*** General Troubleshooting ***

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Welcome to my general troubleshooting guide. The aim of this guide is to help you quickly identify any potential fault with your PC and/or any components. You'll find help in the following areas:

General - System stability problems, boot failure, complete outage.
Hard Disk Drives - Identify hard drive problems.
Memory - How to check for memory problems
PSUs - How to check that your PSU is functioning correctly
Graphics Cards - Verify your card is working

The guide is always on going and your input would be greatly appreciated i.e. Questions and Answers, Useful links or anything I've missed. Please either post your comments in the thread or email me. Which ever is easier for you.
Hope this helps - thanks for looking.



General Troubleshooting help

Whether you’ve switched on your PC for the first time or your PC one day decides no to play, the thought of having to diagnose a suspected fault can be daunting.

The first thing to do is not to panic and stay calm. Clear your head, in most cases, errors are often found quicker on a clearer mind.
The second thing is to remember that diagnosis is a process of elimination. Make a test plan and/or a check list of what you intent to do and make one change or test at a time. This makes deduction much easier and also helps to explain to others what you have already tried if you seek help elsewhere.
Here’s a few troubleshooting tips to get you through:


Your PC is dead. Nothing comes on

Follow steps 1 to 4 in the Check list below.

If everything appears to be in place and the PSU is functioning as expected, then your problem is looking more like the motherboard isn’t distributing the power correctly and is likely to be faulty.

If this is a new build, did you remember to fit the motherboard on to motherboard risers? Motherboard risers prevent contact with metallic services in the case, preventing a short. If you have screwed the motherboard on to the case directly, it’s bad news I’m afraid.

PC Won’t start, but there’s a green light on the motherboard / Fans Spin

At least there is some Power to the PC. Follow steps 4 to 6 in the Check list below.

As above, is the everything appears ok with the connections and the PSU, then it’s looking like a faulty motherboard.

The PC starts but then immediately shuts down.

Follow steps 3 to 8 and 11 in the check list below

The PC starts but then hangs or restarts as soon as Windows starts

Follow steps 4 to 7 in the check list below

I get a Blue Screen as soon as windows starts

The dreaded Blue Screen Of Death (BSOD) occurrence when the system recognises a problem. BSOD normally show a meaningless message such “irql_not_less_or_equal” for example. Google this message or visit Microsoft Technet for assistance.

In this case, the problem is normally memory related : http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc957609.aspx
If that’s no help, then you could use the debugging tool:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/818501

If no joy from either, check you basic hardware for faults. Follow steps 4 to 8 in the check list below.

Great, I’m in Windows but everything seems to be incredibly slow

Make sure your BIOS setting are set correctly. Your system could be running a “fail safe” mode. Change this to “Optimised” if available.

Check the CPU is correctly identified and that it shows the correct speeds. If the motherboard was shipped before the release of the CP then your motherboard BIOS will need to be updated. See item 7 in check list.
Follow steps 4 to 10 in the check list below

The Temperatue readings in the BIOS are slightly higher than in windows?

This is normal. The BIOS doesn't activate any power saving features like it does in when in Windows. For a true reflection on your system temps, use CPUID HW monitor under both idle and stress.

Check for Software updates though.


After playing a game for a while, the system just shut down (unexpected shutdown)

As soon as you start playing games, then the system goes in to load. It could be the system isn’t stable using the current settings.

Check the CPU is correctly identified and that it shows the correct speeds. If the motherboard was shipped before the release of the CP then your motherboard BIOS will need to be updated. See item 7 in check list.

Then follow steps 4 to 11 in the check list below

The PC appears to boot but I get nothing on the screen

If you can, check your system on another monitor and check the monitor cable too. It sounds obvious but this does get often this gets overlooked.

If your monitor displays only a few colours, it could be that the pins on the cable are bent and are not making contact. Swap the cable for a know working one to eliminate the any connection problems.

Check the video card is seated correctly in the correct slot (check motherboard manual ) and is receiving power if needed. Most modern cards require one or more 6/8pin PCi-e power connections so make sure the graphics card has all power connectors connected. If it has sockets for two power connectors, they BOTH need plugging in.

Lastly, either swap for a the video card for a known working one or test in another compatible machine if you can

I get strange red lines across my screen

Check first that your Video Card drivers are up to date. See item 10 in check list.

