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Boot problems...

M

Motivator

Limp Gawd
Joined
Mar 24, 2006
Messages
258
Hello all,

I'm having issues booting my machine past post(one in ten boots, it gets to memcheck but stops there). I've tried removing all RAM, one stick of RAM in the first, second, third, fourth slots, detaching all hard drives and CD/DVD/BD-ROM drives, clearing CMOS, PS/2 Keyboards, and cursing at the box.

System configuration is thus:

Windows 7 64-bit
Q9550 (was at 2.83, now down to 2.66 after CMOS clear)
8gb (4x2) DDR-1066 ram, defaulting to ddr-800 due to CMOS clear
Gigabyte EP45-UD3P motherboard
EVGA GTX570
H60 CPU cooler (is pumping, fans do spin up)
2x1tb drives (storage, programs) configured in RAID 1
1x 320gb drive (OS)
1x 2tb drive (Backup for the above via acronis)
2x dvd-rom drives
1x bd-rom drives
enough fans to cause a barometer to shudder when the computer is powered up.
mushkin 800w psu

G-15v2
razer Lachesis (whoops, not lycosa)
samsung 2343bwx
benq 19" monitor

Any ideas?
I'm thinking there's something up with the motherboard, due to the consistency of failure to get past POST(i put a speaker in by the way, and there was only one beep each time during startup)

If i can't get a hold of an ep45-ud3p, which seems likely, does windows 7 still throw a fit like windows xp was supposed to if you restore on dissimilar hardware?

Thanks in advance
 
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Try a lower power video card and/or a different PSU.

Windows 7 is usually very robust when it comes to switching from different hardware. I moved my current Windows 7 install from a Intel C2D setup to my current AMD Phenom II setup without issue. With that said, YMMV.
 
I've swapped processors without issue, it's the change in architecture that I was worried about. Good to know that there are instances where it will go without issue.

I've not got any other spare video cards that i can guarantee to myself are good (or lower power... i have a 5850 and an old G80 8800GTX sitting on the desk... )
 
The HD 5850 does use a lot less power than the GTX 570.
 
I'll give it a try then. Computer's been sitting without the cmos battery in it or any power for about two hours now... Gonna give the gtx570 another try then i'll swap to the 5850. Back in a few to update
 
Alrighty, tried the G80 8800gtx(damn thing still works!) and the 5850, but no improvement in getting past POST.
 
Also found a 7900GT i ripped out of my newphew's old build. Artifacts heavily at POST, but iirc that was the reason i pulled it in the first place.
 
So definitely not a GPU issue. What about a new PSU?
 
I've recently moved to the middle-of-fucking-nowhere, so it's difficult to just run over to BB, buy a psu and return it. I do have a PSU tester, just in no hurry to unplug everything before jacking the tester in. Also if it's the PSU, I'll cry. Not in the mood to undo the wiring job I did.
 
Edit- hooked up my dr power to my psu... all lights green, no flicker.

Looks like I'm going with a hardware upgrade/sidegrade.

Anyone know of hardware conflicts with the following?:

MSI P67S-C43(B3)
Intel Core i5-2400
2x (G.Skill Ripjaws series 8gb (2x4gb), PC310666)

I figure I might as well get an upgrade out of this if I have to, and transition to the 1155 socket.
Looking at roughly $400 after shipping, perhaps less if I pick up the i5-2400 at microcenter when I'm back in NY in the future.
 
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Don't see any problems with that planned setup.

However I still would try out another PSU. Those PSU testers aren't exactly 100% correct sometimes.
 
Wish I still lived near a MC. Can't figure out anywhere with a decent return policy for PSUs if that doesn't fix it. Suppose i could look at a new PSU as the first step of a side-grade... bah, i need money
 
At the risk of sounding like a jerk, reread your post ;-) if i can't get past POST, i can't boot into a CD.

Went by the local worstbuy and grilled the geekiest kid i could find there. He suggested booting it without RAM, which i tried, and it produced the expected panicked BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP.

