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Strange Asus Ati 4850 behavior

C

chargercrazy

n00b
Joined
Jul 8, 2008
Messages
8
This may sound really weird, but it's happening. The machine will not boot standing up. If I lay it on its side sometimes it will. I think the problem is with the video card. I have installed it in both slots on my P5Q Pro and it doesn't make a difference.

After placing it firmly in the slot it still wiggles up and down (top to bottom with machine on its side). Sometimes this is a problem, sometimes not. I guess it depends on how much vibration there is to work it loose.

I cannot run Prime95 or IBT for any length of time without them freezing. I cannot run Memtest for any length of time without it restarting or freezing. Sometimes it even freezes in the BIOS.

I don't have another video card to test with, but I assume it's the video card and not the motherboard. This problem didn't start until I replaced my Coolermaster HyperTX2 with pushpins with the Xigmatek cooler with the Crossbow kit.

Any ideas?
 
So you run CPU and RAM tests which fail( in addition to random lock-ups) just after you mounted another CPU cooler, and somehow jump to the conclusion that it's the video card? Maybe there's something you've not mentioned in your post to make you suspect it's the VC, but from what you've written I'd advise that you remove the CPU cooler and the CPU, then install it again as good as you can, making sure you apply the right amount of cooling paste and that the cooler is properly mounted.
 
I have remounted the CPU cooler twice already. If something was wrong there, could I even boot into windows? It's not the temps either because on stock settings I haven't seen them go out of the 40s.

If it's not the video card, what would cause the machine to boot on it's side but not even POST while it's standing up?

At first I thought it could be the metal back of the bolt through kit was shorting against the case. If that was the case, it wouIdn't POST, correct? I placed a piece of cardboard in between it and the case to make sure it wasn't touching. Same behavior. I guess I could try the push pins again and see if it makes a difference.

I have run memtest and all the RAM is ok when memtest does not freeze. As soon as IBT or Prime95 reach 100% on all 4 cores, everything freezes. This is on stock settings for everything. I originally thought it was RAM, but I tested each stick by itself in each slot, then both in each pair of slots. When memtest didn't freeze, everything was ok, no errors.

Knowing all of this, what do you think I should do next?
 
I doubt it's the video card, sounds like it has to do with the cooler considering you installed and then you got the issue. Why not just put the old cooler back on, so that you can eliminate that from the equation. Maybe be a separate issue but when you said it froze with all four cores at 100%, it makes me think it is either: unstable due to overclocking, overheating due to improper installation of cooler, or the psu is not enough to handle the new fan+rest of system+overclocking??

P.S. cardboard isn't the greatest insulator in the world, depending on what voltage would be at that point i'm sure it could arc through cardboard.
 
Lock-ups from utilizing 100% of the cpu usually comes from overheating( which you said you didn't believe was a problem ) or not enough juice to the CPU and/or RAM. You could try manually upping the voltages, although that might not be wise if you actually have a shorting problem.

Have you tried just removing the video card, then seeing if the computer boots while standing up? Obviously you can't see anything, but you should be able to hear the HDD working as it loads windows.
 
1. How is the card moving up/down? Do you not have the slot screw installed? Or is it a clamp system and the clamp is not holding it tight?

2. Has this been happening since the computer was built or did it just start happening? How long ago was the computer built? N/M... happened when cpu cooler was replaced.

3. Have you tried cleaning off the slot connector on the video card? A regular pencil eraser works very well to clean connectors on add-in cards, RAM, etc.

4. Is the card actually going all the way down in the PCI-E slot? Or is it angled from front to back?

5. With it booting when laying on it's side and not standing up, it sounds like maybe the cooler bracket is causing a short on the back of the board. It could also be a motherboard standoff is causing a short.

6. What about the screws that hold the motherboard to the standoffs? Do any of them have a head that is larger than standard size?

It could be that there is a faulty solder connection on or around the CPU socket and the cooler is putting enough force on the board to flex it enough for the faulty connection to lose connection when the computer is standing up.
 
After removing the backing plate and cursing while installing the push pins, everything seems to be okay now. It even boots standing up. Thanks everyone for your help. I guess I just really didn't want it to be the backing plate because it was so much easier to use than those stupid push pins.

I wonder why Xigmatek would sell the Crossbow kit if it causes problems?
 
Odd problem. I hated the push-pins that followed with my Xigmatek too, so I bought a Thermalright 775 bolt-thru kit. No problems with that one.
 
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