[Cirrus.ao]

Hey, thanks for reading.

 

 

Speccy | 

 

System:

Build:  Custom

OS:      Windows Vista 64-bit

CPU:    Intel Core i7 920

Mobo: EVGA X58 SLI

Memory: 12GB (6x2) OCZ

HDD:     WD Caviar Black 1TB

Video Card: EVGA GTX 295

PSU:      Corsair TX750W

Display: DVI Adapter to VGA Cable

 

 

Symptoms: 

• #1: Monitor remains on but goes black (video feed is lost). Tower continues to run. Audio continues to run from the speakers. Requires full power button hold to turn off.
• #1.a: Sometimes upon hard reboot after #1, Vista logo appears, disappears as usual to black screen, but monitor loses signal for 3-5 seconds, signal returns, and I'm greeted by user select.

 

When: 

1. Often this occurs almost whenever I start a game, at the first second. More recently it happens mid-gameplay.

2. It'll also happen for a few seconds (#1.a) on boot.

 

 

How It Started:

About a year ago, every now and my video feed would drop out while gaming, and my monitor would go black. It happened rarely enough; I ignored it. But a month ago it started happening too much, and about a week later my system failed to start. It would POST, but after the Windows logo, the screen would go black, the monitor would lose the feed and never turn on. I booted into safe-mode to try a few things. But soon enough after, I couldn't even reach safe-mode. Wiped clean and did a fresh install, but mid-game it's still happening, so here I am!

 

 

What I've Tried:

 

System Restore: No change

 

Last Known Good Configuration: No change

 

Re-seating video card: No change

 

Safe-mode for further diagnoses: No change (After a few boots, black screen with cursor.)

 

Swapping in old 8800GT: No change

 

Update Video Drivers: No change

 

Fresh Windows Install: No change (would finally boot again, root problem remains)

 

Reconnecting Cables & Adapter: No change

 

Improved cooling and monitored temps: No Change (temps normal)

 

 

What I'm About To Try:

 

Memtest:

 

Video Card Stress Test?:

 

 

Thoughts:

Should I host a funeral for my motherboard?

 

 

I appreciate any and all input that I might receive. Let me know if you want any diag logs. Will post additional test results ASAP. Thank you for your time!

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   Cirrus.ao

 

Have you tried another screen or tried the present screen on another computer, a notebooks VGA port will do, this to see if the screen is 100% good.

 

The X58 platform is known to cause issues with the Ram, see here

 

Some rather long winded testing of the Ram needs to be done I`m afraid, see my canned text below;

 

How to physically test your Ram.

The following checks require the computer case to be opened so take the following safety precautions 1st, disconnect the power cord from the wall socket  and take anti static precautions before touching anything inside, you can do this by touching a bare metal part of the case.
 

Have a pencil and notepad to hand.

Remove each stick of Ram and blow out the memory slots.

Insert the first stick of Ram in memory slot one, reconnect the power and in the case of a desktop computer the video to screen cable.

Power up the computer and see how it goes.

Make a note of the results.

Repeat the procedure until the first stick of Ram has been tested in each memory slot and the results written down.

Remove the first stick of Ram and put it to one side on top of a piece of paper with the number one on it for identification purposes.

Repeat the procedure with all Ram until each stick has been tested in all slots, the results written down and the sticks identified numerically.

[phillpower2]

   Cirrus.ao

 

Have you tried another screen or tried the present screen on another computer, a notebooks VGA port will do, this to see if the screen is 100% good.

 

The X58 platform is known to cause issues with the Ram, see here

 

Some rather long winded testing of the Ram needs to be done I`m afraid, see my canned text below;

 

How to physically test your Ram.

The following checks require the computer case to be opened so take the following safety precautions 1st, disconnect the power cord from the wall socket  and take anti static precautions before touching anything inside, you can do this by touching a bare metal part of the case.
 

Have a pencil and notepad to hand.

Remove each stick of Ram and blow out the memory slots.

Insert the first stick of Ram in memory slot one, reconnect the power and in the case of a desktop computer the video to screen cable.

Power up the computer and see how it goes.

Make a note of the results.

Repeat the procedure until the first stick of Ram has been tested in each memory slot and the results written down.

Remove the first stick of Ram and put it to one side on top of a piece of paper with the number one on it for identification purposes.

Repeat the procedure with all Ram until each stick has been tested in all slots, the results written down and the sticks identified numerically.

[Cirrus.ao]

Thanks for the insight! I've tested both the RAM, and the screen. Here's what I found:

 

 

Physical Test Boot Results:

 

Stick #1:

Stick #1 would not POST in any slot. I'm guessing it's dead. I've marked it and left it to the side.

