BSOD...and won't power on for 60 seconds....help!

[hulkster]

okay so heres the deal.  i built my pc about 2 years ago, and its been great.  a couple of days ago, i was playing fallout 3 (ive already logged at least 65 hours into the game) and it blue screened on me.  it rebooted, and i though "well thats vista for you.  oh well".  i thought it might be the processing and graphics and what not for the game and stuff so i just dismissed it. 

well then i had a blue screen right in the middle of just surfing the net.  problem here was, after it blue screened....i had to hold down the power button to do a force shut down.  but then when i tried to power back on after waiting about 10 seconds, it would power on (activity light) but nothing on the screen.  if i waited about 60 seconds or so, i could power it up and it would boot back into windows.  however, after a few minutes, it would blue screen again and i would have the same problem as before.  have to wait a few minutes before it would power on COMPLETELY. 

so my first thought was the power supply.  i went to best buy (cuz troubleshooting components and having to pay shipping and RMAing and all that sucks) and bought a replacement psu.  550w thermaltake.    i took the old one out, put the new one in, and when i powered on i thought i was hearing more case fans this time...as in it was louder than usual.  so i was relieved for the moment, and then proceeded to download the new expansion pack for fallout 3.  i got it downloaded, installed, and i started playing.  about 2 minutes into the game...another blue screen....same power problem as before.

so what am i looking at here?  cpu failure?  mobo failure?  cpu fan failure?  ram failure?  the ram i have in my pc is relatively new and has been working since christmas so i doubt thats it.  any suggestions??  im hitting the wall here 

[knave]

It sounds like a heat issue. I would replace the thermal paste between the CPU and heatsink with some arctic silver.

A few other things to try...

You could do the same with the Graphics card or test with a different one.

Then test with different ram/ram slots.

[hulkster]

It sounds like a heat issue. I would replace the thermal paste between the CPU and heatsink with some arctic silver.

A few other things to try...

You could do the same with the Graphics card or test with a different one.

Then test with different ram/ram slots.

hmmm....okay ill try the paste thing.  the heatsink i have is the stock heatsink btw....but im not doing any overclocking so i never thought it necessary to get some crazy big cpu heatsink. 

[HaRuMaN]

If you are going to replace the thermal compound (which is a good idea), make sure you clean the area first.  Use rubbing alcohol on both the CPU top and CPU cooler to remove all the old paste (dip a Q-tip in alcohol, and rub).

Stock CPU cooler is generally OK if you aren't overclocking.

[hulkster]

If you are going to replace the thermal compound (which is a good idea), make sure you clean the area first.  Use rubbing alcohol on both the CPU top and CPU cooler to remove all the old paste (dip a Q-tip in alcohol, and rub).

Stock CPU cooler is generally OK if you aren't overclocking.

yeah the only problem now is finding some....but i guess ill just order off newegg.  ill need some anyway eventually i guess.

oh and btw HarumaN, i think your "anti-new thread" gif is absolutely hillarious. 

[HaRuMaN]

oh and btw HarumaN, i think your "anti-new thread" gif is absolutely hillarious. 

 

[ark_ader]

Vista doesn't like being powered down right in the middle of something.  Vista will do that for you after taking the dump. 

If you do power it down and restart, go and make a sandwich, play some Robotron until it comes back up.

I don't think it is thermal, more like memory issues or driver issues.  BSOD can also be software related.

Glad you went for a better PSU and I hope you cleaned out your case while you were at it.  Try going into safe mode with networking to see if you can replicate the error.  Get rid of the display drivers and get new ones from the said website.  Make sure you remove the drivers and shut down leaving the default ready upon boot.

Other than that I would forget about servicing, just get XP on it on a spare drive to see if it is indeed your hardware.

You could do a recovery with the Installation Disc...

Repair is costly and most of the time unnecessary (but I didn't tell you that) as most of the cost goes to the tech. 

[hulkster]

well i did get an error when i was able to actually get to the desktop giving me something about USB drivers causing the problem.  i plugged in a PS2 keyboard to see if that maybe the issue, but it still crashed.  the only thing usb i had plugged in was the mouse.  i dont want to do a clean install, but at this point i may try it just to save myself the trouble/money.  a clean install is always good to do every now and then anyway.  thats why i have 2 hdd's!  only thing i have to make sure of is that my fallout 3 save stays intact.  i installed that on my secondary hdd so i should be okay as long as the save file is stored in the same directory.  but i guess tonight ill try that....and if it fails during the clean install and reboots then i know ive got a hardware problem.  yay.

thanks for the tips guys.  really appreciate it.

[DaOld Man]

I downloaded Firefox 3.0.5 which I am pretty sure is giving me the BSOD and rebooting my computer.
It seems to only happen when I have firefox up, so Im running IE now, just to see.