If that doesn’t resolve the issue then the problem is likely to be faulty video RAM. Either swap video card for a known working one or test in another compatible machine if you can.

System does not keep date or time

This is likely to be a dead or dying CMOS battery which powers the BIOS settings. The battery is located on the Motherboard and is normally a disk type battery . These are commonly CR2032 which can be purchase from any watch repair or hardware store. If you have just bought a second hand motherboard, I always recommend changing before use.

Follow steps 6 and 7 in the check list below

If the problem persists, then it maybe a faulty BIOS. You can have these replaced but it might be expensive. If the motherboard is warranty you be able to arrange a replacement through the RMA process.

The PC starts but then emits a series of bleeps?

Small consolation but at least the system identifies that there is a problem. The series of bleeps corresponds to an error code depending on the manufacture of the BIOS, a bit like Morse code.

Make a note of the short-long bleeps and cross reference them with ether your Motherboard manual or by checking the www.bioscentral.com. You’ll need to know the make of your BIOS. This will be displayed on the top line as the PC boots.

Common faults are:

RAM not inserted correctly, not working or is missing – Please see “Troubleshooting Memory” guide.

CPU Fan not attached or undetected – Make sure you have attached the CPU fan to the CPU_FAN header or adjust the settings in the BIOS. If the fan is rotating less than the expected warning value, then you will get errors.

CPU not detected or not working. Check your BIOS recognises the CPU installed. You may need to adjust CPU speeds manually or update the BIOS software. Check the motherboard manufactures website for BIOS updates. These are frequently updated to accommodate new CPU releases.

Video card not inserted correctly or is not working. Make sure the card is inserted correctly and has the right power connections if applicable – please see “Trouble Shooting Video Cards” Guide.


The Check List

1. Check the obvious - This may seem daft but you’d be surprised at the amount of people who forget even the basics. Make sure the power cable is plugged in to the wall socket and is switched on. Swap the power lead for a known working one if you have one. Make sure the PSU is switched to an ON position

2. Power Connection - Make sure you have both the 24-pin ATX and 4pin or 8pin supplementary power supplies securely connected to the motherboard. Reseat if necessary.

3. Front Panel Connections - Check that the front panel “Power On” cable is connected to the correct front-panel header on the motherboard. If you suspect a faulty switch or cable, then you can test this by “Shorting” the two pins with a flat head screw driver. If the PC starts with the screw driver but not with the front panel cable or switch then it would appear the front panel cable/switch is faulty. Likewise, check the “Reset” connector. If this is shorting, it can cause shutdown/restart problems.

4. PSU - Assuming that the basic power connections are in place and working, your next step is to test your PSU. Read through my “How to check if your PSU is working” guide for a step-by-step guide.

5. Memory - Check for if your problem is memory related. Refer to “Trouble shooting Memory” guide.

6. Reset the CMOS. Either remove or replace the CMOS battery or set the jumper setting to “Clear”. Refer to motherboard manual.

7. BIOS - Check for BIOS Updates. Visit the motherboard manufacturer’s website for latest BIOS updated. Sometimes this can resolve a number of issues. Refer to your motherboard manual for details on updating your BIOS.

8. Hard Disk Drives. Refer to “Troubleshooting Hard Drives”

9. Check for latest chipset drivers. Visit the manufacturers website for latest downloads. It is also ways recommended that chipset driver are installed before any other drivers. If you have changed motherboard to a different chipset, it’s highly recommend that you re-install windows to avoid driver confliction.

10. If you are experiencing display/video card problems, then check for latest video drivers before doing anything. Visit the manufacturers website for latest downloads. If the problem you are encountering only occurred since an update, then roll the drivers back to last know working configuration. Make sure you use DriverCleaner between uninstalling the new and old as this will clean the registry and therefore eliminate any driver corruption.

If you are still experiencing display problems still occur then checkout Troubleshooting Video Card problems


11. Check for overheating. Your system will have a built in thermal cut out should temperatures rise above a limit as specified in the BIOS or EFI. Under no circumstances change this setting. The cut out is there to protect your hardware from permanent damage. Instead check the systems idle and load temperatures. Download and install HWMonitor run whilst you have nothing running (idle). If the System and CPU temperatures are too high at idle, then there’s no room for movement when the system’s loaded with heavier applications. Check the motherboard/CPU manufactures website for guidelines and recommendations or seek advice from the forums.

