x79 Extreme4 freezes when USB 3 is plugged in.

[Izord]

I have assembled a system with an Asrock x79 Extreme4 motherboard. I'm using an Intel processor. Installed Windows7 pro.

Installed all the drivers and have been using it for almost a week.

Everything seems to work well except the system freezes when I plug a device into the IO panel usb 3.0 ports.

The screen stays on, but the computer becomes unresponsive and requires powering off the power supply and rebooting.

Device manager looks ok.

Performance seems to be very good otherwise.

How do I start to trouble shoot this?

I have plugged in a mouse, a keyboard, a DVD drive, and a USB hard drive into the IO panel USB 3.0 ports all with the same result.

Thanks.

[SaphireX]

Double check in your UEFI/BIOS on the USB Configuration Page that:
1.USB 2.0 Controller is enabled
2.USB 3.0 Controller is enabled
3.Legacy USB Support is set to Enabled
4.Legacy USB 3.0 Support is set to Enabled

Does the same freeze occur if by chance you have front panel USB 3.0 header connected?

Post back

[Izord]

Double check in your UEFI/BIOS on the USB Configuration Page that:
1.USB 2.0 Controller is enabled
2.USB 3.0 Controller is enabled
3.Legacy USB Support is set to Enabled
4.Legacy USB 3.0 Support is set to Enabled

Does the same freeze occur if by chance you have front panel USB 3.0 header connected?

Post back

Thanks for answering SaphireX.

Yes to the first 4, and my board is on a test bench, I don't have a cable to plug into the Front Panel USB 3.0 header. Was kind of waiting to see if I could get this board sorted out before ordering a case.

If I can't get it to work, I may go with the ASUS mATX board and an mATX case.

Does anyone else have this board with the IO panel USB 3.0 working?

If anything is plugged into mine before booting it gets past the BIOS screen and freezes on 'Windows' before the swirling colors of Windows 7 startup. Then I have to turn off the power supply.

I tried getting the new drivers from ASROCK downloads site. They aren't really new though, seems to be the same as on the installation disk, from 5/11.

Thanks.

[SaphireX]

Sounds like you have covered the bases here--> mobo drivers installed that included the chipset software, Intel USB 3.0 drivers and the Intel Mgmt Engine software etc etc.
It just might simply be a bad board...
I think you know what to do since it affects all of the I/O USB ports
Good Luck
SaphireX

[Izord]

SaphireX, you're right about the PCIe 3.0 not being supported and not the USB 3.0. But I think the following firmware and drivers helped me fix the USB 3.0:

I found some newer firmware and drivers from Asmedia for the USB 3.0 chip.

Here is where I found the Asmedia drivers: http://www.station-drivers.com/page/asmedia.htm

This board doesn't use an Intel USB 3.0 chip.

I installed the firmware in DOS then booted into windows no problem, but when I installed the new drivers the computer froze. I had to cut the power off and reboot into BIOS setup.
I disabled the USB 3.0 to get the computer to work.

Any suggestions? I may have to return this board.

Is the ASROCK representative here?

[Izord]

Any ideas how to undo what I just did?

Somehow that USB 3.0 driver that I put on causes windows to freeze. I can start windows if the USB 3.0 is disabled in BIOS. But then it doesn't show up in the device manager to uninstall the driver.

Safemode? help?

[Izord]

A little good news. I went back into the bios and enabled the USB 3.0, but disabled legacy on it and windows starts and runs. With the newer drivers and firmware. It shows up in the device manager with the new drivers.

I need a USB 3.0 device now to test it.

If the Legacy is enabled on the USB 3.0 then the system freezes as it enters windows with or without a device attached. If Legacy is disabled, Windows runs fine but non USB 3.0 devices are not recognized.

[SaphireX]

Sounds like your confusing PCIe with USB from reading above...PCIe 3.0 is for the PCIe lanes ie: GPU or perhaps SSD's mounted on a PCIe card...
The newer ASMedia drivers are O.K. to install but flashing the firmware that if you read the fine print was designed for ASUS boards ASMedia chip may have caused a conflict with the ASRock UEFI/BIOS. Try clearing your CMOS by the Clear CMOS Button on the board or better yet follow the procedures in your manual to clear CMOS by yanking the batttery(unplugged from A/C source First) then moving the jumper. Once your CMOS is cleared SET DEFAULTS on the very next boot as it should tell you to enter SETUP then save and exit. Ascertain if then your system will boot into windows with nothing in any USB 3.0 ports just your keyboard and mouse plugged into native USB 2.0 ports.
Post back

[Izord]

Sounds like your confusing PCIe with USB from reading above...PCIe 3.0 is for the PCIe lanes ie: GPU or perhaps SSD's mounted on a PCIe card...
The newer ASMedia drivers are O.K. to install but flashing the firmware that if you read the fine print was designed for ASUS boards ASMedia chip may have caused a conflict with the ASRock UEFI/BIOS. Try clearing your CMOS by the Clear CMOS Button on the board or better yet follow the procedures in your manual to clear CMOS by yanking the batttery(unplugged from A/C source First) then moving the jumper. Once your CMOS is cleared SET DEFAULTS on the very next boot as it should tell you to enter SETUP then save and exit. Ascertain if then your system will boot into windows with nothing in any USB 3.0 ports just your keyboard and mouse plugged into native USB 2.0 ports.
Post back

I don't think so.

Look on this page, click on specifications to the left then go down to USB 3.0. http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.us...X79%20Extreme4
It says:- 2 x Rear USB 3.0 ports by ASMedia ASM1042, support USB 1.0/2.0/3.0 up to 5Gb/s
- 1 x Front USB 3.0 header (supports 2 USB 3.0 ports) by ASMedia ASM1042, supports USB 1.0/2.0/3.0 up to 5Gb/s

Then on this page: ASMedia Technology Inc. ????

It says: The ASMedia ASM1042 is the Universal Serial Bus 3.0 extended host controller, complies with Intel’s eXtensible Host Controller Interface (xHCI). ASM1042 is highly integrated with ASMedia PCI Express, SuperSpeed USB3.0, High Speed USB2.0 self-design PHYs, applied for SuperSpeed USB host PC system through PCI Express Bus Interface
The ASMedia ASM1042 SuperSpeed USB Host Controller is designed for high speed and low power data transmit. It also support backwards compatibility with current USB2.0 standard, being used in the PC, mobile, consumer and communication application

And in my Device Manager under Universal Serial Bus controllers the ASMedia XHCI Controller is the first listed, then Generic USB Hub, then Intel C600/X79 series chipset USB2 Enhanced Host Contoller.

The Asrock x79 uses an ASMedia XHCI Controller for USB 3.0 as far as I can tell.

There is no need to reset my CMOS, my computer is working now as long as Legacy USB 3.0 is disabled. The USB 3.0 ports don't recognize USB 2.0 devices, still need a USB 3.0 device to see if they will work with that.

Stopped by the store today for a flash drive but they only had 2.0 devices. I will order one online today.


When I searched for 'ASM1042 issues' I found this page: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/30...ibility-issues

It seems others are having problems with backwards compatibility with this USB 3.0 controller.

Does anyone have it working? What drivers are you using?

Thanks.

[Izord]

The problem appears to be widespread and also affecting other manufacturer's boards: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.-Forum- ASMedia USB 3.0 (ASM1042), BSOD, Unreliable, Unstable Drivers and Firmware, Compatibility Problems with USB 1.1 and 2.0 Devices. USB-IF certified?

Lots of research to be done, Here's a link: Windows 7 PROBLEM with USB 3.0 PART 5 - Rollin' News | Windows Secrets Lounge