Question Please help - GIGABYTE Z790 GAMING AX - Bios Problem / Product Key Failure?

[fletchdirect]

Hi, I have built a new PC - Gigabyte Z790, Gigabyte 3070, 13900, Windows 11. Its been impossible to get the machine to install Windows 11. I am not a complete novice having built a couple of Windows 10 PCs using Gigabyte motherboards before, but nothing has prepared me for the mass of continual problems.

I have been through many many youtube videos and online advice - tweaking setting such as TPM2.0, secure boot, CSM etc. I've tried every permutation and the system just got as far as "Windows 11 not compatible with this PC". I have literally tried everything I could find online.

I then found some advice which suggested to update Product Factory Key in one of the settings (sorry can't remember the precise name). I did this and now I get no display, can't access the Gigabyte bios, and the fans on the 3070 have stopped spinning.

The symptoms are:
* PC will turn on, fans full speed, then settle down
* Graphics card light on, fans activate and then die
* Orange "VGA" light on motherboard (VGA/CPU/BOOT/RAM lights)
* No display at all - was expecting to see the BIOS set up screen.

I've done the battery out and shorting of the pins to clear the CMOS, but still nothing. I've also re-seated the graphics card and still no joy.
I don't think I can try the motherboard HDMI as it doesn't have integrated graphics. Somewhere I read that the orange VGA light means a BIOS update is needed? How do I do that if I don't have any display?

I'm pretty gutted as this is all brand new gear, please can someone help me? Would be massively appreciated.
Thanks
Julian

 

[Lutfij]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

You might wan to disconnect from the wall and display then remove the CMOS battery from your platform, then press and hold down the power button for 30secs, then replace the battery after 30mins.

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/Z790-GAMING-X-AX-rev-1x#kf
Look at the bottom left hand corner of the motherboard to note the PCB revision, according to that, source the BIOS file that's the latest and then use that to flash the BIOS, using the Q-Flash Plus button.

Please list the specs to your build like so:
CPU:
CPU cooler:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
PSU:
Chassis:
OS:
Monitor:
include the age of the PSU apart from it's make and model.

I don't think I can try the motherboard HDMI as it doesn't have integrated graphics.
If your processor doesn't have an F suffix, then your processor should have an iGPU.