GA-Z97N-WIFI Rev 1.0 + i5-5675C boot problems. How to update BIOS?

[juannm]

Hi

I just built a new system to substitute my aging laptop, and it does not boot: it just spins the fans quite fast for some seconds, and then reboots.
This behavior is the same as the one found by users qcjulle and nhemmers earlier this year:
GA-Z97M-D3H + i5-5675C = problems booting up
GA-Z97N-WIFI + F6 BIOS + Core i5 5675C (Broadwell) : Will not boot

I have:
* Motherboard: GA-Z97N-Wifi Rev 1.0, unknown BIOS version. From here: Amazon ES.
* RAM: Crucial Balistix Tactical 2x8 GB, 240 pin DIMM, DDR 3 1600, NON-ECC. From here: Amazon ES.
* Core i5-5675C (Broadwell). From a spanish retailer.

As of today, Gigabyte specifically indicates that the GA-Z97N-Wifi Rev 1.0 is able to support the i5-5675C CPU, but only from BIOS version F6 or higher.
On the other hand, my exact model or RAM is not present in the "Memory Support List", which is not really surprising given that this model is only available on the European market. However it is recommended by the Tonymacx's Buyers Guide so I assumed that no problems would arise.

My questions are:

• As I just bought all these new components, and the only other PC I have is my laptop, how am I expected to update  BIOS version?
• Is this problem reason enough to complain to Amazon and expect them to RMA my motherboard for free?
• Should I ask for a Rev 1.1, or more generally ask them to send a replacement motherboard with already updated BIOS?

I have also opened a support request with Gigabyte, so in case anyone else finds in the future this thread with a similar problem, I'll update here with whatever answer they give me.

[txirribiton]

Hi Juannm,

Please keep us posted as I have the same problem you report. A kind of boot loop. Have you received any reply from Gigabyte?

My box setup is (speaking by memory as I am not home now):

GA-Z97N-WIFI
450Watt Power Supply Unit
Intel Core i3 4360
Crucial Ballistix 2 x 4GB 1600 CL8 (BLT2CP4G3D1608DT1TX0CEU)
SSD Drive
2 HDD drives (3TB and 500GB)
Optical drive

I have already asked my retailer to ship another mainboard but it in the meantime I would like to try removing all unnecessary devices and start from power supplier + processor + 1 RAM stick. If the processor fan keeps spinning and boots propperly try adding something else and so on.

I'll let you know in case I find out something relevant. Thank you.

[txirribiton]

I forgot to mention that my box sometimes boots successfully. It seems it's random, it does not seem it matches any pattern.
In one of those successful boots I was able to update the BIOS to the latest one, F7 2015/09/18, and the problem remained. So I'm afraid that the problem has nothing to do with the BIOS version.

[txirribiton]

I wrote a ticket the day before yesterday in esupport.gigabyte.com regarding this boot problem with my mainboard and it is still in 'New' status. It seems they haven't even read it yet.
Do I have to contact any other way, am I missing something or I only have to be more patient?
Regards.

[juannm]

Just be a bit more patient; I also wrote a ticket in their support system the same day that I posted this thread, and they already replied me yesterday evening. For now they just replied with the typical tests to perform (trying with the minimal hardware, resetting the CMOS, updating the BIOS, etc). I just replied with results from my tests.

[dmdilks]

The thing is people if you have a older bios and not the one you need. It might not boot or it might. The other thing is that any time a mother board company adds a new CPU like this one. I have seen in the past that it has work about 50% of the time.

The other thing is yes it is nice that we have another CPU that we can use. But myself I thought about doing the same thing. I have done a lot of research on this and I'm staying away from it as far as I can. The i5-4690k is really a better CPU plus cheaper too.

http://www.cpu-world.com/Compare/581/Intel_Core_i5_i5-4690K_vs_Intel_Core_i5_i5-5675C.html

One other thing is no body has really made it clear on the memory too. It says that it supports DDR3L memory when Intel says it supports both. But Intel shows on one page that it only supports DDR3L and on another page it says it supports DDR3L / DDR3

Hope you guys get it fix. Plus you could try where you got it from. That they can update the bios and test the board to make sure it will work.

[juannm]

In my case it was a goal to build a low power consumption box, and I was deciding between a Core i5-4690K and a Core i5-5675C. In the end I chose the later, because of the lower TDP, and at the same time because of the much better IrisPro GPU. After all, the price difference was more or less what I'd have to pay for a low-end graphics card. So I just chose the "all-in-one" option and saved having to install an additional graphics card.

I want this machine for work, so the usage of 3D graphics is going to be minimal, but for those specific moments where I actually happen to want some 3D, it is good to have a minimally decent GPU already installed.

Regarding the DDR3 vs. DDR3L issue: the people at Tom's Hardware tried the Core i5-5675C with DDR3 memory without issue; also, independently from whatever the confusing and/or mistaken Intel's marketing specs say, the actual Intel 5th Gen Broadwell hardware datasheet specifies compatibility with both DDR3 1.5v and DDR3L 1.35v memory types:

http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/processors/core/desktop-5th-gen-core-family-datasheet-vol-1.html
Page 18, chapter "2.1 System Memory Interface", and page 97, table 44.


I bought these components from Amazon, so I'm going to contact their Customer Support to explain the problem and asking for a working replacement. Even Gigabyte has suggested me already to do that.

Cheers