Bizarre motherboard not booting error

[Dredgy]

Hi all, I'm posting here because tech support from Asus has been worthless so far.

 

Motherboard: Asus X79 Deluxe

RAM: G Skill Ripjaws Z 64GB 2400Mhz (clocked at 1600Mhz for troubleshooting)

CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U14s with low noise adapters

CPU: 4930k at stock clocks

Storage: 2x SanDisk Extreme II 480G in RAID 0, 4x Seagate Barracuda 3TB in RAID 10.

 

I also have a USB card in the bottom-most PCI-E 1x slot, though this error occurs whether it is in there or not.

Optical drive and card reader also plugged in.

 

I am having a weird issue with my motherboard in that after I safely shut down the PC, the computer won't boot. At all, no post screen, nothing. 

 

The Q Code readout on the motherboard reads "0C" which according the manual is "reserved for future errors". Helpful. The DRAM LED also stays lit up, but the memory passes all tests, and works in a different PC.

 

The case speaker makes no noise when this error occurs, according to Asus this means I should RMA my board. But they tell me to RMA my board so often when I don't need to that it's lost all meaning.

 

Sometimes, after disconnecting and reconnecting the 24 pin power, it will boot again, Sometimes I just have to leave it for 5 minutes until it boots. Once it does boot, I get an "overclocking failed, press F1 for setup" error. Pressing F1 takes me to BIOS. Nothing is overclocked, so from BIOS I can just press save and the computer will boot into Windows.

 

If I use Clear_CMOS, it will boot ONCE. Where I then have to set in the BIOS the SATA mode to RAID and the CPU Fan Low Limit to 200RPM. These are the only changes I make to the BIOS before booting into Windows. After I shut down the PC again though, this error occurs again and Clear CMOS gives me the same result. As does Direct Key.

 

If I remove and replace the CMOS battery, similar thing to clearing CMOS.

 

This error always occurs after a safe shutdown, though if there is a hard reset for whatever reason, everything seems to work fine.

 

I can always end up getting back into Windows, at which stage the PC runs like a God - passes all stress tests with no problem and runs for days without a flaw.

 

I'm sure there is something small that I am missing, and I don't want to have to RMA the board unless I absolutely must, or at least until I know what's wrong with it. So if someone knows anything, please let me know!

[luke_2bossly]

Stop all your OC.... Then unplug 8 pin and 24 pin do a hard reset and boot into safe mode if you can

[Dredgy]

Stop all your OC.... Then unplug 8 pin and 24 pin do a hard reset and boot into safe mode if you can

 

There is no OC. Have done that, I can eventually get into Windows without safe mode by either unplugging the connectors, removing the CMOS battery or just waiting for 5 minutes.. Once the computer POSTs everything is fine and dandy, I'm just having trouble getting it to POST.

[luke_2bossly]

Maybe your voltage is messed up.... Thats what it seems like..... Are your voltages back at stock???

[luke_2bossly]

Just put everything stock and see what happens...

[Dredgy]

Everything is at stock, I don't overclock. The only things in BIOS I change are the CPU fan low limits and change SATA from AHCI to RAID. XMP isn't even enabled.