Please help...Very strange problems. Screenshot Included.

[jez006]

Hi everyone, I'm having some strange problems here and I can't diagnose exactly what's going on, thought you might be able to help.

I came home after a weekend away from my flat (These problems always happen after leaving a computer for a couple days!). I turned on my computer and usually what happens is the GPU fan turns on to full 100% speed and then after the computer has been through the post the fans drop down to idle speed. Not any more! The GPU fan has decided that it's staying at 100% from now on. In the past week it has not budged from 100%, even if the computer is unused and just sitting there.

To add to the problem, which is probably related, the computer now takes much longer to run through the post checks as well. I saw that it was stalling for a while on "Detecting Sata 3 drive" during the post. I checked in the BIOS which was the Sata 3 drive and it was my system hard drive (OCZ Vertex SSD). So I swapped it with another drive, and now it just stalls on something else instead, "Detecting USB controllers". I tried unplugging all the USB inputs and that hasn't affected it.

To make things stranger, a couple of times when it's booted, I'm missing most of my taskbar icons! Check the screenpic... This goes back to normal after a reboot though.

http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a634/JezW1/Untitled_zpsd87085cd.png

Since the GPU has been on 100%, I've tried:

-Cmos reset
-Take battery out of mobo for 20 mins (no power conncted to comp)
-Removed GPU and removed all the dust
-GPU controller programs, but the fan is not conrollable on my GPU

These recent problems got my thinking, and over the last year I've had a couple of other problems. I'm sure there are more but these are the ones that come to mind:

1. The CD drive (sata) has vanished and I can't get it back lol. Tried different sata ports and it would be there for a day and then dissapear again

2.I have 4 hard drives. Every so often 1 or 2 of the storage drives would dissapear and then come back upon reboot.

3. My PCI network card (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833314024) has been intermittent in the last 6 months or so and the connection often drops or needs a reset.

I built my computer about 4 years and it's been running beautifully until recently. These are my specs:

-Windows 7 64 bit
-Asus Rampage Formula (http://uk.asus.com/Motherboards/Intel_Socket_775/RAMPAGE_FORMULA/)
-Intel E8400 3Ghz
-OCZ Reaper DDR2 800Mhz
-EVGA 8800GTS 512Mb
-System drive: OCZ Vertex SSD (http://www.ebuyer.com/product/225415)
-Three other samsung hard drives for storage.

I've also tried Seatools and 2 of my hard drives don't show up in there, even though they're in disk management.

I'm thinking because these problems are so widespread and general that it could be due to the motherboard? I'm not sure what my next step is!

Do i order a cheapie GPU and see if the fan stays on 100% with that, and if so get a new mobo?

Thanks.

 

[Steltek]

Sounds like to me your SSD may be dying. What happens if you unplug the SSD and boot the system with a Linux live CD? Does it progress normally through POST without the SSD present?

It also wouldn't hurt, if you haven't done it in a while, to dust out the computer (make sure to check the GPU shroud carefully).

 

[jez006]

Sorry Steltek, I'd lke to think I'm quite clued up but I don't know about Linux Live CDs...

Should I do that from here? http://www.linux-live.org/

I assume you can boot form the Linux Live CD when you've got windows on your normal HDD..that's the whole point?

The computer's fairly clean inside. GPU was quite dusty but I gave that a proper clean.

Thanks

 

[jez006]

Any ideas welcome!

 

[AnonymouseUser]

Sorry Steltek, I'd lke to think I'm quite clued up but I don't know about Linux Live CDs...

Should I do that from here? http://www.linux-live.org/

I assume you can boot form the Linux Live CD when you've got windows on your normal HDD..that's the whole point?

The computer's fairly clean inside. GPU was quite dusty but I gave that a proper clean.

Thanks

No, that is for building your own linux live distro. What you want is just to download an iso, install it to a bootable USB device, and boot from that. Try UNetbootin or Linux Live USB Creator. Just choose Xubuntu or Linux Mint.

From the sounds of it, you've got some serious SATA issues.

EDIT>> I suggest Live USB instead of Live CD since you are having SATA issues. You may not even be able to burn a CD with your disappearing optical drive.

 

[jez006]

Thanks anonymouse,

So I download this:

http://www.linuxliveusb.com/en/help/guide/preparation ?