 

Stick #2:

Slot#0: POST, followed by a black screen after the Windows logo, monitor light stayed blue. (Sometimes Slot#0 would turn orange as if it had lost the feed with other sticks, so I'm not sure it means anything.)

Slot#1: Would not POST (none of my 2nd, 4th, or 6th slots would POST by themselves, I'm guessing because it's tri-channel?)

Slot#2: POST, followed by a black screen after the Windows logo, monitor light turned orange.

Slot#3: Would not POST

Slot#4: POST, followed by a black screen after the Windows logo, monitor light turned orange.

Slot#5: Would not POST

 

Sticks #3, 4, 5, 6 all mirrored Stick #2 with some variations in light color, not sure that matters.

 

 

Memtest86+ Results:

 

Two passes (hour-and-a-half), no errors.

 

 

Screen Test:

 

I attached an older, working monitor to my system and booted it up, unfortunately, the problems persisted, and I was greeted with the same black screen.

 

 

Now:

 

I was testing a game before any of the RAM tests, it blacked out in the usual way, but as of this time it no longer boots normally. I'm back in safe-mode with networking; it still works for now.

Edited by Cirrus.ao, 24 April 2014 - 08:44 PM.

[phillpower2]

Sorry but I should have been more clear instead of just pointing a red arrow at Dimm slot 1 

 

For the MB to complete the POST there must be a good stick of Ram in slot 1, this means that each stick must be tested in slot 1 and once each stick has been tested that way leave a good stick in slot 1 and then test each additional stick in slot 3 etc, if you look at the attachment that I included it states which Dimm slots need to be populated depending on the amounts of sticks being used.

 

JFYI, Memtest needs to complete 4/5 passes to be anywhere near conclusive, this can take several hours and most people leave it to run overnight 

[Cirrus.ao]

Aha, no worries, I'll do it and see what happens.

[phillpower2]

[Cirrus.ao]

It looks as if another stick may be bad, haven't had time for thorough testing. Using proper physical RAM testing method and now have 4 gigs up and running. It looks like when it hits a black screen after the Windows Logo, if I wait 5-10 minutes, it'll actually continue to the User screen and log in like normal. I'll run Memtest tonight.

 

*Edit: Tested game again running 2x2GB, game crashed again, black screen. Also, the last few times I've restarted it, on boot, I've gotten the message, "Warning! The CPU has been changed. Press F1 to continue." on POST, it still boots into Windows just fine. Actually, this time it booted in almost right away.

 

 

ALSO: Upon that latest (lost monitor feed) reboot, I was greeted with this:

 

Problem signature:
  Problem Event Name:    BlueScreen
  OS Version:    6.0.6001.2.1.0.256.1
  Locale ID:    1033

Additional information about the problem:
  BCCode:    117
  BCP1:    FFFFFA8007700110
  BCP2:    FFFFFA6002958E20
  BCP3:    0000000000000000
  BCP4:    0000000000000000
  OS Version:    6_0_6001
  Service Pack:    1_0
  Product:    256_1

 

 

BCC Code: 117. Video?


By the way, thank you. Your help means a great deal to me.

Edited by Cirrus.ao, 25 April 2014 - 11:01 PM.

[phillpower2]

Please restart the computer and restore the MBs default factory settings in the BIOS, save the new settings, confirm the changes and exit.

 

Use the computer as you normally would but can I ask that you first of all install Vista SP2 and all other important updates, this will help to keep your computer secure + there may be a hotfix available that will resolve the present issue/s.

 

If the computer crashes, restart in Safe Mode with Networking and see how the computer behaves.

 

Post back with an update when you are able to 

 

You are welcome btw 

[Cirrus.ao]

Memtest was ran last night, 9 hours, 7 passes, no errors. Yeah, I was thinking about installing SP2, thanks. I just want to know what the main issue is so I can fix it. But even when I swapped the video card with another the issue persisted. RAM has been tested, seems fine now, as well. Honestly, at this point, I think it's the motherboard.  If updates don't fix it, what do you think it is?

[phillpower2]

Please restart the computer and restore the MBs default factory settings in the BIOS, save the new settings, confirm the changes and exit.

 

Use the computer as you normally would but can I ask that you first of all install Vista SP2 and all other important updates, this will help to keep your computer secure + there may be a hotfix available that will resolve the present issue/s.

 

If the computer crashes, restart in Safe Mode with Networking and see how the computer behaves.

 

Please confirm what if any of the above steps have been done + any outcome.

 

Addressing known issues such as getting Windows and other software fully updated and installing a very good but light on resources free AV such as Avast or MSE should be done first, as I said doing this may even resolve the issue/s.

 

If you use it IE should also be updated to IE 9, if you don't use it get rid of it but only after making Chrome your default browser.

 

Once software has been ruled out by being fully up to date etc we will look at the hardware, if the problem still persists that is.