Problem on newly built computer...

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Jon55

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I recently helped a buddy build a new computer (used for gaming). Everything was working fine for several months up until a couple days ago. He called me yesterday and told me what's happening and, honestly, I'm a bit stumped. I've built comps. before and never had issues, but I just can't tell if it's the mobo or gpu or what.

He said one day the screen suddenly went black, but everything was still working (he could hear sound, etc.). So that problem kind of went away, then suddenly the comp. would shut off. So he'd turn it on, but a few seconds later would shut off again, then turn back on, then turn back off, then turn back on, etc.

He finally got it to turn on, and noticed a black line running through his screen (was never there before). So, he opened up his case to make sure everything was plugged in properly, and noticed the CPU fan was slightly higher on one side, and while trying to put it back in place, it broke (cheap crappy stock Intel CPU fans).

I made sure his mobo's BIOS and GPU drivers were all up to date (which they were). Another friend of ours has the same 9800 GX2 so I was thinking of swapping them and seeing if anything happens, mainly to try and narrow down where the problem's coming from.

Proc.: Intel Quad Core Q9450
GPU: BFG 9800 GX2
Mobo: Gigabyte GA-X48-DQ6
RAM: Corsair 8 GB (4 2GB sticks)
OS: Vista Ultimate 64 (w/SP1+all updates)

Again, what confuses me the most about this is that everything was working fine for a couple months, until just very recently. Thoughts?
 
PSU?
stock intel fan? boo! get a bolt thru kit for it, at least! lol.
I agree, start swappin parts to find the culprit... just be careful. ;)
 
The video display dies, the monitor has a funny looking line, so he breaks the CPU cooler? That's seriously funny.

The video card is probably dying or is improperly seated. Not surprising. I had a 7600GT do this not too long ago (would crash the whole box). Swap it out. Next, check cables and the monitor itself (though if the computer shut down, it's really not likely the monitor). Memtest is always free and it's amazing how many issues are really bad RAM.

BTW... while the intel stock fans are not the most friendly ones around, how did he manage to break one? I use one as a paperweight, it's not insubstantial. I'd be worried right now about new damage to the mobo.
 
wildfire99 said:
The video display dies, the monitor has a funny looking line, so he breaks the CPU cooler? That's seriously funny.

The video card is probably dying or is improperly seated. Not surprising. I had a 7600GT do this not too long ago (would crash the whole box). Swap it out. Next, check cables and the monitor itself (though if the computer shut down, it's really not likely the monitor). Memtest is always free and it's amazing how many issues are really bad RAM.

BTW... while the intel stock fans are not the most friendly ones around, how did he manage to break one? I use one as a paperweight, it's not insubstantial. I'd be worried right now about new damage to the mobo.
Click to expand...

Haha, yeah. He was trying to put one of the little things back into place so the fan would stay on, and the plastic piece just snapped! My other buddy had the same thing happen to him (same CPU). So yes, I'm gonna help him get a new (nice) fan.

But he said he checked the GPU and it couldn't be any more seated in there. Oh, and for the record, the black line across his screen went away not long after it appeared. Would the computer just turning itself on and off, and back on again, and back off again, and back on again, etc. really be a fault of the GPU?

I know another friend of mine who had a problem where the screen would go black (ish) but everything was still working properly. We thought it was the GPU crapping out, but it seemed to work fine when we tested it in a different machine. So we exchanged the mobo for another one (same brand/model tho) and it all works fine now. So that's what's also leading me to wonder if the Mobo just be bad?

And forgive my ignorance, but what's PSU?
 
Proteos said:
Power Supply Unit, good sir!
Click to expand...

Ah, can't remember the exact model number, but it was an Antek (modular) 800 watt.

And now that I remember, he did mention the problems would start occurring when he played Age of Conan (on max settings of course). But still, everything was working fine for months before this.
 
Jon55 said:
But he said he checked the GPU and it couldn't be any more seated in there.
Click to expand...

It's not seated right unless all the contacts are evenly sunk in. Sometimes a case will make the card sit crooked and it feels secure but you get a pin or two on the end getting close to out of the slot. Haven't seen that with PCIE so much.

