Question:

How to resolve a boot loop issue after updating BIOS on an Asrock Z490 motherboard?

I have an Asrock Z490 Phantom Gaming 4/ac motherboard with a Core I5 10400 CPU, a MSI GAMING X RX 5700 XT GPU, and 16 GB Oloy 2266 RAM. I updated my BIOS from 1.00 to 1.20 using a USB flash drive, but after that, my PC entered an infinite boot loop and my monitor showed no signal. The DRAM LED on the motherboard was also red, indicating a memory problem.

I attempted several troubleshooting steps, such as reseating the RAM and GPU, flashing back to 1.00 BIOS, removing and reinstalling the CMOS battery, and shorting the CMOS jumpers with a screwdriver. None of these methods worked and the boot loop persisted. I do not want to buy a new motherboard or other components. Is there any way to fix this issue?

Answer:

A boot loop is a frustrating problem that occurs when a computer fails to start properly and keeps restarting itself. It can be caused by various factors, such as hardware failure, software corruption, or incorrect BIOS settings. In this article, we will focus on a specific case of a boot loop issue that happened after updating the BIOS on an Asrock Z490 motherboard.

The user who reported this issue had an Asrock Z490 Phantom Gaming 4/ac motherboard with a Core I5 10400 CPU, a MSI GAMING X RX 5700 XT GPU, and 16 GB Oloy 2266 RAM. They updated their BIOS from 1.00 to 1.20 using a USB flash drive, but after that, their PC entered an infinite boot loop and their monitor showed no signal. The DRAM LED on the motherboard was also red, indicating a memory problem.

They attempted several troubleshooting steps, such as reseating the RAM and GPU, flashing back to 1.00 BIOS, removing and reinstalling the CMOS battery, and shorting the CMOS jumpers with a screwdriver. None of these methods worked and the boot loop persisted. They did not want to buy a new motherboard or other components. Is there any way to fix this issue?

Possible solutions

There are a few possible solutions that might work for this issue, depending on the exact cause and the severity of the problem. Here are some of them:

• Reset the BIOS to default settings. This can be done by pressing the F2 key during the boot process to enter the BIOS setup menu, and then selecting the Load Optimized Defaults option. This will restore the BIOS settings to their factory values and might resolve any compatibility or configuration issues that caused the boot loop. Save and exit the BIOS setup menu and see if the PC boots normally.
• Update the BIOS to the latest version. It is possible that the BIOS update from 1.00 to 1.20 was corrupted or incomplete, and that caused the boot loop issue. To fix this, you can try to update the BIOS to the latest version available on the Asrock website. You will need a USB flash drive with the BIOS file downloaded and extracted on it. Plug the USB flash drive into the motherboard’s USB port and press the F6 key during the boot process to enter the Instant Flash menu. Select the BIOS file from the USB flash drive and follow the instructions to update the BIOS. Wait for the process to complete and reboot the PC.
• Clear the CMOS. The CMOS is a small chip on the motherboard that stores the BIOS settings and other information. Sometimes, clearing the CMOS can help to fix boot loop issues by resetting the BIOS settings and clearing any errors. There are two ways to clear the CMOS: using a jumper or removing the battery. To use a jumper, you will need to locate the CLRCMOS1 jumper on the motherboard and move it from the default position (pins 1 and 2) to the clear position (pins 2 and 3) for about 10 seconds. Then, move it back to the default position and reboot the PC. To remove the battery, you will need to locate the CR2032 battery on the motherboard and carefully remove it for about 10 minutes. Then, reinstall the battery and reboot the PC.
• Check the RAM and GPU. It is possible that the RAM or the GPU is faulty or incompatible with the BIOS update, and that caused the boot loop issue. To check this, you can try to remove one or more RAM modules or the GPU and see if the PC boots normally. If it does, then you have identified the problematic component and you can try to replace it or update its drivers. If it does not, then you can try to swap the RAM modules or the GPU with another compatible one and see if that works. Alternatively, you can try to test the RAM and the GPU using a diagnostic tool such as MemTest86 or FurMark.

Conclusion

A

boot loop issue after updating the BIOS on an Asrock Z490 motherboard can be a challenging problem to solve, but it is not impossible. By following the possible solutions mentioned above, you might be able to fix the issue and restore your PC to normal operation. However, if none of these solutions work, or if you are not comfortable with performing them, you might want to consult a professional technician or contact the Asrock customer support for further assistance.