Foxconn BLACKOPS 03 POST error w/ various memory packs

I bought a matched pair of competitor memory designed for Core i5 and i7 and tried the two sticks alternately in DIMM1 and DIMM2 in my BLACKOPS motherboard and the LCD POST status flashed FF briefly and then changed to 03 and the machine power cycled every ~5s. :eek:

At this point I contacted Foxconn and they suggested using a module from the memory compatibility list. Not being able to resolve their support website via DNS, I assumed their memory support list must be the unofficial one at the Xtreme Systems forums. :confused:

I then bought a Corsair TW3X4G1333C9 matched pair recommended by a friend and tried the two sticks alternately in DIMM1 and this resulted in the above symptoms each time. :o:

At this point I replied to Foxconn informing them of the news and asking them for the location of their memory compatibility list. After visiting http://downforeveryoneorjustme.com/www.foxconnsupport.com I added their IP I found online to my hosts file and checked the list, which was very old and pitifully short. :roll:

Finally I bought a Corsair TW3X4G1600C9DHX matched pair and tried one stick individually using first DIMM1 then DIMM2 and this resulted in the above symptoms each time. This memory is guaranteed to work by Corsair's Memory Configurator, and is also being used successfully with this motherboard model by a friend of a friend. :bigeyes:

My final plan was to buy four 1GB 1066MHz competitor modules that were on Foxconn's list. Not having a reply from them and being unable to reply twice to one support ticket, I am now taking advantage of a superior support channel. :biggrin:

I would like to RMA the motherboard to the supplier for a replacement and keep the memory, despite it not being officially supported. What should I do? :sigh!:

For Google posterity, here is the solution:

The replacement board had the same problem. I contacted my supplier and was told that the Q9550 is not supported by the BIOS. I remember checking this, but the list Foxconn has on their site is misleading - it states a BIOS revision LATER than the one which is shipped, and based on that all the relevant processors are supported, including mine. Not only this, but they could not identify this as the problem when contacted.

Thankfully, I have used a BIOS recovery solution in the past, and considered this the cheapest and easiest way of salvaging the parts which I was no longer allowed to return. I found a site called Grains BIOS Repair, which was much cheaper than another site I tried, and was fast (< 3 hours turnaround for a request made past traditional office hours) and friendly. I recommend buying a BIOS chip if anyone else has this problem. The BIOS chips on the Foxconn are MX25L8005PC-15G SPI 8 Pin PDIP EEPROMs, and the minimum BIOS revision required for recent processor support is 7A3F1P05.

However the best thing is I get to keep the Corsair memory I wanted!