Sorry, but what does this step mean:

"select an ISO file or a CD" ?

I need to download a version of linux? Like this: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop ?

I think you're right - I have sata issues, but could this affect the GPU fan speed or could this also be something else?

I've tried a few things to monitor the gpu temperature, eg. GPU Temp, GPU-Z and looking in the bios but nothing seems to show the gpu temperature...it seems to run fine though, just very noisy.

Thanks

 

[AnonymouseUser]

"select an ISO file or a CD" ?

I need to download a version of linux? Like this: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop ?

Yes, you download the ubuntu file (it's an ISO file) and the program will install it to the USB drive for you.

I think you're right - I have sata issues, but could this affect the GPU fan speed or could this also be something else?

I really don't know how the SATA issues could affect the GPU, other than by having corrupted the drivers somehow. Once you get the Live USB up and running, if there is nothing else wrong with the system the fan speed should return to normal.

 

[Ketchup]

The fan problem on your video card is a driver issue, which would make sense if you are having hard drive issues as well. If the video card runs at full blast until Windows loads, that means it is waiting on the drivers to tell it to slow down.

 

[jez006]

Yes, you download the ubuntu file (it's an ISO file) and the program will install it to the USB drive for you.

Okay thanks I'll do it asap.

The fan problem on your video card is a driver issue, which would make sense if you are having hard drive issues as well. If the video card runs at full blast until Windows loads, that means it is waiting on the drivers to tell it to slow down.

I've tried reinstalling the latest GPU drivers. The gpu doesn't run at full blast until windows loads - it runs at full blast all the time

Thanks

 

[Ketchup]

I've tried reinstalling the latest GPU drivers. The gpu doesn't run at full blast until windows loads - it runs at full blast all the time
Thanks

Yeah, I think we are saving the same thing, in different ways. If a re-install doesn't help, I am wondering if you are using another video card program (to adjust GPU speed, fan speed) or you have some malware on you computer.

Have you tried running Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware?

 

[jez006]

Yeah, I think we are saving the same thing, in different ways. If a re-install doesn't help, I am wondering if you are using another video card program (to adjust GPU speed, fan speed) or you have some malware on you computer.

Have you tried running Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware?

I came back after a weekend away, the computer had been off for 2 days and wasn't doing it before the weekend. Still possible I suppose.

I'll look into the anti-malware after trying to boot ubuntu from usb.

thanks

 

[lakedude]

My advice:

1) Use FatDog64 instead of Ubuntu. FatDog is much smaller and easier to download. Being small it will load completely to RAM so it is super fast as well.

2) Try to boot from the CD/DVD. I suspect when you say you are "loosing" the optical drive your are loosing it from Windows. You might check the BIOS and make sure...

3) If FatDog works from the optical drive you have a hard drive or Windows software issue.

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=82611

If you need an ISO burner use ACTIVE @ http://www.ntfs.com/iso-burning.htm

If your burner is not working use another computer to burn a FatDog64 live CD.

 

[jez006]

Dammit. My motherboard can't boot from USB. And I checked in the bios and the CD drive isn't in there!

hmmmm

 

[lakedude]

Dammit. My motherboard can't boot from USB. And I checked in the bios and the CD drive isn't in there!

hmmmm

Linux won't help with that. If your BIOs can't recognize a drive you most likely have hardware issues. Try re-seating the connections...

 

[Steltek]

Does the BIOS recognize any other drives if you unplug the SSD (i.e. shut down, remove the cables from the SSD, and restart)? If not, try it the opposite way (remove the cable from the CD drive, and try to start using the SSD). A single failing SATA device can cause all sorts of weird drive issues just like the ones you are experiencing.

 

[jez006]

Thanks I'll try that in the morning

 

[jolancer]

most if not all modern boards can boot from usb. as long as you set the /usb device or /other as the first boot option... or enable the boot prompt at startup if that applies to your bios and then manually select it.

can try this to setup the usb if others didnt work, this one was really simple and worked pritty easy for me... make sure "Format" box is checked, i noticed on some of mine the flash drive wont become bootable unless format option is selected.
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal-usb-installer-easy-as-1-2-3/

if still not working its also very possibly just the flashdrive, not all of them are bootable, and it has nothing to do with how much it costs or what brand it is.

