Custom pc just crashed after a year of working

[elite_47]

I was playing mass effect and my pc crashed. My monitor went blank like it was not getting anything from my video card. I am pretty sure it is a hardware issue. I powered off my comp and when I tried to turn it on again, it would "power on", fans spinning, lights but no monitor activity. After 5 seconds or so it would power off and then attempt to power on again. This goes on until I flip the PS switch. It acts like it does if I had attempted to overclock and it fails. It tries to boot 3 times then reverts to default values. But in this case it never boots.

I am thinking a video card issue. How can I be sure? What else could it be? I don't exactly have spare parts laying around so I can't just start swapping out components.

I don't think comp specs are that relavent. Comp was hand built with great, quality parts and ran fine for a year or so. Please help

 

[shortstuff_mt]

Computer specs certainly are relevant. It's nice to know what we're working with. This could be a RAM problem. I would try each stick of RAM by itself in the first RAM slot.

 

[elite_47]

Q6700 at 3.34ghz
4gb 1066mhz OCZ Reaper
HD4850 512mb
I'll try the ram suggestion and post back asap

 

[dokk2]

Maybe a heat problem 5 seconds is just enough for that ,check the interface between the cpu and the heat sink especially if you are using the supplied T I M,, also check for dust?? same for the video card..

 

[shortstuff_mt]

Do you have 4 1GB sticks or 2x2GB?

 

[elite_47]

4 1gb sticks. I'll try one at a time. Dust the pc and reconnect the vidcard. Anything else to try?

 

[shortstuff_mt]

That's the first place to start. Let us know how it goes. My money is on a bad stick of RAM.

 

[shabaa]

Clear CMOS and find a differnt video card to use to test

 

[elite_47]

Alright, after a good cleaning. I took out all 4 sticks of RAM and put the first one back in. Same result. Next one, it boots. So I finish the test and then put 3 back in.

I boot to windows fine, programs work good. Then I boot a game up after a few mins of gameplay, it crashes. The bad mem crash where the sounds repeat over and over. So I take the last of the older sticks out so I just have two in.

I boot, same processes work, then to the game. I get farther, and it crashes. BSOD this time. This happens twice. Once it happened even on my desktop.

Not sure whats up, this is all high quality ram. Not sure when I'm gonna crash next and I'm afraid to boot anything too mem intensive.

On a happy note, it looks like its not the vid card lol

 

[shortstuff_mt]

Have you manually set the RAM speed/timings/voltage to the recommended specs in the BIOS? Have you run multiple passes of Memtest86+ to test for RAM errors? Memtest86+ is good for finding faulty RAM, but not so great at detecting incorrect RAM settings. I've seen RAM with the voltage set too low pass Memtest86+ but BSOD in normal usage.

What are your idle/load CPU & GPU temps?

 

[hunter315]

Burn a copy of memtest to a cd and boot off of that, use that to check your memory for errors, its possible one of the sticks has started to fail.

 

[elite_47]

I have membest86 but really only used it to test overclocked ram. This ram was set to the stock settings but I assume that they switched to auto after I switched out the ram. that could be it. I'll reset those to stock settings and try memtest86.

CPU at 3.34 is around 30 to 35 idle and 60 max on full load under prime95
GPU idle is around 40 and maxes at 70. Its got an aftermarket cooler on it. Used to max out at 90 over heavy overclocking.

I don't think temps are too much of an issue.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

Nope, the temps look good. I would continue to focus on the RAM.

 

[ubernoobie]

whats your power supply?

 

[elite_47]

2.1v is kinda high from ram isn't it? I think thats what the stock settings are supposed to be

1066mhz 5-5-5-15 timings.
OCZ Reaper HPC

 

[shortstuff_mt]

2.1v is very common for 1066Mhz RAM. If that's what the manufacturer recommends, that's what you should set it to. They will warranty it as long as you stay within their recommended specs.

 

[elite_47]

600W power supply

 

[shortstuff_mt]

WHICH 600W PSU?

 

[Shadow703793]

^Agreed. Could be PSU too esp. if it's a low quality one. My bet's on the RAM or the PSU. Could be GPU too so run the ATITool Artifact Scan and see.

 

[elite_47]

It is a NXZT 600w PSU. I've had it for as long as I've had the comp. I ran Artifact Scan and I got no errors and it never broke 70c. Even with a decent overclock. Trying to rum memtest but my cd isn't working. might have to burn another. Thanks for sticking with me guys.

I've taken two sticks out and it seems to be running fine, on to memtest.

 

[elite_47]

Few problems with Memtest86. I have a burned iso for the OCZ version, original, and the RamProbe verson. All of which dont appear when I boot my pc. This is the first time I've used memtest on a vista 64bit but other than that, i dont know why it wont run.

 

[elite_47]

Ok, for some reason I cannot boot with stable settings. I set everything to auto and run a stress test on the desktop and it crashes. Again, i watched gpu, hd, and cpu heat temps, all were fine.

Then I set the settings to 2.1v 5-5-5-15 at 1066mhz. 1.1.60 with the cpu as well. I have a P45 MSI Neo motherboard and the BIOS have always been a hassle. My BIOS have been recently updated as well.

On a side note, 2.1v is the highest i can go without the BIOS telling me that its dangerous to go past that. The mem is rated all the way to 2.3v. I can go past 2.1 but it just has that warning.

 

[Shadow703793]

Your PSU is low quality. Try a better quality PSU.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

If your RAM is rated to 2.3v then you should try 2.2v and 2.3v. The manufacturer will warranty it as long as you stay within their recommended settings. That warning doesn't really matter.

 

[elite_47]

I'll try to bump it to 2.2v or a bit higher and see if it works. I might need to look at warrenty info to see if I can replace the one or two that went bad for some reason. If I can get these to post stable anyway.

Its not a really expensive PSU but its served me great for a year and a half. Never had any problems with it. Not really ready to pump out extra cash just cause its not top grade. Why should that really matter?