Sabertooth x79 - Can't access BIOS but can boot OS

GlassTable

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Dec 28, 2013
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Hi All, I am getting some strange behaviour from my Sabertooth X79 and I can't find a solution...

I have been running this rig for a year no problems, and had the BIOS set up just as I wanted. However, I just erased the drives (including the OS disk) and gave the rig to my brother as a present. He has installed Windows 7. Now we find that we can boot into Windows 7 as normal, but pressing the -del- key at start up no longer takes us to the BIOS menu. Instead, it just leads to a black screen (of death) and we have to power off and on again. I tried to update the BIOS using the USB BIOS flash button, and it appeared to work, but it hasn't solved the problem and now it doesn't even seem to POST the drives. I tried it a second time using the .ROM from the Mobo disk but now the button light goes steady instead of flashing, indicating a problem with BIOS flash utility.
As I say, we can't enter the BIOS at all, but we can leave it to boot into windows.
I have tried the BIOS reset jumper including with no battery, and I have also tried leaving the Mobo disc in the rig and booting but this does not help either.

Does anybody have any experience of this issue and how to resolve it, or do we need to buy a new Mobo?
 

mc962

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Jul 18, 2013
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If you have similar software to my z87 sabertooth, then you should have gotten a little application that allows you to restart the computer into BIOS. Basically you launch it, click the button that tells it to launch to bios, and then it will shut down the computer and force it to restart into bios. This is software that you use in windows, so it might be helpful in your situation. I believe it's called Asus Boot Setting, and is downloaded from the support website.

Otherwise try getting in with no hard drives attached, see where that gets you
 

GlassTable

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Dec 28, 2013
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Thanks for the advice mc962.
I have used this software and I get the black screen (of death), just like I do if I try to enter manually. It is as if the bios screen simply doesn't display on the TV...

Based on this, I don't think removing the hard drives will help, but I will try.

Any other suggestions would be very welcome too!
 

GlassTable

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Dec 28, 2013
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Thanks for the suggestion alexoiu - I have tried this and the PC does not restart. This, and the fact that the usb update doesn't work, lead me to believe that I have a corrupted BIOS Interface and BIOS Update functionality, but that the BIOS itself is fine.

I have built 2 rigs in the past so I'm not a novice, but I have definitely never heard of a problem like this. It is very strange.
 

mc962

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^This I could see. I remember seeing some people talking about how after they built their computers that when they tried to use their tv as a screen when setting up then they wouldnt get a display, although later after setup (driver install and everything) it sounds like they managed to make it work with windows at least, I never really asked farther.
It's certainly worth digging around for an old computer screen
 

mc962

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Jul 18, 2013
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One other option I could see, it is possible to update BIOS through windows I believe. From what I understand it's not ideal, but in theory it works if you want to risk it. The downside from what I've heard is that if Windows crashes in the middle of it you might, of course, break the board.

Or take a look at this (link is for the 990 fx version but I think all sabertooth boards should have that option). This would apparently allow you to update the BIOS in a DOS environment, according to the opening line. Both options might be worth looking into if you think it's a corrupt BIOS issue.
http://support.asus.com/Documents/detail.aspx?SLanguage=en&m=SABERTOOTH%20990FX&os=&no=1704
 

GlassTable

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Dec 28, 2013
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Thanks mc962. I have gone over the timeline in my mind and I think that at first, the BIOS interface was not visible on the TV, and on that basis i selected the "solution". I think that in updating the BIOS "blind" i did something wrong and corrupted it.
ASUS have simply told me to contact my vendor, but since this is not an out-of-the box problem there won't be a return to vendor solution.

I will try the options you have suggested and post back here if I find absolution.

Thanks for all your help.