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ASUS Motherboard QCode A2

1Wolf

1Wolf

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jul 10, 2007
Messages
439
I'm working on troubleshooting an issue with my wife's PC. Periodically the boot process does not complete and produces a QCode "A2" on the motherboard. The BIOS instructs me to enter Setup, at which point I do, reload my BIOS settings, and reboot and then it boots up just fine.

The issue only occurs on a cold boot. If the motherboard is energized but the PC is not on (i.e. the powerstrip/UPS is on and supplying power to the mobo but the PC has not been powered on), then the issue does NOT seem to occur. It boots up fine. However, if I shut the PC down, turn of the powerstrip/UPS and kill all power to the motherboard, then flip the powerstrip/UPS back on and energize the motherboard and then boot up completely cold...that is when the issue occurs roughly 30-50% of the time.

A QCode of "A2" is "IDE Detect" according to the manual and google. So it doesn't seem to be booting properly on a cold boot when the motherboard has not been energized.

This PC was built in 2012 and has worked without issue since then.

ASUS mobo
Intel 3770K
2x Samsung 830 256 Gig SSD's. Each of the SSD's is a separate windows install. She has one completely separate windows 7 install for work, and another completely separate one for gaming. She selects which to boot into at a boot menu on startup.
one 4TB Storage drive.
Nvidia GTX690
16 Gigs Memory.
ASUS DVD Reader/Burner

-I've pushed on all the SATA connections, and checked the video card seating to be sure.
-I've disconnected the USB 3.0 headers from the motherboard along with any "stuff" that it was connected to
-I've disconnected the SATA cable for the ASUS DVD Burner from the DVD burner.

The problem still occurs.

The Samsung 830 "SSD Magician" software seems to report that the health of both those Samsung SSD's is ok. They both seem to work fine when it does boot into windows.

Maybe a failed SATA cable to the "default" boot SSD?

Any ideas what else this might be or what the next steps are I should take in troubleshooting?

Thanks!
 
try setting a boot delay on the HDD detection in BIOS or remove the HDD temporarily. remove all the SATA connectors, blow them out with compressed air and reseat them again. also check the voltage on your CMOS battery. if its under 3v the BIOS setting could be getting screwy when the system looses all power. see if any of this gets you any farther.
 
pendragon1 you are a gentleman and a scholar. Thank you kindly for your help and advice.

I pulled the CMOS battery and tested it. Only 2.3V. So that thing was pretty much done. Popped a new one in, loaded my saved settings in the BIOS and all was well and back to normal. I've booted it cold 8 or 10 times now and it hasn't produced that problem again.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. When I saw that "A2" QCode, I didn't expect a simple dead battery would be the cause.

Thank you sir.
 
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