Multiple Hardware problems

[ayushman9]

I m currently in Pune . I have a desktop back home ,configuration of which is given in my signature , The setup is overall 4 years old . Graphics card ,sound card & SMPS are 2 years old .

Now major connections are

Power connection -> UPS(which gives no backup) ->SMPS

PC->Sound card ->5.1 speaker
PC->Graphics card->DVI port ->LCD monitor

The CPU is run in 30% overclock using Bios settings itself ,ie the Bios provide 30% performance increase option . However no liquid cooling ,only 3 fans installed along with CPU,GPU & SMPS fan .


Installed Operating system - WIN 7 Ultimate , SP1 + Latest updates (up to last week)
Internet - Through wifi ->Wifi card installed in MB

Problems - >

1. The PC FREEZES at any random point . Normally it freezes at welcome screen /
"configuring new updates " /after loading windows ,running it for say 10 minutes.

To check whether windows is causing any trouble , i decided to restore windows through acronis rescue disk in DOS environment ,after selecting DVD-Rom as first boot device , using a backup stored in PC itself ( in a logical drive ,not c: ). After restore session begin PC freezes at 30% . So i m guessing it is definitely a hardware problem ,as the acronis environment is normally driver free ,& if i m not wrong the hard disk has gone to dark side.

2. Once this problem occurs ,the monitor suddenly losses signal . What i mean is the monitor display " Digital , Power saving mode " . Normally it shows so when computer is in sleep . Also the LED in monitor changes to orange which shows that monitor is thinking that PC is in sleep mode. However even after tapping multiples time in keyboard ,there is no change in computer ie black screen & no signal .

Also if at this stage i press "Reset" or "Power" button in CPU ,there is NO RESPONSE . What i mean is nor does the PC reset nor shutdown . If i do a cold shutdown ,by pressing the power button for a long time then the PC shut down but refuses to turn on next time (ie there is no response even if i press the power key" . The only way is to manually flip the power switch in switch box where UPS is connected off-on . I don't know how but it sort of reset the PC & it turn on next time when i press the Power key.

Now these freezing problem is comparatively new ,but the monitor losing signal is quite old ,about 2 years old . Previously i used to think that maybe ,Monitor or the cable connecting monitor to GPU is in fault . But they seem to work very well when i use them with some other CPU (Friends) .Only in My cpu this problem occurs. I have not tested my GPU in others PC ,as i don't have faith on my friends who seems to overclock every thing that they can lay hands on .

3. A seemingly new problem has also start occurring . Whenever this freezing problem occurs in windows ,& speakers are on ,suddenly a screeching noise of atom bomb level becomes to come from speakers ,all 5 of them . This does not occur if i use the inbuilt sound chip of motherboard or if i degrade the sound quality from 96000 KHz to 44000 KHz . But I don't think that sound card or speakers are culprit as they don't have their own brain unlike graphics card . This problem get solved for few days if i reinstall the drivers ,but whenever the freeze occurs that sound occurs . If the speakers are connected to internal sound card ,then if at that time freeze occurs the atomic scale sound does not come.

To check whether might be GPU is culprit ,one day after the monitor lost signal ,i opened up the cabinet . Both CPU & GPU were working ,with their respective Fans rotating . So i just could not understand what is happening .

Also once in a while my sister said she smelled a burning smell near my PC ,though when she investigated or when i investigated later ,no smell was present . Incidentally the freeze problem began to occur a few months after this burning smell . Though the "Lost signal " was from a great while ago .

Once some body told me that this problem is due to inadequate power supply . Previously i was using the inbuilt cabinet SMPS of 420 or 450 . Now i have a Zebronics platinum series SMPS that is 500W (bought 2 years ago) & instead of a small exhaust fan in normally smps ,it has a big one facing downwards . However even after installing the Performance SMPS ,i m having the problem . The truth in these 2 years i have not even played High - Performance games in a while ,in fact the only thing why the pc is being used ,is to test java programs as my sister is pursuing her BE-Computer & to see movies once in a while . Does these 2 jobs have so much power consumption capacity , this i m unable to digest .

Also so far as i know from last 1 year the PC is not even running in overclock condition as whenever this freeze problems occur it seems bios reset it self to factory settings.

Please suggest What might be the Problem ? Or should i say What might be the problems ?

[ayushman9]

After so many days also ,there has been no solution ,which is sort of strange . But i believe the problem may be posing a little difficulty i assume.

Ok here's another observation . I came back yesterday ,& saw the problem happening with my own eyes . No What i did was i fully dismantled the CPU ,right till last nuts ,cleaned every damn corner & reassembled it .

Even after doing this the problem occurred . However the sudden freeze & abnormal sound stopped but the "Monitor lossing focus " problem continued . Now at one point even after booting ,right at the beginning this problem occurred ie i just could not log on into windows.

Now i thought of doing an experiment . I heard that it may be due to faulty Ram . I have 2 ram slots with slot 1 having 1 GB DDR2 ,Slot 2 having 2GB DDR 2. Basically just for fun ,i removed ram from slot 1,& LO BEHOLD ,the pc ran flawlessly without any hindrance .

I thought maybe the ram was faulty,so i replaced the ram in slot 2 & fixed it in slot 1 . Again the problem of monitor losing focus happened . Then i installed Ram 1 in slot 2 ,& the PC booted flawlessly.

So i deciphered that not the ram but rather ram 1 slot was faulty . Now i think

-> Slot 1 is an inherent part of of MB ,& if i m correct than it can't be repaired & even if repaired then the repair cost will be higher than what i can buy a new motherboard.

->Maybe ram 1 slot was starting symptoms ,& gradually the MB is deteriorating . That means i have to be ready that any day MB+Processor+Ram may die out.

I need to say again after removing ram from slot 1 or rather keeping it empty ,solved the problem at least till now. But i just could not understand ,if ram 2 slot was working ,then can a faulty slot can hinder working of other slot too . That is confusing since these are joined in parallel .

Please comment this time

[asingh]

The slots are independent if one is empty. Seems like you have a bad slot. Try both DIMMs in the slot you think is fine..then try them only in the slot which is suspected.

[ayushman9]

Originally Posted by asingh

The slots are independent if one is empty. Seems like you have a bad slot. Try both DIMMs in the slot you think is fine..then try them only in the slot which is suspected.

Well as i said i m sure of it.

Slot 2 - Any ram works
Slot 1 - Any ram - PC won't boot up,send signal
Slot 1 + slot 2 - Same effect as using slot 1 only

So my question is how much more time before My MB will die completely ?

[doomgiver]

hmm, nice to see someone actually going thru the troubleshooting process.

if there is no major load on your system, you still might get a few years out of your box.

otherwise go for a new amd combo. some people went for am2/am3 too soon, and missed out on bulldozer. now they will want to upgrade to it and will be selling off their cpu+mobos. i say this would be a good time to acquire a system.