desktop turns on then shuts off after 10 sec

action2288 · Jul 10, 2014

My computer turns off 10 seconds or so after turning on. I'm not sure whether or not I hear beeps. I barely get to the black screen that counts my RAM (not sure what that screen is called), and it turns off before being able to enter the BIOS.

The same result happens after I have unplugged my SSD and video card. Additionally, my ASUS Crosshair motherboard has an LCD Poster in the back. It's all gibberish now instead of the usual codes that usually display. It kind of looks like what happens when a physical calculator's screen gets messed up.

My motherboard, CPU, and RAM are significantly older than the other components. Is it possible my motherboard or CPU are dead? How do I check which one is dead? How do I proceed?

Component age:

CPU/mobo/RAM - Jan 2008
PSU - Feb 2009
GPU - Feb 2012
SSD - Nov 2013

Update: 7/22/2014

I decided to troubleshoot some more last night. And I was surprised at the results.

Since I have four sticks of memory (1 GB each), I decided to only use one at a time to see if my computer would boot up and to see if it was an issue with any of the individual memory sticks or the motherboard ports themselves. I tested out each of the four sticks individually as well as one working stick in each of the four ports. All combinations worked. Any by worked I mean that I was able to reach my desktop for the first time since it crashed and everything was fine. And it stayed on for 1-2 hours. Weird, right?

So, I queue up for a ranked game because it's the 28th day and I don't want that -10 LP decay to hit me. I 2nd pick and BOOM, my computer powers off again. This time, none of the memory sticks work when inserted individually and no port combination gets my computer back up and running.

The difference between this time and my original post is that it doesn't power off almost immediately before reaching P.O.S.T. Now, I get to P.O.S.T., see the Windows 8.1 black logo screen, then the light blue Windows 8.1 BSOD, then black, then a power down...in that order. So...wtf is going on? And is it safe to rule out the power supply, CPU, or mobo as the issue? I should have done a memtest for the 1-2 hours that my computer was running again.

ITGuyMikeP · Jul 22, 2014

The memory in question, does it work in another system? The LCD motherboard indicator you are stating it looks like a broken physical calculator, it just has random characters or is the LCD broke like if you smashed a LCD on a calculator? Sounds to me like you might need to try and unplug your computer,remove the CMOS battery for 15 minutes or so to clear it and reset your BIOS using the jumper.

action2288 · Jul 22, 2014

ITGuyMikeP :

Unfortunately I don't have another system to test this in.

As for the LCD motherboard indicator, random characters. It is not physically smashed.

What's a good resource for removing the CMOS battery? YouTube? I barely know what a CMOS battery is.

ITGuyMikeP · Jul 22, 2014

ok there may be videos on youtube. What you will need to do is take your case apart but before doing any of that make sure you unplug your machine and that you touch the frame of the case / power supply before hand to prevent any electrostatic discharge. The CMOS battery looks almost like a nickle in size and is silver, there will be a metal tab on one side of it, you will need to use a small flathead screwdriver like one from a jewelers kit and press the tab outward which will make the battery pop out. I would youtube it and see an example before doing it yourself. Also you should reset the BIOS, there is a jumper usually on the motherboard which will allow you to reset the BIOS. Once its been reset, place the jumper back in its normal position and put the CMOS battery back in and plug the power into your PC and turn it on. Hope it helps!

action2288 · Jul 22, 2014

ITGuyMikeP :

Two questions.

ITGuyMikeP · Jul 22, 2014

Two things: Hard clearing the BIOS using the jumper fixes any corruption and removing the CMOS battery will clear all retained settings. Instances where you would do this is when a PC is not booting, video is not being detected, and so on.

action2288 · Jul 22, 2014

ITGuyMikeP :

OK. I'll give this a try.

ITGuyMikeP · Jul 22, 2014

ok good luck.

action2288 · Jul 28, 2014

Well shit...my computer lives. Dumbest reason ever too.

In January I bought some Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound 3.5 Grams and sort of accidentally ended up using the entire tube at once. At the time I thought perhaps it was too much, but it was on there cleanly and my CPU temperature dropped tons. Fast forward to a month ago...my computer dies. After looking inside the tower tonight, really closely with a flashlight, I just realized that one of the two teeth that the heat sink fan hooks onto has completely snapped off. That means a slipping and sliding heat sink. Combine that with 6-month old excess thermal paste...and yeah, you guessed it. Thermal paste had gotten onto some of the socket, as well as the CPU pins, as well as other places where it probably shouldn't be.

After doing a fairly average job of cleaning it up with toothpicks, q-tips, paper towels, and 70% isopropyl alcohol, I decided to power the thing up. I only waited 15 minutes or so to let the alcohol dry. Expecting it to just fry, it actually turned on and stayed on. One caveat, the BIOS CPU temperature keeps rising, so I probably shouldn't have this turned on right now.

