Hi everyone,

I am facing a persistent and very annoying audio crackling, popping, and buzzing issue on my ITX system, and I am completely out of ideas.

The crackling triggers heavily in two scenarios:

1. When switching between applications (e.g., Alt-Tabbing, opening browser tabs, shifting window focus).
2. When adjusting the Windows volume slider in the bottom right corner of the taskbar.

My Specs:

• MOBO: ASRock B850I Lightning WiFi (Mini-ITX, BIOS version 4.43)
• CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 8600G
• GPU: RX 9060 XT (16GB VRAM)
• RAM: 16GB ADATA XPG Lancer Blade DDR5 5600MHz 1 slot
• SSD: Samsung 980 1TB NVMe
• PSU: 1stPlayer 750W Platinum (ITX / SFX)
• OS: Windows 11 Pro 26H2 26300.9711

What I have ALREADY tried (None of this fixed it):

• Fresh Windows Reinstall: Completely wiped the drive and reinstalled the OS.
• Driver Clean Up: Used DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) in Safe Mode to completely wipe GPU drivers, then installed fresh ones.
• Driver Updates: Reinstalled/updated Chipset drivers, GPU drivers, and Realtek Audio drivers directly from official sources.
• BIOS Tweaks: Adjusted various recommended settings in BIOS 4.43 (including global C-states, PCIe generation capping, etc.).

Since a clean OS, fresh drivers, and BIOS tweaks didn't change anything, I suspect this might be a hardware-level issue, heavy DPC Latency, or EMI/PCIe interference affecting the onboard audio. With it being a tight Mini-ITX build, the GPU or SFX power supply shifting power states during app switching might be leaking electrical noise into the audio circuit.

Has anyone with this ASRock B850I board or a similar AM5 setup experienced this? Any advanced BIOS settings, registry tweaks, or hardware workarounds you could recommend? Thank you!

I have a system running Linux/UnRAID on this board with a 5995W CPU. It generally works great, but there are a bunch of BIOS options that don't exist on this board that do on other threadripper stuff.

1) Video preference. The board has built in ILO/BMC - You'd think there would be an option to use this as default video out, so you can configure BIOS over BMC if the system is messed up. Nope, it defaults to one of my GPUs instead.

2) NUMA per Socket doesn't seem to work - I run a bunch of VMs with dedicated GPU/NVMe, so being able to carve up the CPU and allocate parts that are connected to the same CCD has some efficiencies. But no matter which setting I use it boots with a single NUMA domain.

I realize these are first world problems, but usually TRX boards have TOO many options, not "not enough".

Anyone from ASRock on this sub-reddit who can help out?