If the idle temperatures look ok, then you need to be a little more aggressive in your testing and put the system under load. Use a torture test, such as PlayTool Prime95 and monitor the temperatures. If you see the temperatures rise to high and the system cuts off, then you may have hit the temperature ceiling as specified in the BIOS.

Review your systems cooling making sure there is adequate “fresh” airflow and the orientation of your fans is correct. Reset your CPU making sure you have applied the correct amount of thermal Instrument Material.


Updates:

27.07.11 - PC restarts maybe temperature related - section 11 added and updated
 
Troubleshooting Hard Drives

Traditional Hard drives are arguably one of the most likely pieces hardware that to fail than any other component. Their Mean Time Before Failure (MTBF) is lowered because of their mechanical nature and are sensitive to their environment.

It’s a sad truth that most people take the data stored on their PCs for granted and that their valuable pictures, videos etc are safe when the opposite is true. Without sufficient backups, hard drive failures are more likely to end in tears.

In this article, I’ll guide you through how to recognise the symptoms of a failing or failed drive, step you through the diagnosis process and possible rescue your data.

What are the symptoms of a failed or failing hard drive?

Hard Disk Drive (HDD) failure aren’t always instantaneous. HDDs degrade over time so your PC may take a performance hit without you ever suspecting the hard drive.

Symptoms include:

• No operating system found or system no longer recognises your drive.
• Strange noises, grinding noises which are potentially a disk head crashing or cracked bearings.
• Random computer crashes and restarts
• System is generally slow an unresponsive

Check connections

Verify first that your hard drives are connected to the corrected securely to the Motherboard. The connections used on SATA interfaces are known to become dislodged, unlike their IDE predecessors.

If your PC is using older IDE interface and you have just installed a replacement or added a second IDE HDD, then make sure these are configured correctly as Master or Slave depending on their location on the cable. Please read IDE connections further information.
Make sure that the drive(s) are receiving power through either the SATA power connector for SATA drives or a standard 4-pin Molex connector for ATA (IDE) drives. Both connections are shaped so they can only be fitted one way.

If you are experiencing any problems with your drive, try different ports. Obviously, this may be limited to 1 or 2 for IDE channels.
Eliminate any cables by replacing the data cables or IDE ribbons before starting on the diagnosis process.

Disk Checking

If you can access your hard drive either through Windows or Bart’s Pre-installed Environment, then you can run the standard CHKDSK command that checks the integrity if the files system. CHKDSK (previously known as SCANDISK), checks and reports any physical disk errors and bad sectors.

To run:

1. Click on Start

2. Enter CHKDSK n into the search field ( XP, Vista and Windows 7)
Where n is:

/f – Fixes error on the volume – Needs dedicated use of disk so may perform check next time PC is restarted.

/p – Checks disk even when not flagged to do so – Recovery console only

/r Locate bad sectors and recovers readable data – Implies /f and /p. Again this needs dedicated use of the disk which is why using PEBuilder is a good idea.

Drive diagnostics

If you suspect a failing drive, and you’ve checked the cables and connections, then you’ll need to run a disk diagnostics tool. Each hard drive manufacturer will have a diagnostic utility to determine drive failure.

Firstly, identify the manufacturers of your hard drive(s). If this information isn’t available to you in the BIOS or start-up screen then you’ll have to open the case and find out. All drives are labelled with the manufacturer, part number and serial number. You may need this information later if the drive is under warranty.

Visit the manufactures website for diagnostics tools. Most of these tools are executed from a live CD which means they’ll boot straight from the CD. This eliminates the need for booting Windows from the hard drive. Change your BIOS so the first boot disk priority is your optical drive. Insert the CD and boot.

Once the diagnostics tool is running, select the options that will perform a full scan your hard drive and report errors. Each utility is different so you’ll need to read the manufacturers documentation or follow on screen instructions carefully. The scan may take some time. If any errors are reported, then the hard drive will be faulty. Replace hard drive or raise an RMA on the drive if it’s still under warranty.
If you have more than one drive from a different manufacturer then you’ll need the diagnostic tools for each.

failedHDD.jpg


In this screen shot, the PC was brought to me as being rather "Sluggish". The Samsung diagnotic tool showed a failing hard drive. A new drive soon got things back to normal :)

Seagate (Maxtor) Sea tools : http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/downloads/seatools

Hitachi (IBM) Drive Fitness Tool : http://www.hitachigst.com/support/downloads/#DFT

Western Digital Data Lifeguard Diagnostics : http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?lang=en

Fujitsu : ?

