Please Help Diagnose My PC Issues....

R

rbarr110

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jan 8, 2003
Messages
278
To keep a long story, well, long.....
Built my current PC back in January/February 2014 and pertinent hardware to the discussion is as follows:

MSI Z87-G45 Gaming LGA 1150 Motherboard
Intel 4770k
Corsair Vengeance Pro 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866
Kinsgston 240 GB SSD Later Replaced with Intel 730 Series SSD
Win 8 then Upgraded to Win 10

When I fist built the system, I had boot file corruption happen twice within the first 2 weeks. SInce it was a fresh install I reformatted and reinstalled both times and it was good for about a year. I then had booting issues where it would either say BOOTMGR missing or Disk Read Error. I repaired the boot files and was good for another 3 months or so. Then I had several of the errors happen over and over again. I figured it was a bad SSD.

I got the Intell SSD to replace the Kingston and cloned the drive over and all was good again. Shortly after I upgraded to WIN 10 and all was still fine and lasted nearly 9 months before any issues again. Well fast forward to the last 2 months or so and I started having system hangs during game play or using CAD programs. Eventually the system hangs resulted in hard resets and DISK READ ERROR on bootups.

I reformatted and clean installed WIN 10 and things worked again for about 4 days. I ran some SSD tools and according to the diagnostic software the SSD is good. System hangs started up again and could not get into windows. Running Windows recovery or trying to install a backup image would fail. I reformatted AGAIN and reinstalled, and after a few days would get the same Disk Read Errors and system hangs if/when I could actually get into Windows.

i went into the BIOS and set everything back to default settings...and voila, boots up fine. I am still getting system hangs and Disk Read Errors on bootup, but if I go back into BIOS and set to default, it boots fine again for a day or two.

So what is the likely culprit? Is it a bad mobo BIOS? Why does reapplying default BIOS settings temporarily fix it? Why the system hangs? Bad RAM? At my wits end to why it keeps failing.

Thanks
 
Is the BIOS up to date? What brand/size of power supply? Try a different sata port and sata cable. Did you put an extra standoff under the motherboard?
 
I believe I updated the BIOS about 2 months back to see if it would help, which I believe was the most current BIOS available. Now I am wondering if I need to go back to an older BIOS or re-flash this BIOS.
 
Do you use latest manufacturers' drivers from their website or do you windows update for drivers?
 
Is that RAM on the QVL from MSI? Break out your Hiren's disk and test that motherboard and CPU and RAM. So many things it could be. Is the system using a UPS?
 
try changing the sata cable and/or port. also test your cmos battery.
 
DrLobotomy said:
Is that RAM on the QVL from MSI? Break out your Hiren's disk and test that motherboard and CPU and RAM. So many things it could be. Is the system using a UPS?
Click to expand...

The RAM is for sure on the supported list. The SSD list MSI has for the board is very outdated and a number of the BIOS updates expanded SSD compatibility, but unsure if the SSD is on the list. I dont believe the Corsair RM750 I have is a UPS

CORSAIR RM Series RM750 750W ATX12V v2.31 and EPS 2.92 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Full Modular Active PFC 80 Plus Gold RoHS WEEE EuP Modular ATX12V & EPS12V Power Supply Power Supply - Newegg.com
 
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Been using it in some form for so long I can't remember. It is the only way to test a motherboard/cpu/RAM without having high end equipment or access to internal tools.
 
yeah like drL says go grab hirens. very useful, ive been using it for years too!
 
DrLobotomy said:
Been using it in some form for so long I can't remember. It is the only way to test a motherboard/cpu/RAM without having high end equipment or access to internal tools.
Click to expand...

You previously mentioned to use the disk to test the motherboard, which program/utility on the disk tests the motherboard?
 
rbarr110 said:
You previously mentioned to use the disk to test the motherboard, which program/utility on the disk tests the motherboard?
Click to expand...
Memtest86 for RAM, PC-Check For motherboard which will test the RTC, CMOS RAM, Clock generators, and various other ports like USB, PCIe , etc. if my memory is right. You can also google the diff tools as they have been used by many people for a long time. I haven't had to use a Hirens in a couple years, although ironically almost had to yesterday. Im sure the guys on their forums have better knowledge.
 
I was wondering, do you have only one hard disk in your system ? Also, do you have DVD burner too? If yes, set your hard disk with windows to boot 1st in bios.
 
Xihe said:
I was wondering, do you have only one hard disk in your system ? Also, do you have DVD burner too? If yes, set your hard disk with windows to boot 1st in bios.
Click to expand...

I have multiple drives, but the ssd is the primary/first boot device.
 
So...after lots of tests no problem appears to be present. I did discover, that when my system had a significant hang (system unresponsive and a forced power down had to be initiated) the forced shut down caused the BIOS to change the boot order. It turns out that my SSD was not on SATA 1 (I had apparently traced the wrong cable to the ssd) and that is what the BIOS kept defaulting to. I switched the SSD to SATA 1 and so far no more hangs or f’d up boot order. However, I cant figure out what is/was causing the system hang and become unresponsive.
 
So my problem still remains. Everything has been replaced in the system now except the CPU and motherboard. Three fresh installs later and I still have the same problems. I am beginning to think that this particular motherboards controllers just do not like SSDs, based on other peoples problems I have seen online with the same vintage chip set.

I am now at a crossroads, I am likely going to get a new motherboard, but now am contemplating a new CPU as well, which will also require new ram. (Will pass the old mobo, ram, and cpu on to my son and hope it behaves ok with standard hard drive hooked up to it)

So considering holding out a month or so and possible getting the 7700k, but may go 6800k. I do CAD, 3D CAD, CAM processing and gaming mostly.
 
If you look at the benchmarks, Sky Lake is not much faster than Haswell.
And the new Kaby Lake is 0% faster than Sky Lake.

I'd keep the 4770K if I were you.

I'm running two MSI PC-MATE Z97 mobos, they are good and inexpensive boards.
One with a 4790K and one with a 4670K. No problems with SSDs.

.
 
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