H97M-ITX/ac - Can't Access BIOS / UEFI Restart -> Blank Screen

[Kylearan]

Hiya.. built my first rig in about 13 years a couple weeks ago and have been enjoying it.. until today. High temperature issues struck.. which led me trying to get into my BIOS, to see if there was something I could do about my Corsair H60 cooler...

I have accessed my BIOS before, to set my DDR3 speed, without issue. But.. no luck now.

Running Windows 8.1 and whatever the most recent BIOS are for the H97M-ITX/ac.

Have attempted a couple things.. the path of "Change PC Settings->Update and Recovery->Advanced Setup" and tweaking UEFI options on restart - well, the option isn't there. Both holding F2/DEL during boot or running "ASRock's Restart to UEFI" result in no HDMI video output at all from either the H97M-ITX or my EVGA GTX 750 Ti card, forcing me hard reset.

Could swear I read somewhere that installing Windows 8.1 a certain way ensured you could NOT enter UEFI mode.. but I don't see how that would stop me from entering my MB using ASRock's own software.

Is this a display issue, perhaps? Should I attempt a DVI or VGA connection? I'm totally lost at the moment and want to avoid having to do a clean install if I can. ;-/

Thank you in advance for any assistance.

[parsec]

Re: H97M-ITX/ac - Can't Access BIOS / UEFI Restart -> Blank Screen

One thing you did not mention trying is a CMOS/BIOS clear, which afterwards on a start up should display a screen giving you the option to enter the BIOS via the Del or F2 keys. That screen has a timer which counts down (~10 seconds) and if no keys are pressed the PC will boot with all default BIOS settings. But the BIOS clear ought to allow you to get into the BIOS.

Your board seems to only have the jumper to reset the BIOS, some ASRock boards have a button on the IO panel. So you'll need to open up the PC, find and move the BIOS clear jumper. That procedure has not changed since your last PC build.

Actually your issue might only be a problem with the video card, given no output to the monitor. As long as a video card is installed, the BIOS will select it as the video source. Connecting a cable to the on-CPU video in that situation will do nothing, you would need to manually select the on-CPU video in that case to override the BIOS selection and current setting of the card as the video source. IMO, you should remove the video card while you have the PC case open to do the BIOS clear, and just use the on-CPU video.

Are you getting any video output to a monitor now? It seems like you might not be. I'm not sure you are actually having an issue getting into the BIOS, you just can't see what is happening apparently.

I've seen my ASRock Z97 board have keyboard recognition issues at times, which might explain no reaction from pressing Del and F2. Use USB 2.0 ports for the keyboard and mouse, it seems the USB 3.0 ports are not awake during POST, but that might be due to my PC's configuration.

The inability to enter the BIOS UI you mentioned happens with a UEFI booting Windows 8 installation, and having the Fast Boot option in the BIOS set to Ultra Fast. I you aren't familiar with this, then you didn't do it.

[Kylearan]

Re: H97M-ITX/ac - Can't Access BIOS / UEFI Restart -> Blank Screen

A weird solution 'happened'.. some may be related, some not.

I switched from my receiver HDMI input to direct TV input.. that didn't work.

Then I disabled hibernation, restarted, shut down, hooked up to my Asus monitor (still via HDMI) and rebooted.

And... well, THAT worked.

I have a feeling you're right, that I wasn't 'seeing' what was happening. Perhaps the system WAS in BIOS before.. just the strangest thing.

Now to deal with the overheating CPU...hitting 95C at idle? Oh, I don't think that's right.

[parsec]

Re: H97M-ITX/ac - Can't Access BIOS / UEFI Restart -> Blank Screen

A weird solution 'happened'.. some may be related, some not.

I switched from my receiver HDMI input to direct TV input.. that didn't work.

Then I disabled hibernation, restarted, shut down, hooked up to my Asus monitor (still via HDMI) and rebooted.

And... well, THAT worked.

I have a feeling you're right, that I wasn't 'seeing' what was happening. Perhaps the system WAS in BIOS before.. just the strangest thing.

