Gimme some PC help my fwiends!

[Mastakilla]

Hello guys, I was hoping if I could get any help with a very weird problem. My computer has been misbehaving lately and in the mornings it takes literally 20 attempts to get the thing to boot. When it does boot, it usually runs fine for the day, sometimes I get a BSOD (I'll provide the ones I've had so far) and sometimes the computer will just suddenly turn itself off. Right now, it's turning itself off ALOT. And I can easily replicate it by playing a video. When I play a video it seems fine, as soon as I go to stretch the window of the player (VLC Media Player, but happens with Windows Media Player too) the computer shuts off. Everytime.
Further testing shows it did it the most with a .mp4 video, also, it doesn't shut off in safe mode...

I've checked CPU temperatures, and they are around 55C, 65C at the very most. (Fine for a Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550, should be able to handle a max of 70C)

I've checked GPU temperatures and it's at 50C-55C (Seems fine for an ATI Radeon HD 4870)

I've reseated RAM sticks, doesn't make a difference

Am I looking at a PSU problem? The BSOD's always seem to suggest faulty RAM, but I think that too might come from a dieing PSU.
I've been troubleshooting to look for faulty RAM sticks, doesn't seem there's a bad one in particular, I've run with just a single stick, trying one stick after the other, nothing really helps. Sometimes it seems like it's going better but then it just catches me offguard and shut off again. Also, the cold boots are always there when the computer's been off for a while.

The BSOD's I've encountered:
Bad_Pool_Header
Memory_Management
Page_Fault_In_Nonpaged_Area

I find it very odd that I can repeat the computer shutting off every single time at the moment by increasing the size of the window I'm playing a video in. INSTANT shut down.

Those BSODs all point to memory faults, but that can be caused by the PSU aswell right?

I'm about to order a new PSU, especially if people agree that that's probably it.

Other ideas are welcome...

Mainly I'm concerned that it might be a mobo fault, but I'm sure the symptons would be worse/different?

[Dae]

I'm not a specialist in computer hardware but to me it looks like a PSU problem, yeah. Especially this:

sometimes the computer will just suddenly turn itself off

[Mastakilla]

I'm thinking so too, especially because the temperatures of GPU and PCU are fine. I'm just worried that it might be a failing motherboard aswell.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor_plague

Intermittent failure to turn on, requiring user to press reset or try turning the computer on repeatedly
Instabilities (hangs, occurrences of the "Blue Screen of Death", kernel panics, etc.), especially when symptoms get progressively more frequent over time
Memory errors, especially ones that get more frequent with time
Spontaneous restarts or resets
In on-board or add-on video cards, unstable image in some video modes
Failure to complete the Power-On Self Test ("POST"), or spontaneous rebooting before it is completed
Failure to even start the POST; fans spin but the system appears dead

Pretty much all those in bold apply
Then again, problems have been going on for at least a month, would've expected them to have gotten alot worse if in fact the motherboard was failing. Though the same could be said for PSU.

I'm having another look at the capacitors soon but I've checked before and I can't really see anything out of the ordinary. Just don't want to end up buying a PSU and it end up being the motherboard. Tho having a spare PSU can't hurt, lol.

Can't borrow any PSU either, so that sucks. Ah well. Anyone know a place for cheap yet decent PSU's? Need at least two 16 pin connectors (pci-e) for my video card and 500watt

Hardware problems are a b*tch.

[clyzm]

Corsair brand PSUs are very reliable

How old/what brand is your mobo?

[Aidan]

Until I get a call back from the military; my profession is fixing computers.


To me it sounds like a bad sector on your motherboard, or your HDD. Check to see if any of your mobo caps are toasted, they could be a brown colour. Other abnormal defects you will most likely not see, such as bad mainboard sectors.


Download a tool (you may have to torrent) called "PC Check" By Eurosoft. Scan your hardware, and it should tell you in a nutshell what it wrong.


Those BSOD errors look like HDD issues (being that it doesn't effect your power turning on and off); but the random shutting down is most likely mobo.


It could be both.


Most signs of PSU issues would be if the PC does not boot at all. However, there is a chance that some of the power pins are not outputting any energy. Only real way to see if it's your PSU is to find another one of equivalent wattage to power your PC for a long time.

[Mastakilla]

clyzm

It's an ASUS P5N32-E SLI Plus
They were released in 2007?, so I'm assuming that's how old it is.



Aidan
I'll check out PC Check, didn't know there was a software that can reliably tell you what hardware issues you're having like that, will be nice if it works

Yeah I thought the BSOD errors might come from the HDD, but it's no wonder the HDD is getting damaged with all the random power shut offs.