Samsung ES Tool (successor to HUTIL) : http://www.samsung.com/global/business/hdd/support/downloads/support_in_es.html

Data Recovery

Unfortunately, recovering data from a failed drive is unlikely. There are specialist companies that can recover data from failed drives but you may not to be able to justify the costs. Hopefully, you would have had adequate backups in place before hand, right?

If you are still lucky enough to access Windows, then start to copy data to an external HDD using Windows backup utilities or simply copying the data across using Windows Explorer.

If you are unable to access you system or data, then it may be possible to copy your data across using another system. You could either connect your drive to a spare internal connection or a external drive adapter . I use the superb “Sharoon DriveLink USB-IDE/SATA convertor “which always for USB connection. Which ever method you use, you may be able to copy the data to a safe backup drive.

FAQs and common known faults

I bought a 500Gb HDD but it only shows as 465GB?

This is because the manufacturers show the density of drives in decimal (multiples of ten) which is familiar to us (the consumer) when data is actually stored in binary (ones and zeros) or base 2. As 8 binary bits make up 1 byte, then 1 byte can hold a value of 256 (2^8). In terms of computing, when expressing a value of 1000 as a decimal this actually represents a binary value of 1024 because the decimal power is (10^3), so:

• Kilobyte (KB) = 1,024 Bytes (10^3)
• MegaByte (MB) = 1,024 Kilobytes or 1,048,576 Bytes (10^6)
• Gigabyte (GB) = 1,024 Megabytes or 1,073,741,824 Bytes (10^9)
• Terabyte (TB) = 1,024 Gigabytes or 1,099,511,627,776 Bytes (10^12)

Therefore your drive when formatted is correct to show 465GB as 500GB as a decimal is actually 536,870,912,000bytes. If you divide 500,000,000,000 by 1024, then by 1024, then by 1024 again, you get the actual space your computer will use, which comes out to 465.66 GB.

My Hard drive doesn’t show in the BIOS?

Try connecting the drive to a different port and/or change the cable. If you are using multiple drives, then test using one drive connected at a time. For IDE drives, make sure the drive is configured as either Master or Slave. Please read IDE connections further information.

Please note, that original version of Windows XP did not support SATA. You were therefore required to download the drivers from the Motherboards website to a floppy disk, then install when prompted to hit F6 to install third party drivers.

If you have bought a 6gb/s hard drive, then check it’s connected to a compatible motherboard or expansion card that supports 6gb/s drives.

Drive shows in start-up but does not show in Windows

This was more common on Windows XP but I’ve occasionally had problems with Windows 7 too. Make sure the hard drive is a recognised partition and formatted. Go into “Disk management”:

1. Click on Start

2. Enter diskmgmt.msc into the search field ( XP, Vista and Windows 7)

If you see the drive, then right click to crate partition and format. If you don’t see the drive, then follow the advice in previous question.

Windows installation normally gives you an option to format a drive. Make sure you select “Full format as opposed to quick format.

If you are still having problem, then make sure you chipset drivers are fully up to date.

What’s the difference between a Quick and full format?

This misleads quite a few people. Both do the same format. A full format will perform a bad sector scan whereas a quick format doesn’t . If you are installing a new drive, a full format is always recommended.

I keep getting a check disk each time Windows starts?

This is another sign that the drive may be failing, so make sure your backups are up to date. Follow the diagnostic checks above.
I’ve just bought a fast SATA 6 Gbp/s HDD - but it’s no where near as fast as I expected/ by accident, will it run on a 3gb/s motherboard.
Generally, SATA 6Gbp/s (SATA III) hard drives are backward compatible with SATA 3Gbp/s(SATA II) hard drives but will only run at the 3gb/s speed.
 
Troubleshooting Power Supply Problems

This guide gives you a basic understanding of your PSU and how you check for basic faults.

Your expensive components rely on one common factor; power. Without a clean, reliable and sustainable power source your system will become unreliable, unstable or may not work at all. So it’s important that to know that when thing go wrong, that your power supply is working and functioning as expected. This guide gives you a basic understanding of your PSU and how you check for basic faults.

Safety first!

