Help Please, I'm Really Stuck!

danewesley · 1 May 2012 at 13:11

Hi,

I bought all the parts for my new build a few weeks ago, i got

i3-2120
Gigabyte H61MA-D3V Intel H61
Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB
corsair force 3 60gb
xfx pro 450w
xigmatek case

So when it all arrived i build it, installed windows to the ssd all fine, when it got to the desktop for the first time it restarted the computer after around 15 seconds. After this the computer would boot up showing the bios logo screen, then a black screen with a white underscore in the top left of the screen, then computer would just restart again then, and it was stuck in this loop none stop.

I have tried installing windows a few times, i have tested it without a gpu, different memory and all sata ports, i have rma'd the motherboard twice so have tried two of the same model board, i ended up buying an asrock extreme 4 gen 3 board and have just finished rebuilding it now, it still has the same problem. After speaking to ocuk tech support, i have had no help or they dont have a clue what it might be, they suggested rmaing the board which i have done and paid to be posted back twice.

Now i dont know what to do, the ocuk guy says to pay someone local to test the rig, i feel like sending it all back but have been told it will cost me a lot of money to have it all tested, surely it falls under distance selling and not fit for purpose?

Thanks for any help, Dane

cmndr_andi · 1 May 2012 at 13:13

Hi there, after you have installed windows onto the SSD, did you change the boot priority in the BIOS so the SSD (not the DVD drive or any other HDDs) boots first?

danewesley · 1 May 2012 at 13:18

hi, i installed windows from a usb stick, i dont have any other hdd's or dvd/cd drives, just the ssd is plugged in.

i forgot to mention, i thought it was the motherboard as i built every other component into my brother in laws z68 board an it worked, now im starting to think it might be the ssd itself or the psu. i cant afford to keep sending it back ,it has become so annoying now.

cmndr_andi · 1 May 2012 at 13:22

That is fair enough - though I would still check the boot priority - as it may be trying to boot off something that isn't there. This sounds mad I know, but it can happen - especially if your particular problem occurs after POST but before windows starts loading.

If you assume the board is fine (since it is a new one) then presuming it isn't a problem with boot priority then I would think it is a problem with the SSD is more likely than with the PSU (considering the PSU has already worked enough to install windows). Do you have any hard drives you can use to install windows on, just for testing purposes?

Idleman · 1 May 2012 at 13:23

Try the ssd on your brother inlaws pc.

Paul11 · 1 May 2012 at 13:23

DSR you dont need a reason to send it back, you can just change your mind but afaik you will pay postage

do you have another HD you can test it with first ?

Surveyor · 1 May 2012 at 13:29

Paul11 said:
DSR you dont need a reason to send it back, you can just change your mind but afaik you will pay postage

That wouldn't appear to be an option:

danewesley said:
I bought all the parts for my new build a few weeks ago

danewesley · 1 May 2012 at 13:31

i dont have another hhd right now, to dsr do i have 28 days? or is it 7? i think i will send the ssd back, it will only cost a few pounds to spend, its winding me up how blasé they are being, its taken over two weeks to try and get it sorted, by the time i find out what it is it might be over the 28 day period.

@cmndr andi, i checked boot priority and it was set to the ssd, all in all over the last two weeks ive installed windows around 11 times, ive tried every possible bios config of settings and boot sequences etc.

Surveyor · 1 May 2012 at 14:49

danewesley said:
i dont have another hhd right now, to dsr do i have 28 days? or is it 7?

It's 7 working days from the day after you received it.

OcUK have a new 14 day satisfaction guarantee but you'd have to ask them if it applied to you.

Jeps · 1 May 2012 at 14:52

It does sound like the SSD is the problem.

When it gets to the black screen before it restarts, keep an eye on the hard drive light on your case and see if theres any activity. It should start blinking rapidly so if its either on solidly or not on at all it could indicate a problem.

Also, have you tried changing your IDE settings to AHCI (or IDE if your using AHCI aleady) and reinstalling windows? Might be worth a go.

honosuseri · 1 May 2012 at 15:07

I would try a CMOS reset and try to boot say linux from the memory stick. Or possibly a better choice would be ultimatebootdisk as this has diagnostic tests you can run for the RAM and CPU etc. I think you'll find the HDD tools are intended for mechanical HDDs I wouldnt run them on a SSD in fear of wearing it out.

If the rig can run the tests without fault, it would point towards either the SSD is faulty or there is a slim chance your windows installation "disk" is corrupted.

danewesley · 1 May 2012 at 17:34

Hi, thanks for more ideas but ive already tried ide and ahci modes, ive tried resetting cmos a number of times, i have just plugged the ssd into another computer and installed windows 7 on to it, then i booted successfully to a usable desktop so i guess it isnt the ssd after all. although i have just submitted it for rma.

i will embed a video of the problem, other option is to rma the psu.

honosuseri · 1 May 2012 at 18:01

Well dont pay to send off the SSD as if it works in another rig it clearly isnt the problem.

Did you try running ultimatebootdisk from the USB stick? If you run memtest first then try "torture testing" the CPU.

It might be worth manually setting the memory timings as well after a CMOS reset. Also did you install windows to the SSD when another HDD was present in the system?

danewesley · 1 May 2012 at 18:09

Hi, i will try the ultimatebootdisk and others later today/tomorrow, there where no other things plugged in bar the ssd, could it be the psu, like it powers on for the full windows install but then trips out when booting to desktop? it seems strange to me.

pandem0nium · 1 May 2012 at 19:09

Have you tried bench testing the MB outside of the case?

A short somewhere might cause it to do that.

danewesley · 1 May 2012 at 19:13

i thought that the first time round, i built the original motherboard outside the case and shorted the first one to start, it could have been either a short or the power or reset button stuck, it wasnt any of them though.

Idleman · 1 May 2012 at 19:15

I don`t see a Gpu in your spec, so assume you are using onboard graphics.

danewesley · 1 May 2012 at 19:21

i have a gpu but am not putting it in right now, just using onboard yes.

danewesley · 1 May 2012 at 21:08

new update, i ruled out the ssd before and have just been to a friends house and tried his psu with all my components, the same problem is still there. so im fo shiz stuck, could it be something like the sata cable that im using, ive only tried the one i have, or something like one of the front panel connectors. i wish ocuk could help me sort this after spending £330 im left with all this trouble.

honosuseri · 1 May 2012 at 21:31

danewesley said:
new update, i ruled out the ssd before and have just been to a friends house and tried his psu with all my components, the same problem is still there. so im fo shiz stuck, could it be something like the sata cable that im using, ive only tried the one i have, or something like one of the front panel connectors. i wish ocuk could help me sort this after spending £330 im left with all this trouble.

The boot loop can be caused by a corrupt install of windows. So yes try a different sata cable and or sata port on the mobo.

You really need to run that bootdisk and do the tests. I know it's a pain but the tools are there for a reason