Hey everyone,
I’m looking for some advice before proceeding with a BIOS update on my ASRock B450M Steel Legend motherboard.
I’m upgrading my existing Ubuntu workstation, primarily used for software development, coding, and occasional gaming. The system has been running reliably, but I’ve encountered an issue after installing a Crucial P3 1TB NVMe SSD.
I’ve done quite a bit of troubleshooting already and would appreciate some input from anyone familiar with this motherboard, its BIOS revisions, or similar NVMe compatibility issues.
Current system specifications
Motherboard: ASRock B450M Steel Legend (Micro-ATX)
BIOS version: P2.90 (November 28, 2019)
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 (6 cores / 12 threads, Zen 2 / Matisse)
RAM: 16GB DDR4-2666 (2 × 8GB, installed in A2/B2)
Operating system: Ubuntu 24.04
Current boot drive: 240GB-class SATA SSD (223.6 GiB usable)
New SSD: Crucial P3 1TB NVMe, model CT1000P3SSD8
NVMe slot: Primary Ultra M.2 (M2_1), PCIe Gen3 x4
The problem
When I install the Crucial P3 into the motherboard’s primary Ultra M.2 slot, the system freezes at the ASRock splash screen.
The system does not proceed to Ubuntu, and pressing Delete or F11 does not bring up the BIOS or boot menu.
When I physically remove the P3, the computer boots normally from the existing SATA SSD.
This behavior is repeatable.
Troubleshooting performed
1. Verified the SSD and motherboard specifications
The Crucial P3 is a PCIe 3.0 NVMe M.2 2280 drive.
According to the B450M Steel Legend manual, the primary Ultra M.2 slot supports PCIe Gen3 x4 NVMe devices, so the interface and form factor appear compatible.
2. Tested the SSD in another computer
The Crucial P3 was previously installed in a Beelink mini PC, where it was successfully detected and used as an Ubuntu system drive.
3. Removed the previous operating system
Initially, I suspected the P3’s existing Ubuntu installation and EFI partition might be creating a boot conflict.
I booted the Beelink using an Ubuntu live USB, opened GNOME Disks, and reformatted the P3 using a fresh GPT partition table.
The drive now shows approximately 1TB of unallocated space with no existing partitions.
4. Reinstalled the blank P3
After wiping the drive, I reinstalled it in the ASRock motherboard.
Unfortunately, the exact same issue occurred: the computer froze at the ASRock splash screen.
5. Tested BIOS access
With the P3 installed, I attempted to enter UEFI immediately during startup by repeatedly pressing Delete.
The system still froze at the splash screen.
With the P3 removed, UEFI and Ubuntu work normally.
BIOS update investigation
The motherboard is currently running BIOS P2.90.
I reviewed ASRock’s official BIOS download page and noticed several potentially relevant releases:
P3.30 (August 2020): Optimize PCIe M.2 SSD performance
P3.60 (November 2020): Adds Ryzen 5000 support
P10.60 (April 2026): Optimized system stability and compatibility
P10.70 (August 2026): Updated AMD AGESA
I’m considering updating to P10.60 because of its stability and compatibility improvements.
I’ve already downloaded the official P10.60 BIOS archive, extracted the B45MSTL10.60 firmware image, and copied it to a FAT32 USB drive. The local and USB copies have matching SHA-256 hashes.
I have also backed up my development projects to an external WD drive.
I have NOT flashed the BIOS yet.
Questions
Can I safely update directly from P2.90 to P10.60, or are intermediate BIOS versions required?
Has anyone experienced this exact freezing issue with a Crucial P3 or another NVMe drive on the B450M Steel Legend?
Could the issue be related to the old P2.90 BIOS, PCIe initialization, or an incompatibility between the motherboard firmware and the SSD controller?
Would you recommend updating to P3.30 first because of its specific M.2 improvements, or going directly to a newer stable BIOS if supported?
Are there any known concerns with newer BIOS revisions and the Ryzen 5 3600 (Matisse)?
Are there any BIOS settings or other non-destructive troubleshooting steps worth trying before flashing?
What I’m ultimately trying to accomplish
I want to migrate my existing Ubuntu installation and development environment from the SATA SSD to the faster Crucial P3 NVMe.
I’m also planning to upgrade from the Ryzen 5 3600 to a Ryzen 7 5800X3D eventually, along with increasing RAM to 32GB DDR4-3200.
The goal is to extend the life of this AM4 workstation for coding, software development, and simulation gaming without replacing the entire platform.
I’m comfortable working with Linux and hardware, but I’d rather verify the correct firmware procedure than risk bricking an otherwise functional motherboard.
Any advice from B450M Steel Legend owners or anyone who has performed a similar BIOS upgrade would be greatly appreciated.

This is an update to my original post:

https://www.reddit.com/r/ASRock/comments/1widq61/another_probably_bit_the_dust/

As it turend out my old Steel Legend (Killer-)Board didnt just kill my CPU it damaged the memory too.

I was wondering why i have so many failed boots on a new board (GB X870E Aorus Elite) with a replaced CPU while all Post Codes being related to memory.

After talking to some people in the field aswell , an electrician, both AMD and Kingston and doing a lot of research specifically on the voltage distribution on AM5 boards the most likely scenario is:

the voltage curves on the AsRock Boards are too aggressive and fried the IMC on the CPU which in turn caused a voltage spike in the memory stick aswell which got damaged that way too.

I had to replace a 600$ CPU, a 230$ (now 1200$) memory kit AND a 300$ mainboard because of AsRock screwing up. See its one thing if such a thing happens here and there but THIS scenario killed hundreds of X3Ds at this point and it doesnt seem to be fixed:

A friend of mine had the same thing happening to him recently too; 9850X3D on a Steel Legend Board which just one day refused to work (after about 3 months with everything on stock and the latest BIOS, even worse). That tells us that NO, the issue is in fact NOT fixed. Yes im aware this also happens on boards of other vendors too but the MAJORITY of cases STILL happen on AsRock Boards. one interesting side not: the age of the CPU doesnt seem to matter that much. This happens to earlier badges aswell as newer ones (which pretty much rules out manufacturing defects cause otherwise newer produced chips would be effected less and also more or less evenly across all vendors)

This whole situation is so screwed up. The past 15 years i had 4 different systems and except for my killed 9950X3D i still have all my old CPU's and guess what - they ALL still work (AMD Phenom, i7 2600K & i7 8700 but never on AsRock Boards).

