you first update the BIOS using USB BIOS flashback, or download the BIOS updater for new Intel 4th Gen Core Processors and then update the BIOS using it.
2.....download bios 1603 then update it
3.....put in 4790K and it should work.
That is what I think but I may be 100% wrong.

 

[kingWhiffyJr]

Well, I love you guys.

It is working now.

I downloaded the BIOS updater tool from the support page, 1505 which could be found underneath the most recent BIOS. Look at the description, it says something like "If you want to use 4th gen processors, you should download this tool and update the BIOS". So I downloaded that tool as well as the 1504 BIOS, which was the first to be compatible with the Devil's Canyon series.

Even though at ASUS they told me that 1603 is Devil's Canyon compatible, it apparently isn't or wasn't for me.

I reverted the BIOS to 1504 using their tool, swapped the chip in... and GLORY! I'm almost afraid to re-update to 1603, but maybe I will.

Thanks all for your time.

 

[Karadjgne]

Ahh, but that's the gimmick. 1603 Is compatible WITH, doesn't say anything about compatibility FOR. If it's just an update, it'll override some of the existing info with fixes or recent additions, but may not contain the full compatability list for everything as that's assumed to be already existing.

Bios can be a little trixy, it's why I've always advocated finding your starting bios, then reading all the notes for newer bios, some are nothing more than updates, not full bios files, some are even bug fixes for previously released updates that introduced funky stuff. You can generally tell what's what by looking at the size of the bios. If it's on the smaller side, it's a update, if it's large then a full bios.

 

[kingWhiffyJr]

Ahh, but that's the gimmick. 1603 Is compatible WITH, doesn't say anything about compatibility FOR. If it's just an update, it'll override some of the existing info with fixes or recent additions, but may not contain the full compatability list for everything as that's assumed to be already existing.

Bios can be a little trixy, it's why I've always advocated finding your starting bios, then reading all the notes for newer bios, some are nothing more than updates, not full bios files, some are even bug fixes for previously released updates that introduced funky stuff. You can generally tell what's what by looking at the size of the bios. If it's on the smaller side, it's a update, if it's large then a full bios.

I think you’re totally right.

While on the 1504 bios, the rig ran just fine for a while, then would BSOD, and I assumed it was bc it was on an outdated bios.

I just recently used the updater to go from 1504 to 1603 about an hour ago. The cpu and mobo totally agree with each other now, no more BSOD at least for now.

Likely I needed to get 1504 first and then 1603 is just a smaller update, I agree. I can’t believe the 3 people at ASUS couldn’t tell me that.

Huge thing was downloading and using the ASUS bios updater tool which ran like a little widget executable from inside windows.

 

[kingWhiffyJr]

It's the same chip. The i7-4790k is a i5-4670k with hyperthreading enabled at a factory level and a couple of voltage tweaks. And the Gene is one of Asus top performance models back then, as MAXIMUS should have been a clue. The only requirement for a bios update was to enable microcode recognition of the DC chips because all the original bios were written only for the Haswell series.

Asus is NOT wrong.
CM8064601710501 / BX80646I74790K / BXC80646I74790K / BXF80646I74790K
i7-4790K, 4 GHz, 4C, HT, L3:8M, HD Graphic, 88W, rev.C0 Bios: 1504

i7-4790K, 4 GHz, L3 8 MB, TDP 88 Watt, Rev C0, HD Graphics, Hyper-Threading, Quad-core Bios: 1504
(not sourced from Asus btw)

Op. I'd revert the bios, or first install 1504, then install 1603. I believe 1603 is just an update and may not include all the cpu tables. The i5 works because it's original bios series, the i7 is a later series, so isn't recognised by the original bios. Since 1504 is the original DC series, I'd start there.

This dude right here. Pegged it first shot. What a G!

 

[Karadjgne]

Well it's not entirely Asus fault, most of them are customer service whom have a computer screen with troubleshooting tips or frequently asked/answered questions. As big as Asus worldwide is, it's not easy to find techs whom know asus in/out - front/back to cover every model between pc's to laptops, gpus to motherboards. They reside in the Tech department and you only get to them through customer service who aren't much more than pc literate secretaries. Sheer volume of calls/emails makes that necessary.

Coming here, no customer service, mostly nothing but techs, only some techs are far more knowledgeable than others or very good at connecting the dots.

I'm just happy it works, didn't know about the updater tool, but I do now 👍

 

[Phantash]

I'm having the same issue with an ASUS Z87-C, trying to upgrade from an i5 4570 to an i7 4790K, which ASUS says works with BIOS 2003 and above. Using the BIOS to update the BIOS won't work for this, you need the "BIOS updater for New 4th Gen Intel Core Processors" that worked for the OP. Trouble I'm having is: I can't install their updater without Intel Management Engine, and THAT says my system is not supported. The Advanced BIOS says ME is N/A.

I have a refund authorization for the chip, but darn it: if I can get it to work, I want it!

 

[Karadjgne]

IME can be found in the motherboard chipset drivers. If you've not installed those yet, I'd do so for all applicable drivers, like audio, Lan, chipset, USB, Sata etc.

Many people just skip those and rely on the generic windows drivers, which work, but really aren't designed specifically for your mobo, so don't allow it to get full performance in anything.