Firstly, if you suspect or find your PSU is faulty then don't try and attempt to fix it yourself. You need specialised equipment to ensure that the PSU has discharged all stored electricity before handling the inside. It's safer, easier and cheap enough to buy a new one. If your PSU is still under warrantee, then chances are that you'll get a free replacement.

What does the PSU actually do?

In basic terms, a PSU regulates and delivers power to the system and its components. It’s responsible for converting incoming AC (Alternating Current) in to three DC (Direct Current) voltage supply lines. These three lines are better known as “rails”.

The three rails supply 12volt, 5volt and 3.3volt to the system and are responsible for providing suitable power requirements for specific components. The 12volt rail, for example, supplies power to the motherboard, graphics card, CD and HDD drives etc. whereas the 5volt and 3.3volt rails supply power to other on-board devices.

Power supplies are often rated by the amount of power output in Watts and these range anything from 250w to a whopping 1100watts (even more for servers). The wattage is calculated by multiplying the supplying voltage by the amperage of the component. So, you have to know what each component draws in amps and the voltage of the line it’s on. For example, a motherboard that takes 5AMPS on a 5Volt line requires 25W. By adding all the components up, you’ll get any idea of how much power you’ll need. So basically, the more components you have in your system the bigger PSU in Watts you need.

Thankfully, you don’t need to be a mathematician to work this out. There are plenty of PSU calculators around to help determine what PSU is required to power your equipment or if your existing PSU is up to the job it's required (links below maybe useful). However, the general rule of thumb is to always have more than you need. I suggest twice as much. Not only does this give you upgrade potential but it makes the PSU run far more efficiently because the load is less. Running a PSU at near maximum load isn't a good idea.

PSU Calculators:

http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp
http://www.raptoxx.com/calculator.php

PSUs conform to the ATX form factor and there have been many variants of throughout which is something to bear in mind when upgrading components, for example.

The biggest change that was introduced with the ATX PSU was the ability for the computer to be turned on and off via software. This is to say, that the PSU is not directly connected to the case power button but via the motherboard instead. Therefore, power is constantly being provided to the motherboard and most motherboards will show a light to indicate this.

Cables and connectors

There are lots of cables and connectors on the PSU which you will need to familiarise yourself with before attempting any PSU diagnostic checks.
However, for the purpose of this section, you will need to know they following colour coding:

Yellow = +12v
Red = 5v
Black = Ground

Please read my PSU cables and connectors section for further details.

So how do you know if it’s a failed PSU?

Not all problems are related to a failed or faulty PSU, but it’s best to eliminate the PSU when making your diagnosis. Symptoms of a failed PSU include:

-No power to the System
- Periodically turns off
- Random re-boots meaning that the PSU is not providing enough power to keep it going.
- Noisy fan or failure. Some motherboards have a PSU fan detector and if the PSU is connected to this, the system will detect a PSU fan failure.

The check list

1. Before you start

It sounds obvious but the first check is to make sure that the PSU is plugged in at the wall and switched on. Don’t laugh, it does happen. Make sure the switch on the back of the PSU is also on. You might want to check any fuse’s as well.

2. Visual Check.

Most PSUs come with fans to prevent them overheating. If the PSU has a fan that isn't spinning, then chances are that the PSU is dead. Bear in mind energy efficient PSUs are passively cooled until the power draw requires the circuits to be cooled. Do not attempt to replace a faulty PSU fan.

3. Check the motherboard Power LED.

Most modern motherboards have an LED that indicates that power is reaching the motherboard. If this is off, then it's a good indication that NO power is being received rather than inadequate power. Check your power connection as below

4. Check your Power Connections

Your next step is to check that all your power leads are securely fastened and are where they should be. Check the physical condition of the cables for anything obvious like a broken cable.

Firstly, check that you fitted the 20/24-pin ATX connector to the motherboard and it's securely in place.

Secondly, check if your motherboard requires a supplementary CPU power supply. Depending on the motherboard, this will either be a 4-pin ATX12V connection or an 8-pin EPS12V connection supplying 2x12v and 4x12v rails respectively.

Make sure your ATX12v or EPS12v is connected and secure. If your PSU doesn't have the right connector, you can purchase Molex to 4/8pin adaptors. It's also possible to connect a 4-pin ATX12v connector to pin one of an 8-pin EPS12v Socket (check motherboard manual). However, this doesn't guarantee stability especially when overclocking and not something I'd recommend..

