AAAARGH! PC problems

Tutonic · March 09, 2011, 09:52:55 PM

Have you checked your CPU & GPU temperatures? Overheating would cause the system to suddenly power down as you describe.

It's also worth downloading a copy of Memtest86 and letting it do a full test cycle, to rule out any RAM issues.

Blunt · March 09, 2011, 10:18:08 PM

DZ, I have fiited a different PSU to eliminate that, and the only cable that runs under the MoBo is the DVD sound cable which I have checked ok (really thin and loosly fitting, so not jammed in)
I've re-seated RAM and GFX card several times today (my new RAM turned up today so I tried that with no luck; It's now out and the old stuff back in)
Tut, I'll dl and try that prog, but I fear it will crash the PC the same as windows mem-test.

Blunt · March 09, 2011, 10:23:27 PM

how do I get this Memtest thingy to work?
all it seems to want to do is burn a copy to my dvd (done)
there is no idiots guide on the site

edit ok so I boot from dvd...here goes

Crashed whilst testing.

Tutonic · March 10, 2011, 12:51:03 PM

Quote from: Blunt;321250how do I get this Memtest thingy to work?
all it seems to want to do is burn a copy to my dvd (done)
there is no idiots guide on the site

edit ok so I boot from dvd...here goes

Crashed whilst testing.

So you might have a bad memory DIMM somewhere. I reccomend testing each stick seperately and see if the crash only happens with a particular DIMM.

The really horrible scenario is that you have a borked memory controller/CPU, which is much harder to diagnose.

Blunt · March 10, 2011, 01:29:09 PM

Quote from: Tutonic;321274So you might have a bad memory DIMM somewhere. I reccomend testing each stick seperately and see if the crash only happens with a particular DIMM.

The really horrible scenario is that you have a borked memory controller/CPU, which is much harder to diagnose.

OK, here's what happened in the order that it happened:

PC shut down (crash) Tuesday afternoon
won't re-start
different PSU fitted
PC restarts ok
managed to play BO ok (Tues evening)
new RAM arrives
Fit new RAM and PC shuts down in game load (BO & BC2)
Swap old RAM back in and PC still shuts down on game load.(at this point I notice memory lights go out after start-up, this may have been the case earlier but I didn't notice)
HL2 seems to run fine.
PC shuts down on memory test

Running CPU-Z the memory is showing up ok.

I fear that you may be right and the mem controller is borked.
I don't know what to do now:blink:

Gorion · March 10, 2011, 05:59:52 PM

Hmm, it could also be a faulty memory slot, or the mobo firmware needs an update.

Try using 1 ram dimm and alternating it between all the ram slots available when they crash. Rinse and repeat with all dimms on all sockets.

P.S, check your temps on the north and southbridge as well.

While you're there. Change any IDE and FDD cables.

Snokio · March 10, 2011, 06:50:27 PM

could possibly be graphics card, check the temps in catalyst, also run the intel CPU diagnostic test to rule that out

Blunt · March 10, 2011, 07:44:33 PM

CPU Temp is fine, as are core temps.
All diagnostic tools seem to crash the PC after a few minutes.
It then takes a few tries to get it started again.

I'm taking it to a PC repair man tomorrow as he will have the spare parts to swap in to find out what is wrong.

I'm going to have a look for the latest Mobo firmware, but I'm a bit overwhelmed by the choices on the Download pages
I'm on version F6 atm

Tutonic · March 10, 2011, 08:52:10 PM

QuoteI'm going to have a look for the latest Mobo firmware, but I'm a bit overwhelmed by the choices on the Download pages
I'm on version F6 atm

Version F7 says it improves memory compatibility, so a BIOS upgrade has got to be worth a shot.

The latest for your board is version F11: ftp://download.gigabyte.ru/bios/motherboard_bios_ga-p55m-ud2_f11.exe

Check your motherboard's manual on how to install it, it differs across manufacturers (I can install mine from within Windows using an Asus application - Gigabyte might offer something similar).

kregoron · March 10, 2011, 09:32:50 PM

Gigabytes P55 boards was very picky in the beginning memory wise. I had some issues with my old Gigabyte P55A UD7 board, but firmware upgrades solved a fair few of those issues, try giving it a go.

Tho a heed of warning, if the board is insanely understable and crashes while updating the firmware it could end up being not so good

Lee · March 11, 2011, 03:10:13 AM

I had similar problems with my old system too. I did experiment with overclocking when I first had it although I didn't change the voltage or attempt drastic clock speeds so that shouldn't have damaged the components. I returned it to stock fairly soon swiftly. Anyway, I had two PSUs (Corsair too) that died, a graphics card that died and a DIMM slot wouldn't work. Only thing that wasn't replaced was the motherboard (Gigabyte 965P-DS3P rev 3.3 coincidentally). My audio card was also playing up although I know that this was unrelated. I think I must have just had a dodgy board as all the other components were swapped.

TL : DR: Have you tried any overclocking? Worth ruling out I suppose. I wouldn't be suprised if it's a dodgy motherboard however.

Blunt · March 13, 2011, 02:56:39 PM

Well, I'm back up and running. (touch wood)
some weird stuff went on in my PC and I don't think I'll ever get to the bottom of it:blink:
The PC repair man reseated the CPU with fresh paste, reseated all other components and flashed the BIOS, and told me it was all fine.
I brought it home thinking that my problems were over.
But, when I turned it on it went into an infinite repair loop and I couldn't even get windows to start.
fortunately I did get the option to open command prompt and from there I managed to install windows again.
Strange thing is, it installed a fresh windows 7 and when I looked in explorer there was a file called Old windows.
this contained all my previous system:blink:
I've deleted that now and reinstalled new copies of programs etc.
fingers x'd

Snokio · March 13, 2011, 09:19:53 PM

I think it always keeps 'old windows' when install over a operating system (Instead of from scratch)

It does sound like hdd / SDD / RAM to me.

Try running HDTune to test the HDD's if you can

kregoron · March 14, 2011, 06:38:23 AM

You explained you fitted a new PSU? what did you swap in it?

Tutonic · March 14, 2011, 08:30:47 AM

QuoteThe PC repair man reseated the CPU with fresh paste, reseated all other components and flashed the BIOS, and told me it was all fine.
I brought it home thinking that my problems were over.
But, when I turned it on it went into an infinite repair loop and I couldn't even get windows to start.

Sounds like a BIOS setting was stopping Windows from booting, almost certainly a SATA setting.

After you install Windows you can't change the SATA operation mode in the BIOS (eg, IDE to AHCI), doing so produces a reboot loop as you describe. Flashing the BIOS might change this setting.