I built my latest PC a few months ago and I’ve just discovered that my ridiculously expensive motherboard has a fault... The onboard GPU doesn’t work. The reason I’ve only just discovered this, is that I fitted a graphics card on day one. Foolishly it seems, without first testing the M/B GPU. To be honest, I don’t think it even crossed my mind at the time. With further internet research, it can ‘probably’ be assumed the fault was present from new.  Seems it’s a common issue on the v1 production of the board (Asus Z170 Deluxe).

Although the board is still well within its 12 month warrantee, the retailer states it has to go back to Asus for repair, rather than replaced, which apparently takes about 30 days. That I understand, is fairly standard practice.  HOWEVER....  They also stipulate, that before a return will even be considered, that I send them photographs, and preferably macro shots, of the CPU socket, in order to prove no pins are bent.

Has anyone ever heard of this?  I'm not even sure it can be legal.

The onboard GPU is on your CPU, not the mobo. That being said, faulty motherboards do happen. I've seen a few in about the 40 pc's that I have built over the past 10 years or so. Getting it swapped out at the store or you having to RMA is all dependent on your retailer and their policy.

If you want to use the GPU inside the CPU, you have to activate it via the BIOS.

Did you do that?

4 hours ago, patrice_bambou said:

If you want to use the GPU inside the CPU, you have to activate it via the BIOS.

Did you do that?

Good question... and to add: If one has an add-on GPU why would one want to run the CPU graphics?

Greg

I've found on-board GPU is usually on by default. Switches automaticaly if you install a graphics card. 

Worth checking if its off in the BIOS. Although I would have thought that would be the first thing Asus support would have asked that you check.

11 hours ago, lownslo said:

Good question... and to add: If one has an add-on GPU why would one want to run the CPU graphics?

Greg

 

It's an expensive CPU and whether its used or not it should be functional. Shouldn't have to pay loads of dosh for a defective product. And who knows whether, some time in the future, it might be required in an emergency.

And if the MB is at fault... who knows what other defects might be present.

11 hours ago, lownslo said:

Good question... and to add: If one has an add-on GPU why would one want to run the CPU graphics?

Greg

A friend of mine uses his to feed an external FMC screen he built himself without stressing the main GPU.

8 hours ago, martin-w said:

 

It's an expensive CPU and whether its used or not it should be functional. Shouldn't have to pay loads of dosh for a defective product. And who knows whether, some time in the future, it might be required in an emergency.

And if the MB is at fault... who knows what other defects might be present.

All true, but I only wonder if the aggravation will be worthwhile to the OP.  Clearly, his retailer and ASUS aren't interested in resolving the matter as stipulated by (jurisdictional) law.  Given the absolutely worthless support coming from tech hardware manufacturers perhaps the best option is to simply rely upon his add-on GPU and get on with life.  Of course, his money-his choice.

Greg

16 hours ago, lownslo said:

All true, but I only wonder if the aggravation will be worthwhile to the OP.  Clearly, his retailer and ASUS aren't interested in resolving the matter as stipulated by (jurisdictional) law.  

Greg

 

Who said Asus aren't interested, they haven't been contacted? 

As for the retailer, they've asked for a photo of the pins. Not unusual considering how easily pins are bent and how often that occurs during CPU installation. Intel, of course, decided it would be an awesome idea to have the pins on the MB instead of the CPU, in order to shift the hassle of bent pin RMA's to the board manufacturer.

 

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 the absolutely worthless support coming from tech hardware manufacturers

 

Really? That's a bit of as stretch. It is true that Asus support isn't regarded as the best "by some" but there are plenty of manufactures out there that are top-notch in this respect. EVGA, Cablemod, just to mention two. Plenty more.

 

Quote

perhaps the best option is to simply rely upon his add-on GPU and get on with life.  Of course, his money-his choice.

 

It is indeed his choice. And he has a few points to consider. Namely the usefulness of an iGPU in the event of discreet card failure. Whether the fault itself is limited to just that function, or indicative of a possible wider failure elsewhere, thus ultimately more trouble down the line. Component devalued if he wishes to sell it on. All of these things and more would indeed be weighed against the effort and time of asking Asus for an RMA.

On 02/05/2017 at 4:43 PM, Dougal said:

I built my latest PC a few months ago and I’ve just discovered that my ridiculously expensive motherboard has a fault... The onboard GPU doesn’t work. 

 

Just to mention Dougal, in case you weren't aware, the on-board GPU isn't on the board, it's an iGPU within the CPU itself. It's very rare for a CPU to be faulty though and I've only heard of the iGPU itself being defective once, so yes, far more likely to be the motherboard, and I hate to say it, but bent pins are a possibility.

I presume you have the latest BIOS, just in case that's a possibility?

 

Hi Martin

Checked pins before posting board back to retailer. All appears good with those tiny little blighters. Now without a simming PC for as long as repair takes;-(

I only came across the fault when removing the nVida card for dust removal.

On 2017-5-2 at 9:43 PM, lownslo said:

Good question... and to add: If one has an add-on GPU why would one want to run the CPU graphics?

Greg

What a strange thing thing to say;-)  When paying the sums of money asked for these boards, surely 'one' would want them to work correctly;-)  How would you deal with it if one of the USB ports didn't work?  Don't worry, there's plenty more? ;-)  Or if the 'Diplay Port' was dead?  Well, thats ok I'll just use the HDMI port.  ;-)

Also,, for those asking.... Yes, I checked (and triple checked) BIOS settings. Obviously it was the 1st thing to check. I even tried reverting back to an older, non current BIOS in case it was a BIOS fault.

There are many other reports of this happening on this board too.

In fairness, if it is a motherboard fault, then its the very first Asus product that's EVER let me down in over 17 years of purchases of all things Asus.  What has really hacked me off, is the attitude of the retailer.  I've been using them for over 20 years.  Like many companies, their customer support was excellent until they started to grow into what they've now become - just yet another huge outlet when customers become nothing more than order numbers. That's a shame:-(

Martin, which BIOS are you currently using?

12 minutes ago, Dougal said:

What has really hacked me off, is the attitude of the retailer.  I've been using them for over 20 years.  Like many companies, their customer support was excellent until they started to grow into what they've now become - just yet another huge outlet when customers become nothing more than order numbers.

Dougal, which retailer was it? May be useful when I'm making future purchases.