Windows Almost Boots, Shuts Down Before Login

[Bonedancer]

Hello everyone,

I'm at my wits end with a problem I'm about to take to a local fix-it shop... but I'm too proud to do that.

When my system is working, it will occasionally just shut off. No BSOD, no error screen of any sort, just a clean power off. It happens anywhere from twice a day to once every two weeks. My system specs are located below.

When my system is not working, I can't even get Windows 7 to load. It boots, I get the option to repair (which, only the first time, will say it reverted back to a time when everything was working fine) or start normally. If I choose to repair, it restarts, then goes into the infinite loop. It restarts, if I choose repair, it says windows cannot fix the problem, and shuts down. If I choose start normally, it shows the windows loading graphics, but then I get the clean shut down right before I get to the log-in screen (don't actually ever see it).

How does it go from the first scenario to the second scenario? Well, I think its Microsoft Office. Every time I try to install it (sometimes successfully), I eventually start to have these start-up problems. But I can't be certain, I just downloaded a fresh install file today to make sure it wasn't my DVD. There are so many more details that may or may not be important, but I'll spare them for the time being.

This is a home-built computer. It should be noted that I've had this problem mostly through the life of this system (15 months), and have replaced the power supply, the RAM, and the SSD that the OS is installed on.

P55A-UD4P Motherboard
Intel i7 870 CPU
16GB Kingston 1600 RAM
OCZ Agility3 120GB USB 3.0 SSD
OCZ Agility2 60GB USB 2.0 SSD (Used for my Star Wars install)
Nvidia GeForce GTX 460 1GB
Corsair GS700 PSU
Windows 7 Home Premium
Microsoft Office 2010 Professional

I realize the shut downs sounds like a overheating issue. I wish I could go check the temperatures to let you know what it idles at, but my computer won't turn on . However, I play Star Wars: TOR at max settings and have never had a shut-down happen during that time.

I know this is a shot in the dark, but I don't know enough to narrow the problem down. It honestly makes me want to go buy a pre-built because I feel like the problem is my choice of components or some type of incompatibility.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Bonedancer

 

[mystery42]

I would have to say it’s your processor it’s the only component you said you didn't replace. Could also be a BIOs issue or faulty motherboard neither option is very cheap to fix and RMA would be the best option the trick is finding which one it is. This can also be a graphics card issue my EVGA 460GTX did this a lot to my PC they never told me what the problem was exactly just that the card was in fact faulty. The PC will shut down if it detects an issue with any of the components that may cause damage. You said it does start sometimes and you did a fresh install of windows so my guess is CPU, gfx card or motherboard. These three things are hard to find fault with as all three would have the same effect, immediate shutdown. If you have onboard graphics use them for a while if it still happens its not the graphics card. Then your down to either motherboard or CPU. In which case swapping either of them out would tell you what it is but its very expensive and would probably cost the same as going to someone to fix it for you.

 

[Bonedancer]

My gut is telling me the motherboard. Thanks for the heads up. I do not have on-board graphics, so I might just go buy a new mobo/cpu combo. If I'm gonna pay a couple hundred bucks for some schmo to "fix" anything, I might as well double the payment and get an upgrade out of it.

By the way, what is RMA exactly?

 

[Bonedancer]

As an update...

I took it to a PC repair shop, sat down with a smart dude for about 60 minutes. We tried a number of different things (he messed with a lot of BIOS settings) such as IDE/ACHI mode settings, checking processor heat sink connection, different video card, different cables....

Long story short, he thought it was either a 3rd bad OCZ SSD in a row (I've tried this on all of them), or the motherboard.

I don't have patience. So I bought a new Asus P8Z68-v PRO/GEN3 motherboard, an intel i5-2500k, an intel 520 120GB SSD, and a 2nd monitor as a treat to myself for dealing with this problem for so long.

As expected, works great. While I can't say what the problem was for certain, I can say that it was not the GPU, power supply, RAM, OS install or any accessory. It was either the motherboard or the OCZ SSD's (I'm gonna go ahead and say my i7 870 did not fail, as processors fail like 1 out of 10,000, and mobo's fail like 1 out of 4, and OCZ SSD's apparently fail quite often because they marketed way before testing).

Ok, I'm done on this thread, hope someone can gain something from this experience.