[SOLVED] Help with code A2 in new build

[Flint_Prophet]

Hey all,

I'm new as can be, just coming back to PC after over ten years as a Mac user, and decided to build a gaming PC.
Here's the build:
ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero mobo
Intel Core I7 9700K CPU
Nvidia GTX 1080 Ti Founder's Edition GPU
GSkillz Trident 16gb RAM in two sticks
Corsair H150i Pro RGB liquid cooler
Corsair HX1200i PSU
Samsung EVO 860 250gb SSD for boot
Crucial MX500 2tb SSD for storage
Corsair 780T case
Corsair K95 RGB Platinum Mechanical KB
Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum mouse
Old display my buddy gave me, until I can afford a new one--NEC MultiSync EA231WMi--this I can only connect to the Display Port on my GPU, since I only have the DVI adapter that came with my GPU. I have no DVI to HDMI adapter.

I spent hours on the build on 2/1, being very meticulous because I'm OCD and paranoid that I was going to mess it up. Got it all together, fired it up, and no problems. Got Windows 10 installed, everything was working smoothly, temps seemed fine, no overclocking, worked for a week without a problem.
Then the BSOD one night while gaming, WHEA uncontrollable error code. Frozen. So I had to power down manually.
I fired it back up after giving it a minute, and it freezes at the ROG screen where you can press F1 or del to go into the BIOS...can't get into BIOS with F1 or del. Code on mono is A2. I start my matriculation at Google University to figure out what's going on.
I discover that A2 is the PC trying to detect a drive. I did the old power cycle trick for the Samsung SSD, no go. Everything seems to point to my Samsung SSD as the problem (my boot drive) as it is only when that is introduced back into the mix that I go back to freezing at the ROG screen. I've tried booting with just 1 stick of RAM, but can't do onboard video, since I can only connect to my GPU, as I mentioned above in my build list. No problem with just the storage drive, but the freeze happens with the Samsung connected. I tried different SSD ports on my mobo with no difference. I tried booting with my copy of Windows (USB stick) It goes right to Windows run/install options with just the storage drive connected, but just does the freeze on the ROG screen with Samsung connected. Any time I turn on the computer with the Samsung disconnected, it boots to BIOS within seconds, and all my components look good in BIOS. It will enter BIOS after 10 minutes on the frozen ROG screen, I discovered when I left it on that screen without doing anything. I have not ever done anything with advanced settings in BIOS, using the EZ mode, just FYI. When that 10 minute period elapses and it goes to BIOS, the Samsung is listed, but the BIOS detects no bootable drives. This is why I think it's the drive. I have another 250gb SSD arriving tomorrow in the mail, so I am going to try to boot up the PC with that new drive and will attempt a new install of Windows on that, but I would still love some insight. I have looked into the BSOD error, and I know that that usually related to CPU problems, but everything seems to be fine with the CPU in BIOS. I also know it can be a driver problem, in this case, I assume for the SSD. If my plan works with the new drive and I get everything running again, I plan to make sure all drivers for all hardware are current, and I plan to attempt to diagnose the original Samsung drive to see what the trouble is with it. I also have an SSD to USB cable in the mail with the new drive.

Thanks for your time reading this, let me know if anyone wants anymore information to be able to help me out.

Brand-spanking new novice,

Flint.

 

[The Paladin]

you have done great details and research, and yes an SSD can fail, I would go exchange it at the store you bought it (if they can test it or get a new one) and try again.
I had this happene with a Toshiba SSD 9 days after full install.. and then would not boot, shipped it to Toshiba, they told me they were sending me a replacement, and the issue was a bad controller chip.

but before you replace it, have you another HDD to try it to see if it gives you same symptoms ?