RAM slot issues

[tehmaddoctor]

Small update: when I set CSM to Disabled I can no longer see my drives and the machine doesn't boot, it goes straight into the bios again.

[Super Gnome]

Typical Asus motherboard stuff--that is typically OS, Windows, driver related--or that's my experience, anyhow. I got my first Asus motherboard in 2011, a Rampage III Black Edition and until Windows 10 came out and I removed ALL Asus software, I had endless problems over the years. A typical one was insane boot times. I sometimes had to start the thing, and literally go away for ten minutes without touching anything to get the rig to function properly.

Here's is what I'd do: Refresh Windows 10 first. There is a refresh tool in Windows. You can do it two ways. One is keeping all of your apps. I'd do that first. If I got no improvement, then I'd remove all Asus software in my system, and then do the refresh again, this time the way that removes apps. (This works to remove some apps, but not all of them, but typically removing the ones that can cause potential problems).

In my experience, Asus software messes up your system even if you uninstall it (but the Windows refresh tool gets rid of it for good). The exceptions are Asus Suite III and GPU Tweak II. The newest ones seem to be fine. So do a refresh and do not install any bloatware like Live Dash or Armoury Crate or any other of that kind of bloatware.

Also, you want to make sure your chipset (etc) drivers are as new as possible. And that you regularly update and check for updates.

[Super Gnome]

Sorry, I rewrote the above in a more concise version. The above post did not appear so I thought it got lost. Anyhow, here is my second post:

I'd refresh Windows first with all apps in place, and if that didn't help, I'd do it again with the kind that removes apps. Then I would not reinstall any Asus software. I'd also make sure I had all the lastest drivers, like the latest chipset ones, etc.

Hopefully this helps.

Also, maybe you can't do this if you can't get your rig to boot. If not, can you get into safe mode? Sometimes a quick start in safe mode and then exiting (via a regular shutdown) can somehow reset everything and then you are gold. Also, if you can boot into safe mode, it is a good sign.

Also, can you get to the login screen?

[RedSector73]

Small update: when I set CSM to Disabled I can no longer see my drives and the machine doesn't boot, it goes straight into the bios again.

It sounds to me like you never set it up correctly. Here is how to setup for M2 drive.

Here is the whole procedure for install of windows on nvme drive.

1 - Make sure you unplug all SATA and USB drives, the M.2 drive has to be the only drive installed.
2 - Go into the bios, under the boot tab there is an option for CSM, make sure it is disabled.
3 - Click on secure boot option below and make sure it is set to other OS, Not windows UEFI.
4 - Click on key management and clear secure boot keys.
5 - Insert a USB memory stick with a UEFI bootable ISO of Windows 10 on it.
6 - Press F10 to save, exit and reboot.
7 - Windows will now start installing to your NVME drive as it has its own NVME driver built in.
8 - When the PC reboots hit F2 to go back into the BIOS, you will see under boot priority that Windows boot manager now lists your NVME drive.
9 - Click on secure boot again but now set it to Windows UEFI mode.
10 - Click on key management and install default secure boot keys
11 - Press F10 to save and exit and windows will finish the install.

Once you have Windows up and running, shutdown the PC and reconnect your other SATA drives. If this does sound familiar to your original install that might be the problem.

Hope you find this of help.

[tehmaddoctor]

I'd refresh Windows first with all apps in place, and if that didn't help, I'd do it again with the kind that removes apps. Then I would not reinstall any Asus software. I'd also make sure I had all the lastest drivers, chipset, etc.

Hopefully this helps.

Also, maybe you can't do this if you can't get your rig to boot. If not, can you get into safe mode? Sometimes a quick start in safe mode and then exiting (via a regular shutdown) can somehow reset everything and then you are gold. Also, if you can boot into safe mode, it is a good sign.

Also, can you get to the login screen?

I can boot just fine if I have CSM on Enabled. If I set it to Disabled I can no longer see my boot drives and I cannot boot in Windows.
As a different note: once the Windows logo appears the PC boots in seconds. The majority of the boot time is spent BEFORE the Asus Logo appears, once the Asus Logo appears it goes ultra fast into Windows and Windows also loads really fast. It's that black screen before the Asus Logo appears that takes an abnormal amount of time.

I will try resetting Windows once I get the May 2020 update which for some reason isn't shown as available on my Windows Update yet

[RedSector73]

I will try resetting Windows once I get the May 2020 update which for some reason isn't shown as available on my Windows Update yet

It's been rolled out, if it's not on your auto download by now, you have an issue.
Windows 2004 direct links they are available here from microsoft:

64-Bit
https://software-download.microsoft....06c1a03bd0ff52

32-Bit
https://software-download.microsoft....d0e7130000dc18

I'll going to make a guess that on install it fails and rollsback.

[Super Gnome]

once I get the May 2020 update which for some reason isn't shown as available on my Windows Update yet

Oddly I had to wait for that update for my Crosshair VIII Formula rig for a while too. My Rampage VIII Omega Extreme rig had it a while back, and my Toshiba laptop weeks ago.

Weird Windows updater delays the update for some rigs, but not others.

Have you booted into Safe Mode? Sometimes simply doing that and then shutting down resets something that can end that kind of problem.

I doubt it is a hardware issue, but you never know. If it were me I'd do everything I could if still under warranty. If not, I'd just try to not worry about the slow boot times. With my Asus based systems, time and new updates and drivers, etc, has always resolved such issues. A few times I have simply reinstalled Windows and the result has always been a complete resolution of such problems.

Also, when I have such issues, I check Tom's Hardware and other similar sites via Google searches. That can give you more things to try. You can also post your issue at Tom's Hardware if have two minutes to make an account.