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Machine Freezing, is it the PSU?

K

Kainzo

Gawd
Joined
Nov 12, 2009
Messages
972
`````I'll start off by saying that this machine setup was working fine with no issues for about 6 months and the last few weeks its been randomly freezing with no indication why.

Here's what I've trouble shooted so far and to eliminate possible OS/Virus issues.

Update: http://imgur.com/45ThC <-- voltages
Update2: Actual PSU = Antec TruePower New TP-750 Blue 750W
Update3: New GPU/Ram = still freezing, either CPU or MOBO.
Update4: purchased a new MSI motherobard - something not too shabby, about $130. purchased a new PSU, 850watt PSU blackwidow from BestBuy. It just froze again today after not freezing for a good week+. I am really not sure what to do next. I think it may be the ram at this point - i've dumped too much money into this already not to know!
Update5: I ran memtest86 for about 2 hours, with no errors. Everything normals there. Here's where things get weird. I've been attempting to run OCCT CPU test and CPU Linpacks. The cpu will run for 3-5 minutes and then it will spike to 255c and the test will end. Just playing games normally it seems that th CPU doesn't go much above 55-60C.
Update6: I've disabled 5 cores on the CPU and reran the OCCT CPU linpack. It has been going for 20 minutes sticking to 33C and not going higher. I believe one of the cores may be dead or bad or just an overall heating issue. It has not 'failed' the test and spiked to 255c - attempting to re-enable core 2-4
Update7: Ran HC i memtest for 1 hour and found no errors. Running OCCT CPU linpack for 30 minutes with 4 to 5 cores and no fails. It looks like all cores enabled on this board = bad news. Thoughts?

It's possible that one of the cores are bad?



1) It has frozen immediately after POST
2) It has frozen on a memtest with no errors (The test stops, there are no error messages yet the cursor still blinks)
3) The CPU/GPU temps all seem reasonable and have no indication of failure
4) Nothing is overclocked (although I have done the auto overclocking with the board/cpu
5) The freezing is seemingly completely random and can be powered on for days without a hard freeze or freeze 15 times in an hour.
6) When it does freeze it sometimes loops audio (if I'm doing something)
7) Both Drives have passed each test I've thrown at it using Parted Magic.
8) Again to ensure its not OS related, it has frozen on boot up (before ever seeing the Windows logo/etc)

I have heard some ticking noises from the PSU in the last few days, all which have stopped. I'm having a difficult time trouble shooting this issue and am not sure if it is the PSU for 100%.

Just an update...

New PSU = freeze
Swapped out to a different GPU = freeze
Took out 6GB of ram (using only 2GB) = no freeze for 2 days.
Added back in 2GB of ram = freeze within 2 hrs
Took out 2GB ram = freeze within 1-2hrs

No matter how I mixed and matched the RAM, it would ALWAYS freeze, I highly doubt every 2GB stick of 1600 DDR3 OCZ is 'bad'

On one of the tries, I got this message.

Code: 
 A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.
 
A clock interrupt was not received on a secondary processor within the allocated time interval.
 
If this is the first time you&#8217;ve seent his Stop error screen, restart your computer. If this screen appears again, follow these steps:
 
Check to make sure any new hardware or software is properly installed.  If this is a new installation ask your hardware or software&#8230;
 
If problem continue, disable or remove any newly installed hardware or software.  Disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing.  If you need to use safe mode to remove or disable, restart, press f8
 
Technical Information:
 
*** STOP: 0x00000101 (0x000000000000027, 0x0000000000000000000, 0xFFFFFFF880009EA180, 0x00000000000000000000001)

Do you have any suggestions or tips I can try to figure out where this ghost is in this machine?
If this is in the wrong section, please move!
 
Last edited:
Kainzo said:
I'll start off by saying that this machine setup was working fine with no issues for about 6 months and the last few weeks its been randomly freezing with no indication why.

Here's what I've trouble shooted so far and to eliminate possible OS/Virus issues.

1) It has frozen immediately after POST
2) It has frozen on a memtest with no errors (The test stops, there are no error messages yet the cursor still blinks)
3) The CPU/GPU temps all seem reasonable and have no indication of failure
4) Nothing is overclocked (although I have done the auto overclocking with the board/cpu
5) The freezing is seemingly completely random and can be powered on for days without a hard freeze or freeze 15 times in an hour.
