[dwnesbitt]

My first build attempt is still haunting me and im pretty sure im losing hair.

I posted here a while back with issues on getting the OS to install (lost my login) i finally got it to work. But while loading files from external HD my new comp froze. I cannibalized a couple of sticks a RAM from an old computer which had crash issues, and figured that may of been then issue, so i bought 2 new Kingston sticks and all was well... for a while. Once i had everything updated i was eager to test it with WoW on Ultra settings. And everything was fine till later that day my screen would flash to black and back to normal again. It did this every 15 mins or so till finally it didn't recover. The tower was still on, lights, fans, and all, but was unresponsive to any input from keyboard or mouse. The lights on the keyboard and the mouse still worked but even hitting the caps lock or nums lock wouldn't work (indicator lights didn't turn on/off). So since it was getting late i manually powered it down and went to bed. Later the next day i tired my luck again, this time with a different online game (on steam). Again a few hours into it, it did the exact same thing, a flashing to black a few times before not recovering. I manually powered down and restarted it, this time it went to black at login in screen. Gave up for the day and came back the next day. I opened up the case and dusted everything, made sure the fan on the graphics card was working (it was), downloaded a program to monitor temps, everything looked fine. Tired to start a game again, again didn't get past the login. After trying things here and there it seems to get more frequent. It even did it once or twice with out even pulling up a game, just pulling up a website or something. So i tired to delete all my graphic card drivers and reinstall them, and now it doesn't go to black anymore it just freezes, again more frequent to where it even freezed on the "Welcome" screen.

I didn't have any problems in safe mode, just normal mode.

Thank you for any advice



Windows 7 64bit

Geforce GTS 450

AMD phenom2 x4 965 3.40GHz

8gigs

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Oops sorry for the double post

[dwnesbitt]

Oops sorry for the double post

[phillpower2]

Hi dwnesbitt
Brand name of Geforce GTS 450 and PSU (including output) please.

[dwnesbitt]

NVidia GeForce GTS 450

Corshair 650w

[phillpower2]

The PSU is more than capable of powering the GFX card so that looks less likely to be the cause.

I posted here a while back with issues on getting the OS to install (lost my login) i finally got it to work. But while loading files from external HD my new comp froze.

Can you tell us more about this, for example was the new system installed with a new HDD and a fresh installation of the operating system direct from a legitimate Microsoft disk!
The issue may be as a result of heat (not enough thermal paste etc) but other factors need to be checked and one of these is making sure that the MB was installed into the case correctly

downloaded a program to monitor temps,

Download and run Speedfan from http://www.almico.com/sfdownload.php provide a screenshot with your next reply so that your temps and voltages can be checked

[dwnesbitt]

this was taken while in normal start-up


This was taken in Safe-mode

i hope these work, im not very good at forums (hence the double post)

So i came back to my comp to download the speedfan and write this, but after i was finished i decided to minimize to look up something before i pressed send... and it froze again, so now in safe-mode again rewriting everything.

I originally bought an OEM copy of Windows 7 64bit home premium (from newegg if i remember correctly) to install on my new build. But it only got past the "loading start-up tools" or whatever and i don't remember what it said (or if it just froze), but that's as far as i could get it. After looking deeper into my MB i found out just that box and Ads said that it was Windows 7 ready. The specs said Vista or older. So in an attempt to save money i tired to pirate a copy of vista (stupid i know) and again only got as far as i did with the windows 7 copy. So then after trying to make sure the HDD was formatted (which it didn't appear to have anything on it) i tried a "Used, like new" copy of Vista bought from amazon (again not very smart), this one got past the point where i input info and it restarts but when it got to the complete installation screen, it could literally leave it for days without the process bar moving at all (i could move the cursor). Getting very frustrated i left it for a while, till finally i came back and tried the Copy of 7 again and BAM it worked. And that's where my original post starts.

HDD: Western Digital Caviar Black 750GB 7200RPM SATA-300 3.5-inch Internal Hard Drive

[phillpower2]

Temps and voltages are good which is a positive.
Run a diagnostic test on your HDD http://www.tacktech....ttid=287#maxtor
if you have another SATA cable try that also, dependent on the test results
running memtest may be the next step.

