New odd problem in my haunted PC

[Craig234]

I'm convinced I need to buy at least a replacement motherboard and have this rebuilt.

In the meantime, a new weird behavior began tonight.

Whatever I'm doing, after about 10 minutes of being booted, the system is redrawing the screen - as if you had changed a graphic card setting - and plays a Windows music alert with three notes.

About 10 seconds after that, the system freezes. The last time it happened, I was watching a video and the sound stopped playing through the headphones and started playing through the monitor speaker.

The only thing that remotely seemed to match this symptom was when my old system used to overheat the CPU - but I checked and the max temp on this one is 116 F.

 

[VirtualLarry]

In your other thread, you mentioned not being able to install the GPU driver for your Radeon R9 390 card. If it's still running as "Basic VGA", then Windows 10 will, in the background while you work, try to download and install a newer driver for you.

That may be why the screen is re-drawing on you. You said that when you manually installed the driver, it hung up. That may be what's happened to you, with the hang after the screen re-draw. I mean, it makes some sense.

So, either the mobo or the card maybe or the CPU / CPU socket pins, are possibly screwing up the PCI-E connection to the video card, or the card is otherwise damaged.

The last time it happened, I was watching a video and the sound stopped playing through the headphones and started playing through the monitor speaker.

That indicates to me, that the HDMI audio driver was JUST installed, and thus, suddenly, your default sound output device becomes your monitor's HDMI audio output.

 

[Craig234]

Ya, I think the timing is a good clue to the diagnostics - what sort of things take about 10 minutes to trigger something like this, which seems reliable?

The only one I've run into was that CPU overheating that's not the case here. Your background driver install would fit the scenario.

 

[Craig234]

Looking at the "Microsoft Basic Display Driver", it has an events log.

On 9/28, when Windows was installed, there are the first 5 entries all saying "Device install requested".

Then "Driver service added (BasicDisplay)
Device installed (display.inf)
Driver service added (amdkmdap)
Driver service added (amdkmdag)
Driver service added (AMD External E[vents Utility for Device Instance ID PCI])
Device instaleled (c0313676.inf)"

And that's it for that night.

Then tonight:

"Device install requested
Device install requested
Driver servuce added (BasicDisplay)
Device installed (display.inf)"

Under "Sound, video and game controllers" there are only two listed:

Both have the same name "High Definition Audio Device" with nothing in the events log.

However, I had two pairs of USB headphones installed, which were each recognized by brand when assigning an audio device.

Under "Audio inputs and outputs" it seems to have both of them, but not by brand name.
One is "Digital Audio (S/PDIF) (2- High Definition Audio Device)
and the other has two entries, one for headphones and the other the built-in microphone.

Finally, in device manager I notice "Monitors" no longer recognizes my specific monitor and now has only an entry titled "Generic PnP monitor".

 

[Craig234]

Also, under 'keyborard', there are two duplicate entries, for 'HID Keyboard Device' instead of my keyboard model, and Mouse is simply 'HID-compliant mouse'.

Not sure why all these devices are generic names - or the keyboard duplicated.

 

[Craig234]

Well I talked to ASRock, they can't sell a replacement motherboard but this one might be under warranty, they said to take a picture of the CPU socket and they'll decide if it's covered by the warranty.

They also said to try removing the graphics card and use the onboard graphics to see if affect the hangs.

Trying to remove the card it seemed stuck on something and I pulled and a piece of black plastic snapped off something when it came out. I'm not sure what broke but it seems like maybe a clip for the PCI slot - I hope it doesn't cause a problem.

As I type, I'm running with the R9 390 out of the system. I'll know in a few minutes whether the hang happens or not.

 

[Craig234]

Well, removing the graphics card definitely solved the hang. So the problem involves some interaction between the card, MB, and OS.

Now, how to isolate the cause? Does the card or MB need replacing?

 

[VirtualLarry]

Trying to remove the card it seemed stuck on something and I pulled and a piece of black plastic snapped off something when it came out. I'm not sure what broke but it seems like maybe a clip for the PCI slot - I hope it doesn't cause a problem.

Le sigh. Yeah, that "piece of black plastic", is the PCI-E retaining clip, on the end of the slot. They need to be pushed and prodded, to release the end of the card, to be able to pull the card out.

I've broken one myself, only, because there's different types of PCI-E retainers, and on this particular board, they used DIFFERENT ONES on the two different PCI-E slots, and I was looking at the other empty slot as a guide, to see what to do.

 

[XavierMace]

It's rare I recommend this, but you should really take your computer to a qualified shop.

 

[Craig234]

It's rare I recommend this, but you should really take your computer to a qualified shop.

They'd have to isolate the graphics card or motherboard also, and get a replacement and install it, which is quite a long process.

 

[XavierMace]

No it's not.

 

[Craig234]

No it's not.

Either would be getting a replacement from the manufacturer I expect... days at least.

 

[XavierMace]

You don't need an exact match on either item to rule it out. Just a similar model.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Are there multiple PC shops around there? What about a Microcenter? They'll bench-test stuff. Not so sure that they're cheap, but it might be worth it.

Or maybe, start over with some new parts (that I could send you). You could get more experience under your belt?

Edit: Or I could sell you another Z97 board, if you think it's the board. Maybe it wouldn't cost $300 like I have in my FS/FT thread, but it wouldn't be super-cheap, given the scarcity of those boards NIB these days. PM me and we can talk, if you're interested in a Z97 PC Mate by MSI.

 

[Craig234]

Are there multiple PC shops around there? What about a Microcenter? They'll bench-test stuff. Not so sure that they're cheap, but it might be worth it.

Or maybe, start over with some new parts (that I could send you). You could get more experience under your belt?

Edit: Or I could sell you another Z97 board, if you think it's the board. Maybe it wouldn't cost $300 like I have in my FS/FT thread, but it wouldn't be super-cheap, given the scarcity of those boards NIB these days. PM me and we can talk, if you're interested in a Z97 PC Mate by MSI.

ASRock seems to be able to replace the MB if needed either under warranty or for $50, so I'd go for that. Just trying to determine the least painful testing.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Do you have another dGPU that you could test in that board handy? Maybe something that does, or does not, need PCI-E supplemental power connectors?

What PSU do you have?

 

[Craig234]

Do you have another dGPU that you could test in that board handy? Maybe something that does, or does not, need PCI-E supplemental power connectors?

What PSU do you have?

No, all I have as a 4870 without an HDMI connector.

I have a 620W Seasonic PS.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Hmm, so you need an HDMI connector for your monitor? You don't have a DVI-D to DVI-D cable that would work? (If the monitor has a DVI-D or DVI-I input, it may have come with the necessary DVI-D cable.)

And how old is the PSU? If it's older than 5-7 years, you might consider replacing it.

 

[Craig234]

I could hook it up with another connector, but it's another variable that reduces the reliability of the test. It's a PS that just was opened this year. SS-620GM.

 

[Craig234]

I think instead I'm going to test the graphics card in my old PC.

 

[Craig234]

Ugh, I think the power supply connectors in the old PC going to a 4870 might not be the same as the new system with an r9 390. The old system is 10 years old.

 

[sandorski]

If you have another PCI-e slot, try the card in there. Even if it's an 8x.

 

[Craig234]

But I need the power to it also. Have to see whether the PS is the right connectors.

 

[Craig234]

Ya it looks like the power supply is totally different and not usable with this graphics card.

 

[Craig234]

So, I put an ad on Craigslist looking for someone I could pay to let me test the card. One offer, I went there, it was an old pc where the power supply can't be used like my old PC.