So I'm running out of ideas other than mobo or proc. I do have a spare C2D proc i might try.
 
Not unless my luck is so bad that the two sticks out of four I tried were bad. I didn't have any memory issues before it just decided not to post
 
So if the system beeps like crazy when NO ram is installed, and won't POST when a single stick is installed, I'm gonna guess the problem lies with your RAM. Have you tried known working RAM? Or even any lower voltage RAM?
 
I don't have any other DDR2 RAM on hand, still checking out local businesses for return policies that are agreeable. Microcenter by home in NY never had any problems taking returns from me if it didn't fix a problem. Most of the businesses here have stricter policies unfortunately.

My OCZ ram should boot even undervolted though, just at 800 as opposed to the 1066 its marketed as. I'll try to find something locally.

In other news, my laptop's hard disk decided to take a crap last night too. Running ubuntu off of a flash drive on the laptop now. Really crappy luck lately.
 
At the risk of sounding like a jerk, reread your post ;-) if i can't get past POST, i can't boot into a CD.
Click to expand...
That's exactly why I asked if you tried one.

Because they run from the RAM I thought maybe it would work.

I've never been in your situation but I'd be trying anything including a boot disc.

Sorry to waste your time. :)
 
Don't worry about it. I'm starting to get the shakes from not being able to game at this point. With my laptop down now, I've just got my girlfriend's computer. Here's to hoping I get a job soon, huh?

At this point, I'm looking into virgin sacrifices to the computer gods.
 
Motivator said:
... My OCZ ram should boot even undervolted though, just at 800 as opposed to the 1066 its marketed as. I'll try to find something locally. ...
Click to expand...
Yes, it should, but I've had many DDR2 kits fail to POST at 1.8v (especially with the higher speed RAM), which is why I have a spare 256MB DDR2-667 1.8v stick layin around. Try asking for such a stick in the FS/T freebies thread, and maybe someone can help you out for a few bucks.
 
Okay, weirdness update.

Decided before I went out today to give my computer one last try with alternating each of the four sticks again in the dimm1 slot.

It got to the windows loading screen each time, and then each time with 2 and all 4 in, with the correct voltage being supplied, but went no further, would just sit at the pulsing windows logo. Tried with a pair of crucial ballistix, got to the bios, upped dimm voltage to the 2.2 they needed, and still no getting past the windows logo.

It was pulsing, not frozen, but just wouldn't... go.

The OCZs were also upped to 2.1 when they needed to be, but still nothing, even nothing with them at 1.8.
 
So now that it will POST, run memtest overnight to rule out faulty RAM. When Windows is loading, it loads stuff into RAM, so that may be why it's churning. If RAM passes memtest, then it's possibly a software issue. Try safemode; if it works, some driver or startup app/service/malware is stalling your windows startup.
 
I'll try to get ubcd up on it, and run memtest and a few other diagnostics tonight i suppose.
 
Wasn't able to get memtest running overnight last night, the gf had other plans for me. As of right now it's been running for almost two hours, with no errors, with all 8gb in.
 
Let it run all day. Tomorrow, boot a live CD and test the CPU.
 
Seven hours later, and still no errors. So now what? o_O

RAM seems okay, CPU or mobo?
 
So you say you're getting beeps? if so, count the amount of beeps you're getting, and take notice of it's rhythm. Then look up beep codes. Hopefully that will tell you the cause of the problem.
 
So, I found Jesus. He's living in my computer and says Hi.

Seriously though, i decided to end the memtest and start up windows, i disabled AHCI/RAID for the gigabyte sata ports, and now my computer has made it to desktop.

No idea if this is permanent, but... uhm... Yeah, computer's alive.

That setting shouldn't have locked me out of POST, and iirc, i never enabled it before my crash... so disabling it shouldn't have made a difference, right?
 
I've had a fight with my gf where I claimed machines have personalities and moods. She absolutely refuses to believe it.



Bullshit.


Not only do they have personalities and moods, they have zombies!
 
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