Now to deal with the overheating CPU...hitting 95C at idle? Oh, I don't think that's right.

No it's not right at all. Sounds like the H60's pump is not running. Unless something else happened that loosened the pump/water block from the CPU.

The older H60's use a three pin fan connector for pump power. That can be connected to the Power Fan header on a board, but I always use a molex to three pin fan adapter, and run the pump with power directly from the PSU, the board seems to always have a bit lower voltage. The adapter I use has an RPM signal connector to put on a fan header to monitor pump speed, which on a H60 should be in the range of 4,200 - 4,400 RPM. That also allows me to monitor the pump speed at all times.

It's also possible the pump died, but check its power connection first.

[Kylearan]

Re: H97M-ITX/ac - Can't Access BIOS / UEFI Restart -> Blank Screen

Thanks.. I did exactly that already, actually. A couple times. It IS the 3-pin model (thank you, Overstock). And I went the molex route as well. Same result.

Doing an RMA and.. trying to figure out what to go with instead. I'm going to shy away from Corsair because of this.. looking at Thermaltake, torn between the Performer 2.0 and 3.0, but not committed just yet. I've read good things on both, but that the 2.0 is actually more quiet than the 3.0.. tough to tell. ;-/

There is also the Cooler Master GeminII M4, Noctua NH-L9i, etc., if I want to go straight fan (non liquid cooler).

Unfortunately there is no "BEST" answer to this.. just options.. and looking for one that is competent and relatively quiet.

[parsec]

Re: H97M-ITX/ac - Can't Access BIOS / UEFI Restart -> Blank Screen

Thanks.. I did exactly that already, actually. A couple times. It IS the 3-pin model (thank you, Overstock). And I went the molex route as well. Same result.

Doing an RMA and.. trying to figure out what to go with instead. I'm going to shy away from Corsair because of this.. looking at Thermaltake, torn between the Performer 2.0 and 3.0, but not committed just yet. I've read good things on both, but that the 2.0 is actually more quiet than the 3.0.. tough to tell. ;-/

There is also the Cooler Master GeminII M4, Noctua NH-L9i, etc., if I want to go straight fan (non liquid cooler).

Unfortunately there is no "BEST" answer to this.. just options.. and looking for one that is competent and relatively quiet.

Sorry, I don't get it. Was the pump running or not?

Personally, I've had no problems with the older H60s I use, or a H80, they just keep on working fine. I recently tried a CM Nepton XL, and I find it to be a little strange, the CPU idle temps are higher than using a H60 and it is not cooling any better IMO.

[Kylearan]

Re: H97M-ITX/ac - Can't Access BIOS / UEFI Restart -> Blank Screen

Sorry, I don't get it. Was the pump running or not?

Personally, I've had no problems with the older H60s I use, or a H80, they just keep on working fine. I recently tried a CM Nepton XL, and I find it to be a little strange, the CPU idle temps are higher than using a H60 and it is not cooling any better IMO.

Sorry about that - meant that I had hooked up the H60 directly to the PSU. No changes at all.. temp just kept climbing and climbing, en route to at least 95C idle. Even reseated it a couple times, but finally gave up.. something either wrong with it or me..

Grabbed a Thermaltake 3.0 Performer yesterday and installed that, to see if it was me. Considering the CPU is now idling around 30C, I'll hedge my bet the H60 wasn't up to par.

All seems well now, thanks.

[kufnayr]

Re: H97M-ITX/ac - Can't Access BIOS / UEFI Restart -> Blank Screen

Hiya.. built my first rig in about 13 years a couple weeks ago and have been enjoying it.. until today.

haha! you're 13 years old aren't you. I remember wanting to say that when I was 13...expect the internet didn't exist back then.. but gratz on your first build. now run some vm's and make something interesting. just try to remember that "IT" is more than buying parts. o yea, and say no to drugs. and flavored tobacco. And any type of swisher other than grape. but srsly, drugs aren't cool. retirement is cool.