First time build - strange problems

[Voss]

I built this computer in November...

* AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition Deneb 3.4GHz Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor (Model: HDZ965FBGMBOX)
* ASUS EVO AM3 AMD 870 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 AMD Motherboard (Model: M4A87TD)
* GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 460 (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card (Model: GV-N460OC-1GI)
* G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory (Model: F3-12800CL7D-4GBRM)
* Western Digital Caviar Black 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive (Model: WD5001AALS)
* SAMSUNG 22x DVD+/-R CD/DVD Burner Black SATA (Model: SH-S223C) - OEM
* COOLER MASTER HAF 922 Black Steel + Plastic and Mesh Bezel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case (Model: RC-922M-KKN1-GP)
* CORSAIR 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply (Model: CMPSU-650TX)

and have had strange problems ever since. For months, the computer would restart whenever I would connect a headphone jack or a USB connector to the front panel. And what was even stranger was that it would restart the instant the jack or USB came into contact with the outside edge of the port, before any data could be transmitted - as if the problem was electrical in nature.

Coupled with this were BSODs, which would happen about once every other day, but which did not show up until late December.

I could live with this until last weekend, when the computer got caught in an infinite boot cycle. It would get to the ASUS screen, then power down, then boot up back to that screen, etc... I *thought* I fixed this by finally disconnecting the front panel from the motherboard (save for the power and HDD leds). Then the computer was fine, except for the BSODs, and the fact that it wouldn't boot up the first time I would turn it on: it would get past the ASUS screen, but it wouldn't load Windows and the screen would remain black. I always had to do a hard reboot, after which the computer would run fine...until tonight.

Yesterday, the computer was fine; I played Bad Company 2 for several hours with no problems. This evening, however, I have gotten 5 BSODs or freezes, and the computer has gotten into an infinite power up-power down cycle twice. When I break out of the cycle, Windows and the computer seem to be fine - until the next BSOD.

I cleaned the computer out last week, so it isn't overheating. The highest the CPU temperature I have seen has been 52 C, with the motherboard at ~30 C and the GPU fine as well. The CPU idles at ~30 C.

I have Windows 7 64, and am using the latest BIOS, and Nvidia drivers from December. Also, I hooked up the 3 case fans directly to the PSU, so they run all the time; I don't know if that's important or not. Virus and malware scans have revealed nothing. The computer runs fine when it's running fine.

Here is the latest BSOD:

SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED 0x1000007e ffffffff`c0000005 fffff800`031fe0f3 fffff880`031b6918 fffff880`031b6180 cdrom.sys cdrom.sys+bbb4

Does anyone know what the problem(s) might be?

Thanks

*edit* I forgot to add that immediately preceding last week's problem, my mouse started acting very strangely - the pointer went where I wanted it to go, but it kept scrolling down without my input. After I "fixed" the computer, the same mouse offered no problems.

 

[Guest]

Most likely it's a defective motherboard. I'd RMA it. See if that helps.

 

[jerreddredd]

a bad MB or a bad ground on the PSU or MB.

This is dangerous if you don't know what you are doing, proceed with caution :

use a voltmeter (looking for 120v AC first then 12vDC) and test ground (in the wall circuit is one place to use for ground) to the the chassis of the system or around the outside metal parts of the usb ports. if you find voltage this would be bad.

yes, I mean stick the black lead in the ground portion of the wall circuit and the take the red lead to the chassis of metal part of the usb port.