Crazy issue with new machine! Help?

NatalieS

NatalieS

NatalieS

Associate
Joined
8 Jun 2013
Posts
25
Hi Guys, hope you can help me with my bizarre problem.

I spec'd and built a machine for my boyfriend, it's about 2 weeks old, ran fine for a few days running under load perfectly fine but recently every few days it will decide to just shut down suddenly then switch off and on before it even gets to POST, and just cycles, sometimes getting further along then dying again.

Found the only way to cure it for the allotted few days is it re-seat the RAM, doesn't matter in which slots either.

Now obviously my eye is it being the motherboard at fault, it's just with it being so intermittent I'm unsure of it being something else and wondered if any of you have any ideas? Or ways I could pin down the issue.

I work as an IT Technician so have asked my friends in the field and they too are unsure, also thinking either the PSU or motherboard.

Here is the rig spec:

Corsair H55 Hydro Series CPU cooler
Intel Core i7-3770K 3.50GHz (Ivybridge) Socket LGA1155 Processor (77W)
EVGA GeForce GTX 660 FTW Signature 2 3072MB
ASRock Z77 Fatal1ty Professional Intel Z77 (Socket 1155) DDR3 Motherboard
Corsair Enthusiast Series TX 850W V2 High Performance '80 Plus Bronze' Power Supply
GeIL Black Dragon 16GB (2x8GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C11 1600MHz Dual Channel Kit
NZXT Phantom Enthusiast USB3.0 Full Tower Case
Seagate Barracuda 2TB 7200RPM SATA 6Gb/s 64MB Cache
Samsung 128GB SSD
Windows 7 Pro 64bit

If any of you could help that would be great! When it's running it's awesome, but obviously a bit worrying with over £1000 worth of kit it to keep randomly dying.

Thanks

Natalie :D
 
Hello and welcome to the forum :)

What are the temps like during operation?

Can you borrow another PSU to test, with only one GPU being installed a 500w will be ample to test your system.
 
Same as above, sounds like it could be the PSU causing the problem.

+1 to RJC, see if there is another PSU to test first.
 
Temps are great, usually around 30-35 idle, 37/38 on load.

Thanks, I'll try and see if I can borrow a PSU from work! What would be causing the PSU to intermittently fail as it does?
 
NatalieS said:
Temps are great, usually around 30-35 idle, 37/38 on load.

Thanks, I'll try and see if I can borrow a PSU from work! What would be causing the PSU to intermittently fail as it does?
Click to expand...

It's a bit tricky to diagnose. PSUs can 'sort of work', delivering unreliable power to a particular component, which can cause instabilities.

Couple of troubleshooting procedures.

1) Disabling the automatic reboots, which should bring a BSOD that makes it easier to pinpoint the part that's complaining.

2) As well as looking up the motherboard debug digits / LEDs / sounds (usingh a small motherboard speaker). If you have boot troubles, it should tell you what part of the POST failed.

3) I'd also download the memtest86+ ISO and test the RAM. If the RAM is at 1.50V, maybe it needs a little boost (1.525V).

4) Then you can run a long stress test, something like OCCT, Prime95, for CPU stability, and Unigine on a loop for GPU and PSU tests.

OCCT also has GPU and PSU tests, but I dont trust them. It uses furmark.

5) USB's can also cause problems, things like shorting that can do intermittent reboots.

6) In the same vein, a short on the motherboard, for example if the stand offs are not at the recommended places.

7) If all else fails, boot outside the case with minimum amount of devices, and let the machine run a stress test.
 
Last edited:
Thanks Oliver for taking the time to respond, much appreciated. I will do as suggested. :) It's frustrating, as a technician as well it's one of those issues that is hard to pinpoint.

The standoffs are placed in conjunction with the ATX markers on the case, but I fear if I don't track it down a re-build might be an option. :(
 
I had a similar thing going on with a new build last week. Turned out it was the ATX power cable from the PSU not being correctly seated. It looked okay and felt like it was fully inserted, but only realised it wasn't when I removed the PSU.

It needed a right squeeze to get it to clip in.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom