Asus P9X79-E WS BIOS too old for CPU??

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lcs_tlf

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Oct 26, 2013
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Hello,
I recently purchased a P9X79-E WS mother board from Asus, and a i7-4930K CPU.

Asus says the CPU is compatible and will work, but I am getting the blue CPU_Diagnostics light.
After some research I found out that older BIOSs will not support that CPU and that I need to upgrade. I have BIOS 0211? and am not sure how to update it due to a change in the BIOS that was made in version 1203. Has anyone else dealt with this problem?? Any help would be great!

Thanks,
Trevor
 
Solution
S


0211 BIOS does not support 4930k. You need to update to most recent BIOS 1301. I have renamed the BIOS file so that it is good to go for the BIOS flash update on the P9X79-E-WS. You can download it from me at:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/792d7qcrqly7t94/P9X79EWS.CAP
I recommend the following steps.
1.Reformat USB thumb drive with FAT32 ( not the quick format, uncheck this option)
2. Download the file from the above link
3. With power disconnected, plug the PSU into the motherboard's 24...
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You can use the .ROM BIOS up to version 1305.
Your CPU is listed as needing version 1203 or higher.
After version 1305 go to the download section of the official ASUS product site and use the BIOS Converter for .CAP support first. After that you use the .CAP BIOS.
 
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0211 BIOS does not support 4930k. You need to update to most recent BIOS 1301. I have renamed the BIOS file so that it is good to go for the BIOS flash update on the P9X79-E-WS. You can download it from me at:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/792d7qcrqly7t94/P9X79EWS.CAP
I recommend the following steps.
1.Reformat USB thumb drive with FAT32 ( not the quick format, uncheck this option)
2. Download the file from the above link
3. With power disconnected, plug the PSU into the motherboard's 24 pin power connector. Leave any other power connectors unplugged including the CPU 8 pin power connector
4 Turn the PSU on and MOBO should light up. Do NOT power n the MOBO just leave it lit up once the PSU is turned on.
5. Insert the USB with the above file in the root directroy into the white USB 2.0 on back of MOBO (at the bottom of the USB stack next to the BIOS button)
6 Hold down the BIOS button for 4 seconds. It should flash once then pause and then begin flashing steady as it updates the BIOS. Takes a few minutes. If the light goes solid after a few seconds the BIOS update did not work. If it flashes beyond 5 seconds that should indicate the process is going and you should be good to go.
 
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Solution


Those drives are pretty flaky hence the suggestion to to do a full reformat. glad you discovered the defective drive and it worked out for you.
 
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Hello,
I had the same problem as lcs. So I did what you recommended and it seemed to work all the way to reflash the BIOS (the BIOS light eventuall turned off as completed). But I am still having the same problem. I checked the CPU socket and all is fine, removed everything from the MOBO except ofc the main power of the PSU etc. The CPU is the same: i7-4930K and is brand new. The motherboard is new too... But the blue light (CPU) stays on and the counter to "00". Running out of options... Any other ideas?
 
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Couple of questions?
You updated the bios to 1301 using the file in the above link?
The process ran for 2 or 3 minutes with the light blinking continuously until the process completed?
When you now power up the blue light immediately comes on and code comes up 00?
 
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Yes to all. I used the file under the link above. The CD shows the same file but is from 13-Mar-13 while the one above is from November 2013. Both 8Mb. The process indeed ran for a few minutes flashing. Accelerating flashing at the end and finally stayed black. When I power the MOBO it immediately comes blue and stays, and the counter remains at 00. No sound.
 
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It sounds like the BIOS flash update process was successful since the flash did not come on solid but rather ran and went dark as you describe. You indicate that everything is unplugged with the exception of the main power of the PSU. I assume you are referring to the 24 pin EATXPWR power connector. You must also have the 8-pin EATX12V next to the rear DIMMS connected to power the CPU. If you have the Dr Power switch set to Enable than without power to the 8pin there is an LED next to the 8pin connector that will light if there is no power detected going into the CPU. If you have the 8pin connected than i suggest that you Enable the Dr Power swithc (if you have not already done so) to make sure the LED next to the 8 pin connector is not lit. If not lit than you have the appropriate 12v power going to the CPU and you can rule that out. If the light is on check all connections at 8pin and the PSU to make sure they are securely connected.
 
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Turned Dr Power switch to ON and plugged the 8-pin EATX12V - no red light flashing anymore indeed, but the situation remains unchanged... CPU blue light remains ON and the counter is still at 00, no sound.
 
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Without the 8 pin connected that would definitely had the Blue CPU light come on. After you connected the 8pin power connector and with the Dr Power switch enabled if there is no LED lit next to the 8 pin connector you now have power to the CPU. However, to make sure that the BIOS and the POST start up from the beginning make sure that you fully power down to clear everything - hold down power key on the board, then turn off the PSU and unplug it. wait until after all the lights on the MOBO have gone off and then plug the PSU back in and turn the PSU on. At this point the board should light up but again the LED next to the 8 pin connector should not be lit. If not lit power on the MOBO and see if the CPU light immediately goes blue with code at 00.
 
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I just unplugged the 24 pin and the 8 pin of the PSU (that was already shut-off and disconnected from the power socket), waited 5 minutes (to make sure all capacitors are depleted on the PSU and the MOBO), plugged everything back and restarted. Same issue... The PSU (Thermaltake of Toughpower 1000 W) has never been used before (new).
Also tried a different PSU, but same result...
 
