ASUS TUF Z790-PLUS WIFI: no display, VGA or BOOT Q-LED

Establish which Z790 board and CPU you have

This article is for TUF GAMING Z790-PLUS WIFI with DDR5, not the D4, II, PRO or BTF editions. Check the printed model and the complete processor name before following a download or memory recommendation.

Intel identifies the F suffix, including KF, as requiring discrete graphics. With such a CPU, connect the screen to the installed graphics card. The motherboard's HDMI and DisplayPort cannot provide a substitute graphics engine. For a CPU with integrated graphics, motherboard output can be a separate diagnostic option; confirm the processor specification first.

An Intel graphics-driver download on the support page does not mean every supported processor contains integrated graphics. The same motherboard supports processors with different capabilities.

Use the Q-LED label and colour together

The board manual identifies four indicators:

• CPU: red.
• DRAM: yellow.
• VGA: white.
• BOOT: yellow-green.

Watch which label remains lit after the startup sequence. The manual presents Q-LEDs as a starting point for troubleshooting, not a definitive component-failure verdict.

A persistent VGA light makes the video path a useful first branch. A persistent DRAM light calls for memory checks before operating-system graphics drivers. A BOOT light concerns storage or the boot target; with a visible UEFI screen, you are investigating failure to load an operating system rather than complete lack of video.

Test the display path with one change at a time

Confirm the monitor is powered and its input matches the connected cable. Test one screen through a direct cable. If using a graphics card, use that card's connector, and check its required power leads with the machine switched off and unplugged.

A known-working monitor or cable can separate a display-side problem from a PC-side problem. Record whether a change restores the firmware screen, only changes the persistent LED, or has no effect. Fans spinning and RGB lighting do not establish successful POST.

Do not remove a discrete graphics card from an F/KF system and expect motherboard HDMI to become a valid fallback. That would remove the system's available graphics source.

Check the DRAM or CPU branch when indicated

For persistent DRAM, return memory to a supported default configuration and use the single-module position shown in this board's manual. Re-seat or move modules only with mains power disconnected. A successful start with one module gives you a controlled baseline for testing the remaining kit.

For persistent CPU after an upgrade, compare the exact processor against ASUS's CPU support list and its required BIOS version. An LGA1700 socket match alone does not establish that the installed firmware supports the CPU. The separate MoboDocs EZ Flash guide covers this model's update route once you have identified a reason to update.

Distinguish first display from a later black screen

If the ASUS logo or UEFI screen appears consistently, note when the image disappears. A failure only after Windows starts is different from a board that never produces firmware video. Preserve any working BIOS and storage settings while investigating that later stage.

If you still cannot obtain an image, give support the exact board variant, CPU suffix, memory kit, graphics card, display connection and final Q-LED. Those details help avoid an unnecessary BIOS flash or replacement part based solely on a light's colour.