6) When it does freeze it sometimes loops audio (if I'm doing something)
7) Both Drives have passed each test I've thrown at it using Parted Magic.
8) Again to ensure its not OS related, it has frozen on boot up (before ever seeing the Windows logo/etc)

I have heard some ticking noises from the PSU in the last few days, all which have stopped. I'm having a difficult time trouble shooting this issue and am not sure if it is the PSU for 100%.

Do you have any suggestions or tips I can try to figure out where this ghost is in this machine?
If this is in the wrong section, please move!
Click to expand...

If the 850W Thermaltake PSU in your sig is the TR2 RX model (also sold as the "Black Widow"), you most likely got a crappy PSU: That PSU really cannot handle more than about 580W in realistic conditions.

If on the other hand you have one of the Toughpower series models, the ticking could be the first sign of deterioration - either because it's growing old or because it has been used relatively heavily.
 
I think b/c you've seen it freeze before OS loading (or even any hard drive activity for that matter), you can already rule out the HD or OS.

I am somewhat curious of Point #4 - can you confirm every setting is currently at stock? Voltage, latencies, clocks, etc.
 
E4g1e said:
If the 850W Thermaltake PSU in your sig is the TR2 RX model (also sold as the "Black Widow"), you most likely got a crappy PSU: That PSU really cannot handle more than about 580W in realistic conditions.

If on the other hand you have one of the Toughpower series models, the ticking could be the first sign of deterioration - either because it's growing old or because it has been used relatively heavily.
Click to expand...

The PSU in my signature is wrong. That was my interim PSU while this current was one was being RMA'd.

The actual PSU is this one:
1 x Antec TruePower New TP-750 Blue 750W Continuous Power ATX12V V2.3 / EPS12V V2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC "compatible with Core i7/Core i5" Power Supply
 
That PSU is a good one.

Software readings are never accurate. You need an actual multimeter to verify that it's going bad.

What you're saying sounds a lot like motherboard issues to me. My MSI Big Bang X-power had the same symptoms until I RMA'd it.
 
Tsumi said:
That PSU is a good one.

Software readings are never accurate. You need an actual multimeter to verify that it's going bad.

What you're saying sounds a lot like motherboard issues to me. My MSI Big Bang X-power had the same symptoms until I RMA'd it.
Click to expand...
Well, I do know that this mobo has heinous issues with the usb 3.0 stuff. Why would my 3.3 rails be reporting less than 1.0?
 
As I said, software readings are extremely inaccurate and cannot be relied on.
 
Tsumi said:
As I said, software readings are extremely inaccurate and cannot be relied on.
Click to expand...

I guess I'm not looking forward to exchanging / rma'ing a motherboard, so much work and so painful, plus no back up either.

How would I convince Asus that it's their mobo's fault? =/
 
Just buy a PSU from a local B&M and test it out. It will take all of 10minutes to install the PSU/cables/etc. If you still see the same problems, you can safely rule out the PSU. Yes you eat the 15% restock, but you have the immediacy of those results.

...Or you can continue quaffling. Up to you.
 
Kainzo said:
I guess I'm not looking forward to exchanging / rma'ing a motherboard, so much work and so painful, plus no back up either.

How would I convince Asus that it's their mobo's fault? =/
Click to expand...

Just apply for the ticket and tell them the issues you're experiencing.
 
Mav451 said:
Just buy a PSU from a local B&M and test it out. It will take all of 10minutes to install the PSU/cables/etc. If you still see the same problems, you can safely rule out the PSU. Yes you eat the 15% restock, but you have the immediacy of those results.

...Or you can continue quaffling. Up to you.
Click to expand...

I understand that, my only issue is not being able to reproduce the freezing for days at a time.
 
To come back, I tried yanking the PSU out and throw in another, it's still freezing.

Going to look into RAM issues next.
 
yeah, i was just in a similar situation back in November. Tried a new PSU but that wasn't it. Pretty much swapped out the whole system as it was an old one and I didn't want to throw many into obsolete components that might/might not help.