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When you have the board powered up with the both the 24pin and the 8pin does the cpu get warm? If it stays cold that would indicate its not getting power (i highly doubt thats the issue at this point since there is no Power led lit but worth touching it to make sure its warming up). Also do you have the intel CPU fan attached to the CPU or some other heat sink? do the fans run at all when you first power up?
My best guess at this point, other than defective hardware (either a bad CPU or MOBO) is that the BIOS didn't properly update. I would bet on the latter. BIOS 1301 should work with that CPU. it is possible that the BIOS on the flash drive was not a perfect bit for bit copy and was partially corrupted during the copy process and thus the BIOS flash program ran but didn't accurately update the BIOS. I think before you can conclude its defective hardware you should probably try to flash the BIOS one more time. BTW, if for some reason you pushed the MEMOK button it could have restored the BIOS back to the original defaults. this button is used to tune the memory modules but also restores the BIOS to default and if you dont have any DIMMs connected it shouldn't do anything (other than fail the memory tests) but could have restored the original BIOS. I would start with a fresh download of the BIOS on a different and newly FAT32 formatted flash drive. I've seen these flash drives fail many times in undetectable ways. Also not sure if your board is in your case but you need to be careful you aren't shorting the board or CPU socket by having it sitting on a conductive surface. you can take it out of the case and put it on a wood cutting board to be sure this isn't happening. If the MOBO has power to both the 24 and 8 pin power connectors and the 1301 BIOS flash process is again successful you should not have the Blue LED come on with the CPU installed and receiving power from the 8pin connector. Also, the CPU should only seat correctly in one position buts its worth checking that the little arrow on the corner of the CPU matches the corner of the socket with the corresponding indicator just to make sure it is seated in teh socket correctly. Also give another check for any bent pins on the socket again. If the flash update is successful using a freshly downloaded and copied BIOS file on a new flash drive, the CPU is properly installed with no visible pin damage on the socket, and you have power going to both the 24 and 8 pin power connectors, I can only conclude that's its a hardware problem. I would suggest swapping the 8 pin power cable as well but if the power led light isn't coming on its most likely getting the proper voltage with your current cable. Unfortunately nothing else is immediately coming to mind (although its pretty late here on the east coast so i'm not at my clearest). Hope this works for you. good luck and let me know
 
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cpu gets warm indeed.
cpu cooled by a heat sink. Have removed it as well.
All fans run when attached. Now disconnected.
I am formatting (full) another flash drive and will try again.
MEMOK had been pushed earlier on, but that was before I reflashed the BIOS.
CPU set and was checked earlier for the arrow and the pins, all were found ok.
I had removed the MOBO from the case and placed it on its original protective plastic bag. Then on a mat and finally on wood.
So I guess it is a hardware problem. But which one would it be? I am living in a very remote place and will need to ship things back to Amazon.com... How can I tell if it is the MOBO or the CPU? They are both new.
Also: before reflashing the BIOS, should I first remove the battery or jump the pins to clear it?
Sorry for being so late... Here it is much earlier. Thanks for trying so hard.

Update: tried with 2 different flash drives --> same issue. They both updated correctly but the CPU blue light still remains ON on boot and counter remains a zero. CPU and socket checked again, all on wood platform. So now the question, which one to send back? CPU or MOBO? Thanks.
 
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It can't hurt to clear the CMOS but since you havent accessed the BIOS and made any changes yet I'm not sure what you would be clearing. However, its not a bad idea because If the BIOS is not fully/completely/successfully installed clearing this can only help. Make sure you have the PSU off and unplugged for a few minutes before the following steps;
1) popping out the battery
2) move the jumper cap from pins 1 and 2 to pins 2 and 3. remember there are two sets of jumpers in that location. it is the interior jumper that you are changing. the other is for the selecting between 3 and 4 pin fans. use a plastic tweezers if you cant do it with your fingers. also remember to touch the PSU or some other grounded device before getting your hands in there so as not to damage with any static electricity, 3) wait another 5 minutes and move the jumper back to pins 1 and 2., 4) re install the battery and 5) plug in the PSU and power back up. after you clear the CMOS follow the steps to reflash the BIOS.
With amazon you might want to buy a new CPU and new MOBO and later return (but within the return period) the ones that are ok rather than doing an exchange. You have a bit more flexibility on the timing of returning the current hardware, will get the new stuff faster and have duplicate pieces to play with. let me know how it goes. sorry i couldn't have been more helpful
 
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If you order a NEW one of each you can start with a quick swap of the CPU and if problem is solved return the the old CPU. if problem is not solved then return the CPU and the new MOBO. good luck
 
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Have returned both mobo and cpu. Amazon recredited me instead of swapping. As I was out of the country, I only found out a few days ago and had to re-order. I should get them this coming week. So by next weekend I should be in a position to revert. Thanks.

 
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Got the new mobo and CPU. Tried the new CPU first with old mobo. It worked immediately. So the old CPU was indeed faulty...

New issues:
1- Occasionally getting message on boot CPU fan failure. BIOS shows CPU fan running and counts RPM... Using a Noctua NH-U12 S for LGA 2011 sockets.
2- CPU running in optimum mode in BIOS (MSI 1301). CPU temp from 42degC to 72 degC (low load), sometimes up to 82dec C. Should I add another fan onto my noctua cooler? All in a cooler master large case with plenty large fans already.

 
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