Hi, since some days ago I can't use my PC because it gets stuck in the boot phase, being unable to POST. The motherboard (ASUS P9X79 PRO) doesn't beep, it only shows the DRAM_LED lit in solid red and the Q-Code B1, which according to ASUS corresponds to "Runtime Set Virtual Address MAP End", relative also (as far as I could read) to the RAM memory.
Everything started when I powered up the PC in the morning after being off all night, until then without any problem (if relevant, before power off the previous day Windows asked me to update, to which I agreed). Trying to relocate the RAM modules and using the CLR_CMOS and MemOK! buttons present on the board, in one of those attempts the PC could POST, first with only one memory module and then, after new attempts with all of them, completing the Windows update of the previous night and reaching the desktop without any problem. During that day in which I used the PC for many hours no problem happened, working fine with tasks of considerable demand on both resources and stability of the system.
The error on my part was turning off the PC that night, next day the problem returned and increased as it didn't work what I did the day before so I decided to disconnect everything except CPU, cooler and RAM. That's when the last POST to date took place, unfortunately I didn't have the boot drive connected and I couldn't do anything else but turn it off. Then I turned it on but the B1 code came back, which in spite of countless new attempts I have not managed to overcome again.
I have made all type of tests to solve it, all of them without success:
-Replace or move the RAM modules to another slot and test them separately.
-Disconnect all USB and other devices that are not indispensable.
-Clear CMOS, unplug, remove the battery, leave the motherboard without power for hours and put a new battery.
-Upgrade the BIOS to the latest version available for this board using the USB BIOS Flashback method, which seems to run smoothly because of the lights.
-Take the motherboard out of the box and leave the very basic connected (CPU, cooler and RAM).
-Try another CPU and another power supply.
It is probably due to the motherboard, since the memories (waiting for a MemTest) seem to be fine during the time I could use the PC the first day and I doubt that the four modules are defective. Perhaps the culprit is the BIOS chip, apparently I have been able to update the BIOS although things like the PC only gives problems in the startup phase, the successful POSTs have been random (the fact that it managed to start up with a particular RAM module did not ensure that it would do it again), I cannot even access to configure the BIOS and the board doesn't beep, with or without RAM, leads me to think that it may be related to this chip.
What do you think? Can you figure of anything else I can do about it? These are the PC specs:
-CPU-> Intel Xeon E5-2690
-CPU cooler-> Corsair H100i
-RAM-> Corsair CML16GX3M4X1600C8 DDR3 4x4GB
-Motherboard-> ASUS P9X79 PRO
-PSU-> Corsair RM850x 850 Watt 80 PLUS Gold Modular
-Graphics card -> Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB
-Primary drive-> Samsung SSD 860 Pro 256GB
-OS-> Windows 10 Pro 64Bits
Thank you for your time.
Everything started when I powered up the PC in the morning after being off all night, until then without any problem (if relevant, before power off the previous day Windows asked me to update, to which I agreed). Trying to relocate the RAM modules and using the CLR_CMOS and MemOK! buttons present on the board, in one of those attempts the PC could POST, first with only one memory module and then, after new attempts with all of them, completing the Windows update of the previous night and reaching the desktop without any problem. During that day in which I used the PC for many hours no problem happened, working fine with tasks of considerable demand on both resources and stability of the system.
The error on my part was turning off the PC that night, next day the problem returned and increased as it didn't work what I did the day before so I decided to disconnect everything except CPU, cooler and RAM. That's when the last POST to date took place, unfortunately I didn't have the boot drive connected and I couldn't do anything else but turn it off. Then I turned it on but the B1 code came back, which in spite of countless new attempts I have not managed to overcome again.
I have made all type of tests to solve it, all of them without success:
-Replace or move the RAM modules to another slot and test them separately.
-Disconnect all USB and other devices that are not indispensable.
-Clear CMOS, unplug, remove the battery, leave the motherboard without power for hours and put a new battery.
-Upgrade the BIOS to the latest version available for this board using the USB BIOS Flashback method, which seems to run smoothly because of the lights.
-Take the motherboard out of the box and leave the very basic connected (CPU, cooler and RAM).
-Try another CPU and another power supply.
It is probably due to the motherboard, since the memories (waiting for a MemTest) seem to be fine during the time I could use the PC the first day and I doubt that the four modules are defective. Perhaps the culprit is the BIOS chip, apparently I have been able to update the BIOS although things like the PC only gives problems in the startup phase, the successful POSTs have been random (the fact that it managed to start up with a particular RAM module did not ensure that it would do it again), I cannot even access to configure the BIOS and the board doesn't beep, with or without RAM, leads me to think that it may be related to this chip.
What do you think? Can you figure of anything else I can do about it? These are the PC specs:
-CPU-> Intel Xeon E5-2690
-CPU cooler-> Corsair H100i
-RAM-> Corsair CML16GX3M4X1600C8 DDR3 4x4GB
-Motherboard-> ASUS P9X79 PRO
-PSU-> Corsair RM850x 850 Watt 80 PLUS Gold Modular
-Graphics card -> Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 4GB
-Primary drive-> Samsung SSD 860 Pro 256GB
-OS-> Windows 10 Pro 64Bits
Thank you for your time.
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