In either case, if your main ATX and/or supplementary CPU power connectors are not fitted or not fitted correctly, your system will not boot.

5. Can it cut it?

If you've been upgrading your system and neglecting the PSU, it could be that the existing PSU isn't up for the job. Check that PSU is suitable for supplying the required power as described earlier. Use the PSU calculator (links above) to check this. If they are not up to the job then you might have to invest in a more powerful PSU.

6. "Hotwire" Test

The PSU can only normally be started when it receives a signal from the chassis power switch via the motherboard when you physically switch on the PC. However, we are going to switch on the PSU in isolation, without it being connected to the motherboard. We can do this by “hotwiring” or bridging the signal cable and any ground cable on the PSUs ATX connector.

By attaching a known working fan to the PSU we can soon tell if the motherboard or the front panel switch is the reason for your system not starting, not the PSU. We can also use this method to check for the PSUs voltage.

Here's how:

- Firstly, make sure the PSU is switched off and mains disconnected.
- Disconnect all power leads to all devices including the motherboard ATX connectors.
- Now take a small piece of old cable and strip the ends.
- Take the 20/24pin ATX connector and look for the pin that has a green cable going. Thisis the signal cable and there's only one.
- Place one end of the cable into the green pin and the other end into any black pin, as shown below. Make sure they are securely in place.
- Attach a known working fan to one of the PSUs Molex or fan connectors
- Plug the PSU back in and switch on. The PSU should start and the fan should start spinning immediately.

wc28.jpg


If the fan doesn't spin then it would appear to be a faulty PSU. If it does work however, then it could be a faulty motherboard or faulty power switch but don't discount the PSU yet. Switch off the PSU and leave the PSU "Hotwired" for the time being and read on for further checks.

7. Checking the voltages

The next thing is to check that the PSU is supplying the correct voltages. Of course, it’s unrealistic to expect your PSU to be supplying spot on voltages as described earlier. They key is to have stable voltages within an allowable tolerance. So, you will have to allow for some deviation of around 5% either side of the expect rails (10% for the -12v).
Here is a list of the ranges for each rail.

Minimum and maximum values

3.3v minimum of 3.14v, maximum of 3.47v
5v minimum of 4.75v, maximum of 5.25v
+12v minimum of 11.4v, maximum of 12.6v
-12v minimum of -10.8v, maximum of -13.2v

Anything reading outside the range is certain to be a problem with the power supply.

There are many ways to check the voltages:

My preferred method is to use a multi-meter which is a simple, effective and accurate method of checking the supply of power. I have described this in a separate section - Using a multi meter to test your PSU. Give this a read.

If you are able to power on the system but having stability problems, then one option is to use monitoring tools which show the voltages being supplied as other information including system temperatures.

The easiest method to access this information is through the system BIOS. Depending on the BIOS installed, there will be a menu displaying the voltages. It’s pretty basic and there are no legends of history, so you’ll have to keep a sharp eye on what going on.

Alternatively, there are plenty of software utilities which can read the same sensor information but instead can process the information in a presentable GUI. Most motherboards, such as the ASUS, come with their own utilities (Asus Probe) for diagnosing system stability and are excellent for showing the history of the rails across a period of time. You’ll soon be able to tell if the PSU is supplying incorrect voltages.

If however, your motherboard manufacturer does not provide such a tool, there are plenty of third party solutions such as Motherboard monitor, HW Monitor, Everest, NestSensor etc to name a few. These are all capable of showing the stability of your PSU.
8. Strip down the bare essentials
If you’re down to this step, then everything is working as expected; you’ve checked the cables, the connections, the voltages etc and still the problem hasn’t been determined. It’s looking more likely that it isn’t a PSU problem but you need to completely eliminate it first before looking elsewhere. It’s time to take some dramatic steps.

Firstly, you can take out non critical devices such as sound cards, TV cards, NICs, CD/drives, floppy drive, USB devices, non-essential fans etc. If you have more than one physical HDD, then detach these leaving only the boot HDD. Everything you can get away with basically. Then test If everything works fine, and works fine for a while under load, then it looks like one of those devices you've just removed is the route of your problem.

Add the items back into the system one at a time and test until all items are back. If it becomes unstable on re-instating one particular component, then you may have found your culprit or the PSU isn’t supplying the required wattage but you checked this earlier, didn't you?

