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(More customer reviews)Early in January, I decided to build a new computer using the most current technology available. After reviewing comments, reviews, and info regarding Intel's newest Sandy Bridge Chipset, I decided on a P67 processor and the corresponding Intel P67 motherboard. Corsair Vengeance DDR3 memory, a Cooler Master Haf-X case, Cooler Master Silent Pro 1200 Watt power supply, Intel 160 GB SSD for the OS (Windows 7 Ultimate), DVD burner, Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus CPU Cooler, and two EVGA GTX 580 Graphics cards, in SLI, completed the setup. As luck would have it, I placed the order just prior to the infamous recall of the Sandy Bridge Chipset by Intel. Everything arrived in a timely fashion except for the motherboard, which was now delayed, with no real projected date of delivery. While waiting to see how Intel would handle the recall, I decided to research other motherboard manufacturers, which, of course, were all affected by the recall. After several weeks of research and waiting, I decided to go with the ASUS Maximus IV Extreme LGA 1155 ROG motherboard when it became available. The general concensus was, that this was the King of the Hill, as far as VGA 1155 motherboards was concerned. Towards the end of March, I was able to snag one of these MB's from an Amazon retailer. It finally arrived about the first week in April. Thus began the computer assembly which had been on hold since the last week in January. The assembly went well, and when I fired up the computer for the first time, everything seemed to work just fine. The OS install was smooth, with no glitches.......yet. Shortly, after the completion of the OS install and udated chipset drivers, etc., I began to experience random lockups or freezing of the computer. The keyboard and mouse were non-responsive....the only way to get things going again was to hit the reset button and restart the computer. I'm not a computer expert, but have a moderate knowledge of computer technology. I have built a number of computers from the ground up, so to speak, over the years, but had never experienced this issue, up until now. So, after a lot of research with Google, I realized this may be a tough nut to crack, as it appeared there were many possibilities that could be the source of the problem. I reinstalled the OS several times, using only the required drivers to get the OS running, and no applications installed, yet the problem of lockups persisted. In the meantime, ASUS released, within a couple of weeks of each other, two BIOS updates, which I did intall. BTW, I like the ASUS EFI BIOS with mouse capability...it made navigation through the BIOS very easy. It became apparent that this lockup issue was a Hardware problem and not the OS. I tried various approaches to the problem, including making sure all drivers were updated, rechecking all connections, etc. I did experiment with various settings in the BIOS, but with no success. CPU temp was consistent at about 50 degrees centigrade. Fearing the worse, I began to wonder if I had either defective memory (although memory tests were always good), a defective Motherboard, or other hardware failure. I will admit to real frustration with this lockup issue over about a three week period. Finally, after more research, I began experimenting with different memory timing settings, and that resolved the lockup issue. I'm sure a more experienced geek would have figured this one out a lot quicker than I did, but overall it was a good learning experience. The computer is now running wonderfully, I have experienced no more lockups. My applications run well and fast. Photoshop loads and renders very quickly. I have given the ASUS Maximus IV five stars for it's performance, once I configured the computer(BIOS) properly. I give myself 2 stars for inexperience, but I am a patient soul. If anyone is experiencing any similar issue with their Maximus IV Extreme MB, I'll be glad to give you the specifics on my BIOS settings.
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