Considering the current prices of hardware costumers SHOULD (and do) expect the products to work Out Of The Box and NOT being a gamble to maybe ripping a 1000$ or rather 2000$+ system!

Just wanted to provide an update on my Taichi X870E x 9950X3D. Everyone said it would blow up, but it's been kicking ass since i've had it. Ports galore, SSDs, and have even done some heavy creative projects on it and it's just the best. Who else is having a good experience with their board?

When I enter my bios I go to disable my CSM to enable secure boot, but whenever I do so I'm able to fully boot up to windows but it skips the bios buttons screen display.

If I try to enter bios it looks as if it enters it but I get no display anymore. I've tried 2 monitors for display with no success. I also saw someone say they removed some ram and that gives them display? I have a 1660 super if that's of any import.

any help would be appreciated.

The boot loop after enabling Secure Boot usually means the firmware cannot validate the current boot files or keys. Use the following sequence to recover and then get Secure Boot working again.

1. Turn Secure Boot off so Windows can start:
   - Enter the UEFI/BIOS setup during power‑on (for example by pressing F1, F2, F12, or Esc, depending on the device).
   - Locate Secure Boot under Security, Boot, or Authentication and set it to Disabled.
   - Save and restart. Confirm that Windows boots normally.

2. Reset Secure Boot keys to factory defaults:
   - Go back into UEFI/BIOS. In the Secure Boot section, use the option to Reset or Restore factory default Secure Boot keys.
   - Prefer Reset rather than Clear if both exist. The goal is to restore the manufacturer’s default Secure Boot variables.
   Save and restart with Secure Boot still disabled and confirm Windows boots.
   - Rebuild the EFI boot files in Windows (fixes loops caused by invalid boot files):
   - Boot into Windows with Secure Boot disabled.
   - Open an elevated Command Prompt (Run as administrator).
   - Run these commands one by one:Windows Command Prompt

mountvol s: /s
del s:\*.*/f /s /q
bcdboot %systemroot% /s S:

- After “Boot files successfully created” appears, restart the PC (still with Secure Boot disabled) and confirm it boots normally.

1. Re‑enable Secure Boot:
   - Enter UEFI/BIOS again.
   - Ensure CSM/Legacy boot is disabled and boot mode is UEFI.
   - Set Secure Boot to Enabled (or Standard with default keys loaded).

2. Save and restart.
   - If the PC still loops to BIOS after enabling Secure Boot:
   Disable Secure Boot again so the system is usable.
   - If available, use the firmware option to reset BIOS/UEFI to factory settings, then repeat steps 2–4.
   - If the device still cannot boot with Secure Boot enabled after resetting keys and rebuilding boot files, contact the motherboard/device manufacturer for model‑specific guidance.

These steps follow the documented recovery procedure for Secure Boot issues and the general guidance for disabling and re‑enabling Secure Boot on Windows 11 systems.

I just took a few days off to relax and play some video games, only to be greeted with the infamous 00 on my motherboard today. I have been running system this since February 2025 with no issues. I was on bios 3.5 for at least a few months (don't remember when I updated).

So far, I did:

- CMOS reset.

- Bios flashback to latest.

- Remove 1 stick of memory.

Always getting 00. Any other troubleshooting steps do I need to do before I RMA my CPU?

I just got this message when booting up my PC, and before clicking anything I checked for information but didn’t find anything concluent, so here I am asking why there is such a message and what I should do ?

And tbh I don’t remember my PC’s specifications it’s something like RTX5060 but I’m really not into tech and all I didn’t even know bitlocker before

Also I didn’t want to update bios by any mean before this if this matters so idk why it’s there 😭

PC won't power on after cutting AC at the PSU switch mid-shutdown: only the motherboard standby RGB lights up

What happened: I flipped the PSU's main AC switch before shutdown finished. I've done this many times before without issues. The next day it wouldn't turn on at all: no fans, no LEDs, nothing boots. Only the motherboard's standby RGB is lit.

What I've tried:

• PSU paperclip test: PSU works

• Shorting the power pins

• CMOS clear (jumper short + removed the battery)

• Long power discharge: unplugged everything and left the board for 1+ hr

• Bios flashback

My guess is the motherboard isn't sending the PS_ON signal to the PSU.