[dwnesbitt]

I tested this before using OS check disc program it appear to be good there as well, but here are these results also.

[dwnesbitt]

ive tested memory before when i was trying to get the OS installed, is there an easier way then using that program i burned to a disc and "Booted from CD" now that i have an OS?

[dwnesbitt]

Ok so as i was sitting here i thought of something, 2 of my sticks of RAM where from my old comp, and i dont remember what speed they were, i do think they were the right channel tho. So i removed both those, downgrading from 8g to 4g, started up fine, pulled up a game fine. So either one or both were bad, or they may of been wrong speed, but so far im not seeing any problem.

But ill no doubt be back to let you know if it freezes or goes to black again. Thank you so much for you help, and hopefully i wont be back.

[phillpower2]

Thanks for the update, for future reference another means of testing your Ram http://oca.microsoft.../en/windiag.asp

[dwnesbitt]

Ok so, about 30mins into the game.... frozen, i quickly restarted into safe-mode and all the temps are still good. Guess ill check these 2 sticks of ram even i seriously doubt thats it. That was however the farthest ive gotten since it from black outs to freezes.

[dwnesbitt]

12 passes, no errors

[phillpower2]

12 passes, no errors

What did you use to test the Ram? Memtest can take all night to complete 5-6 passes (the minimum recommended) did you check each stick individually which is also the recommended procedure, each memory slot also needs to be checked.
Run the Crucial System Scanner Tool http://www.crucial.c...ner/?click=true this will tell you what the present Ram installed is and what the recommended type is.
If the Ram is good then uninstalling the present drivers and running Driver Sweeper to get rid of any remnants which can cause such conflicts as this is the next step I suggest http://phyxion.net/i...er-sweeper.html
To do this download and save the latest Nvidea drivers > Uninstall the present drivers > Run Driver Sweeper > Reboot into Safe Mode > Install the latest Nvidea drivers > See how it goes.
What Anti Virus software do you have running + what is the brand, model and any revision number of your MB?
If the issue cannot be attributed to either the Ram or drivers then I would suggest removing the MB from the case and doing a barebones set-up as described in my canned text below;

Best couple of suggestions I can make would be first remove the MB and do a barebones set-up on a piece of cardboard (make sure it is larger than the MB) only connect the PSU, the GFX card, 1 stick of Ram and the keyboard.
You will then need to short out the 2 power on pins on the MB header to get the PSU to activate, you can use a small flat bladed screwdriver or a paper clip bent into a U shape, this is perfectly safe if you do not touch anything else, the idea is to see if we can get a stable screen if you do you can then add one component at a time until you find the problem component.
Other things worth checking include, if you used stand offs beneath the MB are they in the correct locations (only where there is a screw hole in the MB) otherwise the MB will short out, check for stray screws or bared wires for the same reason, hopefully the last suggestion will not be required but do be prepared for it.

[dwnesbitt]

Ok, so most of the day today I didnt have any problems it seemed to of fixed its self with a good nights sleep or somthing. But sure enough later it froze during a game.
I ran that cruical program, my memory appeared to compatible. So i uninstalled the Graphic drivers and ran the disk sweeper. I tried to uninstall the drivers a couple times before but with out the disk sweeper program, and it seemed like i wasnt getting everything which did appear to be the case. So instead of reinstalling from my disc that came with the card, i downloaded and installed the drivers from web site. I got as far as the login screen on the game when it went to BLACK instead of freezing, which is what it was doing before it started freezing, if i remember correctly (which its possible im not) it went from Black to Freezing after messing with the drivers. So maybe we are on to something. It really does look like the Graphic card, is it possible the Card itself is junk (altho it never really worked well for an extended time anyways), or is just conflicting with something else therefore the problem would continue with a new card? ...i really dont want to spend more money on this rig with as much as i have already to not even have it fully working.

Edited by dwnesbitt, 24 July 2011 - 05:06 PM.