PC wont boot, need help please!

[ghiba15]

So my config is MB Asus M4a77d(latest bios), Phenom II X3 710, 2X2gb Corsair Dominator 8500C5d ver.2.1(now running only 1 module), Sapphire hd6950, PSU Corsair AX-850(850 W), Hdd WD 1Tera Caviar Black edition, and this is the problem : last night my pc freezed and i shut it off and went to sleep(it was kinda late )this morning i turned it on and it didnt boot, the screen freezed at the MB logo.tried to enter bios and again freezed.i removed hdd, unglugen almost everithing and even restarded the CMOS, nothing worked. I removed 1 RAM module and it booted, entered WIN etc. , everithing worked ok. So i thought one module got damaged or smth. i removed the working Ram and inserted the one i thought it was faulty and again it worked. i tried the same things with some older ram modules and it worked, but also with only 1 RAM inserted.

It seems like a Mobo malfunction but the thing is that it runned fine for 1-2 year or so then i remembered that, a coupple of weeks ago, i unlocked the 4th core of the CPU from bios,so that i could have an X4, and it runned ok for a couple of weeks until i started getting some blue screens and random restart(very often), so i reseted the CPU to its previos settings. So i think the ram issue might be from the CPU. i havent tested it yet with a different CPU(cause i dont have any thermalpaste).

Any ideas on how to solve the problem ?

Thanks in advance

PS: when it freezed the first time, i still was able to click a couple of times,but i could run any videos and/or audio files, and when i clicked start,shut down etc the OS shut down but the pc didnt , i mean it remained with the screen black and everithing running( fans, hdd etc) until i pressed and hold the power off button for 7 seconds

 

[soest009]

Your board has 4 dimm socket's.
Can you try the other two to see if this problem still persists ?

And can you tell us if you alternate one module across the four sockets if the problem also pop's up?
This to doublecheck if it's a mainboard or memory failure.

 

[ghiba15]

it has 4 dimm sockets, but i cant try 1 of them because my cooler is too big and "sits" over the first dimm. but i tried with different modules on each socket ( 1 at a time) and it works. only when i put 2 ram modules in it doesnt work.

 

[soest009]

ok, and where where the two dimms located, both in the black socket's ?
Or where they one in black and one in blue ?
Mixing them around doesn't give any option either ?

 

[ghiba15]

i tried mixing them and nothing. they were located in the black dimms( A2 and B2). cause , as i have said the first one (A1) is blocked by the cooler. i'm trying now to use different voltages for the cpu and ram. by the way , what voltage should i use for the CPU and ram . i know that the ram uses 2.1V and the cpu around 1.3125 or smth. should i increase the cpu volt a bit ?

 

[ghiba15]

and can you, please, help me set the timing of the ram correctly. they are on auto now, cause i dont know exactly how to set them, there are too many settings there (tcas,trcas, t*** etc) i know the timing are 5-5-5-15 at 2.1 V. PS: i am not a noob but haven't worked with this type of bios before and there are to many setting there thank you very much for you're help, i appreciate it

 

[soest009]

The fact that single dimm configuration and swooping between the both doesn't produce error's and that switching them from bank to bank doesn't give problems either would normally tell me that everything should be ok.
Only thing that i can come up with is that for some reason the system develloped issues with a dual channel enviroment.
Have you allready tried another set (if available) of memory and see how that hold's up?

You could also just to be sure have those dimms tested in another machine.

 

[soest009]

and can you, please, help me set the timing of the ram correctly. they are on auto now, cause i dont know exactly how to set them, there are too many settings there (tcas,trcas, t*** etc) i know the timing are 5-5-5-15 at 2.1 V. PS: i am not a noob but haven't worked with this type of bios before and there are to many setting there thank you very much for you're help, i appreciate it

Leaving everything on auto should normally not cause any problems.
Putting your settings on different then normal settings can only cause more problems.
so basicly, get ur rig up and running on standard settings prior to changing them.

 

[ghiba15]

ok , so if finally booted with both modules , using manual voltage for cpu 3.125 and ram 2.1 , and inserting them in the B1 and B2 socket ( one blue<<the one not blocked by the cooler>> and one black). at first it game a weird error "warning cpu voltage 768 MB" ?!, but then i restarted , reseted the voltages manually and inserted the ram as i said before and it booted. when it gave the error the ram was inserted in the A2 B1 i should mention. the thing is that , if i recall correctly it isn't recommended to insert the ram as i did(B1 B2). normally you should use A1 B1 OR A2 B2. Hmm ... i'll see if it's going to work this way , test it a bit.thank you for youre help

 

[soest009]

Actually no.
A & B are the channels.
So if you got two sticks both normally go into the A slots, 4 in both A and B.
You can refer back into the mainboards manual as well for this, it's also stated there.

So if i read everything correct, you placed the memory wrongly in the first place ?

 

[ghiba15]

Actually no.
A & B are the channels.
So if you got two sticks both normally go into the A slots, 4 in both A and B.
You can refer back into the mainboards manual as well for this, it's also stated there.

So if i read everything correct, you placed the memory wrongly in the first place ?

Yep but it worked fine for 1 year or so i think i've placed them wrong 'cause i though i couldn't fit it in the second blue socket( also because of the cooler) but i managed to squeeze it there
thank you again

 

[soest009]

No problem m8, glad to be of help

 

[soest009]

oh btw, be sure to select youre best awnser and set this topic to locked.
Since this problem now has been resolved there is no need for this thread to stay open

 

[ghiba15]

oh btw, be sure to select youre best awnser and set this topic to locked.
Since this problem now has been resolved there is no need for this thread to stay open

and how do i do that ? set this topic to locked?

 

[ghiba15]

No problem m8, glad to be of help

So the problem appeared again today, almost the same problem,with 2 ram modules, but it doesn't freeze at the mobo logo ,the screen goes black and the pc restart when i try to enter windows(at the "loading windows" screen). i have 2 windows OS's installed , win 7 32b and an Xp, and both cant load :|

got any more suggestions ? i reset the voltage's to auto(cpu and ram) and nothing. still haven't tried with a new cpu. tried with other ram and the same problem, so it not the ram.

 

[soest009]

from the sound of the problem my first guess would be either a memory or psu issue.
Did you allready try an alternate psu before ?
And try the rig with only the necessary parts connected (kb, psu, mb, mem, video, hdd).

 

[ghiba15]

from the sound of the problem my first guess would be either a memory or psu issue.
Did you allready try an alternate psu before ?
And try the rig with only the necessary parts connected (kb, psu, mb, mem, video, hdd).

the psu is new(4-5 weeks) and it runs ok,looked at the voltage's(3.3,12,etc) and they're ok(it's a reliable psu, a corsair ax850,new model, and it worked fine since i had it. i have inserted the ram in the "wrong" dimm's again(A2 and B2) and for now, it works, whit all the voltage's on auto.
this is a weird problem :|. i'll try with a different cpu tomorrow i hope.

 

[soest009]

Now it works again?

Welcome to the twilight zone.....

 

[ghiba15]

yep