ASRock Taichi Debug@99+never POSTed, N00Born Build

Received 1 stick 2133MHz QVL-listed RAM as recommended by @parsec*, and tried it in D1** and A1***, clearing CMOS between, but still stuck on 99.

Also tried 1 stick in each of the 8 slots, clearing CMOS between.

@parsec: *"Some cheap DDR4 memory I can guarantee will work in your board is the Crucial model below. I've used it with my ASRock X99 board, and an i7-6800K:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148856"

Crucial 4gb DDR4-2133 UDIMM 1.2V CL15, CT4G4DFS8213

• One stick in D1** per X99 memory config, population priority diagrams shared by @wardog, this thread.
• One stick in A1***, implied by the Taichi manual, and as the ASRock TSD explicitly instructed  Zachary:

Manufacturer Response:

Dear Zachary,

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. 

Please trouble shoot the mainboard whether the issue is resolved.

If problem still persist, check the last code that shown on the board to report us when contacting tech support.

??Unplug the ATX power, remove all components from mainboard.

??Remove the mainboard from chassis, place it on mainboard?�s box.

??Clear the CMOS.

??Reseat the CPU and heatsink fan.

??Test with single memory module on Al slot.

??Reseat video card firmly and 6+6 PCIE power (if applied).

??Connect the monitor.

??Plug the 24 + 8 or 4 pins ATX power.

??Connect the chassis power switch to mainboard.

??Turn on the power to check if its post.

If you have any technical support inquiry, please contact us at http://www.ASRock.com/Support/tsd.asp

We will assist you shortly.

Thank you

ASRock Support

Tech Support Email: http://www.ASRock.com/Support/tsd.asp

From <http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157719&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-PCPartPicker,%20LLC-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=>

I've done everything suggested in  ASRock TSD's list of instructions to Zachary.  Still stuck on 99.

I've also done everything suggested on this most excellent post "PERFORM THESE STEPS before posting about POST/boot/no video problems!"

<http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/261145-31-perform-steps-posting-post-boot-video-problems>, except:
 

• #17. My board does not have a system speaker - however it does have the Dr Debug LED.
• #22, I need to try DVI still. I've tried HDMI and VGA so far.  (22. If you have integrated video and a video card, try the integrated video port. Resetting the bios, can make it default back to the onboard video. (AFAIK, the Taichi has no onboard video). If you are trying to use HDMI outputs, try using DVI or VGA instead. Sometimes the HDMI ports won't work until the correct drivers are installed.)
• Also, I've not checked voltages on my PSU, but it's not dead - the fans whiz and lights glow - and I didn't exactly cheap out on it. (SeaSonic PRIME 750W 80+ Titanium Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply)
• I have not yet gotten to these additional threads:
   
• jsc's breadboard
  
  Edited by 22curious - 15 Jan 2017 at 1:18am

*Deep thanks to @James999 for his post:

"This is bizarre, because it is contradicted by the (extremely brief) section in the manual on error codes.

If the error code is steady on 99 after power up, the BIOS will load.  (with 1 or 2 sticks of RAM).

"So bottom line, I think Dr. Debug code 99 is not actually an error. I think it indicates that the final step of boot-up has finished and the BIOS is loading. One additional item: on both boards, with one stick of DDR4, you will not get to the 99 code unless the memory is in a particular slot. It was different on each board which slot worked. I had to use trial and error to find the right one on the ASRock board because the *&#^% manual does not indicate which one to use first."#9James999, Jan 18, 2015  <https://forums.anandtech.com/threads/error-code-99-asrock-x99m.2417200/>

*Thanks to @parsec for clarifying " The codes do not identify an error, they simply identify each POST test/procedure??/span>IF a POST code is shown on the Dr Debug display, and it remains displayed, that means that particular POST test failed for some reason??  From @parsec's 02 Jul 2016 at 11:20pm post here<http://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=2966&title=fatal1ty-x99x-killer-problem-starting-up>  Note that in my case -- that word 'failed' kept me in a breadboarded loop troubleshooting 'error' codes without my peripherals attached. 

*Despite the manual, that says "Dr. Debug is used to provide codes that represent different errors that your system has encountered. Please see the diagram below for reading the Dr. Debug codes and how to troubleshoot." 

Thanks also to @DJViking for sharing the sequence of POST tests on an X99 board.  <http://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=2966&title=fatal1ty-x99x-killer-problem-starting-up>

Post edited by DJViking - 02 Jul 2016 at 1:55am

Very useful general guidance for new builders:

+STICKY: PERFORM THESE STEPS before posting about POST/boot/no video problems!

<http://tomshardware.com/forum/261145-31-perform-steps-posting-post-boot-video-problems>

That sticky also suggests:

"...jsc's breadboarding thread:

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/262730-31-breadboardi...

(see my BREADBOARDING DETOUR notes below.)
 

If you make it through the entire checklist without success, Proximon has put together another great thread with a few more ideas here:

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/264823-31-progess-tro...

More about : perform steps posting post boot video problems"

+Build guide from Paul's Hardware <https://youtu.be/XQEwQ-sRUZU>  (via @Xaltar, <http://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3599&title=build-guide-how-to> )

MY BREADBOARDING DETOUR

I turns out that I had already taken the breadboarding steps recommended by @jsc <http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/262730-31-breadboarding>

Despite repeating the breadboarding steps after multiple deep overnight resets, I remained 'stuck' at Dr. Debug code 99?¦until I questioned the troubleshooting instructions.  See next post... 

I delayed posting my rather anti-climactic solution because I felt rather like an idiot + I didn't want to say something I would regret?¦and then life happened.  The note that I wrote to myself then:  

I expect to be happy about this tomorrow.  Right now I just feel bruised from the mostly unnecessarily long journey it took to get here. Seriously.

Suggestions to ASRock:
 

Why perpetuate the incorrect descriptor 'error' codes -- why not call them Dr. Debug 'post progress' or 'post sequence' codes?
 

Wouldn't it be helpful to share a FULL list of Dr. Debug codes and related troubleshooting steps?

Why not share which Dr. Debug code indicates that all is well and no obstacles to booting remain?
Perhaps a 'GO' success code?
No LEDs lit? 
 

If having one stick of (maximum) 2133MHz DDR4 memory on the QVL is essential for the initial boot (before installing more or faster RAM) -- shouldn't this be in the motherboard documentation?

Likewise, isn't the DIMM population priority sequence basic information that should be in the mb manual? 

@parsec discussed mem configs here Posted: 11 Jan 2016 at 2:47am

<http://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1704&title=x99-extreme-6-code-b0-or-60>

As @parsec points out, "Unfortunately, when using two DIMMs as you are, their location is ambiguous given this information.  A non-intuitive bit of information from Intel about the order of use of the DIMM slots is this: 

Populate the the DIMM slots that are the farthest from the processor first.
Based on Intel guidance @parsec reasonably concludes that "Two DIMMs in a quad channel X99 board should be put in slots A1 and C1."

and "Very important, every time we move memory from one slot to another, we MUST clear the UEFI/BIOS! If you don't do this, you're on your own."

From <http://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1704&title=x99-extreme-6-code-b0-or-60>

Yet this (guidance to prioritize DIMM_A1 and DIMM_C1) conflicts with 'mem configs for X99 boards' image shared by 

@wardog that indicates populating DIMM_D1 + DIMM_B1 (for two sticks), and DIMM_D1 for one.  From 11 Jan 2017 at 8:59am  post

<http://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4217&PID=22004&#22004>

I'm deeply grateful for forum and tech support - yet it seems that a few basic manual clarifications could prevent a lot of confusion and conserve valuable time.