Strangest BUG! CPU Failes to RESTART. (not boot, just Restart)

[Ransome]

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/358058-31-computer-freezes-restarts-resets#t2697983

Please read some of this thread I posted, it is the same problem.

My PC, starting from today, simply decided to fail to Restart or Reset.
from time to time, it shows me this black screen (after I force restart by shuting it down):
"Overclocking failed! please Press F1 and re-adjust your system".

This is what I did the last few days: and it worked perfectly:
OC my 3570k core i5 from its starting 3.4 to 4.2Ghz. This worked great with offset of MINUS 0.025.
tempetures were 55-60. Even after long prime95, 3dmarks etc.

Tried stress at least once a day for the past few days everything worked fine, no overheat, no errors crashes etc.

Today, after some silly windows update (installing xbox controller and visual basic update) - BOOM. Fails to restart.
this happens over and over.
Whenever I restarts the screen goes black (like it should) and never goes up again. I check the mobo and see a red bright light near the Power cable and the RAM (where it is written RAM LED MEM OK).

What can I do to fix this?
I tried reducing offset. didn't work. Tried doing the oc with no offset - DIDNT WORK!.

Please help.

 

[inzone]

Uninstall the update.

 

[inzone]

If this condition keeps you from getting to Windows then reset the bios to factory and remove the battery on the MB also unplug from the wall socket and see if this allows you to enter Windows where you can uninstall the update or if the resetting of the bios fixed the issue.

 

[Ransome]

think I already did, even restored the system. But it probably got nothing to do with that, since "restart" can also be "save&restart" of bios, that also gives this black screen freeze and red light on motherboard.

Tried OCing again to 4.2 and XMP profile for RAM. Only this time I put offset on minus 0.010.
I think this is working, but who knows just yet..
How could this be? I was testing my OC for several days now...?
And now my temp in prime 95 went higher than 60.
If I OC to 4.3 with auto voltage (since - offset doesn't work) - my temps can go over 70 Celsious.

So far my Noctua NH-d14 cooling was working great, but now things have changed, are those temptures ok?

 

[Ransome]

I am trying, have installed all the updates.

But this is really weird. The bug happens more often than not, when you reset the pc while having some apps or windows open.
windows closes everything shuts down and screen goes dark, but then Red light near RAM LED MEM OK small button appears. and screen nevers goes back on.

I turn off the pc by holding the power button (reset doesn't work on this bug).
Turn it back on, and it gives me a message overclocking failed.

But I already succeded to OC and check it with the help of people in this forum. I done everything simple too. and It worked many times.

Reseting to default helps. But thats not an answer, since I want to be able to overclock my brand new gaming
pc.

Should I try pressing this Mem OK button?

Extra side note: all the Power, LED, Reset etc cables are connected to a white adapter that came with my Sabertooth z77 mobo, the adapter then pluged to motherboard power,reset, led etc pins.. should I remove this

 

[Ransome]

This bug doesn't prevent windows from coming up. It prevents the entire system from starting up, each time I restart or resets my pc.

 

[inzone]

The white adaptor is not an issue and does not need to be removed.
I know you are trying everything that you know how to do but have you tried a reset of the bios and have you tried a reinstall of windows? It may be time to start doing the major things like wipeing the hard drive so that there are no files on it at all and then delete the partition and make a new one then format it and reload Windows.
Take and un plug the psu and remove the battery then press the power button to completelt discharge the capacitiors. Maybe upgrade the bios to the nexr newest.
You can try these things one by one untill ou get the issue resolved.

 

[Ransome]

The white adaptor is not an issue and does not need to be removed.
I know you are trying everything that you know how to do but have you tried a reset of the bios and have you tried a reinstall of windows? It may be time to start doing the major things like wipeing the hard drive so that there are no files on it at all and then delete the partition and make a new one then format it and reload Windows.
Take and un plug the psu and remove the battery then press the power button to completelt discharge the capacitiors. Maybe upgrade the bios to the nexr newest.
You can try these things one by one untill ou get the issue resolved.

Reset works, I have done it hundereds of times during my OC tests.
My OC also worked, didn't went too far, but now that restart issue is new.
Not reinstalling windows and not wiping, computer is brand new, installed it a few days ago. So are the components.