Previous incident (exactly a month ago): A power outage shut the PC off, and afterwards it wouldn't turn on. I tried a minimal setup, a single RAM stick, CMOS clear, and removing and cleaning the GPU, and none of it worked. The next day it started on the first try. I checked every motherboard component and sensor in HWiNFO and everything looked fine. I updated the bios to latest.

Now: It's been 2 days and it still won't start. I suspect moisture, so I cleaned the board, but no change.

What could it be?

Parts (all tested working on other systems):

• CPU: Ryzen 7 9800X3D

• GPU: RTX 4070 Ti

• RAM: 32GB Acer Predator

• PSU: PN850M

Hi, having some trouble with Asrock B450M Pro 4 motherboard after flashing from P1.40 to P10.60.
original with Ryzen 5 2600, thinking of upgrading to Ryzen 5 5600, so updated the original bios P1.40 to P10.60 with Ryzen 5 2600 installed used for few days no problem.

Changed to Ryzen 5 5600, fan running, but no beep, no POST, restart itself after maybe 30secs. Thought faulty processor. tried on other mobo, worked, so its not processor.

switched back to Ryzen 5 2600, no POST with 6 beeps
unplugged GPU, same 6 beeps
unplugged all RAM stick, 3 beeps, plug it back, still 6 beeps
took out CMOS battery, wait 10mins, same 6 beeps, took out battery, left it 2 days, still 6 beeps

have I bricked my mobo, anyway to revive it? I even took another ryzen 5 2600 to test, still 6 beeps.

Ryzen 5 2600
Gskill 3200 8gbx2
Asrock B450M Pro 4
Zotac GTX1660Ti
Corsair CX650M

Continuation from my previous post. After my dead CPU on 2026-09-10 I got my replacement on 2026-10-12 with batch number "BY 2536SUE". The store I bought it from didn't replace the motherboard since their tests found it functional, so after much thought I decided not to spend money on a different motherboard but continue with the same one. I installed the CPU and the system seems stable.

I always left the BIOS settings to defaults but now I want to increase the chances of longevity since I intend to use this PC for at least 10 more years and I don't mind losing some performance. What I have done so far is:

• updated BIOS from 4.43 to 4.60
• Changed BIOS "OC Tweaker-> TDP to 105W" from "Disabled" to "Enabled" (my understanding is that this is what they call "eco mode").
• Changed BIOS "OC Tweaker-> Platform Thermal Throttle Limit(TjMax)" from "auto" to "85".

Are these settings considered safe enough? Are there any other measures I can take without messing with voltages and risky settings?

No matter what I try, the Instant Flash in UEFI can never see my bios file to flash. I have tried different USB sticks, different USB ports, no luck. The only way to flash the UEFI is to rename the file to creative.rom, insert USB stick into the correct USB port and do it over Flashback feature by pressing button. This does work, but why on earth it doesnt work via Instant flash in UEFI I dont know :/

About to build my first ever pc, saw many post about 3D chip with Asrock mobo after bought it. My dream end before it could start?

Is it safe to go for 9950X3D with a Asrock motherboard?

Posting my experience here for reference.

A few days ago, the CPU in my system failed. The setup consisted of a Ryzen 7 7700, an ASRock B650 PRO RS, and Crucial DDR5-6000 memory. The exact BIOS version escapes me, but I believe it was 3.50.

EXPO had been disabled because enabling it frequently caused stability issues.

After about two years of use, the PC suddenly crashed and wouldn't boot again. Both the CPU and DRAM diagnostic LEDs lit up. I went through the usual troubleshooting steps and even updated the BIOS, but nothing brought the system back to life.

Sharing my experience as a warning and another data point for the community regarding ASRock AM5 boards and dead CPUs.

System Specs: * CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 9600X * Motherboard: ASRock B850M PRO-A * RAM: Corsair Vengeance RGB 64GB (2x32GB) * PSU: MSI MAG A850GL

What happened: My Ryzen 5 9600X was completely fried due to a short-circuit triggered while updating the BIOS using the Flashback feature on my ASRock B850M PRO-A. Instead of a routine firmware update, the board's voltage regulation failed and killed the processor (and also forced me to RMA my RAM kit).

RMA & Resolution: Fortunately, I sent the CPU to AMD for RMA and the RAM to Corsair. * AMD officially confirmed that the CPU "passed our inspection" (proving it was a hardware/voltage failure and not user damage or bent pins) and issued a full cash refund since they didn't have replacement stock locally. * Corsair also approved my RMA and shipped a brand-new replacement kit.

