Stumped: Asus TUF z690 DDR4 + 12700K + NVME = No Post

[alitayyab]

I am stumped!

I upgraded my system from a 9700K to 12700K. Everything else is the same as the previous system.

The bios is updated to the latest version available

The computer simply refuses to post with *ANY* of my NVME drives plugged in either into the motherboard's NVME ports (z690 or CPU driven does not matter) OR even if plugged in via a pcie-2-nvme board.

The NVME drives are XPG and ADATA (boot drive) and work perfectly with the 9700k setup.

Removing the NVME drives the system boots up fine absolutely no problem at all.

I have absolutely no idea whats going on.

Things I have tried:
1. Disable TPM
2. Disable SATA ports
3. Manually set NVME to Gen 2 etc.
4. Reset/ cleared secure boot keys.

Nothing seems to work.
Any help would be greatly appreciated

Thank you

[KAC]

Are the NVMe on UEFI boot record or whatever it is called?

[alitayyab]

Originally Posted by KAC

Are the NVMe on UEFI boot record or whatever it is called?

Yes. The thing is, not getting detected is one thing, not posting is what stumps me.

One more thing: When a NVME is plugged in, the CPU fan spins up and then stops within seconds and RAM ARGB continues to cycle.

[Nunz]

I'd say it's just a defective board. I can't imagine you're installing the M.2 incorrectly in any way that would short anything out to stop the system from posting.

My only recommendation before RMA/return the board is to re-seat the CPU. If the socket is bending (which can happen), the pins may not be contacting the CPU fully, and once you plug the M.2 in, the board+chip are freaking out. Re-seat CPU, and do not crank the cooler down on the chip.

[alitayyab]

Some more weirdness
I installed an old SATA SSD and installed windows which went okay
While in windows I installed my NVMe drives one by one, switching from SSD SATA to M2 SATA as boot drive.
All of this worked okay! Restarted computers several times, , no issues.

HOWEVER If I shutdown the system and restart. It just behaves as before!! No post. The fan spins for a bit then stops the ram ARGB cycles, the NVME ARGB Does not.
I think there is some weird short or something some where that is making this happen.

[Nunz]

Did you install the standoffs properly? Made sure the board isn't grounding on the case?

[alitayyab]

Originally Posted by Nunz

Did you install the standoffs properly? Made sure the board isn't grounding on the case?

Being assembled.outside the case on the box of the board

The board has screwless nvme mounts.

If it was a mounting issue, the nvme should work when plugged into a pcie to nvme board, which it isn't (no post)

[alitayyab]

Update: Dying PSU was the issue. A new PSU solved all issues.
Never had this issue with a dying PSU. Only wasted 4 hours.

[KAC]

Congrats on the system. Which psu died and which one did you buy? Very surprised that NVMe would highlight an issue with PSU.

[acroig]

Originally Posted by KAC

Congrats on the system. Which psu died and which one did you buy? Very surprised that NVMe would highlight an issue with PSU.

Same, would not have though of the PSU.

[Nunz]

Originally Posted by alitayyab

Update: Dying PSU was the issue. A new PSU solved all issues.
Never had this issue with a dying PSU. Only wasted 4 hours.

That's the weirdest thing I've ever heard.

I guess in a way it makes sense due to it pulling off different rails than 12V.. maybe.. the internal convertors on the PSU for 3/5V go bad and they're only failing when the NVME is installed..

Definitely wouldn't have been in my top three guesses for troubleshooting, but good stuff!

[alitayyab]

Originally Posted by KAC

Congrats on the system. Which psu died and which one did you buy? Very surprised that NVMe would highlight an issue with PSU.

Corsair ax series 860. It was in use in a secondary system, pulled from it to bench assemble this one. That system is a gen 4 core i7 which runs the security system of the house. The strange thing is, the PSU still works fine in that computer (though no nvme drives.there)
The new one is a Corsair hx 1200.

Originally Posted by acroig

Same, would not have though of the PSU.

Yup. The only thing that made me think of power was the process of exclusion. Since I could run all nvme drives if I booted off a sata SSD and plug in nvme drives, reset, unplug sata SSD and the computer would behave nicely until cold boot, I thought maybe there is something up with the power good line on the PSU or something

Originally Posted by Nunz

That's the weirdest thing I've ever heard.

I guess in a way it makes sense due to it pulling off different rails than 12V.. maybe.. the internal convertors on the PSU for 3/5V go bad and they're only failing when the NVME is installed..

Definitely wouldn't have been in my top three guesses for troubleshooting, but good stuff!

I am just glad it did eventually. I tested it a few more times switching back and forth between the two PSUs to ensure it wasn't a fluke


Thank you all for your suggestions.

