Unknown issue- motherboard or memory???

[random betrayal]

Recently my computer has been acting up in that I leave it to go to sleep at night. When I go to start it again in the morning it will not wake up. I restart the computer with the power button and it will not POST. The phase LED lights come on indicating the CPU is working at 100%.

The only way to get the computer to POST is to reset the CMOS.

I do this and it works, usually. The last few times I had to remove all but one of the memory sticks for the computer to post and allow me into the bios to tweak the settings even after resetting the CMOS.

After removing the memory sticks I get it to post, tweak the bios and load windows. I then shutdown in windows re-install all the memory sticksand windows loads and I work on the computer with no issues.

I do not overclock the CPU or the memory, run most everything on default or auto settings that I can as this is largely a home office computer for work.

Is this a motherboard issue or a memory stick issue? My initial thought is the motherboard is losing the voltage setting on the bios and is causing the issue, but it is just a guess.

The board is a gigabyte PA55 UD3 and the memory is G-skill. Both have been working flawlessly since I built the computer about 2-3 yrs ago.

Appreciate any thoughts or ideas.

 

[john3850]

What are you using for a boot drive.
Why not run memtest with one stick.

 

[random betrayal]

boot drive is a year old Samsung 830 SSD

I could run memtest..good point. At least clear up the memory stick question.

 

[Ketchup]

My Mother's computer does this. I think it's an issue with the case, but it could be the motherboard or the power supply, all of which are a few years old (Core 2 era). She doesn't care, as it is light years faster than what she had, so I'm not messing with it.

However, I don't know why you can't just unplug it, and plug it back in after the power supply drains. What happens when you do this?

Next time this happens and you can't assess the BIOS with the method mentioned above, try this: power down the machine, open the case, unplug only the SSD (don't reset), and hit the power button. Any better?

 

[random betrayal]

My Mother's computer does this. I think it's an issue with the case, but it could be the motherboard or the power supply, all of which are a few years old (Core 2 era). She doesn't care, as it is light years faster than what she had, so I'm not messing with it.

However, I don't know why you can't just unplug it, and plug it back in after the power supply drains. What happens when you do this?

I will try the to unplug the power supply next time and see what happens.

Next time this happens and you can't assess the BIOS with the method mentioned above, try this: power down the machine, open the case, unplug only the SSD (don't reset), and hit the power button. Any better?

I guess I am confused at what this is trying to isolate as the problem... the SSD?

 

[Ketchup]

I guess I am confused at what this is trying to isolate as the problem... the SSD?

Yep.

Edit: well, that's one thing. Generally when a computer won't make it to POST, the first thing I like to check are the things attached, both inside and out: a stick of RAM, add-on cards, an extra hard drive, USB devices, etc).

 

[random betrayal]

the unplug trick worked today.

I don't think the SSD is the problem. Windows loads and once i am in windows everything runs fine.

So any other ideas as to why the random no POST sometimes? Or do i need to check everything that is attached to the motherboard one at a time....
I hate intermittent problems...

 

[John Connor]

I think there is an issue with some SSDs and sleep mode. have you tried updating the firmware? If that ain't it i would look at updating the BIOS.

 

[Ketchup]

the unplug trick worked today.

I don't think the SSD is the problem. Windows loads and once i am in windows everything runs fine.

So any other ideas as to why the random no POST sometimes? Or do i need to check everything that is attached to the motherboard one at a time....
I hate intermittent problems...

OK, are you using the Marvell 6 gb/s controller? If so, might try switching to the Intel controller, at least for testing purposes.

 

[random betrayal]

OK, are you using the Marvell 6 gb/s controller? If so, might try switching to the Intel controller, at least for testing purposes.

Yes I am using the 6Gps sata ports. I can try to swap these out to see if there is any change to the behavior.