ASUS TUF z270, won't boot, POST code 0055, detect memory

[youngdaddy]

So, about a year ago I decided it was time for a system update, so I spend a lot of time researching (and saving up), and finally about tree weeks ago, I bought the components for my new rig.

I'd originally decided on an ASUS Sabertooth z170 motherboard, but since the new generation z270 motherborads where released at the start of this year, and wasn't much more expensive, I chose to run with an ASUS TUF z270 mark 1 instead.
So the core of my rig was as follows:

MB: ASUS TUF z270 mark 1
CPU: Intel i7 6700K 4 mHz Skylake
RAM: 2x Corsair Vengeange LPX 16 GB DDR4 2133 mHz
GPU: ASUS Strix GTX 1060
.. and so on..

As you can imagine, it set me back quite a few bucks, but once I had the hardware, I was very excited to do the build (Its only the second pc I've build myself).

So I set it all up, and tryed a boot. The fans started spinning, the LED's lit up.. and then nothing happened... There was no signal going to the monitor, and though I thought I heard a post beep, I wasn't quite sure..

So I took out the GPU and connected the monitor directly to the MB and tryed again. Still nothing, though this time I was sure there wasn't a post beep, and with the Grafics card out of the way, I could see that the DRAM LED indicator on the MB stayed lit.

I then poceded to try all manor of configurations with the two RAM modules. Orignially I had them in the A2 and B2 DIMM socket, as per the manual, but I now systematically tryed alle four sockets, with either or both RAMM modules.. still nothing.

I installed the TUF detective phone app, that ASUS has made for this series of Motherboards. And according to the app the MB stopped at POST code 0055 "detect memory" everytime (though sometimes it would flicker back and forth a few times). The app could also provide me with the insigth, that I had an Intel 6700k processor installed, as well as 16 GB 2133 mHz RAM (though embarrassingly enough, I would only later realize, that this only accounted for half the RAM I had installed at the time...). Finally the App informed me that the MB was running BIOS version 0505.

After lookling on a few forums for people with similar problems, I found a tip which said, that I needed a newer BIOS version. So I checked ASUS' webpage, and true enough, they said that I needed at least version 0604, in order for the MB to be compatible with pretty much any CPU.
So I contacted ASUS Tech support, and after a lengthly correspondance back and forth, they told me that it "might" help to do a BIOS flash, but that it should be compatible with my other hardware even with the 0505 BIOS version...

Since I've never done a BIOS flash, and since the ASUS tech wasn't sure it would do anything, I decided to RMA the MB instead (wasn't 100% sure that the problem was with the MB, but I figured that it was more likely, than both RAM modules beeing bust)..

.. And lo and behold, two days later I recived a brand new MB from the shop.. Happy me!

... Only when I set it up (last friday) I got excatly the same damn error! post 0055 "detect memory" all over again!..

So I'm at my wits end.. logic tells me, that the shop wouldn't have send me a new MB unless they had the same trouble I had, but two bust MB's in a row? seems very unlikely, especially since I can't find anything on it online (if it was a general issure, surely there would be articels? or youtube videos?).
So any and all ideas are welcome, at the moment I'm teetering between doing an other RMA, and trying for the BIOS flash, though I'm not sure either will work. Any Ideas?

Ohh and an interesting fact: This time round, the TUF detective app is reporting different hardware (an intel 7700k Kabylake CPU and only 4 GB 2133 mHz RAM (this even with NO RAM modules in!) Rather than what I'm actually using), which makes me think, that what it shows me isn't, and never was, my own hardware, but more likely the "test hardware" with which it last booted succesfully.. though I'm not sure, if this makes sense..?

I know this was a bit of a long one, so my sincere thanks to anyone who has the patience to read it, and provide assistance!

 

[MeanMachine41]

Qcode 55 is Memory not installed and is an indication that your RAM is not being recognized.
A Bios update may indeed resolve the issue.
As you've not done it before, Go to the ASUS Support here:https://www.asus.com/Motherboards/TUF-Z270-MARK-1/HelpDesk_Download/ and download latest Bios 0801 and also update your chipset and IME.

Once the Bios file is downloaded to and empty fat32 formatted USB stick, unzip and rename the file to Z270TUF1.CAP
Power down your system so there is only power to the MB. Insert the USB into the correct USB port on the rear IO panel and press the ROG Flashback button for 3secs. It will begin to flash and when it stops your done. Reboot the system. (refer to page 2-14 in your MB Manual)

 

[youngdaddy]

Qcode 55 is Memory not installed and is an indication that your RAM is not being recognized.
A Bios update may indeed resolve the issue.
As you've not done it before, Go to the ASUS Support here:https://www.asus.com/Motherboards/TUF-Z270-MARK-1/HelpDesk_Download/ and download latest Bios 0801 and also update your chipset and IME.

Once the Bios file is downloaded to and empty fat32 formatted USB stick, unzip and rename the file to Z270TUF1.CAP
Power down your system so there is only power to the MB. Insert the USB into the correct USB port on the rear IO panel and press the ROG Flashback button for 3secs. It will begin to flash and when it stops your done. Reboot the system. (refer to page 2-14 in your MB Manual)

Thank you mate, I think I will try updating the Bios.. though I was wondering, do I need to install the cpu and ram again, in order to do this, or can I simply hook up the Mb to the Psu, and that will suffice?