[KAC]

How you like them app… build?

Massive improvement in gaming?

[alitayyab]

Originally Posted by KAC

How you like them app… build?

Massive improvement in gaming?

I wont say massive, its more consistent like frame pacing is better in a few games. I really did not need to upgrade except for the itch...

[Nunz]

If you are still using the AX860 in question I would replace it asap. It's a defective PSU and will go boom-boom sooner than later.

[alitayyab]

Originally Posted by Nunz

If you are still using the AX860 in question I would replace it asap. It's a defective PSU and will go boom-boom sooner than later.

Yeah, been thinking of doing that for the better part of the last decade, somehow it simply keeps going.
It isnt powering anything super critical, just to "satiate" my family's paranoia. (We have more cameras in the house than outside). If it does go, I'll give it a proper burial.

[Hapatingjaky]

This was a stumper, pretty rare that a PSU would cause this issue. Good work on the troubleshooting.

[12Bass]

A quality 860W PSU should be able to easily power that system with plenty of headroom. If it really is the cause of the failure, I wouldn't trust it to power any other systems, as there may be one of more bad components that could cascade into something worse....

[alitayyab]

Originally Posted by 12Bass

A quality 860W PSU should be able to easily power that system with plenty of headroom. If it really is the cause of the failure, I wouldn't trust it to power any other systems, as there may be one of more bad components that could cascade into something worse....

I think it had more to do with the PSU telling the system about "Power Good" (if that is still a thing) or something to that effect. I figured that out (perhaps incorrectly) as i could run the system perfectly IF i installed the NVMe drives AFTER the computer booted off a SATA SSD (while the system was running). As long as i did not power cycle, the computer would run happily. Only on power cycle would it stop posting. So my conclusion was/is that the PSU is just not talking to the board properly. It is about a decade old PSU and wasnt actually very stable even then (though I never had any issues with it till now).

Anyhow, the system seems to be stable. So far so good.

[KAC]

How you like the TUF board?

[alitayyab]

Originally Posted by KAC

How you like the TUF board?

Surprisingly stable! I am running DDR4 memory that is not on QVL (XPG D60 16x2; CL 16) and it booted up with the stock bios with XMP 1.
Upgrading to the latest bios allowed 1T Command Rate setting.

Have not run into any issues with the exception that some of the items in the bios have names that i think only Asus knows what they mean.

With everything at stock here is a comparison between the 9700k and 12700k

https://www.3dmark.com/compare/cpu/362781/cpu/148376


If money was no issue and DDR5 available that would've been the way to go from what i have read, but there is only 1 vendor selling DDR5 and it would be cheaper to buy a tesla right now. And I had only bought the XPG kit about 6 months back

Again I dont think upgrading (CPU) is going to really matter right now (may be Win 11 will do better?) and I am sure the 9700k would've held its own nicely over the next 2-3 years.

I don't do AMD CPUs (nothing against AMD; I have used their GPUs/ CPUs in the past waiting for months to get things working like they should have out of the box), so this was my first big CPU upgrade in over 3 years.


Edit: Forgot to mention. Running this using a standard LGA 115x backplate with NH-D15; my kit hasnt arrived yet and though I have a Galahad 240 with LGA 1700 kit I dont have the time to setup AIO right now (Case is Corsair 7000D).

[KAC]

Thanks for info. I was wondering more about onboard sound. Tech yes city guy was complaining about soundcard crosstalk and static noise and was wondering if it really is worth my while to get the prime versus tuf. Only difference is sound and power phases. Power phases are not important especially with a 12700K but sound is as I won't get a soundcard for it.

[Nunz]

DDR4 is faster for gaming unless you spend time tweaking DDR5 with particular ICs (Hynix or binned Samsung).

If you are confused on any BIOS settings I can likely explain them.

[alitayyab]

Originally Posted by Nunz

DDR4 is faster for gaming unless you spend time tweaking DDR5 with particular ICs (Hynix or binned Samsung).

If you are confused on any BIOS settings I can likely explain them.

Thanks. I'll post as I (try) OC the CPU.

[alitayyab]

Originally Posted by KAC

Thanks for info. I was wondering more about onboard sound. Tech yes city guy was complaining about soundcard crosstalk and static noise and was wondering if it really is worth my while to get the prime versus tuf. Only difference is sound and power phases. Power phases are not important especially with a 12700K but sound is as I won't get a soundcard for it.

Honestly i dont have the best hearing in the world (have tinnitus, loud music during teens) but it sounded just as good as the other board with the 9700k (which i think is the same as this board).

[KAC]

Good stuff. Thanks.