Error Code 99 - ASRock X99M

[James999]

Here is the build I am trying to get working:

**CPU** | [Intel Core i7-5960X 3.0GHz 8-Core Processor]
**CPU Cooler** | [Swiftech H220-X 55.0 CFM Liquid ]
**Motherboard** | [ASRock X99M Extreme4 Micro ATX ]
**Memory** | [Kingston 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-2800 CAS 14 ]
**Storage** | [Samsung 850 Pro Series 256GB 2.5" SSD]
**Video Card** | [EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB ACX 2.0 ]
**Case** | [Thermaltake Core V21 MicroATX Mini Tower Case]
**Power Supply** | [SeaSonic X Series 850W 80+ Gold Fully-Modular]
**Operating System** | [Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit)]


So I put together my new build yesterday, fired it up and got nothing but error codes. I have tried two different memory kits and two different graphics cards. The error code comes back 99 every time, which according to the manual is a PCIe device problem.

I have only the CPU, 1 stick of 4GB DDR4 2666 in slot A1, and an EVGA GTX970 SC hooked up right now. The only other device attached to PCIe is the Swiftech H220-X and that is power connectors only. Have tried with and without USB keyboard and mouse, have tried keyboard and mouse in USB2 as well as USB3. Have tried 1, 2, 4 memory sticks.

Bad MOBO??

Thanks.

Update: The BIOS in my mobo is 1.50 and there is a 1.60 update.

The update addresses graphics card compatibility and PCIe device function. Nice, probably exactly what I need, but the board won't even come up with an older graphics card, so I can't flash the BIOS. Heading out to get a different board at the local MicroCenter. Obsession has set in--must make it work.

 

[Ketchup]

Trying a different slot may have helped here, but yeah, getting a board without the issue would probably be the best way to go.

 

[tllm]

I'm having the exact same issue! Only I don't have the luxury of getting anything to replace the mobo (and also I installed a Dark Rock Pro 3, and damned if I'm going to uninstall it. An absolute pig to fit.)

I had put both my Galax 970s in, but then tried with one in either slot... nothing. Is there anything else I can try before RMAing the poc??

Thanks!

Edit: Specs - 5820k, 2x Galax 970, 16gb GSkill 2400, 256gb m2 ssd, Enthoo Evolv case.

 

[Ketchup]

That is a major flaw. I would RMA (return through etailer would be better if that is still an option), unless someone else has a better idea.

 

[James999]

Trying a different slot may have helped here, but yeah, getting a board without the issue would probably be the best way to go.

Forgot to mention that I tried different slots for the graphics card. Way to go ASRock--just lost a customer.

 

[tllm]

So did I. Absolute garbage, and having looked at their support page there isn't even a mention of X99 for VGA compatibility. Totally useless. Going to return it for a Gigabyte or EVGA board, but really wish ASUS made an mATX one.

 

[James999]

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. I'm still running the P1.50 BIOS that came on the Extreme4 board. Win8.1x64 seems like it is running stably. One remaining problem is that it will only reach the BIOS with one or two sticks of 4GB DDR4, but not with all 4 sticks yet. Maybe updating the BIOS will help.

 

[denis280]

I'm having the exact same issue

is it the same board???

One remaining problem is that it will only reach the BIOS with one or two sticks of 4GB DDR4, but not with all 4 sticks yet. Maybe updating the BIOS will help.

this is weird.you can flash.but if it don't work. they will not take the board back.

and having looked at their support page there isn't even a mention of X99 for VGA compatibility

Ok same board.rma time guys.or try to get in contact with asrock.and tell them you are not the only one.

 

[James999]

is it the same board???this is weird.you can flash.but if it don't work. they will not take the board back.Ok same board.rma time guys.or try to get in contact with asrock.and tell them you are not the only one.

It was past 4am when I put in the above update, so let me add some detail here, which I think is interesting.

First, the board that is now in the build and working is the ASRock Extreme X99M.

I also have a second board, an Asus Deluxe X99. I installed outside the case on the Asus yesterday evening (since the Asus is ATX not mATX). This was a minimal install, CPU (5960X), HSF (Swiftech H220-X), DDR4 (HyperX 2800 CAS14), Graphics (EVGA GTX970 AC 2.0 SC). With one stick of DDR4, the error code settled on 99 and the BIOS loaded up. Again, this was on the Asus Deluxe--different board, same error code, and the BIOS loads. The ASUS manual gives a better description of the 99 code. In that manual, 99 is something like "Super I/O initialization".

Finally, I went back to the ASRock X99M motherboard, with only one stick of memory, all the same as on the Asus, and it worked.

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.

 

[James999]

you can flash.but if it don't work. they will not take the board back.

One of the reasons I chose the ASRock Extreme4 X99M is that it has two separate BIOS chips -- A and B. In the BIOS utilities, you can copy from A to B as a kind of backup. There is a manual switch on the motherboard to allow you to select whether it boots to A or B. So right now I am booting to BIOS A and it works, and I have BIOS A backed up into BIOS B. Hopefully this means I can flash BIOS A, and if it does not work, I can switch manually to BIOS B and still have a working system.

 

[James999]

One remaining problem is that it will only reach the BIOS with one or two sticks of 4GB DDR4, but not with all 4 sticks yet. Maybe updating the BIOS will help.

I have two sets of DDR4, one HyperX 2800 4x4GB and one Corsair Vengeance LPX 2666 4x4GB. Both are supported according to the ASRock website. I verified all eight pieces by using them individually in slot A1, and they all made it to the BIOS. Then I tried the full 16GB for each kit, no good. 12GB will not work either. 8GB works in slots A1/C1, but that's as good as it gets.

