Any Windows initiated shutdown/restart results in failure to POST

Reset BIOS firmware to default factory setting to see this will resolve the boot problem.

Was the computer not booting when you first clean installed Windows 10?

If you are planning to replace the drive on the new computer:

a) make a backup image so that you can restore the image on the new drive
There are free and pay versions depending on the features.
(Acronis, Aoemi, EaseUS, Macrium, Paragon, etc.)

Macrium is widely used in Ten Forums:

Macrium Software | Your Image is Everything
Backup and Restore with Macrium Reflect

b) communicate with Asus about the warranty
Confirm that replacing the drive does not alter the warranty.
And ask about any troubleshooting steps they may have for the corrected hardware errors related to Intel hardware.

c) some computer manufactures can modify hardware as part of the RMA/warranty
(for example: add RAM, change drive, etc.)

zbook said:

If you are planning to replace the drive on the new computer:

a) make a backup image so that you can restore the image on the new drive
There are free and pay versions depending on the features.
(Acronis, Aoemi, EaseUS, Macrium, Paragon, etc.)

Macrium is widely used in Ten Forums:

Macrium Software | Your Image is Everything
Backup and Restore with Macrium Reflect

b) communicate with Asus about the warranty
Confirm that replacing the drive does not alter the warranty.
And ask about any troubleshooting steps they may have for the corrected hardware errors related to Intel hardware.

c) some computer manufactures can modify hardware as part of the RMA/warranty
(for example: add RAM, change drive, etc.)

The drive in question is not an OEM drive and was added by me using a sata to ribbon adapter that came included with the laptop for the purpose of the end user adding a drive to the open bay.

I'll check with them on their policy but it seems to me they include the adapter with the expectation that the end user will be adding a drive to the machine.

The drive itself is a Seagate barracuda I bought some time before the laptop that I barely used - it has ~40 more hours of use than the laptop, but it's such a cheap drive it's not worth trying to RMA. I dont think I even remember where I bought it

zbook said:

If you are planning to replace the drive on the new computer:

a) make a backup image so that you can restore the image on the new drive
There are free and pay versions depending on the features.
(Acronis, Aoemi, EaseUS, Macrium, Paragon, etc.)

Macrium is widely used in Ten Forums:

Macrium Software | Your Image is Everything
Backup and Restore with Macrium Reflect

b) communicate with Asus about the warranty
Confirm that replacing the drive does not alter the warranty.
And ask about any troubleshooting steps they may have for the corrected hardware errors related to Intel hardware.

c) some computer manufactures can modify hardware as part of the RMA/warranty
(for example: add RAM, change drive, etc.)

UPDATE: Installed a new Samsung 860 evo and laptop exhibited the same behavior (failure to post). Then a day later the laptop stopped powering on altogether. I returned the laptop to Asus for RMA. According to their correspondence they replaced the motherboard. It's due to be delivered back to me tomorrow.

Cant say if the new problem was related to the old one, but I'll test again when I get the machine back.

The saga continues.

Glad to see the RMA and motherboard replacement.
After 3 - 7 days of use run V2 and upload results into this thread.

zbook said:

Glad to see the RMA and motherboard replacement.
After 3 - 7 days of use run V2 and upload results into this thread.

Laptop is now rebooting normally with a secondary drive installed. It seems the motherboard replacement fixed the problem.

I'll update in about a week with v2.

Your set as long as there are no longer any WHEA corrected hardware errors.
There should be time to allow the logs to fill with data.
Then V2 can be scanned.