Everything's good now. I think in my case it was something with the mobo. I also had a problem with turning the comp on - sometimes it would turn on immediately, sometimes it took like 20 button presses to get it going. When I got the new PSU, I left it running for like 24 hours w/o freezing so I thought that was it. It froze shortly after :)
 
Just an update...

New PSU = freeze
Swapped out to a different GPU = freeze
Took out 6GB of ram (using only 2GB) = no freeze for 2 days.
Added back in 2GB of ram = freeze within 2 hrs
Took out 2GB ram = freeze within 1-2hrs

No matter how I mixed and matched the RAM, it would ALWAYS freeze, I highly doubt every 2GB stick of 1600 DDR3 OCZ is 'bad'

On one of the tries, I got this message.

Code: 
 A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.
 
A clock interrupt was not received on a secondary processor within the allocated time interval.
 
If this is the first time you&#8217;ve seent his Stop error screen, restart your computer. If this screen appears again, follow these steps:
 
Check to make sure any new hardware or software is properly installed.  If this is a new installation ask your hardware or software&#8230;
 
If problem continue, disable or remove any newly installed hardware or software.  Disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing.  If you need to use safe mode to remove or disable, restart, press f8
 
Technical Information:
 
*** STOP: 0x00000101 (0x000000000000027, 0x0000000000000000000, 0xFFFFFFF880009EA180, 0x00000000000000000000001)

I am now attempting to remove all PCI slots (Except GPU) and resetting CMOS/BIOS
 
Last edited:
Update #4:
I purchased a new MSI motherobard - something not too shabby, about $130.
I purchased a new PSU, 850watt PSU blackwidow from BestBuy.

It just froze again today after not freezing for a good week+. I am really not sure what to do next. I think it may be the ram at this point - i've dumped too much money into this already not to know!
 
hmm, are you running an auto ram voltage setting? If so change it to manual and set the voltage yourself.
Have you run memtest? What about your hd? If you run hardware monitor now with this new mobo does it report cpu temps?
 
No. PSU problems rarely if ever manifest themselves as hard locks. It's almost always something else. When a PSU browns out or surges, you get random resets, blank screens, and failures to POST.
 
I can trace the problems towards either defective RAM or RAM that doesn't play very nice with your particular CPU.
 
Update5: I ran memtest86 for about 2 hours, with no errors. Everything normals there. Here's where things get weird. I've been attempting to run OCCT CPU test and CPU Linpacks. The cpu will run for 3-5 minutes and then it will spike to 255c and the test will end. Just playing games normally it seems that th CPU doesn't go much above 55-60C.

It's possible that one of the cores are bad?
 
Kainzo said:
I purchased a new PSU, 850watt PSU blackwidow from BestBuy.
Click to expand...
Go back and return it. That PSU is a major downgrade from your Antec TruePower New TP-750 Blue. At least the Antec TP-750 can actually provide 750W of power whereas that TT PSU is barely capable of 500W of power at best.

Kainzo said:
It's possible that one of the cores are bad?
Click to expand...

Possible but unlikely. Try a different set of RAM.
 
Run HCL Memtest. HCL Memtest can detect errors within minutes whereas days of Memtest 86+ will not do anything. For some reason, HCL Memtest is more stressful on your memory than 86+.

The spike is odd, it can be due to a faulty motherboard or CPU.
 
I highly doubt this is a mobo issue.... On the PSU I'll need to RMA my other one, woo!

Update6: I've disabled 5 cores on the CPU and reran the OCCT CPU linpack. It has been going for 20 minutes sticking to 33C and not going higher. I believe one of the cores may be dead or bad or just an overall heating issue.
 
Update7: Ran HC i memtest for 1 hour and found no errors. Running OCCT CPU linpack for 30 minutes with 4 to 5 cores and no fails. It looks like all cores enabled on this board = bad news. Thoughts?
 
If all cores enabled gives you errors, and one or two cores doesn't, then you likely have a faulty CPU.
 
Tsumi said:
If all cores enabled gives you errors, and one or two cores doesn't, then you likely have a faulty CPU.
Click to expand...

I'm leaning towards an issue with the cpu at this point. I have 5 cores enabled and it ran the OCCT linpack with no overheating or failures.

I don't even know how to go about RMA'ing a cpu to AMD =/ has anyone gone through that process?
 
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