9. Swap out

The very last thing you can try to completely eliminate your PSU from the equation, is to swap out the PSU with a known working one. Of course this means having a spare PSU hanging around which is a luxury for most, but if you’re in the habit of building your own computers, it not such a bad idea to keep one floating around anyway. Very handy.
 
Troubleshooting Video Card problems

Video card problems are common. Symptoms include crashes, freezing images, screen and colour corruption, strange artifacts and even just a blank screen.

If you have just installed a new video card, then narrowing down the problem is going to be a lot easier than a full system upgrade because other failed components and different problems can produce the same unexpected results. Whatever the symptoms or circumstances, the key is not to panic. The solution may be the simplest thing. So let’s have a go trying to diagnose your problem.

1. Have you done a full upgrade?

No? - then go to step 2.

If you have done a full upgrade, then you might want to check the validity of other components thereby eliminating them.

Follow the general Troubleshooting at the begining of this artcicle.

2. Have you recently upgraded the Video Card

No? – then go to step 3

Assuming that other components are working, make sure that card is secured and is in the correct slot. Some motherboard require the card to be in the primary PCI-e slot so check your motherboard manual that you have installed the card in the correct slot.

Check the video card power connections. Most modern cards require one or more 6/8pin PCi-e power connections so make sure the graphics card has all power connectors connected. If it has sockets for two power connectors, they BOTH need plugging in.

3. Drivers

If you are replacing a graphics card, then make sure you have uninstalled the old ones first and removed any remnants using driver sweeper. See section on installing Drivers. Make sure you are using the latest drivers from the manufacturer’s website at all times. Do not use the drivers on supplied CDs.

If the problem you are experiencing only happens in a certain game, then it might be worth checking for Driver updates and game patches. Again, make sure you use the latest drivers. If they don’t work, both Nvidia and AMD have archived drivers so try any older driver to see if it makes any difference.

If problem only started since you changed the drivers, then it might be a good idea to either roll back the driver or re-install back the previous known working ones.
It’s also worth updating your chipset and sound drivers too. Check for any updates.

Note - As a rule, unless you have a problem, avoid updating drivers on release. Keep an eye on the feedback for known problems before installing and never use beta drivers.

Further troubleshooting

Let’s assume that all your components are ok and you have tried various drivers and still you have a problem, let’s look at a few other things.

Check your monitor and monitor cable

If you can, check your system on another monitor and check the monitor cable too. It sounds obvious but it’s amazing how often this gets overlooked.

If your monitor displays only a few colours, it could be that the pins on the cable are bent and are not making contact. Swap the cable for a know working one to eliminate the any connection problems.

Swap for Known working card

This isn’t always possible but if you can swap the card back to the older card to see if this still works or swap for another known working one. If the problem is illuminated, then it looks certain to be a problem with the video card. If the problem persists, then it maybe RMA time.

Video card BIOS Flashing or Firmware update

In some cases, flashing the video card BIOS can resolve a lot of issues but be warned, flashing a BIOS on a Video card may render it useles if not done correctly and/or it could void any warranty so check with the manufacturer before attempting to update.

Firstly, check your current GPU BIOS version (if you can of course) using GPU-Z.

http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/SysInfo/GPU-Z/

Then download the latest BIOS using the following selection table:
http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/

To update your Card BIOS, you’ll need a flash or firmware update utility such as nVFlash for Nvidia and ATIFlash for ATI cards:
http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/Utilities/BIOS_Flashing/ATI/

http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/Utilities/BIOS_Flashing/NVIDIA/


Examples of screen corruption cause by Video Cards

Data is sent to the Video RAM for processing by the GPU. One or Many of the RAM modules fails then this can result in particals of the image being lost:

badvideo1.jpg


badvideo2.jpg


badvideo3.jpg


above images kindly provided by forum members.


All the examples above illustrate bad Video RAM. Often spikes can appear across the screen indicating buffer problems which is normally assocaited to system RAM problems or artifacts where the card is running too hot. The later is most common in Overclocking video cards.

If you see any strange or corrupted screens, then make sure the card is receiving adequate air flow within the case and the video card fan is still working. If you are felling brave, you could try replacing the video cooler for a third party alternative which can offload more heat better than any reference design.


If you are overclocking then you may have to lower your clock speeds. In fact, run the card at stock settings to ensure that overclocking is indeed the cause of your problems.