 

[MeanMachine41]

Qcode 55 is Memory not installed and is an indication that your RAM is not being recognized.
A Bios update may indeed resolve the issue.
As you've not done it before, Go to the ASUS Support here:https://www.asus.com/Motherboards/TUF-Z270-MARK-1/HelpDesk_Download/ and download latest Bios 0801 and also update your chipset and IME.

Once the Bios file is downloaded to and empty fat32 formatted USB stick, unzip and rename the file to Z270TUF1.CAP
Power down your system so there is only power to the MB. Insert the USB into the correct USB port on the rear IO panel and press the ROG Flashback button for 3secs. It will begin to flash and when it stops your done. Reboot the system. (refer to page 2-14 in your MB Manual)

Thank you mate, I think I will try updating the Bios.. though I was wondering, do I need to install the cpu and ram again, in order to do this, or can I simply hook up the Mb to the Psu, and that will suffice?

No your Bios update will bring settings back to default. You don't need to touch the CPU or RAM.
Just carefully follow the instructions above.

 

[youngdaddy]

No your Bios update will bring settings back to default. You don't need to touch the CPU or RAM.
Just carefully follow the instructions above.

Once again thanks for your help.
I followed the instructions (which where the same, that I got from the ASUS Tech support), downloaded the correct Bios version (0801) for the TUF z270 mark 1 motherboard, unpacked the zip-file on an empty fat32 USB stick and renamed it Z270TUF1.CAP.
Then I hooked the mb up to the psu, turned on the psu, stuck the stick in the right port, and pressed the Bios update button for a few seconds.
It started blinking slowly for a few minutes, then it blinked rapidly for about a minute and then it switched of.
I waited a beat, then, when nothing futher happened, I plucked in my phone and went to the TUF detective app..
.. the app said that literally nothing had changed. It still repported bios version 0505, and claimed there was a intel i7 7700k cpu and 4 GB 2133mHz ram, sockeded in the motherboard, even though I'd taken everything out..

I figured the app was broken somehow, so I decided to put everything back together to do a boot test (just to be sure)..
.. same deal as last time though, it gets stuck on the DRAM led. Only two things are different, as far as I can tell.. the GPU fans stops spinning after a few seconds, and the (damn) app now claims that the POST stops at Qcode "AB" (still "detect memory")..

So once more I'm at a loss, figure I'll ring the store come morning, and hear what they think..

 

[MeanMachine41]

Well it certainly sounds like the Bios update was done correctly and you followed the correct procedure. however did you remove the USB stick after Bios flashback and before re starting.

Qcode AB is not memory related and my code book tells me the system is awaiting input.
When you power up initially, can you not get into Bios by continually pressing the DELETE key off and on during the POST cycle.?

 

[youngdaddy]

Well it certainly sounds like the Bios update was done correctly and you followed the correct procedure. however did you remove the USB stick after Bios flashback and before re starting.

Qcode AB is not memory related and my code book tells me the system is awaiting input.
When you power up initially, can you not get into Bios by continually pressing the DELETE key off and on during the POST cycle.?

I waited until I was certain that the Mb was back to stanby power, then I switched of the psu, and once the leds went out, I pulled the usb stick..

I didn't try pressing the DEL key during post (didn't even pluck in a keyboard, thats how optimistic I was).
But my monitor never got a signal from the gpu, and once I tryed booting without the grafics card, I could see that the DRAM led stayed lit again..
I got the "00AB" post code from the phone app, but seeing as it still used the description "detect memory" (even though the code had changed), and since it still can't figure out, what hardware I'm using, I figure it isn't very trustworthy.

I might try setting it up again, so I can try pressing delete during post, if you think it could help? Though with the DRAM led lit on the Mb, it does seem that it still isnt recognizing the ram I'm using..

 

[MeanMachine41]

Yea i'm wondering too if that phone app is trustworthy. If the DRAM_LED is lit on the MB the Post cycle will not advance till rectified. Do you have any other RAM modules to try.?
If so just try initially booting with 1 module in the first slot and try switching them around and into different slots.

 

[youngdaddy]

Thanks again for the help.

I don't have any spare DDR4 ram (my old pc used DDR3), so I went to a local hardware store to purchase some.. The clerk at the store adviced me though, that he thought my trouble might be due to a difference between the voltage output of my board and the voltage requirement of the ram.. since I couldn't remember how much voltage the ram needed, I figured I'd check before investing in ram I couldn't use afterwards..
.. of cause it turned out he wasn't right, my ram need 1,2 V, and are on the boards qualified vendors list.

Instead of buying more ram though, I decided to contact the store where I bought all the hardware and ask for advice.
We agreed that I would bring the motherboard and ram in for a test, so we could determine the problem.
They did the test last friday, and reported that both the motherborad and the ram where working fine, and that the problem likely lay with either the Cpu or the Psu.

So today I tryed setting it up using the Psu from my old Pc (which I'm using to write this post atm).
I still didn't achive post (it stopped at the DRAM led, "as usual"), so I geuss that rules out the Psu.. which leaves the Cpu.

So again, thank you for all your help.
I'm gonna contact the store tomorrow, and talk to them about RMAing the Cpu..
...Only thing I cant figure is, if the problem is with the Cpu, then why does the Mb clear it during post, and get stuck at DRAM?.. seems wierd to me.. but then, I'm not really a tech-wiz.