LED Poster display INIT 8042, no display or beeping

Hi everyone,

In November I built a myself a new computer, with the following:
motherboard- ASUS Striker II Formula
CPU- Core2 Quad 8200
RAM- Gskill 2X 2gig sticks
Video card- EVGA 280 GTX

last week the computer froze, i tried to turn it on again a while later and it wouldn't boot. I eventually determined the motherboard was fried. I got an RMA on it and replaced it a while ago, and now I am getting the text "CODEINIT, CIPINIT, DET RAM, INIT8042" I called ASUS back, and I was told that it "sounded" like the RAM was destroyed with the old motherboard too.

Hoping someone can give me some input, such as if they think that is what happened as well or what they may recommend to resolve the issue.

Thanks, Dwayne

Try just one stick and try it in different slots. Try the other stick. etc.

Try other known good RAM or try this RAM in another known good computer. etc.

If you get the RAM in a configuration or computer where it will boot try running MemTest:

Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool

I tried using one stick, checked each stick, and nothing, I am going to try my ram on my friends computer later on.

So the RAM is good, I just checked it on a friends computer, both sticks are fine. anyone have a suggestion to what the LED poster reading INIT 8042 means? and what to do to fix this?

There should be a code list in the back of your manual.

As ASUS mentioned RAM and I see it DET RAM which I assume is detect RAM I further assume a RAM issue.

Are you sure this RAM is compatible with this board?

I would download your manual but since you should have it look up that error and let us know.

After some Googling:

INIT 8042 - Google Search

http://dlsvr04.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/...able-Award.pdf

One suggestion is clear the CMOS.

Another idea is that your RAM is of too high a voltage to start the default BIOS.

If this were the case you need a lower voltage stick to enter the BIOS and manually up the RAM voltage level.

the system ran perfectly for 2 months,

but anyway I'll define as per the back of the manual what each of the words on my LED poster means:

CODEINIT, CHIPINIT, DET RAM, INIT8042

CODEINT- not defined in the Debug code table
CHIPINT- Early Chipset initialization:
-Disable Shadow RAM
- Disable L2 cache
- Program basic chipset registers
DET RAM- Detect memory
- Auto-detection of DRAM size, TYPE and ECC
- Auto-detection of L2 cache

INIT8042
1. Clear 8042 interface
2. Initialize 8042 self-test

Did you see my previous post? Slipped one in while you were writing.

Anyway clearing the CMOS or trying lower voltage RAM would be about all I can suggest.

Perhaps call ASUS back and press them for ideas or another RMA.

Sorry I can't be more helpful.

Clr CMOS just shut down the system from what ever state it is going into when i turn it on. and for a lower voltage RAM, would this problem have been noticeable from day 1 of having this mobo? because as I said before, it was working for 2 months with the same products, not exactly the same mobo but the same model etc..

Is there a CMOS jumper on that board?

Refining that Google:

INIT8042 - Google Search

One says here that INIT8042 is essentially clearing the CMOS. Anyway I would try in manually if there is a jumper on board.

As to the last question who knows what differences are in the first and second board. If they sent a new board it might have a different BIOS or they might have just refurbished the old one.

The voltage question occurs often with nVidia chipset boards. Many will only boot @ 1.8V RAM whereas a lot of RAM on the market runs @ 2.2V.


If the DET RAM process succeeded then it triggered Clear CMOS there might be something to that idea.


Anyway try the jumper if there is one and if that doesn't help I'd call ASUS back. At least you have some more ideas to share with them.


Also do you have any idea what happened to the previous setup? Why did it fail? Are you sure the CPU is OK? What about the power supply?