So, now what? This thing is obviously on its last legs, but how do I safely keep it going? Do I buy another heat sink bracket to keep the heat sink in place? Or is this thing beyond repair and will soon die?

Temps are now at:

70 CPU
45 Mobo

But I'm pretty sure the CPU temp used to hover 20-30 degrees lower, close to the mobo temp.

ITGuyMikeP · Jul 28, 2014

I just realized that one of the two teeth that the heat sink fan hooks onto has completely snapped off. That means a slipping and sliding heat sink fan" I hope you are not referring to the power connections on the motherboard, as this will be a major issue. Arctic Silver into Sockets of your CPU is no good, that stuff is conductive, hard to say what could have possibly been damaged? I would pull all parts and clean them all, remove all compound, When you say you cleaned it up, did you remove the CPU and any other components that were exposed to the compound aside from the top of the CPU which had leaked over the sides due to excess amount applied? The BIOS has temperature sensors for multiple items, not just the CPU. If your not shorting out your CPU and your temps on your CPU are not crazy like 80 degrees celsius or above you should be fine. Remember a small amount of thermal compound works, Use an old credit card and just dab it on and spread it around, really thin layer, don't go too much with it. Seems I have used old credit cards or similar to just dab what is in place and move it around and smooth it out and its fine, the stuff takes time to cure while the PC is on for maximum effect, just so you know.

action2288 · Jul 28, 2014

ITGuyMikeP :

No, I'm not referring to the power connections on the motherboard. I'm referring to the heat sink fan retainer bracket stand. I just ordered another one of THESE for under $4 on Amazon.

And yes, I removed everything and cleaned as much as I easily could. Unfortunately the compound on the socket itself just got spread around, so now half the socket looks dark grey and the other half white. I don't see a way to clean that further.

And yeah, next time I'm going to use much less compound.

action2288 · Jul 29, 2014

After a Windows 8.1 memory test that I left running overnight (not sure how to see those results), I've now started receiving this message upon logon.

NvBackend.exe - Application Error

The instruction at 0x007cb878 referenced memory at 0x007cb878. The memory could not be written.

Click OK to terminate the program

Xavier Bouttier · Jul 29, 2014

Thermal paste application size should be that of a grain of rice...

But i guess you know that now. Do not boot up your PC without proper thermal paste application and heatsink attached to it.. Without a way for the chip to evacuate heat, the thing will overheat almost instantaneously.

action2288 · Jul 29, 2014

Xavier Bouttier :

Would you recommend buying a new heatsink since this one is 6 1/2 years old? Just keep in mind that I don't see anything visibly wrong with my current heat sink and CPU fan.

Maybe something like this?

action2288 · Jul 30, 2014

Would overclocking the cpu, ram, and/or gpu be a bad idea on my system, now that it runs a little hot?

I purchased a Noctua heatsink and more thermal paste to re-apply, with the hopes of getting the temperatures down to a normal level.

action2288 · Aug 5, 2014

So, now my computer goes black the first couple of times I power it on, after P.O.S.T but before reaching the Windows 8.1 logo. Sometimes it reaches the logo but its distorted. On the 2nd or 3rd power on everything works fine, and my CPU temperatures in the BIOS are at 45 degrees, and the mobo is at 47 degrees.

When putting my computer back together, the CPU pins may have gotten bent a little. And I dropped the CPU on my carpet (while cleaning the old thermal paste off). When inserting it in the socket, it wouldn't go in at first. I dont' know if re-arranging the pins is what eventually made the CPU slide in or continuing to clean old thermal paste off the pins, but it went in.

Knowing all that and the previous stuff in my thread, what's damaged now?

ITGuyMikeP · Aug 26, 2014

Pull the CPU and look at the pins, if they are bent and do not go into the proper holes you can try and use something like a small flathead screw driver to attempt to manipulate the pins back to proper position. If the CPU isn't jacked up and pins are correct and you didn't short anything out on your motherboard I think video is bad. Flickering = video. Check your cables, really that is all I have to offer. How old is this machine? If heat sink is 6.5 years old maybe its time for a new machine?

action2288 · Aug 27, 2014

ITGuyMikeP :

Component age:

CPU / mobo + heatsink / RAM - Jan 2008
PSU - Feb 2009
GPU - Feb 2012
SSD - Nov 2013

Regarding re-aligning the pins, I already performed the exercise you mentioned in order to get the CPU to fit in the socket.

Regarding the flickering, I wouldn't say that what I'm experiencing is flickering. Just a distorted Windows logo upon sign-on. And a black screen plus inability to power-on, the first time I turn my computer on. But let's say it is "video," what do you mean by that? A bad video card or a bad monitor? Or just a bad cable?

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