A highly annoying, extremely befuddling issue: computer radomly hangs on boot up

[datalink7]

So, a while a go I went to upgrade from Windows 8 to 8.1. This ended up shutting off all my USB ports upon loading windows (they would work before and I could get into the bios).

Thread here:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2353700

After failing to figure out how to fix the issue, I decide to do a reinstall. I did so but it took me forever. For some reason, it would continually hang on the installation process and I would have to start over.

Finally, I get everything installed and into windows. I go through the first round of updates and restart.

It gets to the windows logo with the circling dots underneath (designating that it is loading), and then proceeds to stay on that screen for around 20 minutes. Then, the computer just shuts off.

I turn the computer back on. Everything lights up on the box but I get no video. The restart button will also not work. So I hold down the power button in order to shut it off and then power it up again.

It then goes in to "launching windows repair mode". However, after that load screen goes away, I get another blank screen with no video.

I can then hit the reset button (which now works), and start the process over gain.

After going through this sequence for a few hours, it finally boots into windows. No reason why it goes through a particular time, at least that I can figure out.

So I decided to just never turn the computer off

However, I accidentally hit the reset button last night as I was writing a paper for school (). I got up early this morning and have, throughout the day, been restarting and going through the sequence. I JUST got it to boot into windows (about 12 hours of restarts, no joke).

The funny thing is, I can't find anything wrong with performance once I actually get into windows. Nothing seems to be having a problem running. I can still run all my games at max settings with no slowdown. It's just the boot process. And I don't know why it randomly seems to work after an indeterminate amount of restarts.

Thanks for any ideas.

System:

I7-4770
Asus Z87 Deluxe Motherboard
16GB RAM
GeForce GTX780
Samsung 840 Pro SSD Drive

 

[sm625]

Remove the video card and see if it can boot normally 5-10 times in a row using the integrated video.

 

[jolancer]

dunno, but my guess... if it didn't have this issue before you tried re installing win8.1, then perhaps you didn't re-install it correctly.

[EDIT: i just realized you said it continuosly hung on install attempts, you probably just need to install it correctly, figure out why it hangs on install if not user error: End EDIT]

I haven't used so don't know to much about it. but i have heard win7 and 8 use a seperate hidden boot partition. perhaps you didn't reformat the SSD before reinstall or something? and so perhaps now theres conflict between your old boot partition and your new install.

If not, i still dunno but would rule out the basics so you can at least have some were to start with recomendations on troubleshooting...

check and/or update:
- SSD firmware
- BIOS

- test your SSD(i dunno how, havent used one, i used MHDD for HDDs)
- memtest your ram (one stick at a time, but use different slots for each stick) EDIT: to clearify, otherwise if you test them all using a single slot one might crop back up with errors when put back in a different slot because the slot is at fault not the ram.. or viseversa

 

[datalink7]

Thanks for the replies.

I'm going to try some of your suggestions. However, for now I'm leaving it on without restarting because I'm in the middle of finals. After next Friday when I'm done with that I'll be able to run some tests.

When I reinstalled after the Windows 8.1 debacle, I used the format option in the windows installation, but perhaps it didn't format everything and there is some sort of boot conflict.

When this first started I did update the BIOS firmware, but it didn't help. I'll check the SSD.

 

[Ketchup]

Hey datalink7, hope you do well in your finals. What are you pursuing?

What power supply are you running in that rig?
Can you use the integrated graphics through DisplayPort or HDMI?

Also, when you reinstalled, did you go straight to 8.1 or 8.0?

 

[datalink7]

Well, after finals got over and I had the opportunity to mess with it, I found out the problem. After pulling out random components, I found out it was my 2 TB storage drive. Disconnecting that, and everything boots up speedily just like it should.

Haven't tried upgrading to windows 8.1 as I feel that might be a separate problem and I just don't feel like dealing with it right now

But anyway, any ideas on what could be causing it to hang on bootup with the storage hard drive hooked up? Once it finally gets in (after a million restarts), everything works fine, including the storage drive.