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5900X won't POST - Incompatible BIOS?

To be honest, I didn't do a lot of testing once I was happy it wasn't abnormal - as it seemed to be when in the BIOS. It was running about 33°C idle and I saw it get to 77°C reading the average die temp but I didn't do constant load tests, just installs and updates. It was fairly spiky too - not slowly ramping up to a temp but bouncing up that high when it was loaded. You'd probably need a decent constant load test to see what it settles at and whether it throttles. Unfortunately, I'm not your man there as it's boxed back up and ready for someone else to fondle now - not scalping, just wasn't built for myself.
 
Cenedd said:
Only if your motherboard supports USB FlashBack....which is only on the ROG series of the Asus boards (and probably other manufacturers, I'm just dealing with an Asus board). You can tell those that do as they have a bios button on the I/O panel.
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"Flashback" is only a brand name for the functionality of updating Bios without the need to power on a device.

Other vendors have similar functionality, called a different thing.

As for anyone wanting to ensure their device is ready, all they have to do is use this functionality and update to a BIOS with 1.0.8.0 as clearly stated by AMD at the Zen3 presentation several weeks ago.

It doesn't take a lot of time to read up into this thing.
 
There was a presentation?! Honestly, you think they'd tell the casual purchaser of computer parts that there was required attendance of a presentation to know that compatible boards and CPUs aren't actually compatible.

Other vendors may call Flashback another term but I think Asus call it Flashback and either way, it's not on that board. Once flashed, it did work perfectly so if:
  • You're in the position of having easy access to another compatible CPU, you're fine
  • You strike lucky and get new enough stock that the motherboard is already sporting a new enough bios to at least post, you're fine
  • If you have plenty of time to wait for AMD to post you a loan CPU, you're fine
  • If you buy both M/B and CPU together and can prearrange that OCUK will flash the board for you, great.
Otherwise, you might want to make sure you buy a motherboard that had flashback so you can avoid this if it ships with an older bios. Works great once it's done though.
 
Cenedd said:
There was a presentation?! Honestly, you think they'd tell the casual purchaser of computer parts that there was required attendance of a presentation to know that compatible boards and CPUs aren't actually compatible.
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Almost all news sites and media channels worth their salt that reported on the 5000 series presentation clearly stated that you would need a BIOS update for existing motherboards to at least that AGESA version. I would expect anyone dedicated enough to want to buy a CPU at launch would have done their homework on compatabiliy on a motherboard when making the purchase of several hundred pounds of hardware. Is that too much to expect as a minimum?
 
Yes. You're assuming a fanatical fervour of "I must have this new, shiny thing no matter what its cost!” whereas it's entirely possible to simply be in the market for a CPU and discover there's a new one about to be available that's faster and a generation newer than what you were planning and it's even compatible with what you've planned already - I mean it says so in the description.
Once flashback is a standard features this will be a non-issue. Until then, much as I hate to say it, there is a positive to Intel's obcession with a new socket each time.
 
Cenedd said:
Yes. You're assuming a fanatical fervour of "I must have this new, shiny thing no matter what its cost!” whereas it's entirely possible to simply be in the market for a CPU and discover there's a new one about to be available that's faster and a generation newer than what you were planning and it's even compatible with what you've planned already - I mean it says so in the description.
Once flashback is a standard features this will be a non-issue. Until then, much as I hate to say it, there is a positive to Intel's obcession with a new socket each time.
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That's like saying at least with a hurricane you get some rain along with it to water the garden.

You see it as a positive, I see it as having to pay another £150 plus on top of your CPU.
 
I can't say I disagree with you Kelt. On the other hand, I can't remember when I've changed CPU without also changing motherboard. I guess it depends whether you buy high-end and run it for years or buy lower-end and replace more frequently. There are merits in both, I just happen to have settled on the former. The only thing I'm suggesting as a positive is that if a new Intel CPU comes out that requires a new socket, you can at least be sure that buying the motherboard with that socket is going to work out the box. I do agree that it's convenient if you want to just upgrade the CPU only. Pros and cons both ways perhaps.
 
You have to admit, buying a X570 board for someone who doesn’t spend hours reading tech presentations is a minefield right now and frankly a terrible customer experience.

If the board is listed as being compatible, it should work out of the box but the vast majority don’t and you need additional equipment to fix that.

Even doing a bios flashback to get it to post is a poor experience. Having to raise a ticket with AMD to get a loaner CPU is an utterly diabolical customer journey.

I say that as someone who is waiting for AMD to authorise a boot kit so I can actually use their product. I also don’t get why they don’t just ask for the information they need upfront. They make it clear what they want on the boot kit page but there is no way to send the information on the form. You have to wait for them to respond to your initial ticket (which took 48 hours) to then send the information, it will likely take another 48 hours for them to look at it again and authorise the request if they are happy with it.

I knew it was a risk when I bought the board but for the majority that are unaware it’s a terrible experience, particularly as the board manufacturers website says it’s compatible.
 
