Author: parsec
Subject: Z170 Extreme6 - debug code 99
Posted: 07 Feb 2017 at 11:48am
Was this PC sold to you as a package by a company?
If we check the description for the next UEFI/BIOS version after 1.20, 1.40, it has changes for DRAM compatibility.
While we may think the description, Improve DRAM compatibility, means we can use more models of memory, that is not what it means. It really means that memory compatibility has been modified to match what it should be for a Skylake processor.
I just remembered something else about changing to the Kaby Lake compatible UEFI/BIOS version (7.xx). Did you update the INF files, and the IME software for a Kaby Lake (i7-7700K) processor?
That would be the INF driver ver:10.1.1.38, and Intel Management Engine driver ver:11.6.0.1126, from your board's download page:
http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/Z170%20Extreme6/?cat=Download&os=Win1064
Even if you are still using a Skylake processor (i7-6700K) in the board, the IME firmware that is part of the UEFI/BIOS file, was updated in the 7.xx update. The matching IME software (backward compatible) must be installed.
Another thing that worries me now is the number of UEFI/BIOS updates that batch has done. Some of them have CPU microcode updates for various reasons, and IME firmware, which is NOT updated by every update. So who knows what state or combination of them he now has in place.
To answer your question about the memory compatibility not being shown as a POST check failure, your memory worked, but was probably not as stable as it should be. Then as the other UEFI/BIOS versions (1.40, etc), made the compatibility worse but not enough to fail completely, other aspects of the CPU could have problems, such as the PCIe lanes.
The M.2 SSD uses PCIe lanes, and when it was removed, the 99 code was not shown.
We forget that DDR4 memory is very new, only two platforms so far use it, X99 and Skylake/Kaby Lake. I combine those because they are not at all different compared to X99. DDR4 compatibility has been one of the worst problems we have seen in this forum, and it's not getting better... Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Subject: Z170 Extreme6 - debug code 99
Posted: 07 Feb 2017 at 11:48am
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  batch wrote:well. maybe something is broken. i cannot say it. Just tried v7.10 and v7.0 .. same freeze when any storage device is pluged in. Guess I have to send it back to the supplier to take an eye at this. Maybe they know what to do. |
Was this PC sold to you as a package by a company?
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. batch wrote:Hi, I tested this some days before. I tried 2 pieces to get dual channel, I tried 1 piece in A1, in B1.. always with the same result. I know that there is no official support for my RAMs. But why there's no fault until BIOS v1.2 ? Maybe I'm wrong with this.. but if the board would have problems with the RAMs, the codes 0d or b0 should displayed .. -> http://asrock.com/support/faq.asp?id=334 |
If we check the description for the next UEFI/BIOS version after 1.20, 1.40, it has changes for DRAM compatibility.
While we may think the description, Improve DRAM compatibility, means we can use more models of memory, that is not what it means. It really means that memory compatibility has been modified to match what it should be for a Skylake processor.
I just remembered something else about changing to the Kaby Lake compatible UEFI/BIOS version (7.xx). Did you update the INF files, and the IME software for a Kaby Lake (i7-7700K) processor?
That would be the INF driver ver:10.1.1.38, and Intel Management Engine driver ver:11.6.0.1126, from your board's download page:
http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/Z170%20Extreme6/?cat=Download&os=Win1064
Even if you are still using a Skylake processor (i7-6700K) in the board, the IME firmware that is part of the UEFI/BIOS file, was updated in the 7.xx update. The matching IME software (backward compatible) must be installed.
Another thing that worries me now is the number of UEFI/BIOS updates that batch has done. Some of them have CPU microcode updates for various reasons, and IME firmware, which is NOT updated by every update. So who knows what state or combination of them he now has in place.
To answer your question about the memory compatibility not being shown as a POST check failure, your memory worked, but was probably not as stable as it should be. Then as the other UEFI/BIOS versions (1.40, etc), made the compatibility worse but not enough to fail completely, other aspects of the CPU could have problems, such as the PCIe lanes.
The M.2 SSD uses PCIe lanes, and when it was removed, the 99 code was not shown.
We forget that DDR4 memory is very new, only two platforms so far use it, X99 and Skylake/Kaby Lake. I combine those because they are not at all different compared to X99. DDR4 compatibility has been one of the worst problems we have seen in this forum, and it's not getting better... Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
