[HELP] Problems with random freezes/restart and not posting

[XiaosLow]

Hi guys,

My PC is around 3 years old and recently it has been giving me a lot of problems.

Spec:
CPU: i7 950
MOBO: MSI X58A-GD65
RAM: 3x OCZ Fatality 1600 (running at 1033 due to mobo default bclk)
Storage: Kingston SDD, 2x WD Black on RAID 0
GFX: 2x MSI 460 Hawk
PSU: CM 750 GX

The issue started off with random freezes and one day it just got file corruption and I did a reformat. After that I reassembled the parts and clean of the dust too.

After the reformat, I notice delayed POST or sometimes it does not even POST at all. When it did POST successfully and boot into windows, sometimes I get random reboot and after the reboot it either does not POST or stuck at "Starting Windows" screen.

Did another reformat again and now same issue with freezes and no POST. First few successful boot got this issue with the mouse random freezes and wrong cursor pointer.

Any bro out there can advice me what is wrong with my PC?

 

[XiaosLow]

I did some test like memtest86+ and it passes 6 times, used hdd tune pro did not show any critical or warning on my OS disk.

I am wondering if it could be PSU or mobo issue.

Today, it hanged again while asking me to startup windows normally or boot up in safe mode screen.

 

[VoodooKing]

I did some test like memtest86+ and it passes 6 times, used hdd tune pro did not show any critical or warning on my OS disk.

I am wondering if it could be PSU or mobo issue.

Today, it hanged again while asking me to startup windows normally or boot up in safe mode screen.

Try to remove one of your graphics cards and see if your machine behaves normally.

 

[XiaosLow]

Hi voodooking bro,

I tried your advice, removed my gfx card one by one and test them in their respective slot. I notice when I removed my secondary gfx card, the bsod complaining of hardware failure went away.

So I went back to Corbell and let them check on that gfx card. Their diagnosis was that nothing was wrong except for a faulty fan. The technician told me to check on the PCI-E slot on my mobo to see if its a faulty slot.

However, today just before I was about to fix back the secondary gfx card, my pc suddenly just hang and reboot and sometimes refuses to POST. Sometimes still manage to get into windows but it will hang and repeat when I run something.

I was not able to check the PSU and CPU because I got no spares around. Can you advice me what to do next. Thank you in advance =)

*Edit - while testing out neverwinter online, my pc just hangs and after couple minutes it still have not restart or shutdown.

 

[peterchan75]

Run the system with 1 RAM module at a time and if the problem occurs again.

 

[XiaosLow]

Hi peterchan bro,

Do I need to run memtest86+ again? If so, do I run it one at time ma or can I run with 3 modules together?

 

[Nitrile]

what nvidia drivers are you using? 320.18?

 

[XiaosLow]

what nvidia drivers are you using? 320.18?

Yes bro,

I did try rolling back to 314.** but still have the same issues too.

 

[peterchan75]

Hi peterchan bro,

Do I need to run memtest86+ again? If so, do I run it one at time ma or can I run with 3 modules together?

You run memtest already so no need. Since it sometimes fail to POST, so it could be CPU, motherboard, PSU, GPU or RAM. Here is the approach. Run with a bare minimum(i.e. 1 RAM, 1 GPU, etc) and see if your system stablize. If the problem comes again, then it's easier for you to narrow down. If the problem goes away, then you slowly add in the rest of components.

 

[XiaosLow]

Ok, I go try it now.

 

[XiaosLow]

Just tested all 3 modules, test using neverwinter online by just afk-ing in the game. 2 modules hang during afk and 1 module just did not managed to POST successfully.

*Tests are done with using only one gfx card at the moment.

 

[peterchan75]

1. That 1 RAM module cannot POST, did you put it aside ?
2. Does it consistantly cannot POST ?
3. The other 2 that past POST, run 1 at a time and AFK and see if it hangs.

 

[XiaosLow]

1. That 1 RAM module cannot POST, did you put it aside ?
2. Does it consistantly cannot POST ?
3. The other 2 that past POST, run 1 at a time and AFK and see if it hangs.

I tested them again just to be sure. It seems like the issue lies elsewhere.

The trouble RAM module (RAM 1) that could not POST earlier managed to work fine for like 40mins until it hangs.

The other two RAM modules, RAM 2 hanged initially while loading up the game and worked fine later on.

As for RAM 3, it worked fine without hanging for like almost an hour already.

Really weird..not sure where the problem is at.

 

[peterchan75]

Precisely. Now, you have a feel that RAM might not be the culprit. Next, run 1 RAM and swap GPU. Run your test. My hunch is mobo, psu ... maybe your SSD.

 

[XiaosLow]

I swapped the gfx card and installed only one RAM module as you advised. Been running it for about an hour plus now and still no signs of hanging.

What should I be checking on next?

 

[tuckloong]

I swapped the gfx card and installed only one RAM module as you advised. Been running it for about an hour plus now and still no signs of hanging.

What should I be checking on next?

slowly add all the rams in one by one and see whether got issues?

 

[peterchan75]

If you have swapped the gfx and pass test(game AFK), like what you did to the RAM modules, then the gfx are OK. At this stage, can rule out RAM, gfx, CPU and SSD. Next you should do is to add either the RAM modules or gfx, one at a time...and test. The problem MUST come back again. What's left are motherboard or PSU. Faulty component at one of these two causes system to hang when the load increase. A spare PSU will come handy at this stage. This is nasty problem.

 

[XiaosLow]

I slowly put back the RAM modules one by one and later put back my second gfx card. Tested each of them for an hour plus and the last one overnight while I slept. Until now there is no relapse...

 

[XiaosLow]

Indeed this problem is really nasty. After two days of peace, the problem came back again...

Do you think it is a good idea to get a new PSU to test the problem out?