** What do you mean by "remove the battery" ? Where can I find this battery? this is a stationary pc..

***Don't know whats the best and safest way to upgrade Asus Sabertooth z77 bios. I don't want to mess up my system.

 

[inzone]

On the motherboard there is a small round silver battery about the size of a silver dollar , this is the cmos battery and it keeps the bios settings active and the clock running when the pc is turned off. In order to do a complete reset of the bios you have to remove this battery along with the unplugging from the wall socket. If there is some sort of bug or corrupted file then a reset of the bios could help. Also a reload of the current bios or a bios upgrade would help in a corrupted bios file.
If your able to enter the bios Asus has a very easy way or several easy ways to update the bios , but you first have to download the bios file onto a usb stick.
Your MB owners manual will have complete instructions on how to do this and use the various update methods. But first you have to get to Windows so try the reset of the bios and see if tht helps.

 

[Ransome]

Ok thanks inzone! just wanted to update you, I think things are working fine now gw, but I am not sure.
Here is what we know - the reset and restart failures are caused by the Overclocking of the CPU.

Now I tried overclocking to 43 Core Ratio (4.3 Ghz) and using offset of + 0.015, and... surprisingly the Voltages are lower than that of Auto voltage (with offset on auto). I guess limiting the + Offset works better..

Now on Prime95 I reach a voltage of 1.2, and temptures of 57-65 (after over an hour) and I think restarts are working.

What do you say? should I keep it that way, or change anything?

 

[inzone]

There is an old saying that goes , "If it ain't broke don't fix it " . The question of whether to stop or not is entirely up to you and if you will be satisfied with what you have now.
I say it's a good speed to be at and to not change it but it's not my computer so it's back to you , are you happy with the overclock where it is.
If you decide to be stopping where your at then remember that later on when your sitting there and things are running smoothly your going to start saying to yourself , I wonder if thing are good enough now and maybe I can get a higher overclock. That's when you have to remember back to now and the issues you had and say ok but do I want to take the chance on that happening again.
These are all choices for you to make and all I can sa is to make sure you take the time to think it through before you act.
If your going to keep things the way they are then maybe it would be a good idea to reload Windows to make sure it's a clean install and nothing hanging around.

 

[Ransome]

Ok man, you have been a great help.
The old saying is ringing in my mind as we speak, so yeah, I think I will keep it that way for the time being.

As for the windows, I have no worries. I had it for less than a week, and aside for some asus and nividia drivers, few testing apps, games and windows updates, everything is new.

One more thing I gotta ask you, after playing some time in Ghost Recon FS, I quickly quit and put up Core Temp. I saw for the very instant that my temptures where more or less 50 Celsious - then they immediatly dropped down to around 30's and cooling gets slower.

Is this fine for a game? and what about the temps I told you in Prime95? are these good as well?

 

[inzone]

The thing about a stress test is it's going to put 100% load on the cpu so the temps you see from Prime will be the highest because you won't get 100% load from any game or productivity software. There are some games that are procerssor heavy but not to the point of 100% same goes for productivity so with the temps you are seeing from Prime you will be good. You can expect to see 60% to 70% of those temps , and any good cooler will dissapate the heat from those temps.
Mostly the video cards will see a lot of heat from gaming and not so much the cpu so it looks like your ready to roll.

 

[Ransome]

Good to hear it man. indeed my GPU can get to 76 +- when things are hot. But I guess it's ok.

Thanks alot for all the help and support.

Now... Let's rocks!
and good luck to you too!

 

[Ransome]

@inzone
Shoot... problem is back.

THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE! I am telling you I tested my restarts a hundred times the last 3 days, and now after a very innocent restart computer won't come back up!

It is like even with light and safe OC, the PC just says - hey I am tired of being ok with your settings - the the problem expands.

 

[inzone]

Di you end up doing any of the things I suggested? Removing the small battery and resetting the bios and once you got things working or they just started working on thier own , did you reload the bios file or update the bios. Did you reload the OS with a fresh install?

 

[Ransome]

I hope this helps anyone who might read this thread.
Updating the BIOS might just be the right solution. I think it fixed it. And I am sure it helps. It actually speed-up my boot time.
Downloaded the latest BIOS file from Asus driver website.
Formatted a USB stick to FAT32 format.
Copy only the .CAP file (other files are pdf) into the USB stick.
Inserted into regular USB port. Restarted.
Went into the bios, and used EZ Flash in the Advance>Tools of the bios.
Just pick the right file, and followed on-screen instructions and loading times.
Hope this helps.
gw.

 

[theo_60]

hi, Im installing winxp then hang then i shut it down then when i open it, it shows me nothing with black screen. then the monitor is in standby mode. what should I do, its messing me up like crazy. please anyone help me.