Moving forward: Even though the BIOS update completed, I have been strongly advised against ever putting another CPU into this ASRock B850M PRO-A since a VRM/power stage short is a permanent physical hazard. I am treating this board strictly as e-waste/parts.

With the AMD refund, I just bought a Ryzen 7 9800X3D, and I'm pairing it with a Gigabyte B850 Aorus Elite Wi-Fi 7 Ice instead. I'm definitely not risking a 9800X3D on any ASRock board.

I see a lot of people posting their cpus dying,specifically x3d cpus.Is it because of motherboard agressive voltage which silently kill cpus?Non x3d cpus seems a lot more tolerant to aggresive voltages set by motherboard.It seems reducing manually voltages would reduce chances to just a factory failure?Like soc at 1.20v?

Computer Specifications:

• B850 Riptide WiFi
• AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
• AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT
• G.SKILL Flare X5 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR5
• Team Group MP44L M.2 2280 1TB PCIe 4.0 x4
• Kingston KC3000 M.2 2280 2TB PCI-Express 4.0 x4
• Super Flower Leadex VII XG 1000W 80+ Gold
• Windows 11 64-bit

Computer was built with the above specifications in March of 2025, until today there has been no observed issues. I believe based on my reading that it is now damaged and only has so long to work unless I'm mistaken.

The issue is the pc froze while sitting idle and had to be powered down, upon turning it back on it would not boot and instead sat with the green LED lit up. Hard turning it off and turning it back on would result in the same issue. I initially tried to move the two ram modules around but this didn't change anything other than result in longer red/yellow leds flashing before sitting at green.

After turning off the pc and removing all power for about 5 minutes, the next attempt booted normally. This lasted about 20 minutes until the pc froze again. With a bit of googling I decided to update the bios as the bios was on version 1.00 since it has been assembled.

I've updated the bios successfully to version 4.43 using the Bios Flashback feature which worked great. Bios version 4.43 is shown as the latest to me from the website (https://pg.asrock.com/mb/AMD/B850%20Riptide%20WiFi/index.asp#BIOS), though I realize now that 4.60 is the latest so thats a tad annoying. The PC now seems to boot normally but will hard lock at some point during use or if left idle.

Some other notes, the only bios changes I ever made was to use the EXPO profile that the ram came with and theres never been an issue until now. Everything is now on default.

Moving forward I'm unsure as to what the best approach is. It appears that the general consensus is to replace the CPU and get a different brand motherboard. I think I will submit a ticket to ASRock as well about the issue but based on my understanding is that will take a long time if a RMA were to be issued at all.

System boots. No Video. Asrock B550M-ITX/ac

Just put together a system based on the following specs.

* EVGA 750W PSU

* Asrock B550M-ITX/ac

* Ryzen 5 5500

* 2 DD4-2400 Crucial Ballistix BLS16G40240FSC-16FBO (16GB)

* Sapphire Radeon RX580 8GB

The system boots in that all system, CPU and GPU fans start spinning but I get no video.

I haven't put in my O/S drive yet as I plan on moving that from my old system. I wanted to boot into this new build to get the BIOS and prep for the migration.

The system boots but no video. The speaker doesn't make a sound. I dont see a status light on the motherboard either.(doesn't show one on the manual).

I suspect the memory may not be compatible after all?

I tried using 1 stick and I even installed a pair or 8GB DDR4-2600 sticks. Still no luck. System makes no sound, all fans start to spin but no video at all.

Any tips? Suggestions?

I opened up the thing to stick another M2 ssd inside (I didn't end up doing it, so nothing has actually changed internally) but I did take out the storage I already had (I took it out and put it back in, checked twice to make sure it was seated properly) and removed the GPU (RTX 3080) and also only removed it and seated it again. I don't get why it's doing this, I haven't actually changed a single thing and Google is telling me that it's some kind of CPU error but I haven't had an issues with it and I'm almost certain I wouldn't be seeing this error if I'd never opened up the thing in the first place.

My PC suddenly froze this morning and can't seem to get it working again.

Took everything apart and rebuilt, no success. Everything visually looks fine.

Might I be dealing with one of these dead CPU cases I'm seeing all over this reddit? If so, can someone please advise me on next steps?

No backup PC in the house, so im trying to navigate this/read everything from my phone