Computer Won't Boot Anymore

[Soccer55]

This morning I was playing a little Fallout 3 and while I was playing, it crashed to a BSOD. The error had something to do with the Generic USB Driver, but as with previous BSODs that I had encountered, I figured that a reboot would fix it. As expected, Windows gave me a screen that said Windows was not shut down properly and gave me some boot choices (Safe Mode, Normally, etc.). No matter what option I chose, the following screen mentioned something about registry problems and I had to insert my Windows install disc, reboot, then choose "repair my computer". On this reboot, I couldn't even get to the POST screen. I just got a black screen with a flashing cursor in the upper left corner. I tried clearing the CMOS and that let me get into the BIOS options, however, after a minute or two in the BIOS menus the system would freeze up and not let me do anything.

The computer has been running great since I built it last month and other than some crashes in FO3 (which appears to be fairly normal on x64 due to bugs in the game), I haven't had any problems. I'm figuring that there must be a problem with the CPU, RAM, mobo, or power supply, but I don't know how I can narrow it down further. I don't have any other components that I can swap out to test, so is there anything else I can do to figure out what is going wrong?

Here's the system specs:
Intel E8400 @ stock speeds with stock HSF (I did use AS5 instead of stock thermal paste)
Gigabyte EP45-UD3R
Corsair XMS DDR2 (4 GB)
Antec TPQ 800
ASUS 1 GB 4870DK
Vista Ultimate x64

Thanks in advance for any help/advice.

-Tom

 

[ch33zw1z]

To narrow down your issue, bring the system to a minimum configuration. Unplug anything not required to complete POST. All you need is CPU, ONE stick of RAM, VGA, and of course Power.

When you complete POST, start with Memtest86 on each stick of RAM and let the test run 2-3 passes. If both sticks pass this, then start adding components one at a time. First, plug in your OS drive, then another, non-critical components last..

 

[Soccer55]

Thanks for the advice. I did as you requested and removed everything except CPU, 1 stick of RAM, and vid card. Tried to POST with each stick of RAM separately (same slot), then both (dual channel), then added DVD burner, then added HDD. I was able to POST in each instance (got stopped at no bootable system disk until I plugged in the HDD). I'll admit that I didn't run memtest because I have no idea what to do and I don't have a floppy drive, so I'm not sure how to get it to run (bootable CD?). At this point, I tried booting into Windows and I got to the login screen where I could choose which account to use. I was somewhat satisfied and shut down the computer to test if I could cold boot into Windows again. Not so lucky this time. Once again, I got stopped before POST and on the second attempt, I couldn't even get into the BIOS options.

I did notice that my mobo was showing the CPU running at 8.5x333 (BIOS multiplier control was set to "Auto") and this was confirmed during POST. IIRC, an E8400 should be at 9x333, so is it possible that I could have a flaky CPU? I guess short of running memtest and confirming a memory problem, I'm not sure what it could be other than the CPU.....well, I guess it could be the mobo. The thing that is the most puzzling to me is that it's been working fine for the last month (since I built it) and I would have thought that if I was going to see any problems, it would have been on one of the days that I was playing FO3 for a good 12 hours. Thanks in advance for all of the help.

-Tom

 

[ch33zw1z]

It is possible you have a bad CPU, does it show the same after clearing the CMOS? You can try reseating the CPU, the 8400 should be @ 9.333 for stock.

Memtest is a bootable CD, floppy, or USB drive...just google Memtest to get the latest.

 

[Soccer55]

Originally posted by: ch33zw1z
It is possible you have a bad CPU, does it show the same after clearing the CMOS? You can try reseating the CPU, the 8400 should be @ 9.333 for stock.

Memtest is a bootable CD, floppy, or USB drive...just google Memtest to get the latest.

Well, for fun, I thought I'd try to boot it up again and I got into Windows. Tried to get memtest and as I went to download it, I crashed to a BSOD - IRQL LESS THAN OR EQUAL. Computer rebooted automatically, started running CHKDSK and it BSODed - IRQL LESS THAN OR EQUAL. It rebooted again, tried to start normally and BSODed - MEMORY MANAGEMENT.

Do you think it's still worth trying to reseat the CPU? I'll do it if you think it might help.....I just hate removing the Intel HSF

-Tom

EDIT: I forgot to mention, yes, the CPU shows up in BIOS as 8.5x333 after clearing CMOS. That's the default setting that the mobo has for the CPU. I would need to manually change it to 9x333.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Try setting the multiplier to 9 and see what happens. Also try to get memtest going, will help narrow it down.

