955 + ASUS M4A79T Deluxe

[subtlearts]

I've been worrying about this for a while now, half the reviews on Newegg say the 955 won't post and half of them don't mention it or say it worked fine. How do I update the bios if I get a board with an older bios that won't post the 955? I've spent ~20 hours (really I have) researching stuff like this, its hard to trust anything anyone says. People have said they have booted from a flash drive to update the bios, others haven't mentioned it. Can someone PLEASE give me some helpful advice? I'd really appreciate some clear answers.

My technical knowledge is limited so if I didn't make any sense or am completely lost I'll try to explain later if this gets any attention. Thanks.

 

[starams5]

If the CPU is not supported by the old bios and wont post the board you will need to put a CPU in that is supported. Flash the bios then upgrade to your 955. Too bad this may involve buying a CPU just to flash if you don't have one. And just because it is unsupported don't mean it wont post.

 

[subtlearts]

Thanks for your reply.

 

[SpinozaQ]

In addition. For others finding this thread searching like I did. ASUS can and will send you a BIOS chip to swap out if you have this issue. The BIOS chips are removable. However, it seems they want to charge people shipping, which is absurd.

I am in this situation waiting for ASUS tech support now. I wouldn't be so upset if I had gotten an "old" board that had been manufactured before the newer BIOS was released. (2009/03/30 for the 955) I understand that new CPUs come out and BIOS updates are needed. However, my board was manufactured with the last month. It's a 1.02G hardware revision. That tells me that ASUS is popping old BIOS chips into new boards coming off the line, just to try to save money. All it's going to do is give them a lot of bad press. ( check out the newegg reviews! ) People don't buy a 180 dollar high end board and not put the latest and greatest chip in it. Therefore, the policy for these "Deluxe" boards should be to _always_ put the latest BIOS in any board coming off the line. _And_ send updated BIOS chips to any customer, free shipping, that has a new CPU and a board that won't post.

Handle this situation right ASUS. There are a lot of eyes with a lot of money behind them watching you.

 

[subtlearts]

In addition. For others finding this thread searching like I did. ASUS can and will send you a BIOS chip to swap out if you have this issue. The BIOS chips are removable. However, it seems they want to charge people shipping, which is absurd.

I am in this situation waiting for ASUS tech support now. I wouldn't be so upset if I had gotten an "old" board that had been manufactured before the newer BIOS was released. (2009/03/30 for the 955) I understand that new CPUs come out and BIOS updates are needed. However, my board was manufactured with the last month. It's a 1.02G hardware revision. That tells me that ASUS is popping old BIOS chips into new boards coming off the line, just to try to save money. All it's going to do is give them a lot of bad press. ( check out the newegg reviews! ) People don't buy a 180 dollar high end board and not put the latest and greatest chip in it. Therefore, the policy for these "Deluxe" boards should be to _always_ put the latest BIOS in any board coming off the line. _And_ send updated BIOS chips to any customer, free shipping, that has a new CPU and a board that won't post.

Handle this situation right ASUS. There are a lot of eyes with a lot of money behind them watching you.

I got my board like 2 weeks ago, It sat around until Monday when I sent it back to Newegg for a replacement. The fact that I can't run my high end computer 2 weeks ago because of the mobo's BIOS VERSION really ticks me off. Next time, I'm gonna go with a board that is compatible out of the box, for everyone, not just the lucky people.

 

[subtlearts]

Oh and when I was on the phone with ASUS tech support, I don't even know why I called, it seemed like I knew more about it than he did. My chip was soldered on, so he told me to return it to the retailer. I'm just glad Newegg knows how to do business, unlike most of the companies that they carry.

 

[SpinozaQ]

There is no way it's soldered on. It's a little 8 pin chip right next to the IDE plug. They are difficult to remove with "normal" tools. I typically use a small piece of wood and pry from alternating sides a tiny bit at a time.

So I figured out the main board was manufactured in March. The serial number starts with 93 which means 2009 03 . So this likely wasn't ASUS's "fault" . They put the best BIOS they had at the time in. Newegg just shipped me a box that had been in a warehouse for a few months. Can't really blame them either.

I bet if you put a note in with your RMA that you need a serial number starting with 94 or greater they would check it at newegg. The 0902 BIOS was released on March 30th. So it's likely any boards made in April or later have that BIOS or better.

