I've been assembling and configuring a PC for several days. It worked normally with an ASUS Rampage VI Extreme X299 motherboard, an i7-7820X, 32GB of Corsair Vengeance DDR4-3600 memory (four 8GB sticks), an EVGA GTX 1080 Ti, and a Corsair TX750M power supply. I usually switch off the PSU after shutting down the computer. Today it powered on but showed no display, and the motherboard's DRAM indicators for all four memory channels were lit orange. I removed three DIMMs and the system booted with one stick in slot B1, but it stopped displaying again after reinstalling all four sticks. While troubleshooting, I pressed the Clear CMOS button while the system was powered on, after which the motherboard showed Q-Code A2 and the Clear CMOS light stayed green. I'm worried that I damaged the motherboard and want to know what I should try before paying for repairs or replacing it.
4 Answers
Four sticks of high-speed DDR4 can be harder for the memory controller to train than one stick, especially after a BIOS reset. Start with one DIMM at default settings rather than trying to run 3600 MHz immediately. Once you can enter the BIOS, confirm the memory is detected, use default settings, and add the remaining modules gradually. Make sure each module is fully latched and that the CPU cooler is not applying uneven pressure.
Don’t replace the motherboard yet. A2 on ASUS boards generally points to a storage or boot-device detection stage, while the earlier DRAM lights suggest the memory configuration may be the original problem. After a CMOS reset, memory training can take several minutes with no video output, so power it on and leave it alone for a while before interrupting it again. Also, avoid pressing Clear CMOS while the computer is running.
Use the exact reset procedure from the Rampage VI Extreme manual: shut the PC down, switch off and unplug the PSU, discharge the system with the power button, then reset CMOS. Afterward, disconnect unnecessary hardware, remove the USB devices, leave only the graphics card, one storage drive, and one memory module in the recommended slot, then test again. If that works, shut down completely and add the other DIMMs one at a time.
The lack of display does not necessarily mean the board is dead. Check that the monitor cable is connected to the GTX 1080 Ti, reseat the graphics card and memory, and verify the motherboard’s power connectors. If the board still will not reach BIOS with one known-good DIMM, check whether the board supports its BIOS recovery or flashback feature and follow the manufacturer’s instructions exactly.
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