Grey Screen Of Death

[gryph]

Grey Screen Of Death: OCers PreBuild

Wondering if you guys could help please, or point me in a direction?

Received an OC build system today (http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=FS-067-OE&groupid=43&catid=1445&subcat=) Phenom x3 720 @ 3.2. Added option of a 5870, no OS.

I've installed Win 7 RC (pre-ordered copy, same install DVD as used on my MBP in bootcamp) and eventually got it to complete - bluesceened many times, but after heading into the bios and dropping the CPU back down to 2.8ghz, it installed OK.

Mobo drivers installed, latest ATI catalyst downloaded and installed. Connected via ethernet to router.

Since I've been getting Steam and a bundle of other updates downloaded I'm encountering Grey Screens of Death - the entire screen goes medium grey displaying nothing, a fan noise increases (sounds like the heatsink, after taking the side off the case and waiting for it to happen) and the system hangs there until powered off.

Display is at 1920x1080

Currently 'just' updating EQ2 after copying my install over via usb stick - and it's not yet GSoD. If I try doing something else (other than typing on the forum) like viewing the hi res screen thread, GSoD hits.

Running SpeedFan monitor, nothing is over 40c (suggestions for better temp monitors would be great)

I'll update when I try to get a game running.

Any ideas?

 

[mollymoo]

see what temps your getting with coretemp and I find gpu-z ok for gpu temps see if anything is getting too hot.

 

[gryph]

see what temps your getting with coretemp and I find gpu-z ok for gpu temps see if anything is getting too hot.

Cheers - grabbed those.

GPU temp1 - 3 : 40c / 42c / 44c
CPU temp : 27c

Currently downloading L4D, nothing else. The EQ2 update GSoDed before I set this monitoring up.

Edit to add:

GPU temp down to : 38 / 40 / 42
CPU : 26c

 

[gryph]

Sat happy doing nothing apart from downloading L4D in Steam.

Fire up UT3 install DVD, and 30 seconds in, GSoD. Just before it happened, temp changes were:

gpu 1 - 3 : 38/39/41
cpu 33c

GSoD, hard reboot, back into win 7 and turn on cpu-z temps were:

50/53/55c

Start writing a reply to here (nothing else happening) and temps dropping to 40c on GPU, then GSoD!

Reboot, and temps back to

50/55/56c.

After reboot, when the temps were higher, gpu core clock reading was 850mhz, memory clock 1200.


Now I'm guessing these temps really shouldnt be a problem, but it is suspicious that GSoD happens when the temp goes up slightly. Sadly can't get a game to install without GSoD to be able to really test it.

EDIT to add: trying a reinstall of win7 again. Formatted HD. See if that makes any diff incase there was a dodgy install.

 

[gryph]

CPU back to 2.8 stock.

Full format, clean install of win 7.

Use motherboard cd
Download and install ati drivers
Use monitor cd for driver
Grab GPU-Z

Copy over eq2 ... not frozen yet.
Install steam client, but keep it closed (selected exit, it's not hanging around in the sys tray). Nothing else installed.


Fire up eq2, start to zone character in from select, Grey Screen hang.
Restart.
Fire up eq2, get splash screen, enter login info, Grey Screen hang.

Restart, checking GPU-Z logs again... GPUs start firing up on EQ2 start, hits around 50c across the 3 readings and GSoD. Idling now around 42-46c, will leave it doing nothing for half an hour and see what happens.

Utterly baffled.

 

[gryph]

Update: set win7 power settings to High Performance. Now the gpu temp can reach 60c and then the system either:

Grey screens
Freezes with a sound blip repeating
Just full on auto reboots

Either logging into EQ2, in game (if I get there) after a few seconds, or installing UT3 at around 50%+ which the dvd drive has been spinning nicely.

Tried to get Win XP to install, thinking maybe it's something odd with win7 rc (although that same install disc is running fine on this machine)... XP doesnt even install, just blue screens as it's loading stuff, or gets to the 'starting windows' and bluescreens. That's at the OC provided overclock and at stock 2.8.

 

[gryph]

Partially solved:

Set all the BIOS settings that had been manually input by the Overclockers build to auto. So cpu now running at standard 2.8 and all auto settings.

Runs like a dream - hit it with max details on EQ2, didnt crash, played for 15 mins, no crash.. cpu not gone over 29c, gpu not over 54c.

Still leaves me with the issue that the purchased build was a 3.3ghz overclock and at the settings supplied it isnt stable enough to load/install games or at a push, an OS.

 

[mollymoo]

You need to speak with ocuk then really, if the hardware is fine as it appears then they should be able to help with the oc side.

 

[JessicaD]

Gryph,

Microsoft does have an official Windows 7 Support Forum. It is supported by product specialists as well as engineers and support teams. You may want to check the threads available there for additional assistance and feedback.

Jessica
Microsoft Windows Client Team

 

[gryph]

Cheers guys.

Been running stable at 2.8ghz all BIOS settings on auto for 2 days now, works like a dream.

The OC issue is being handled by the overclockers team, so hopefully I'll have a bunch of suggested settings from them to play with soon.