[SOLVED] New build won't post. "Code 00 ... memory" error on motherboard.

Feb 16, 2021
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Hello, so here is my setup :

Motherboard: Asus Rog Zenith Alpha x399
CPU: AMD Threadripper 2950x
CPU cooler: NZXT Kraken
RAM: Corsair dominator platinum RGB 8x8gb
GPU: RTX 3090
PSU: Superflower 1600w gold

And here is my problem:
When I plug the power cable into the PSU and turn the PSU switch on, the motherboard RGB lights up aswell as an orange LED located under the CPU and next to the RAM, reffered to by the manual as ''bios 1", and the AIO pump's screen lights up aswell (only for 1 second), the other components including the ram don't light up at all.
Then, when I press start to actually boot the PC, I get "code 00 Memory" on the motherboard (which corresponds to non assigned code by the manual) and I hear some clap sound that is rather loud and hits twice like ''tactac .. tactac'', the sound is coming from the motherboard I believe... I first thought it was one of my fans blocking onto something given the way it sounded.
I've read probably every single posts about this code 00 on this motherboard and tried :
  • Changing RAM slots
  • Running only 1 stick of ram
  • Checking motherboard's CPU slot for bent pins
  • Checked RAM compatibility with motherboard
  • Removed CMOS for a few minutes and put it back in
On one hand i've got a ''Code 00 memory'' error and the ram don't even light up, on the other hand the RAM is brand new, compatible, and the other components don't light up either anyways besides the AIO pump for a second, so maybe that's normal? How could I know.
On one hand multiple people have said that this error means it's related to the CPU but on the other hand the chance that I didn't get an actual brand new CPU somehow are small as everything was sealed and the error specifies ''Memory" not "CPU".
On one hand when I recieved my motherboard marked as brand new from a famous retailer it wasn't actually sealed for some reason, and some people said that the "code 00" error could be the motherboard that has issues with capacitors or something, but on the other hand I think they were talking about the older zenith model and I got this motherboard from a reputable retailer as ''brand new'', and everything inside was sealed however.

Besides unpluging everything and pluging back in (which i'm about to start doing now) is there something I can try to either boot it up or at least figure out which component is faulty ?

I don't have other extra components to try troubleshooting that way.
 
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Hello, so here is my setup :

Motherboard: Asus Rog Zenith Alpha x399
CPU: AMD Threadripper 2950x
CPU cooler: NZXT Kraken
RAM: Corsair dominator platinum RGB 8x8gb
GPU: RTX 3090
PSU: Superflower 1600w gold

And here is my problem:
When I plug the power cable into the PSU and turn the PSU switch on, the motherboard RGB lights up aswell as an orange LED located under the CPU and next to the RAM, reffered to by the manual as ''bios 1", and the AIO pump's screen lights up aswell (only for 1 second), the other components including the ram don't light up at all.
Then, when I press start to actually boot the PC, I get "code 00 Memory" on the motherboard (which corresponds to non assigned code by the manual) and I hear some clap sound that is rather loud and hits twice like ''tactac .. tactac'', the sound is coming from the motherboard I believe... I first thought it was one of my fans blocking onto something given the way it sounded.
I've read probably every single posts about this code 00 on this motherboard and tried :
  • Changing RAM slots
  • Running only 1 stick of ram
  • Checking motherboard's CPU slot for bent pins
  • Checked RAM compatibility with motherboard
  • Removed CMOS for a few minutes and put it back in
On one hand i've got a ''Code 00 memory'' error and the ram don't even light up, on the other hand the RAM is brand new, compatible, and the other components don't light up either anyways besides the AIO pump for a second, so maybe that's normal? How could I know.
On one hand multiple people have said that this error means it's related to the CPU but on the other hand the chance that I didn't get an actual brand new CPU somehow are small as everything was sealed and the error specifies ''Memory" not "CPU".
On one hand when I recieved my motherboard marked as brand new from a famous retailer it wasn't actually sealed for some reason, and some people said that the "code 00" error could be the motherboard that has issues with capacitors or something, but on the other hand I think they were talking about the older zenith model and I got this motherboard from a reputable retailer as ''brand new'', and everything inside was sealed however.

Besides unpluging everything and pluging back in (which i'm about to start doing now) is there something I can try to either boot it up or at least figure out which component is faulty ?

I don't have other extra components to try troubleshooting that way.
On a piece of cardboard.
Mobo.
Cpu/hsf.
One stick of ram.
Psu.