Oh, and for the record, the black line across his screen went away not long after it appeared. Would the computer just turning itself on and off, and back on again, and back off again, and back on again, etc. really be a fault of the GPU?
Click to expand...
Depends. If this is Windows, it might be set to restart on a fault instead of displaying a BSOD. A bad card can cause some weird errors. Then again, if the box will throw a BSOD fine, then it starts to sound like others suggested, a PSU issue or a mobo/memory problem. Mobos going bad out of the blue (box not moved, installed, played with, etc.) is unusual IMO, but then nothing is too extreme to ignore. Could be fans or HSF fins clogged with dust somewhere.

Having this all start after playing AOC (which would heat up the gpu and vid memory) is another tickmark in the 'bad video card' category, though.
 
So it sounds like it might be graphics card issue. Does anyone know if BFG replaces their defective cards free of charge (assuming the GPU is the problem)?
 
Jon55 said:
So it sounds like it might be graphics card issue. Does anyone know if BFG replaces their defective cards free of charge (assuming the GPU is the problem)?
Click to expand...

it depends on the card. most of their high end cards come with lifetime warranty. since he has a 9800GX2, its definitely still under warranty. you'll probably have to pay return shipping, though.
 
Ok, so after getting a better look at it, there's more weird crap happening.

So when running Age of Conan, the screen will eventually go black (lose connection; you know when your turn on an LCD monitor and it says "No connection, going to standby in 5 sec." kind of thing?). Anyway, the screen goes "off", yet you can still hear sounds and whatnot, as if everything else is fine. The only way to fix this is to forcefully turn off the computer. Here's where it gets interesting. You can do one of 2 things at this point:

A) If you hold down the power button (force turn off) and then turn it back on, the GPU card fans will make a "whirling" noise (like the fans are speeding up then slowing down, then speeding up then slowing down, etc.; the kind of sound you'd think it might make if the power were to dim for a second (only it does it continuously), and the screen will remain off, but you can still hear startup sounds, etc.

B) Now if you don't hold down the power button and instead flip the switch on the actual PSU itself (clearing RAM, etc.), then flip it back on, the turn on the computer, everything works and sounds like normal...until you go to play Age of Conan again, only to have the whole cycle repeat itself.

Again, it's an 800 watt Antek PSU, so I know it's not underpowered. Faulty PSU perhaps?
 
So shortly after my post above, he returned the card to BFG for a free replacement. Months have passed by and everything has been working great. Suddenly, this week, it starts happening again.

Could the PSU be somehow frying the card? Motherboard issue? Thoughts?
 
Does it only fail when playing AoC? Is it possible the fans are misconfigured, the card is OC'd, or something is happening to cause the thing to overheat and slowly cook itself to death? Any cats in the house that are tugging on the monitor cable?
 
Jon55 said:
He said one day the screen suddenly went black, but everything was still working (he could hear sound, etc.). So that problem kind of went away, then suddenly the comp. would shut off. So he'd turn it on, but a few seconds later would shut off again, then turn back on, then turn back off, then turn back on, etc.
Click to expand...

It's pretty obvious that your computer is possessed.

Have you never seen the Exorcist?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ewu1laA2nmI
 
I agree that he should try swapping parts. Can your friend get into BIOS? Tell him to try one stick of ram at a time. Does he have a spare video card to use? I would just play with parts/combinations to first get into bios.
 
wildfire99 said:
Does it only fail when playing AoC? Is it possible the fans are misconfigured, the card is OC'd, or something is happening to cause the thing to overheat and slowly cook itself to death? Any cats in the house that are tugging on the monitor cable?
Click to expand...

No, that's the thing. He hasn't played AoC since before he got the card originally replaced. I think he's been playing WoW. And no, his tower is on a table, well venilated (he's using a Smilodon case, link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811156062), he doesn't have any pets, etc. It's something internal that's messing it up. My best guess is the mobo or, maybe, the PSU.

PC_User said:
I agree that he should try swapping parts. Can your friend get into BIOS? Tell him to try one stick of ram at a time. Does he have a spare video card to use? I would just play with parts/combinations to first get into bios.
Click to expand...

Before he replaced the old bad card, he put it in a friends comp (which has all the same parts pretty much, or at least the same specs) and it immediately started messing up so he knew it was the card.
 
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