Repair replace options for Gigabyte B550 AORUS PRO AC(rev.1.x) motherboard

AlexPA2 · January 2021

SPECS

Motherboard: B550 AORUS PRO AC (1.x)
BIOS Ver: F2
Purchase Dealer: Micro Center on Nov 8, 2020
Video: MSI GTX1650
Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X Matisse 3.8GHz
CPU Part No.: 100-100000022BO
Operating System: Win 10 64-bit
Memory: Crucial (8GBx2) 16GB 3200CL16 BL2K8G32C16U4BL
Power Supply: 650W

BACKGROUND

Bought and installed Gigabyte B550 AORUS PRO AC(rev.1.x) motherboard plus all above components on November 8, 2020. Purchased all except for Win10 from MicroCenter store in Madison Heights, MI on Nov 8. Assembled and installed everything on that day and all worked great.

Then on December 28, 2020 computer started freezing every time anywhere from seconds to minutes after boot. Even in BIOS after hitting Del, End or F8, after 15 or 30 seconds, computer totally freezes inside BIOS (no mouse, no keyboard even) so problem is specific to motherboard or peripherals. No changes made to computer from the time of install on Nov 8.

TROUBLESHOOTING STEPS

Removed all components (HDDs), tried each DIMM separately, unplugged keyboard, mouse, tried all different permutations and options with components removed to bare nothing to some components. In all cases, same problem exists as BIOS continues to freeze after seconds. I pulled CMOS battery overnight; put in back in. Attempted to upgrade BIOS to F11p from F2 using the Q-Flash utility, but cannot even get to the stage that I can do it fully because it freezes. Now it won't even boot into BIOS at all as computer freezes instantly. Fans work, video card, power good, etc. Just instant BIOS freeze now. No error/POST/warn red lights on motherboard. So it's been DEAD since Dec 28.

NEXT STEPS - QUESTION

I filed a support ticket with Gigabyte on December 28, but I have not heard a peep from them at all. Case still pending as 'new'. I just want to know what my options are. I live about 1.5 hours away from the Micro Center store. I am okay making the trek there if I can get a return, replacement or fix for this mobo purchase 2 months ago. Any suggestions for me? I paid $169.99 for the mobo.