I tried the above with the original BIOS, P1.50 and also with P1.34 which was released the day before, but specifically addresses OC'd memory. It gives three XMP profiles with P1.34, but still only works with two slots filled.

So, any ideas of anything else to try? Time to RMA the board?

Thanks for any thoughts.

 

[tllm]

Not sure I'm afraid, but do contact Asrock's support email - they actually seem interested in the problem with the 970s. I've got a GTX460 coming on thursday so hope to flash the new bios then, otherwise it'll have to be RMAd.

 

[PhIlLy ChEeSe]

One of the reasons I chose the ASRock Extreme4 X99M is that it has two separate BIOS chips -- A and B. In the BIOS utilities, you can copy from A to B as a kind of backup. There is a manual switch on the motherboard to allow you to select whether it boots to A or B. So right now I am booting to BIOS A and it works, and I have BIOS A backed up into BIOS B. Hopefully this means I can flash BIOS A, and if it does not work, I can switch manually to BIOS B and still have a working system.

You know it all!
If it don't work on the A chip it isn't gonna work on B either!!! But yer here to educate us I assume, continue with the lesson...............
Asus has had 2 Bios chips for a long time on there top tier boards.

 

[Ketchup]

I have two sets of DDR4, one HyperX 2800 4x4GB and one Corsair Vengeance LPX 2666 4x4GB. Both are supported according to the ASRock website. I verified all eight pieces by using them individually in slot A1, and they all made it to the BIOS. Then I tried the full 16GB for each kit, no good. 12GB will not work either. 8GB works in slots A1/C1, but that's as good as it gets.

I tried the above with the original BIOS, P1.50 and also with P1.34 which was released the day before, but specifically addresses OC'd memory. It gives three XMP profiles with P1.34, but still only works with two slots filled.

So, any ideas of anything else to try? Time to RMA the board?

Thanks for any thoughts.

The more sticks of RAM you use, the more loose your RAM timings need to be. You may even need to step to the next speed down. This review from Newegg shows a buyer with a similar issue:

The help was good at AsRock as the real problem was needing to start with a lower speed ram 2133 not 2800, which I found out by calling to ask if my power supply was ok for this board and then asked what ram to START with. It matters with brand new boards to use a single stick of ram lower stock speed ram as it is also used for diagnosing an older boards too when it won't start either. Now I will install in the case and just run one stick until about a week till new ram comes. Do not do any overclock here ,populate 4 slots for that.

P.S. Glad to hear you have it up and running.

 

[James999]

The more sticks of RAM you use, the more loose your RAM timings need to be. You may even need to step to the next speed down. This review from Newegg shows a buyer with a similar issue:



P.S. Glad to hear you have it up and running.

Thanks, Ketchup79, interesting info. I have spoken to ASRock and the e-tailer I bought the board from (SuperBiiz). ASRock said they would replace the board directly if SuperBiiz would not, pretty amazing actually. So SuperBiiz wants photos of the pins in the MOBO before they will do an RMA. Understandable I suppose, but annoying, since everything has to come apart just to get the RMA process going.

 

[Ketchup]

That is interesting. I am not sure what in a picture would make an e-tailer say yes or no. Hopefully they are just trying to rule out the most obvious abuse, and have a picture of the item in case someone tried to scam them later.

I wonder how close you are to the 30-day window. I wonder if it would be worth it to wait (a couple days (or whatever it is) and go through Asrock.

 

[James999]

That is interesting. I am not sure what in a picture would make an e-tailer say yes or no. Hopefully they are just trying to rule out the most obvious abuse, and have a picture of the item in case someone tried to scam them later.

I wonder how close you are to the 30-day window. I wonder if it would be worth it to wait (a couple days (or whatever it is) and go through Asrock.

So, I bought a new board from Newegg, it arrived yesterday and I swapped it into my system. And it works!!! All 16GB of DRAM is running on the provided XMP2 profile, which gives me 2800Mhz. What a relief!

Hopefully you are right about why they want the pictures. I will send them today, now that the old board is out of the build. At this point, I am so happy to have my new system running at full strength, I almost don't care whether they take the non-working board back. I will follow up to let people know how SuperBiiz treats me, though.

 

[James999]

You know it all!
If it don't work on the A chip it isn't gonna work on B either!!! But yer here to educate us I assume, continue with the lesson...............
Asus has had 2 Bios chips for a long time on there top tier boards.

That double BIOS chip feature is awesome. Haven't built a system in 5 or 6 yrs, so this is new to me.

Someone had asked me earlier to keep the thread informed of how my build goes. Isn't one of the reasons for this forum to help each other out with detailed descriptions of problems and solutions? That was my intent. Perhaps I have misinterpreted the point of the forum.

 

[Ketchup]

That double BIOS chip feature is awesome. Haven't built a system in 5 or 6 yrs, so this is new to me.

Someone had asked me earlier to keep the thread informed of how my build goes. Isn't one of the reasons for this forum to help each other out with detailed descriptions of problems and solutions? That was my intent. Perhaps I have misinterpreted the point of the forum.

Not at all. Ignore the offending posts. Glad to hear the new board is working!

 

[James999]

Glad to hear the new board is working!

Thanks for all your help and thoughts. Much appreciated.

 

[James999]

Not sure I'm afraid, but do contact Asrock's support email - they actually seem interested in the problem with the 970s. I've got a GTX460 coming on thursday so hope to flash the new bios then, otherwise it'll have to be RMAd.

Good luck, hope it works for you this time.