 

[Steltek]

most if not all modern boards can boot from usb. as long as you set the /usb device or /other as the first boot option... or enable the boot prompt at startup if that applies to your bios and then manually select it.

can try this to setup the usb if others didnt work, this one was really simple and worked pritty easy for me... make sure "Format" box is checked, i noticed on some of mine the flash drive wont become bootable unless format option is selected.
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal-usb-installer-easy-as-1-2-3/

if still not working its also very possibly just the flashdrive, not all of them are bootable, and it has nothing to do with how much it costs or what brand it is.

You may also have to have a USB drive plugged in to be able to select it as a boot option in the BIOS.

 

[jez006]

Okay. So I disconnected all hard drives sata connections (at hard drive end, the mobo connections are hard to get to, I assume that's the same thing). The bios then showed up the USB and I booted from USB. The computer hung like normal at this point:

But then...I realised the CD sata connection was still connected. I shut down, unplugged that, and it sped through the post, however the GPU fan speed still stayed at 100%. Ubuntu did spend a while on this screen though:

I thought that may just be ubuntu being slow to start...I took out the USB, connected my system drive (ssd) and now this happens on boot:

I checked in the BIOS and it has the SSD as first boot option...so I'm not sure what's going on now 🙁

The only good news is that it gets through the post checks quickly. Bad news is that the gpu fan is still on 100% all the time, and the computer now needs a prompt to carry on booting!

 

[jez006]

Update: I tried switching the SATA cables, and now it boots without the "No IDE Master" problem. It boots in normal speed aswell with no hanging anywhere, but the GPU fan still remains at 100%.

This does sound like SATA issues...

 

[jez006]

Another update: I tried moving the GPU to another PCI slot. All that happened was the computer wouldn't boot until I set the SSD as the boot drive in the bios again. Should moving the GPU change the HDD boot order??

Then when the computer started with the GPU in the different slot it was as if I had no graphics drivers installed. Is that normal? Are drivers installed in relation to a particular PCI slot?

 

[Murloc]

Have you tried controlling the fan speed manually with EVGA Precision X?

I usually format right away to be sure it isn't a software problem, I waste less time that way. You might want to do that if you don't know what to do. You should save all your stuff anyway since they say it may be the SSD failing.
What I would do is:
1. disconnect anything that is not necessary, CD drive, add-on cards, floppy, usb devices etc. from motherboard and PSU
2. format
3. install only the necessary drivers
and then see if it still has issues.
If it does, disconnect the SSD and try just with a bootable USB device, but not with ubuntu, use something made for bootable external drives.

The fact that it has post issues makes me suspect that it's hardware problems so you might want to find some parts and do some trials to find out which one is broken. Finding teh parts is always a problem though....

 

[jez006]

Thanks Murloc.

I just tried EVGA precision X and like many other programs I've tried I can't see the gpu temperature or control the fan, however I think fan control might not be possible with my gpu.

I've disconnected all the HDDs and booted ubuntu from USB and the GPU still doesn't quiet down after post...I think that means it's not the HDDs or drivers..

I'm still thinking mobo..

 

[Ketchup]

Thanks Murloc.

I've disconnected all the HDDs and booted ubuntu from USB and the GPU still doesn't quiet down after post...I think that means it's not the HDDs or drivers..

I'm still thinking mobo..

Call me confused. If it gives you problems running on the SSD but not the USB drive, that would suggest the hard drive is the problem.

And if you don't have specific video card drivers loading on Ubuntu, the fan speed will not go down.

 

[Steltek]

For one thing, the boot screenshots you posted shows the BIOS on your motherboard is so far out of date it isn't funny. You are at version 0219 (which may have been the original shipping BIOS) while the current version is 1001 (11 BIOS releases later, counting the two beta BIOSes). Were it me, I think I'd try to update it to the most recent version available to see if it makes a difference with any of your problems. If nothing else, it might help the system run better with your SSD. You might also try updating the AHCI driver as well if it is as far out of date as the BIOS is.

http://support.asus.com/download.as...mpage+Formula&os=29&hashedid=MyJtSWUgzptSqKFN

You also have two keyboards installed???