Pretty miserable about this right now, but not getting stressed about it

J-FRO · 31 Aug 2011 at 20:03

This is related to this thread.

I've bought a new HDD, that didn't sort the problem out.
I bought a new CD drive and created a new windows 7 disc, that didn't work.
I've installed new RAM, that hasn't worked either.

So what do I do now? It can only be a problem with my mobo or CPU, so do I just RMA it? Or is there something I haven't done which could be the cause of this?

Everything powers up ok, so I can't see it being my PSU.

Surveyor · 31 Aug 2011 at 20:12

I've only skimmed through your other thread.

Is the motherboard a B2 revision or the fixed B3 revision?

J-FRO · 31 Aug 2011 at 20:13

fixed B3.

I had this running at 4.2Ghz fine for a month or so, literally left it downloading one night and the next morning it wouldn't start.

Surveyor · 31 Aug 2011 at 20:16

Are all your drives connected to Intel SATA ports and not the Marvell rubbish?

J-FRO · 31 Aug 2011 at 20:26

Ummmm they're connected to SATA 1 and 3.

Done it that way so they don't put too much stress on one another.

How do I distinguish between intel and marvell ones?

Surveyor · 31 Aug 2011 at 20:34

Try using the black Intel SATA 2 ports for your DVD drive and HDD.

J-FRO · 31 Aug 2011 at 20:43

nope, exactly the same. Starts loading files from the disc, gets to the "starting windows" page and freezes.

Just took my CPU out as well and looked at it. All the pins look fine, nothing burnt out or anything so that's one more thing dismissed.

Surveyor · 31 Aug 2011 at 20:50

Have you set the RAM speed, timings and voltage manually in the BIOS?

RAM in the blue slots or just 1 stick in the blue slot closest to the processor.

Check the clear CMOS button on the I/O panel isn't depressed or the OC Genie button.

Nothing else connected to the PC? No USB drives or anything like that?

docsonic · 31 Aug 2011 at 21:06

Have you tried booting up Winki III?

J-FRO · 31 Aug 2011 at 21:09

Just tried and checked all of that.

Had been using the ram on stock since this problem started, just set to 1600mhz at 9-9-9-24 and still the same.

checked cmos and nout all in the usb ports apart from mouse and keyboard.

only other things plugged in are monitor and power cable.

will try ram in each slot now.

J-FRO · 31 Aug 2011 at 21:21

Right, tried one stick of RAM in each slot. Same thing when it was just one stick in the blue slot closest to the CPU and for both of the black slots. When I put one stick in the blue slot furthest from the CPU though, it wouldn't boot. It kept starting up and restarting over and over. Is that significant or a problem in all mobos?

RiseAgainst · 31 Aug 2011 at 21:32

Have you tried other ram or running memtest ?
possibly your ram sticks have failed or the board ram slots have.
I would say its worth trying it just incase. As far as i know you can burn memtest to a disk and boot into memtest and run it.

BringTheRain · 31 Aug 2011 at 21:34

J-FRO said:
Right, tried one stick of RAM in each slot. Same thing when it was just one stick in the blue slot closest to the CPU and for both of the black slots. When I put one stick in the blue slot furthest from the CPU though, it wouldn't boot. It kept starting up and restarting over and over. Is that significant or a problem in all mobos?

Sounds bad to me bud, sounds like a duff mobo. Could be wrong and probably am lol

J-FRO · 31 Aug 2011 at 23:07

RiseAgainst said:
Have you tried other ram or running memtest ?
possibly your ram sticks have failed or the board ram slots have.
I would say its worth trying it just incase. As far as i know you can burn memtest to a disk and boot into memtest and run it.

The RAM I tried using today was a completely new set of Corsair Vengeance 8GB, I figured my XMS3 may have been the problem and thought if I was going to try some new RAM I may as well upgrade.

Apparently it wasn't the RAM though!

Haven't tried booting from memtest, but the way you say it its as if it works in the BIOS? How does that work then?

BringTheRain said:
Sounds bad to me bud, sounds like a duff mobo. Could be wrong and probably am lol

It's what I'm thinking too though. Wouldn't be my CPU otherwise it's unlikely it'd start at all. Then my RAM, HDD and CD drive are all brand spanking new and I highly doubt its a problem with either my PSU or graphics card otherwise some other signal for failure would probably crop up.

For the record as well, all the light sequence lights on the mobo come on properly when it gets to the "starting windows" screen and freezes. That what makes me inclined to believe there's no issue with my PSU.

Philtor · 31 Aug 2011 at 23:15

It's your System board. I would put money on it.

BringTheRain · 31 Aug 2011 at 23:16

Sounds like the mobo to me now

DennisMenace · 1 Sep 2011 at 00:37

BringTheRain said:
Sounds like the mobo to me now

+1, but I wouldn't rule out the GPU - particularly as Windows seems to crash at the start of an animated sequence (and apart from the mobo/CPU, it's the only component you haven't replaced!).

At least the mobo and GPU are both MSI, which should make an RMA easier. If you get the chance to upgrade the mobo (assuming it's faulty), I'd definitely think about a Z68. Apart from the extra features, it will use the integrated GPU of the 2500K, allowing you to isolate the (discrete) GPU if you get any more problems.

[And if it is a faulty MSI mobo, and they knew about the grief and expense it has caused, I'd hope they would offer a free upgrade.]

thecremeegg · 1 Sep 2011 at 10:27

Gf had this issue on XP. I just removed the GPU, cleaned the connectors (it was dusty) and put it back. Worked then

edamreed · 1 Sep 2011 at 10:28

I just went through the same process on my old Asus Striker II Formula + Q6600.
Sometimes it would boot and blue screen, sometimes freeze on the loading screen, sometimes it wouldn’t even get past BIOS screen.

Replaced everything except Mobo and Proc.
I had an old HDD, graphics card and sound card.
Bought new memory and PSU (I did notice at this point that one of the modular PSU cables was loose, I wonder if that caused a power blip and blew one of the components).

Some changes would work for a while, maybe 1 day.

In the end I got new Mobo, CPU and memory, all running ok now.
I'm still not sure what the problem was (mobo or CPU).
I wasted about 4 weeks trying to sort it out.
Sometimes you just got to bite the bullet.

TNGL · 1 Sep 2011 at 11:06

edamreed said:
I just went through the same process on my old Asus Striker II Formula + Q6600.
Sometimes it would boot and blue screen, sometimes freeze on the loading screen, sometimes it wouldn’t even get past BIOS screen.

Replaced everything except Mobo and Proc.
I had an old HDD, graphics card and sound card.
Bought new memory and PSU (I did notice at this point that one of the modular PSU cables was loose, I wonder if that caused a power blip and blew one of the components).

Some changes would work for a while, maybe 1 day.

In the end I got new Mobo, CPU and memory, all running ok now.
I'm still not sure what the problem was (mobo or CPU).
I wasted about 4 weeks trying to sort it out.
Sometimes you just got to bite the bullet.

There seems to be a lot of problems a with those Asus Striker motherboards.