I wish you would've just confirmed the PSU mayne! Hardware issues do my head in.

[Aidan]

Well, you can also run an ubuntu live CD as well. Ubuntu is pretty good for letting you know if your HDD is damaged. If ubuntu stays powered on and doesn't randomly cut on you, then your HDD is the issue.

Yes, reliable software does exist for that. Most technical repair shops will actually use this software when they charge you a diagnostic fee. If it runs for some odd hours and tells you everything passed, then they usually take their own PSU, and hook it up to see if it stays on. PSU's can be hard to diagnose if you don't have a spare to test your components with.

I'll PM u a link m8.

[Mastakilla]

I've managed to exclude the HDD by connecting a different HDD this morning when I know I gotta push the power button about 30 times for the computer to turn on, still did the same thing.

Doesn't mean my HDD doesn't have issues but it's not the biggest issue I'm facing right now, lol.

I have a Ati Radeon HD 4870 sonic dual edition, it uses two 6-pin connectors (pci-e connectors, whatever you wanna call them) from the PSU, when I disconnect those the computer obviously beeps and let's me know it's not connected, but with them I don't even get to POST beep.

So that makes me have doubts between PSU, which could still be the issue, and GPU now.

Altho when connected, and restarting 20 times, computer gave me a loooong beeeeeeeeeep, so I reseated memory sticks again, and it works.

So I'm still leaning very much towards PSU, and possibly motherboard, but I don't have the moolah to replace that. So I'll just have to try PSU.

Or run the PC Check thing you sent me, Aidan, do I have to burn it to a CD and run it off that or is there an alternative? (DVD Drive is broken, too, lol)
I'm bad with software.

[Aidan]

Yes, seriously. Give that software a whirl. Yes, burn it onto a disk, and boot from the disk. if it gives you the option for a "quick check," do that. The more you post about it, the more it's sounding like a mainboard/PSU issue.

[Mastakilla]

Alright I'll have to get some empty discs tomorrow, and nick a CD/DVD-drive somewhere. That's ok.

Underclocking my GPU makes the pc more stable it seems, overclocking is guarrantee for shut down.

I'm really worried that the GPU might be the villain now?
I guess I'll see tomorrow when I run PC Check.

[Aidan]

Thing is, underclocking it could only be easing the bus-stress on your motherboard (easing the pain for a bad mobo-sector). I still don't think it's the GPU meight.

[Mastakilla]

I'm looking around for replacement parts for when I figure out what the problem is, can you recommend a cheapish alternative to the ASUS P5N32-E SLI Plus?

[Aidan]

So you're basically looking for a Socket 775 motherboard.

I would say to look for ASRock or Biostar. They aren't necessarily the greatest boards; but they do the job, and are quite cheap.

Most sites I've found are discontinued for Socket 775 though. Id say your best bet is ebay, or some shifty store not many people buy from.

If you decide to check out ebay, you might find another board like the one you already have, for around the same price.

[Mastakilla]

I'd been trying to figure out a way to get PC Check to boot from a USB drive since my DVD drive has passed away, RIP.

Anyway, not working for me and now I'm just gonna replace both my motherboard and PSU and get it over with

Hopefully in a week, maybe two, I'll be able to say it's all good again

Thanks for the help doe



Also;
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listin ... dition=new
Good replacement?
Hope it's not bigger/much bigger then my old.

[Aidan]

That's unfortunate brother. You would have to turn your USB drive into a bootable device (bootloader and such).

Yeah, I think replacing those two parts should sove your issue in whole lol. The mobo is fine m8; should do the job.

Not a problem man, anytime

Before you purchase though, do you have a spare GPU to test in your motherboard?

[-TheSpecialist-]

I'd suggest you try each ram stick separately and see if it runs stable; had that issue recently. Could be a corrupted module.

[Mastakilla]

I'd suggest you try each ram stick separately and see if it runs stable; had that issue recently. Could be a corrupted module.

Should've been more clear when I said I reseated the RAM sticks, I also tried each one individually in every slot, nothing gives

But I already conceded on getting the new parts, just have yet ordered them because money is tight and I'm actually quite fine on a shitty laptop for now

Thanks though

@Aidan, yes I have also tried a different GPU in the meantime to fully exclude that unlikely possibility of it being the GPU, same thing. I was glad because I really still love my HD4870

[Aidan]

Yeah then it's definitely Mainboard / PSU issue haha.

Shitty laptops are good too though