If it won't power up your down to 4 parts.
 
Feb 16, 2021
7
0
10
I tried again with 2 ram sticks instead of just one because i've read that a motherboard could be set to run in dual mode with the RAM or something. I also removed all external peripherals.

And it actually started, everything lit up.

Except it <Mod Edit> took fire.
I heard a weird noise and it started smoking really badly where my thermaltake fan hub is located, I managed to shut everything down before it got really ugly. <Mod Edit>. I'm still shaking.

I don't know what to do for now. That threw me off big time. Smoke's everywhere.

I was actually recording when it happened and might post if that serves any purpose.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Feb 16, 2021
7
0
10
What are the steps to follow to safely unplug the components from here? I don't even want to touch anything now as I know there still can be power even once you unplug the PSU ...
 
Feb 16, 2021
7
0
10
Unplug the psu from the wall.
Unplug the psu from the mobo.
Remove the mobo from the case.
Set the mobo on the bench and start removing parts.

Thank you for the reply, I did what you said and installed everything back outside the case with the mobo on the box and only PSU, CPU, 1 stick of RAM, AIO and GPU.
Now I am getting a "Code 36 Memory detect" error and a red LED that indicates an issue with the CPU.
The Code 36 refers to "CPU post-memory initialization" in the manual.

Does that means we're certain it's the CPU or the motherboard's CPU pins ? Or could it still be the RAM or even the PSU ?

Thank you
 
Thank you for the reply, I did what you said and installed everything back outside the case with the mobo on the box and only PSU, CPU, 1 stick of RAM, AIO and GPU.
Now I am getting a "Code 36 Memory detect" error and a red LED that indicates an issue with the CPU.
The Code 36 refers to "CPU post-memory initialization" in the manual.

Does that means we're certain it's the CPU or the motherboard's CPU pins ? Or could it still be the RAM or even the PSU ?

Thank you
You don't need a gpu so get that out of the mix.
Make sure you have the ram stick in the proper slot.......see the manual.
If it still fails try a different stick of ram.
If it still fails reset the bios.
 
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Feb 16, 2021
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You don't need a gpu so get that out of the mix.
Make sure you have the ram stick in the proper slot.......see the manual.
If it still fails try a different stick of ram.
If it still fails reset the bios.
  • GPU removed
  • Ram stick is in the proper slot according to the manual
  • Tried with 4 different ram sticks
  • To reset the bios, do I press the "reset bios" button while the PC is off and that's it ? Because I did that, also did by holding it pressed for 10s.
I also reseated the CPU and checked the pins. I will send pictures in my next reply to show the little things I noticed under the CPU / pins as I don't know if it's normal or not.

Still got the "Code 36 Memory detect" error and the red LED error (CPU).
 
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Feb 16, 2021
7
0
10
Here are the pictures of the CPU and socket. The CPU looks fine.
As you can see in the last picture is the only thing that isn't symetrical to the rest of the pins, I have no idea if this is normal. It looks like a bridge between 2 pins, or some ''dust'', however after gently blowing to see if it moves, it doesn't. So might not be something that fell there and could be totaly normal.

Edit: Here is an extra picture
 
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  • GPU removed
  • Ram stick is in the proper slot according to the manual
  • Tried with 4 different ram sticks
  • To reset the bios, do I press the "reset bios" button while the PC is off and that's it ? Because I did that, also did by holding it pressed for 10s.
I also reseated the CPU and checked the pins. I will send pictures in my next reply to show the little things I noticed under the CPU / pins as I don't know if it's normal or not.

Still got the "Code 36 Memory detect" error and the red LED error (CPU).
To reset the bios.
Power down.
Unplug the psu power cord.
Press and hold the reset bios button for 10 secs.
Connect the power cord to the psu and power up.
If your still getting the error your down to 4 parts.
Perhaps the cheapest thing to try is to remove the bios battery and take it to the store and buy a new one.
Replace the battery on the mobo and test.
 
  • Like
Reactions: pomppp
Feb 16, 2021
7
0
10
To reset the bios.
Power down.
Unplug the psu power cord.
Press and hold the reset bios button for 10 secs.
Connect the power cord to the psu and power up.
If your still getting the error your down to 4 parts.
Perhaps the cheapest thing to try is to remove the bios battery and take it to the store and buy a new one.
Replace the battery on the mobo and test.

Yes I still get the error by reseting the bios.
I have a CMOS battery coming from a Taichi x399 motherboard, can I replace it with that one ?