If ASUS won't ship me a BIOS chip for free I'll just keep RMA'ing the board to newegg until I get one that works. It's their choice, they can ship me a 20 cent chip or write off hundreds of dollars of profit in open box returns.

Just because I know "why" it doesn't work, doesn't make it any less "Defective".

 

[subtlearts]

I typically use a small piece of wood and pry from alternating sides a tiny bit at a time.

No way would I do that because I would probably physically damage it. I put on my RMA that I was unsatisfied. "I received version 0702 of the ASUS M4A79T Deluxe, I wish to receive one with a BIOS version 0902 or later." It was actually 0705, but I guess it doesn't matter. They approved it, but it was probably because they can't say no. Shipping was 17 dollars, so if I don't get a good board this time I guess I'm stuck with my Dell from 2004.

 

[SpinozaQ]

Let me know how that goes. I'd be interested if they actually read the RMA message and do something about it. That would be great on the part of newegg.

The chips are designed to be removed, it's not that bad.... Then again I'm insane and get out my soldering iron to repair things when they break.

My co worker and I were talking about this issue and thought that newegg should get a bunch of updated BIOS chips and just throw them in with the order. Or at least the orders that also include a 955 chip.

 

[subtlearts]

You don't by chance have MSN Messenger do you?

 

[subtlearts]

My co worker and I were talking about this issue and thought that newegg should get a bunch of updated BIOS chips and just throw them in with the order. Or at least the orders that also include a 955 chip.

That really chaps my @$$ because sometimes Newegg has a little extra description by the product name, say something like "Free Call of duty world at war with purchase". With the ASUS board I'm positive they had something like "Specifically designed for latest AM3 processors" or something along those lines. Obviously its not, and I hope someone is going to pay for all these screw ups.

 

[SpinozaQ]

I don't have MSN as I am a complete non-windows user. Strictly OS X and Linux for me. I do however have AIM and my screen is the same as it is here.

I think this particular issue is becoming quite large and might be handled with a change of policy from someone. Yesterday I couldn't get through to ASUS support, it was just busy. Then when I did get to the BIOS department it just rang for 7 minutes, no one picked up. I think that's telling of how many complaints they are getting.

This is an interesting case of CPU BIOS incompatibility. I have never seen such similar CPUs of the same socket, released weeks apart _not_ post in a main board like this. Maybe the quad core is a dual core until you update, or the 3.2Ghz chip runs at 2.6Ghz until you update... but not POST ??

You bring up a good point with the advertising of the board. When you say it supports the "latest" AM3 cpus. You better at least make good on it when someone purchases it. Not sap them for another 20 bucks for a bios chip to make the product work. The product is defective, I'll do ASUS a _favor_ by not sending it back and doing the leg work of replacing the chip so it works, but I'm sure as hell not paying for it.

 

[subtlearts]

I just got my replacement, its the same version. I'm leaving a one egg review on Newegg and throwing the damn box against the wall.

 

[subtlearts]

By the way they changed the advertisement to "Xtreme Phase for AM3 CPU w/ DDR3 support, TurboV". Great.

 

[SpinozaQ]

Hey chat me up on AIM if you have it. I bought an AM3 dual core from newegg in my last order. That should POST with the board so I can update the BIOS. If you want to you could send me your BIOS chip and I'll update it and mail it back to you. I'll probably get the CPU Monday.

 

[blueberryman]

i had this board delivered by NewEgg on 5/30/09 w/ 955 amd chip as well. Posted fine, no issues. You have to have BIOS Version 0902 or later on the board for it to work(or ASUS will charge you $15 bucks to send you the chip via UPS Ground, which is better than $17 return shipping for an RMA). Just flashed BIOS last night to Version 1202, no issues. Anybody have some good OC settings running stable? The only way that you get an older BIOS on your board at this point is if you got a unit that's been sitting on the shelf for months because ASUS puts the new BIOS on their boards immediately when they release it

 

[SpinozaQ]

Did you not bother to read the conversation blueberryman? We stated the problem a long time ago. Our issue is that we shouldn't have to _pay more_ for a defective product when the fix, ( shipping a 2 gram chip ) should be free of charge.

I just got off the phone with ASUS. They wouldn't budge on the shipping fee. Which they are profiting from!!! It's not 15 bucks to ship a tiny 2 gram chip UPS ground. More like 2 dollars max. If they can't eat 2 bucks because of their mistake. I don't want to do business with them.