I'm in the queue for a 5900X and have this same board (Plus, not Pro that includes the Flashback). Wondering if I should just do similar and purchase the cheapest compatible CPU I can find to flash with since I can't even request a boot kit until the CPU arrives for photo proof etc!
 
There didn't seem to be a lot of the very cheapest options available in stock last I checked. I didn't feel right about buying a CPU, using it and returning it. OCUK did offer to flash my board (it was purchased from them) if I posted it back to them. I don't know how busy they are though and hence how long that would take. It's another option though - and you could post them the board while waiting for the CPU.
 
Cenedd said:
There didn't seem to be a lot of the very cheapest options available in stock last I checked. I didn't feel right about buying a CPU, using it and returning it. OCUK did offer to flash my board (it was purchased from them) if I posted it back to them. I don't know how busy they are though and hence how long that would take. It's another option though - and you could post them the board while waiting for the CPU.
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Should have bought the board from them too but I never. Noticing a lack of cheap stock too, maybe others having the same idea?

*Edit - Decided to swap my board for the Asus ROG Strix X570-E instead since it allows for Flashback and probably not much difference cost wise compared to trying to find a secondary CPU to flash with! Should have done my research beforehand really :D
 
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I have a 5900x and an ASUS x570i and have the same problem as the original poster. It won't post. Lights flashing up and down the edge of the board. I downloaded the new bios update and put it on a USB, but unlike what is shown in their instructions, there is no designated USB port to put the drive in for a bios update. I have tried all of the USB ports, and nothing works. There is no flashback on this board and I don't have another chip to put in. Any ideas?
 
The giveaway for if it has flashback is a button on the rear I/O panel. If it has that, you're good but I suspect you'd have noticed it already. I think Asus only have the feature on their ROG range.

Without that you need an older supported CPU to use while you flash it. Options are:

1. Borrow one from a friend.
2. Buy one.
3. Ask OCUK to flash the board - or other retailer if you purchased elsewhere. May take a while and I think you have to pay carriage.
4. Return the motherboard and buy one that has flashback.
5. Use AMD's "bootkit" service where they will load you a CPU. It takes a good couple of days to get a response and then you can give them evidence of the CPU (Invoice, photo of CPU serial number) and then it may take a while from there as there's probably a queue.
 
I used option 5 and got the boot kit within my 14 day return window. I wanted the specific board I had and was likely to have the same issue if I returned it and bought elsewhere.

You have to:
Contact ASUS to confirm they will not fix the issue, they responded to me in 24 hours.
Fill in a form on the AMD website, they took 2 working days to respond. (Do this right away).
Give them the information they requested including a record of your conversation with ASUS. (Purchase invoice, photo of the chip with serial visible, photo of the board).
AMD will then confirm if they are sending you a boot kit, that confirmation took a further 3 working days.

AMD overnighted me a 3100 CPU and cooler. You have 10 days to flash the bios and return it using the pre paid label. It came via DHL from the Netherlands. The CPU I had was BNIB, with the seal and everything. You arrange the pickup on the DHL website.

It took longer than I wanted but it did all get sorted.
 
UPDATE: Swapped out the 5900x for a 3200x and updated the bios. Switched back to the 5900x and nothing. It won't post. The same lights on one side of the board flashing. My first build and I am having nothing but bad luck. Next time it's Maingear for me.
 
If it'll run the 3200x and update the bios but won't run the 5900x then logically you've either got a duff CPU or the bios for that board still doesn't support it. The board I was running was an Asus Tuf Gaming x570-plus and it came straight up after upgrading the bios. Actually, scratch that, it delayed long enough that I thought it still wasn't working and then came to life.
But yeah, that sucks. No pins got bent in the swapping by any chance that you straighten?
 
has the BIOS actually updated? did you check after that the version had changed... does the new bios support both CPUs?

After updating the bios then tr using the CMOS clear jumper/removing the battery etc
 
That's a point. It's not one of those immensely annoying dual bios things where when it fails to post it switches to the other bios....that doesn't support the CPU?
 
b0rn2sk8 said:
You have to admit, buying a X570 board for someone who doesn’t spend hours reading tech presentations is a minefield right now and frankly a terrible customer experience.

If the board is listed as being compatible, it should work out of the box but the vast majority don’t and you need additional equipment to fix that.

Even doing a bios flashback to get it to post is a poor experience. Having to raise a ticket with AMD to get a loaner CPU is an utterly diabolical customer journey.

I say that as someone who is waiting for AMD to authorise a boot kit so I can actually use their product. I also don’t get why they don’t just ask for the information they need upfront. They make it clear what they want on the boot kit page but there is no way to send the information on the form. You have to wait for them to respond to your initial ticket (which took 48 hours) to then send the information, it will likely take another 48 hours for them to look at it again and authorise the request if they are happy with it.

I knew it was a risk when I bought the board but for the majority that are unaware it’s a terrible experience, particularly as the board manufacturers website says it’s compatible.
Click to expand...


How about this for a terrible experience.

 
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