Asus Maximus VIII Formula : HDD LED keeps blinking, even without activity.

[Sokonomi]

Ive recently built a new machine, but its showing some odd behavior involving the HDD LED.
It keeps blinking, slow and consistent, even when there is no activity.

I have a sneaking suspicion that it is doing it due to the fact that I have no SATA drives.
Maybe its just wondering where all the drives went because it doesnt 'see' U.2 as a drive?
Can I make it stop (short from just yanking the cable)?

 

[Johan45]

Probably not. No big deal to unplug the front panel wire

 

[Sokonomi]

Probably not. No big deal to unplug the front panel wire

I would prefer fixing it instead of sweeping it under the proverbial rug.

Surely this constant blinking has a reason.
Maybe the motherboard is trying to signal a problem that's not stipulated in the manual?

 

[Johan45]

The U.2 drive doesn't use the controller so there is no signal. Do you have a DVD attached if so that's likely why it blinks all the time

 

[Sokonomi]

The U.2 drive doesn't use the controller so there is no signal. Do you have a DVD attached if so that's likely why it blinks all the time

All Sata controllers are bare, no drives attached.
I wonder if I can just straight up disable SATA (or the LED), in the BIOS.
But if you can, I havent found it yet. :')

 

[Johan45]

You can look in the sata controller configuration and see if there is an option for M.2 led or similar.

 

[Sokonomi]

Ive been digging around in it, but the new UEFI stuff is profoundly more muddled than the old blue im used to. :')
Got any experience with Asus UEFI?

 

[Johan45]

Yep I have a Max VIII Hero, just took a look online in your manual and it doesn't appear as if there is any option to disable the HDD/SSD led. So you either unplug the wire/ live with it or bug ASUS to update the BIOS and include that option.
EDIT: you could thry in ROG effects and disable LED there but AFIK that's only for the board lighting not HDD activity

 

[EarthDog]

I don't have the formula (Have MVIIIE and X99 RE 10th anniv)... however, it is common for HDD activity lights to blink like a 'heartbeat'. At least every computer I have will blip every so often. I do have both SATA and M.2 based drives in both both systems. I don't see a problem unless there is significant HDD activity causing it.

I don't recall if these BIOS have the ability to cut off ALL lights on the board. I know you can disable the RGB LED's, but, not sure about those little notification ones...

 

[Sokonomi]

Oh bugger, well thats a shame, I guess ill just have to yank it, atleast until asus gives me a little more control over it.
I was hoping the HDD LED could atleast be functional, instead of just meaninglessly blinking at a consistent speed..
Thanks all.

 

[EarthDog]

It is functional...

When you use the HDD, it tends to stay on more if not pegged on depending on what you are doing, correct? Again, the idle 'heartbeat' is normal.

 

[Sokonomi]

It is functional...

When you use the HDD, it tends to stay on more if not pegged on depending on what you are doing, correct? Again, the idle 'heartbeat' is normal.

No its not, it just blinks the same, activity or not. Its completely useless at this point.

 

[EarthDog]

So, let me make sure I am understanding what is going on...

Both the front panel HDD LED and the HDD LED on your board just randomly blinks. When you have HDD activity, it does not change what either LED does?

I know with both ASUS boards the HDD activity light is reading the M.2. I don't have a U.2 to find out, but, I don't understand why that would be any different either. Perhaps reach out to ASUS and see what they have to say about it. Report back!

 

[Sokonomi]

Correct, the leds just blink like a disco light, slow and steady.
Putting a load on my drive doesn't make any difference.
Id love to contact asus, but their site just keeps eating skid when I try submitting something.

 

[EarthDog]

Maybe call them?

 

[Lochekey]

You can try their online chat as well. They tend to be very responsive on that from my experience.