What really gets me is that shipping the chips out free would likely _SAVE_ them tons of money. All the bad press and all the RMA'd boards hurt the bottom line a lot. Sending me the chip free of charge makes me happy, costs them nothing, and saves them not having all the defective open box returns.

 

[SpinozaQ]

I fixed this problem for myself by "hot flashing" the BIOS chips with another ASUS board I had that was equipped with the same PDIP 8pin BIOS chip as the M4A79T. I wouldn't recommend the method to faint of heart... but it worked.

 

[W33Dzim]

Have just bought a M4A79T deluxe myself...

Unfortunately I live in Zimbabwe. So as you can gather this could present a serious problem if this board doesnt have the right BIOS to support the 955BE chip I bought.

Anyone know if this serial and Revision is correct?:

Serial No: 93M0AI...
Revision: 1.02G

There is a little sticker on the Onboard Network port, at the top with the following numbers on it: 0902

I take it that is the BIOS revision that they have loaded

Anyone know which version this thing might be running? and whether Im in for a very expensive round of ordering a new BIOS chip?

 

[subtlearts]

Have just bought a M4A79T deluxe myself...

Unfortunately I live in Zimbabwe. So as you can gather this could present a serious problem if this board doesnt have the right BIOS to support the 955BE chip I bought.

Anyone know if this serial and Revision is correct?:

Serial No: 93M0AI...
Revision: 1.02G

There is a little sticker on the Onboard Network port, at the top with the following numbers on it: 0902

I take it that is the BIOS revision that they have loaded

Anyone know which version this thing might be running? and whether Im in for a very expensive round of ordering a new BIOS chip?

The Bios version is the 4 number one on the slim sticker

 

[yaja23]

Hey guys. I actually have a M4a78 Pro which had an older bios 0702. I have a 955 phenom 2 processor. I needed to update the bios to recognize the CPU. A trick I found (after searching on the web) is that if you pop the cmos battery out of the board, the board will boot up, at which time you can do the asus ez bios upgrade. This worked for me and I am now on Bios 1201. Though the BIOS recognizes the CPU, I'm still having random blue screen, POST issues.

 

[SpinozaQ]

The m4a78 board is a very different beast then the m4a79t. Pulling the battery out likely worked for you for the same reason "hard clearing" the BIOS settings memory probably would have worked had you tried it. That solution did not bear fruit on the M4A79T Deluxe. The reason it will not post with later model chips is a design flaw.

To the Zimbabwe guy, if some sticker on your board ends with 0902 give the build a shot. That should work and you should be able to post and update to the latest version of the BIOS.

Your other option would be to find a friend with a "recent" ASUS board with an 8 pin bios chip and cook him/her dinner so they let you abuse their board for an hour and hot flash your chip with it!

 

[comerb]

Let me know how that goes. I'd be interested if they actually read the RMA message and do something about it. That would be great on the part of newegg.

The chips are designed to be removed, it's not that bad.... Then again I'm insane and get out my soldering iron to repair things when they break.

My co worker and I were talking about this issue and thought that newegg should get a bunch of updated BIOS chips and just throw them in with the order. Or at least the orders that also include a 955 chip.

Newegg won't do it. Here was the reply to my request for a specific revision:

"We humbly apologize for any confusion this may be causing you. Please kindly note that since our stock moves so fast that we have the latest version or revision of everything; we do not have a way to physically get our hands on our most current stock and tell you what revision we have at the moment. Also, we cannot tag a particular item for a particular order. We do not guarantee revision numbers unless it is specifically noted on the description on the website. We truly apologize for any inconvenience this may be causing you."

 

[fishead1]

I'm just now checking out ASUS's forums to find out about what you guys are saying that it won't boot at all.
It doesn't make sense but anything is possible.I'm not a newbie but hey I don't know everything.
Shouldn't every motherboard at least POST so you can at least flash to a a newer BIOS.Wouldn't they warn Newegg.com or wherever you bought MB from that this is a problem and send out a not of warning and give details of what should be done?
I just got thru a new build with this MB and am having the no boot problem but am not sure if its video card or memory or what.

 

[SpinozaQ]

I was curious how did you resolve the issue? Was it just a video/RAM issue? Did you have to get a new BIOS chip?