Complete new build finished and operating smoothly!
Complete new build finished and operating smoothly!
I invested four days trying to assemble a new build with the Asus TUF Gaming X570 Plus WIFI, and here are some key points I found along the way.
The system is confirmed to be Windows 11 Ready, contrary to what the packaging claims! All the manuals indicate Windows 10.
The standout aspect that helped finish the project was the LED error code indicators! Their colors and positions are as follows:
TOP-BOOT Yellow Green.
VGA-White.
CPU-Red.
Bottom-Yellow.
This board is built for AMD AM4 processors with integrated graphics. I used a fresh AMD Ryzen 9 5950X, but it lacks built-in graphics.
CPU cooler: Black Rock Pro 5.
XFX GTR XXX ED RX 580 8GB OC+ – just bought, with extra power connectors.
Seasonic Focus Plus 1000 Gold – purchased with upgrade potential in mind.
Avoid connecting anything other than the CPU, CPU cooler, RAM, and video card!
Many video card fans activate when power is turned on and then shut off. This is normal. You can manage fan speeds via AMD Adrenaline software. Don’t get distracted. Your card is heating up! This board isn’t meant for video cards. I wasn’t able to spot fan controls in the BIOS, maybe someone else can help identify them?
If they exist.
Tech support didn’t assist much when I asked this question.
The first challenge was accessing the bottom-most PCIE slot. Without it, video output won’t work at all!
Back up the old BIOS and install BIOS 2607.
Unplug the system, discharge capacitors by holding the power button until all lights fade.
Remove the video card! Take out the BIOS battery and let it rest for 15–20 minutes before reinserting.
Swap the video card into the first PCIe slot. Adjust the power supply connectors so that the 6-pin cable is at the bottom of the PSU and the 8-pin cable is on top. Make sure both connectors are 8 pins. Keep track of their positions.
I’m not sure why this worked, but it likely relates to how power is distributed between the upper and lower PCIE slots.
Enter BIOS, set defaults, and set CPU fan to maximum speed. Keep the system cool until you can install Ryzen CPU software in Windows. Turn off and unplug the system.
Install the boot device. NVME M.2 drives with cooling shrouds won’t benefit from the built-in fans. The drives are too bulky to fit the included cover and shroud.
After handling so many oddities, I backed up the BIOS again and reinstalled it after connecting everything. Everything was in the right place and plugged in. It worked!
I finally installed Windows 11 Pro, fixed everything, applied the AMD chipset drivers, and enabled Adrenaline Software. I set a maximum video card temperature of 24°C, though the Adrenaline and Ryzen CPU temperatures are at 32°C. These are just realistic numbers. I hope this helps!
I'm continuing to pass along the support I've received. Please be assured it might be challenging to get started, but this platform is valuable.
You started build wrong way and with wrong premises, First placing GPU in any other slot, first PCIe x16 is main and fastest one connecting PCIe lanes directly to CPU, it is only right place for it. Other slots are connected to chipset and depend very much on chipset drivers and available PCIe lanes.
Windows 11 ready and available documentation is not even relevant because all drivers are exactly same but first gen Ryzen CPUs do not contain TPM option.
It's better to leave all BIOS settings at default while installing windows and testing except those that W11 requires and that's TPM and secure boot otherwise it will refuse to install. Latest BIOS has those on by default. Until 7000 series (AM5) only Ryzen with "G" suffices have iGPU, MB has option to use IGPU for that, otherwise don't even try.
Fan speeds, those in BIOS for CPU and other fans are most of time set sufficiently by default, no need to set them differently until you install all including Windows and test for temperatures. Setting fan speed curves in BIOS is preferable because it doesn't depend on (mostly)flaky software which also adds to clutter and runs in background impacting performance. For most GPUs fan starting temperature is 40-50c, lower than that doesn't contribute to performance or temperatures. If you want to set their speed curve, make sure max rpm is set to just before maximum observed GPU temperatures because those are only that matter.
"Running fine" is pretty vague until you run stability and performance tests with a program like OCCT and Cinebench 23 for instance.
You didn't say anything about setting RAM to proper speeds and settings using XMP/DOCP or manually, much of overall performance depends on it specially with Ryzen.
PS. There's no need to remove battery for so long, if you empty capacitors while PSU is off by pressing start button for couple of seconds, it takes only a second to reset CMOS, most of time it's not even necessary to remove battery at all, MBs have either a button or 2 posts which can be shorted for a second to achieve same thing but not reset time and date.
PS2. Read manuals for every part so you don't have to guess and/or have wrong ideas, not all systems are same, some are really specific. What works on one may be even opposite for others.
I also want to mention that Win 11 needs Secure Boot to be active and functional, though it doesn<|pad|> to not be turned on. It's not mandatory, but the BIOS/UEFI must support it; otherwise, the setup process can get quite tense.
When attempting to boot the system after initial assembly, the LED VGA error light appeared without any beep codes. The board remained illuminated, suggesting a video card issue. I replaced and reinserted the card into the top slot, ensuring all power connectors were securely connected. I also removed the video card and tested it in another system, which functioned correctly. Many others have experienced similar problems with the board not displaying a video card. Please verify this independently.
After resolving the video card problem, I went ahead with BIOS and applied the first preset profile. The RAM speed was automatically detected as 3600. Maintaining proper cooling for the GPU and CPU is essential for extending their lifespan. As noted in the previous post, there were no visible controls in BIOS regarding GPU fan settings. If you're familiar with this board, please let me know where these controls are located. The manual doesn't mention GPU fan control settings, and the board's documentation also doesn't reference them.
None of the problems I faced related to Secure Boot or UEFI. The highest PCIe port didn't recognize the graphics card. I was using an anti-static wrist strap. I tested each slot with a single stick to rule out faulty memory or incorrect slots, as the system checks RAM first by the lights on the board. RAM was the only part that didn't cause issues during assembly.
BIOS and board manuals don't provide details on a GPU fan since they can't determine which GPU will be installed. GPU fan controls are included in the manufacturer's software package, or they may be automatic. Usually, you don't need to adjust GPU fans manually. System and CPU fans are often set by the motherboard software or BIOS, sometimes together, based on the board type. The Secure Boot feature simply needs to be enabled if required, which is an uncommon requirement in MS Windows 11. *shrug*