ASUS Q Code 79 (B2, 99)

[JMSavior]

Hello,

I put together a build (specs at the end) in September of 2015. I've had minor problems with it from the beginning however nothing game breaking. Last month, I ran into a blue screen of death (BSOD) and the computer would no longer boot or even POST. I got into BIOS one time since this BSOD but never into Windows. I've reset CMOS many times (to see if i get different q codes mostly after the first time), taken out all components (hdd/ssd/all but 1 ram or all but 2 ram sticks at a time, etc) and reseated the CPU.

The research I did pointed to the motherboard not getting enough power from the PSU for all the components attached to it... so I tried my old PSU. Still no luck. Through my research it seemed very likely the motherboard was the problem so I RMA'd it. Well, it came back yesterday and... well, I'm writing this thread still aren't I? No luck.

I called ASUS today after getting it all set up and troubleshooting it as much as I could to try to get it to work to see what they did to the motherboard or if they sent me a new one or what happened - they literally told me nothing about the RMA. The gentleman on the phone said that they "reloaded the bios", tested it and found nothing else wrong with the motherboard so they sent it back to me.

The Q Codes I'm receiving are:

Main one:
79 CSM Initialization

Sometimes I get:
B2 Legacy Option ROM Initialization
99 Super IO Initilization

Here are all my hardware specs:

Case: AZZA Solano 1000 Black Japanese SECC Steel
Mobo:ASUS ROG MAXIMUS VIII HERO Gaming Motherboard
CPU: Intel Core i7-6700K 8M Skylake Quad-Core 4.0 GHz
Heatsink/fan: CORSAIR Hydro Series H105 Extreme Performance 240mm Liquid CPU Cooler
GPU: MSI GeForce GTX 980 Ti GTX 980TI GAMING 6GB
Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws V Series 16GB DDR4 3000
SSD: SAMSUNG 850 PRO 256GB SATA III 3-D Vertical SSD
HDD: Western Digital Blue 1TB 7200 Hard Drive
PSU: EVGA 750W 80 PLUS Gold Fully Modular


So now my question is: Does this seem like it could be a CPU issue (or is there something else I might be somehow overlooking)? I really don't want to go through multiple more RMAs so if this doesn't appear to be a CPU issue maybe I could go get the MOBO tested or something.

When I turn the computer on right now it will get to Q Code 79 and simply freeze there, no output to the monitor, no BIOS, no beeps. If I reset, sometimes it gets past 79 and on to B2 at which point I get a single beep from the speaker as if it posts properly, however still no output to the monitor or bios etc.

 

[Shaun o]

Yes your overlooking the fact that you need to enter your bios.

You should have a button that you can press on your motherboard that forces it to go to the bios.

You then need to make sure you are in advanced mode of your Uefi bios.
And for the booting options.

Make sure CMS mode is enabled.
Cms mode supports the booting of two hardware mode devices such as CD,DVD, Hard drives, and usb devices.
That either use the old system booting rom type of Legacy Option ROM Initialization, for older hardware.

Or Super IO Initialization used for Uefi enabled devices.

You need to make sure CMS mode is enabled.
Then you select what order the booting or hardware detection process uses first.

Legacy OP rom/ Uefi.

Or Uefi/ Legacy OP rom.

Also enable the option and detection of USB legacy devices in your bios.

Now you have two booting options in a Uefi enabled bios.
The first order of boot devices can be for OP legacy rom devices, for the order of booting.

If you Scroll down the page you will see another two options for botting devices.
This section is for the boot order of devices that use UEFI enabled bootable devices.

So for example set your bootable SSD or intended drive to no 1.

Make sure that your sata interface mode is set to AHCI mode.
For most compatibility of booting devices.

Save the changes once you have made them to the bios before you exit them.
When the system re starts you should have no more errors.

http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA1151/MAXIMUS_VIII_HERO/E10343_MAXIMUS_VIII_HERO_UM_WEB.pdf?_ga=1.189373346.847657252.1460004215