Z690 Aorus Elite Ax DDR4 compatible unit, no post required and signal confirmed.
Z690 Aorus Elite Ax DDR4 compatible unit, no post required and signal confirmed.
I've carefully assembled this new build, reviewed every manual, yet it still doesn't work. I powered it up and updated the BIOS with the F20 version that matches the CPU I installed. All fans are functioning, and the CPU indicator lights up for about two seconds before switching to a red LED indicating DRAM activity. The light stays on, but I don’t see any post or signal. I’ve placed RAM in slots 2 and 4 as recommended for dual sticks, tried using one stick per slot, even checked at a local Best Buy and bought more RAM thinking the existing one was faulty. After removing everything and reattaching the PSU connections, I’m completely stuck. I took out the CPU and reassembled everything, but nothing changes. I removed my GPU card and connected it to the integrated graphics, which also didn’t help. Several people have shared similar issues online, some claiming fixes but not sharing details. I’m at a complete loss. I’ve even shaved off half my head in frustration. Here’s the list of components I used:
- CPU: Intel Core i5-13600K 3.5 GHz 14-Core
- CPU Cooler: Scythe Fuma 2 Rev.B 39.44 CFM
- Motherboard: Gigabyte Z690 GAMING X DDR4 ATX LGA1700
- RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws V 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-4000 CL18
- Storage: Sabrent Rocket 4.0 500 GB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME
- SSD: Gigabyte AORUS Gen4 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME
- Video Card: ASRock OC Formula Radeon RX 6900 XT 16 GB
- Case: Corsair 4000D Airflow ATX Mid Tower
- Power Supply: Corsair RM850x (2021) 850 W, 80+ Gold Certified, fully modular
Please help me resolve this.
Problem partially resolved. Bought a different Intel CPU (Core i5-12600K) and booted into BIOS. Installed Windows 11 in roughly 15 minutes using the integrated GPU. The BIOS version is f4. Planning to experiment with updating the BIOS to f20 and reinstalling the i5-13600K to observe changes. Updates will be shared as they happen.
K features an iGPU, whereas KF does not. A video card is required for posting. Ensure your device isn't a KF or install a GPU if needed.
I confirmed it's K. I powered on and ran the 12th gen CPU with BIOS F4. Updating to version F20 for the 13th gen CPU isn't working. I removed the CMOS battery, connected the PSU for over 30 minutes, shorted the two pins briefly, and it still boots normally. Using the BIOS update F20 on the flash drive, I renamed it to gigabyte.bin. When I pressed the QFLASH button, it powered on and then shut off after 3 to 5 seconds. I'm now trying a boot with the CMOS battery removed to try accessing the BIOS. I'll keep updating.
I finally received the BIOS update to the F20 edition that supports the 13th generation processor. Soon I’ll replace the 12th generation chip with the newer one and observe the results. Here’s what I did to fix the problem. I removed the CMOS battery and started Windows. A subsequent restart brought me back to the BIOS setup. I confirmed I was still on version F4. Then I rebooted into Windows and downloaded the appropriate BIOS file. I made a bootable USB stick, extracted all files to its root folder. Rather than strictly adhering to Gigabyte’s guidance, I looked deeper and discovered the "Efiflash.efi" script is essential for updating to F20. STAY AWAY FROM FOLLOWING THEIR INSTRUCTIONS! Here are the Gigabyte steps: BIOS Flash SOP 1. Obtain the BIOS file from their website and place it in the root of the bootable USB. 2. Launch the system using the USB in EFI shell mode. In EFI mode, your display will appear as shown. First, identify the correct disk code—here FS0 is used as an example. 3. Type "FS0:" and press Enter. The next command reads: "Flash.nsh". 4. Enter "Efiflash.efi Z690AELITEDDR4.F20" and press Enter. The process completes, confirming BIOS status. The system will restart during the update. Do not take the USB out once installed. After rebooting, the BIOS upgrade will finish (see the screen). Be patient. Once done, the PC will restart fully to wrap up. I followed steps 1 through 4, then tried a different path in step 5 and successfully ran the script. The BIOS transitioned smoothly. After the update, I unplugged everything and installed the 13th generation CPU to see the outcome. Thanks to everyone who offered advice; I wouldn’t have reached this point without helpful tech-savvy friends.
Just checking if this setup functions for you. I also tried z690 with Elite Ax DDR5 5th gen and couldn't get F21 to work via qflash. The 16GB 2.0 USB didn't show up, but the 32GB 3.0 USB did and it disappeared after about six minutes without rebooting. Using the i9-139KF was a mistake—I expected an IGPU but didn’t see any splash or BIOS when the GPU was on HDMI or DP.
It’s clearly not intuitive to use. Without a quick intro or startup screen I wouldn’t have managed to refresh the BIOS. I tried reaching out to Gigabyte tech support but they were closed during the holidays. I filed a troubleshooting request and it’s still under review. I couldn’t get the 13th generation CPU to work—it would flash between two LEDs on the MB chip for roughly a second, then switch to the DRAM LED for about eight seconds, repeating around eleven times, and finally stayed steady on the DRAM LED until powered on. Eventually I decided to return the CPU and stick with the 12th generation for now. My next project will likely be several years away, and I plan to thoroughly test the MB before choosing a CPU. Did you change the name of the F21 file to gigabyte.bin? That makes sense since qflash requires it, and using the wrong script files is a common issue many encounter. It looks like a generic file meant for all MB variants, not tailored to each specific version.