Tearing

If you notice a split between the top half anf bottom half, where the top shows the current frame and the bottom shows the previous frame with an occasional flicker this is known as tearing. The good news is your card is not faulty as you only need to make a few adjustments.

If your graphics card produces more frames per second than the monitor can refresh, then the monitor can’t keep up. It looses synchronisation with the graphics card and tearing occurs. For example, if your monitor is set to refresh 60 frames per second then it will only show 60 frames per second.

So increasing your monitors refresh rate will always give you the best results but you are tied to the maximum refresh rate set by your monitor which can’t be changed any higher than what it will allow.

If tearing still occurs after increasing the refresh rate then the game is producing a ridiculous waste of frames. You can run FRAPS to check the number of frames being produced. However, it’s not going to help. Try adjusting the games settings to high detail and/or increase the Anti-Aliasing or anisotropic filtering at the same time. This will give you better visuals and at the same time reduce the number of frames per second, because the card has more work to do. Don’t go to mad, most of these settings may drag the performance down to an unplayable level, so experiment.

Lastly, you can enable V-Sync. Most games come with a V-Sync option in the games video settings. What this does is force the graphics card to wait until the monitor grabs the frame buffer and refreshes the screen. Therefore, the buffer isn’t updated until the monitor has finished with it. However, there’s a catch. If your frame rate drops below the motors refresh rate, then you may get performance problems because then the graphics card starts to lag behind.. The complete opposite. You can’t win!

You can enable triple buffering to help with this, but my preferred option is to try increasing the level of detail of the game forcing the card to slow down. As I said, this makes the game look better whilst reducing the risk of tearing.
 
Links and resources


Bart's PE Builder - Windows Enviroment straight from the CD.
UBCD - Ultimate Boot CD, Includes many useful utilities such as Memtest, HDD diagnostics, stress test etc..
CPU-Z - CPU and Memory infomation utility
CPUID HW monitor - Very accurate HW monitor for system temps etc..
Memtest86+ - The ultimate memory checking utility
Passmark BurnIntest - http://www.passmark.com/products/bit.htm
CoreTemp - http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/
RealTemp - http://www.techpowerup.com/realtemp/
BIOSCentral - http://www.bioscentral.com/
HDD Tune - http://www.hdtune.com/
Driver Sweeper - http://phyxion.net/
Prime 95 - http://www.mersenne.org/freesoft/
Gparted - http://gparted.sourceforge.net/download.php
Hiren's Boot CD - http://www.hirensbootcd.org/


The RMA process

If your components are faulty and still under manufactures warranty then you can arrange a replacement with them by raising an RMA (Return Merchandise Authorisation). This is the process where by the produced is returned to be either repaired or replaced. Contact your retailer if the purchase was quite who will be happy to assist otherwise visit the manufactures website for details. You may need to provide details of the product code and/or serial number, which is located on the device.

Most drive manufacturers are quit strict about the return packaging so check there requirement before sending. You will definitely need an antistatic bag and adequate protection even though the drive may be faulty. Do not wrap the drive directly into bubble wrap. The RMA process can take some times as products are normally tested before replacement is dispatched.

Do not expect the manufacturers to repair or recover any lost data. Data recovery is your responsibility.

OcUK Contact Details
 
Good stuff. You've actually got me a bit worried, though. About the 'risers' I'm guessing these are a type of screw? I'm not sure if I've used the correct ones to fit my mobo if the case is that there's different types of screws.
 
Pete.Dakota said:
Good stuff. You've actually got me a bit worried, though. About the 'risers' I'm guessing these are a type of screw? I'm not sure if I've used the correct ones to fit my mobo if the case is that there's different types of screws.
Click to expand...

Riser generally come with the pack of screws you get when you purchase a new case. They are normally a brass / goldish color and just screw into the case where the motherboard will then sit on top on them, then you would use other regular screws to screw into them to hold the motherboard in place. If your computer boots up you have used sufficient 'risers'
 
RJC said:
Good work, sticky?
Click to expand...

Thanks :)

I'd rather keep it going a a point of discussion at the moment so you can continue making your own contributions.

Need some links and resources as my mind went blank :)

mufcmark said:
Spelling mistake. Good guide, you should post the links to the guide on your website that shows how to test a power supply using a multimeter and the paper clip trick.
Click to expand...

Fixed

PSU update and Graphics card Troubleshooting is in progress :)
 
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