 

[Denithor]

Don't mess with the CPU - in my 15+ years of working on systems that's usually the last part to fail. I've only seen one dead CPU in that time and it was because an idiot installed it, didn't seat the hsf correctly, then overclocked the snot out of it (and didn't monitor temps to realize something was wrong).

These kind of problems sound like RAM problems that may have worked into a corrupted OS install (bad data coming from RAM is written onto the hdd resulting in bad files so Windows won't boot).

Leave everything else plugged in but pull all but one stick of RAM. Clear your BIOS. Go back into BIOS and hit the "load optimal defaults" & reboot. See if it will load into Windows.

If it doesn't, try the same memory stick in different slots. If that doesn't work, try your other stick(s) the same way (one at a time).

You obviously have access to another computer. Visit www.memtest86.com, go to the download section and pull the .iso file. Burn it to a CD. Boot up from that CD with all memory installed (do you have individual sticks or a kit?). Set it to probe memory and let it run overnight (at least 8 hours error free before you should be satisfied). If it finds errors and your memory is all a kit RMA the whole kit. If it finds errors and your memory is individual sticks, isolate the bad stick(s) by running individually and RMA the clowns.

 

[Soccer55]

Ok, I got Memtest and tried to run it on my system and here are the results:
Both sticks in slots 0,1 (yellow on my mobo): Test 1 - 1462 errors, Test 2 - Would not progress past 32% (left it running for 10 minutes and the progress didn't move one bit past 32%)
Both sticks in slots 2,3 (red on my mobo): Test 1 - 72 errors, Test 2 - Would not progress past 14% (running 10 minutes again)

This is just the standard test that automatically runs when you load memtest. Not sure how to do the probe thing, but I will look it up and do it if necessary. It appears that all signs point to RAM being the issue, but is it possible that the mobo could still be the problem? Bad mem slots or something? Thanks again for all of the help.

-Tom

 

[Soccer55]

Originally posted by: ch33zw1z
Try setting the multiplier to 9 and see what happens. Also try to get memtest going, will help narrow it down.

When I initially got the computer, I noticed that the multiplier was at 8.5, so I set it to 9 manually. It ran fine up until the incident that caused me to post this thread.

-Tom

 

[ch33zw1z]

More likely your RAM is failing than the mobo, but you never know. Do you have any spare RAM to test with? If not, picking up a cheap stick at a local store may be a quick problem determination helper. If new RAM fails, could point to the mobo..

 

[Soccer55]

Originally posted by: ch33zw1z
More likely your RAM is failing than the mobo, but you never know. Do you have any spare RAM to test with? If not, picking up a cheap stick at a local store may be a quick problem determination helper. If new RAM fails, could point to the mobo..

True, I could go pick up another 2 or 4 GB for cheap and if it happens to not be the RAM, then I'd surely have plenty for whatever I do with it in the future.

-Tom

 

[ch33zw1z]

Originally posted by: Soccer55

Originally posted by: ch33zw1z
More likely your RAM is failing than the mobo, but you never know. Do you have any spare RAM to test with? If not, picking up a cheap stick at a local store may be a quick problem determination helper. If new RAM fails, could point to the mobo..

True, I could go pick up another 2 or 4 GB for cheap and if it happens to not be the RAM, then I'd surely have plenty for whatever I do with it in the future.

-Tom

That or a mobo, which isn't that cheap

 

[Soccer55]

I picked up 2 x 1 GB earlier and used it to replace the RAM in the system. Memtest has been running for ~1.5 hours now and the screen says that there are no errors. So far it looks like bad memory was, in fact, the culprit. Should I let Memtest keep running for a few more hours? Or has it been running long enough? Thanks for all of the help!

-Tom

 

[ch33zw1z]

Let it run at least 3 passes, overnight if you can is good too

 

[Soccer55]

Originally posted by: ch33zw1z
Let it run at least 3 passes, overnight if you can is good too

6 passes over 5 hours and no errors. I think I'm going to go ahead and start re-installing Vista.....my wife will be happy that I won't be monopolizing her laptop anymore

Thanks again for all of the help ch33zw1z and Denithor

-Tom

 

[ch33zw1z]

You're welcome, :thumbsup: