Computer Freezing after new Liquid Cooler Installed

[jon_hayhoe]

Hello everybody,

I have had problems in the past running a heavy load on my CPU/GPU's and having it freeze up. For instance running World of Warcraft on medium settings with stock CPU cooler I would occasionally hit upwards of 75 degrees Celsius and my computer would freeze up. So for a temporary fix I would take off the side panel and sit a box fan next to the open side blowing outwards and my CPU would drop 10C which would let me run WoW on medium settings just fine (while GPU with box fan maintains around 63C). So for a more permanent fix I recently bought one of the Corsair H50 Liquid Cooling Units, 2 additional 140mm and one additional 120mm case fan. I installed all this last night and hooked my computer back up with the side panel off and it wouldn't even load up past the windows loading screen. So with all this installed i again tried putting the box fan next to the open panel and my computer once again runs just fine. Throttle down or shut off the box fan and the computer freezes. Since the removable side panel has i think a 120mm fan that sits basically right in front of GPUs I tried plugging in the fan and putting the side panel on and it would log into windows but shortly after getting into my desktop it would freeze with the CPU running 41C and GPUs running about 60C. I don't think the CPU is overheating anymore since it wont even budge past 41C with or without the box fan. But i do think that the GPUs are overheating or I might just not be running enough power (when computer freezes i stick my hand near the CPU and it seems like its not giving off any heat, but when i stick my hand near the GPU's it seems pretty warm. I just want to be able to have the side panel closed and get rid of the box fan!!! Do you guys have any ideas on how I can fix this freezing issue or any comments on how to improve anything?

Thank you
Jon

Included all specs for my build (if u need any thing else just ask)

CASE- Cooler Master CM690 Nvidia Edition
POWER SUPPLY- Ultra Xfinity 600watt SLi
COOLING- a Corsair H50 liquid CPU cooler with fan blowing air from out side the case into the radiator, two 140mm green LED CoolMax case fans on ceiling of case blowing air out of the case, and one 120mm green LED CoolMax case fan on floor bringing air in.
MOBO- XFX 750i with SLi
CPU- Intel Quad Core Q9400 2.66ghz
RAM- 4gb Centon ddr2
GPU's- Two BFG Nvidia Geforce 1gb ddr3 9800 GT's in SLi with 260.99 driver
KEYBOARD- Logitech G510
MOUSE-Razer Naga
SOUND- Logitech G930
VIDEO CAPTURE- Microsoft V3000 webcam i think
MONITORs- one 28" westinghouse 720p monitor and one 18" SOYO monitor

 

[rubix_1011]

GPUs at 60C are not overheating. 90C+ is borderline overheating...I think the heat threshold (suggested) for nVidia cards is around 90-100C.

CPU is not overheating.

You have a hardware problem somewhere. You added case fans and the H50 (not my choice, a good air cooler would have been a better performing option for 1/2 the cost).

Did you static discharge anywhere on your components when installing anything? Did anything come loose or not securely mounted? (Reseat all cards, check your CPU cooler, although it appears to be working fine with the temps you posted.)

Your temps indicate cooling is adequate; I'd start looking into your motherboard, RAM or PSU.

 

[jon_hayhoe]

If my cooling was adequate why would a box fan, situated as to blow hot air out the open side, fix the freezing issue. Are there any good sites someone could recommend me to look at that would teach me how to multimeter the PSU, MOBO or RAM so i could rule out whether or not i had a static discharge on the components and that there working correctly, or is there an easier way?

 

[ortoklaz]

Hey jon_hayhoe have you run memtest86 ? try different PSU

 

[rubix_1011]

As you said, you added some case fans, and based on your temps after that install, they seemed within range. Before, yes, maybe you had airflow issues.

I would check out xtremesystems forums...a lot of those guys do a lot of very high-end modding of all components. They might have some insight.

Have you checked for any leaks to see if coolant got onto the board? H50/H70's are somewhat known to spring leaks.

 

[jon_hayhoe]

I can now also run WoW on Ultra settings now with new cpu cooler and box fan, where as with the stock cooler and box fan i wasnt able to push it past normal settings. How should I have the case fans set up (I have push and pull setup right now with cold air pulled from bottom and hot air pushed out the top (the rear 120mm fan is pushing air from outside straight into the radiator)). Having the box fan allows the computer to run indefinitaly, while without the box fan it would freeze loading into windows. This convinces me its a heat dissipation issue

 

[jon_hayhoe]

just want to thank u guys for replying, ill run memtest and check the xtremesystems forums. and no coolant leakage issues. (xtremesystem makes me smile since i like to think my comp is on the verge of extreme and its my baby )

 

[rubix_1011]

Yeah, can you drop in a picture? Maybe that can help sort it out. You might have fans, but what kind are they? What CFM? Do you have a lot of case clutter? Most CM cases are decent on airflow, so I was just curious...didn't seem normal.

 

[jon_hayhoe]

Heres a link to my facebook page with the pictures, if u cant get into it let me know (also i do admit theres a lot of clutter on the bottom where the psu wires come out (not a modular PSU). but i dont think overly so). Should i maybe have the cases' ceiling fans pointed inwards and let the side panel case fan expel the heat or leave it the way it sits?

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2057899&id=206201892&l=a1d9f25f15

 

[rubix_1011]

I'd say low airflow might very well be the culprit. I'd try to bundle those wires with zip ties if possible. Also, they make round IDE cables, check out Ebay or Newegg...or any PC modding site. However, most people are using all SATA these days, but round IDE cables are almost a MUST if you are using them. There are ways to slit the ribbons and make them more compact, but you have to be careful or risk cutting a wire run.

Cable management is more and more important with more powerful components as opposed to days of Pentium 3's and Athlons past.

 

[jon_hayhoe]

thank you, i will do that. Need to upgrade psu to modular, thank you for all your help and thoughts

 

[jon_hayhoe]

Best answer selected by jon_hayhoe.

 

[rubix_1011]

You might also consider staggering your HDDs in the cage so there is an empty space between them. If you don't have a fan blowing over them or one that doesn't move much air, giving them more space will help them run a little cooler by simple air convection alone.

Also, canned air is your friend...give those video cards a good dusting, along with all your fans and intake/exhaust grills or openings.