TL;DR - can get to BIOS, can’t boot
(Parts listed at the end)
My BIOS is not displaying any bootable media by default. If I enable CSM (compatibility support module), then all the storage devices appear as options.
When I try to boot these (including the Arch Linux USB I confirmed to work on my laptop) the computer hangs with a white dash in the upper-left of the monitor, after displaying the motherboard logo momentarily.
Without CSM enabled, it goes straight to BIOS and doesn’t try to boot anything.
I have tried 2 GPUs, tried using either single stick of my 2 stick RAM kit (in the manual’s recommended slot), and I unplugged all the storage devices aside from the USB I’m trying to boot. Really don’t know where to go from here. Is my motherboard defective?? CPU?
Just flashed the latest non beta version of BIOS (3.10, was on 3.6). Still no luck.
Sounds strange. I assume you have tried different USB ports and the ports directly at the back of the motherboard?
If you are trying to use a USB hub or the front USB ports of the case, this could cause problems.
It could be that you got a faulty motherboard. I would try to install the media separately - install Linux and remove the media but also remove the drive and put it into another computer. You can also do this with Windows, just do the install to drive and then move the drive to the correct computer.
Are your devices in GPT layout (GUID Partition Table) or older MBR (Master Boot Record) layout? UEFI will only recognise the newer GPT layout, any devices you hope to boot from with MBR layout will need CSM.
Yeah, I’m using the ports on the back of the motherboard.
As a shot in the dark, I tried using the front panel USB when I had this in a case, and got the same error.
The USB is confirmed working on my laptop. I pulled the boot drive from a Debian server and tried that. When I try to boot that, it behaves the same way as the USB.
Newer BIOS require GPT partitions. MBRs are, quite frankly, an old 80s tech that need to go away and hasn’t been a good standard for nearly two decades.
Update: Debian ISO works, but nothing else does. Still in test bench mode with minimal setup on the motherboardbox. Apparently the Arch ISO is supposed to work in both UEFI and BIOS situations.
Arch ISO works now. Because it includes a copy of memtest86, I was able to run that and verify that the memory seems to work at least at 4800 megahertz.
This is all back on the original PSU. I’m wondering if the previous failures with the arch ISO were due to a bad dd or loose 24 pin.
Still struggling to boot my Windows SSD but I was able to confirm that the computer can at least read partition info as pictured from that SSD.
When I tried to boot the SSD, now the screen is completely blank with no top left dash, and the CPU fan occasionally spins up fast. Going to look into using the Windows Repair USB next.
