Please help!

A

Atrye

Limp Gawd
Joined
Sep 11, 2004
Messages
222
Hi everyone. Here's my situation...

I've had my PC running the same components for ages now, and everything has been peachy, so I know that this is not due to a hardware change.

About a month and a half ago, my PC totally randomly crashed a few times. It just locked up. The problem disappeared immediately, so I ignored it. About two weeks ago, I bought Titan Quest and was playing it quite a bit. After a while it started crashing the PC after a few seconds whenever I started playing. Windows thought it was a video driver problem (and in fact, if I noticed it start to get choppy for a split second, I could sometimes minimize the game and save the PC from crashing). I reinstalled the drivers but the problem persisted and even spread to Counter-Strike. I could not make it go away, so I reinstalled Windows and left Titan Quest on the self for now. During this troubleshooting process I also lowered my CPU overclock significantly. The problem seemed to be resolved...

A couple of days ago, my PC started locking up all the time. It would lock up anytime while I was in Windows, and would sometimes take several failed attempts at booting to get back to the desktop. It especially locked up when Windows had loaded and was switching from the loading screen to the desktop. It would load to safe mode much more reliably, but not always. It would still randomly lock up, even in safe mode. I eliminated my CPU overclock and the problem disappeared.

Last night I shut down the computer like normal, and this morning it would not boot. I've tried booting it a million times, and it has only gotten worse. I made it to the desktop in safe mode once for about 5 seconds. It's been locking up more and more quickly all morning and now it will show me the bios screen but lock up before I can even hit delete to get in.

I've tried replacing the videocard and PSU. I've tried unplugging everything but the core components. The only thing I can think of at this point is that my CPU is toast (although when I did make it into the bios to check the monitor, it was running a nice cool 41C). I do not have another CPU to put in to give it a test.

NOTE: All of the lockups have been total freezes. No blue screens.

Can anybody support the conclusion that the CPU is dead or give an alternative theory? I'd greatly appreciate any help!
 
If you've replaced your vid card and PSU and eliminated those as possible problems and removed everything non essential like you said then that narrows it down to the cpu, memory, or motherboard.

Have you tried booting with a memtest disk/cd?

If your CPU isn't overheating like you said then i'd guess memory. If you have another stick laying around put that in there and give it a try (taking out the current memory of course). If you don't have one, drive to a store and get one but make sure the store has a 100% refund policy so you can return it after you test it.
 
I ran Microsoft's memory diagnostic tool a couple of weeks ago and it found no problems. Also, shouldn't I be able to get into the bios without any memory installed?

I can't get into the bios to tell it to boot from anything but the HDD.
 
I'm also going to suggest memory as the culprit. Try downloading a copy of the "Ultimate Boot CD," and run Memtest86. It'll be under other tools iirc.

linky

Let that test run (if you can) through a few complete cycles. It will list errors if it finds them, and properly functioning memory should not have errors :) . Good luck!

**EDIT** If you can't even get into the bios, you might also want to consider your mobo. I wouldn't think the problem was the CPU because in my personal experience broken CPUs have been "all or nothing" where they were working fine and then *poof* magic smoke.
 
After letting the PC sit for a couple of hours, it still would not boot. Then I pulled out on of my dual-channel sticks of memory and it booted just fine. It ran for a couple of minutes like normal, and then I rebooted. It booted up into Windows just fine and promptly froze.

I have two sticks of memory, and I've tried them in every different configuration imaginable. Also, when I pull all of the memory out, the mobo beeps to tell me there is no memory.

Now the PC won't even give the bios screen. My monitor doesn't even get a signal from the video card (which I know works).

Going with the assumption that the CPU works, it makes sense that the mobo has just lost it. Maybe a dead memory controller?
 
Good. That will be easier to replace than the CPU.

Does it figure that it would have started randomly freezing and then just died completely?

What about the fact that it seemed totally dead, and then sort of revived itself for a couple of boots before dying again?
 
I've only had one motherboard die on me and it gave me constant blue screen issues but I believe your problems could still be attributed to a bad mobo.
 
I contacted Asus and they are giving me an RMA. I'm very hopeful that everything will work properly when the replacement arrives, but even if it doesn't, I'll be that much closer to figuring out what is wrong.

Thanks for the help!
 
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