[RayB]

BSOD could be due to faulty RAM stick too.

[SavannahLion]

BSOD could be due to faulty RAM stick too.

Go get MemTest86. You can find it at http://www.memtest86.com/ The site looks commercial, but the free version is still in the download section.

I've never used it but there's a fork at http://www.memtest.org/

It sounds like a heat issue. I would replace the thermal paste between the CPU and heatsink with some arctic silver.

A few other things to try...

You could do the same with the Graphics card or test with a different one.

Then test with different ram/ram slots.

To diagnose heat you have a super easy test if you have a Floor Fan and not one of those sissy air ionizers. Knock the cover off the PC, position the fan right up to the open PC and turn it on anything other than low. Then proceed to do whatever you do to get the BSOD. If the PC stops seizing or takes a long time to BSOD, it's heat. If it still BSOD's a couple of minutes in, it's a different problem. 

[hulkster]

k so ive ordered some arctic silver from newegg.  but here's an update to my problem:

i was going to boot the pc up last night into safe mode so i could uninstall usb drivers and vid card drivers in hopes that that would be the problem.  i push the power button on my pc, light comes on, i hear fans, but nothing on the screen.  (this is a new psu btw).  so im worried that ive overheated my cpu because of the stock heatsink has lost its thermal goopy stuff or something. 

to me...this is still a heat issue because now i cant even get to POST.  i guess it could still be a vid card issue but its a new card thats been running fine since around christmas time.  i havent tried a different card yet because i dont have a spare lying around, and my mobo doesnt have any onboard video.  i guess thats the new standard these days??  anyway, im thinking its not the psu, but rather the mobo or cpu...or i guess it could be the vid card.  argh.

[lanman31337]

any way you can write down the stop code and the executable that's flaking out on you when it BSOD's?  Should also be a .dmp file each time it blue screens, check those, and let us know.

[hulkster]

any way you can write down the stop code and the executable that's flaking out on you when it BSOD's?  Should also be a .dmp file each time it blue screens, check those, and let us know.

i would love to....cept i cant even get anything to show up on my screen now.     like, i hit the power button...i see the blue light on my antec case, i hear some fans whirring...and....that's it.  no post, no beeps, no nothin.  so its like its running but not really.

[hulkster]

Dude just get a motherboard/processor combo and spare yourself the continued agony.

I went through all this BS and after about 20 hours of screwing with it, I spent $45 and solved the problem.

$45??  what heck are you building your pc for?  to play minesweeper?

if i replaced my mobo and cpu, its a 2 year old rig so im already looking at an upgrade if i have to replace both.  and if i am going to replace them, id get something that will last me at least another 2 years.  i found a combo deal at newegg for a 4core amd cpu w/ asus mobo for $318 plus tax and shipping and im looking at around $350 to "spare myself continued agony". 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.155228

im almost there but im going to try a couple of additional things before i drop $350 on a problem.  i want to make SURE its the mobo and cpu and not because i havent seated something all the way, or psu connetion is bad or whatever.

[knave]

I've had the  this exact think happen to two other PC's and in both cases the thermal "pad" solidified and no longer transfered heat from the CPU to the heatsink. In both I applied Arctic silver and the PC's are still up and running strong as ever years later. This may not be your problem but at the cost of a tube of arctic silver which you can use many times its worth it. And yes you do want to clean all of the gunk off from the old thermal compound...I used a credit card to scrape most of it off and then alcohol. I also use the credit card to apply the new paste.

[lordtodd75]

1 - make sure all of your fans are running, especially your processor fan. I did not see this mentioned.

2 - take lithium battery out that powers the cmos. wait about 10 to 15 minutes. put it back in and try to boot up.

3 - remove all hardware not needed ie. graphics card (if you have onboard), sound card (same), all but one stick of ram. boot up

let me know what happens when you try all of this.

[hulkster]

I've had the  this exact think happen to two other PC's and in both cases the thermal "pad" solidified and no longer transfered heat from the CPU to the heatsink. In both I applied Arctic silver and the PC's are still up and running strong as ever years later. This may not be your problem but at the cost of a tube of arctic silver which you can use many times its worth it. And yes you do want to clean all of the gunk off from the old thermal compound...I used a credit card to scrape most of it off and then alcohol. I also use the credit card to apply the new paste.

well thats a breath of fresh air.  thanks!  i HOPE this is my problem.  i ordered arctic silver today from newegg....and since they have a distribution center or shipping center or whatever only 2 hours from my house...i should get it tomorrow.

anyway, so this is what happened to you right?....

1.  normal pc with vista 32bit until one day, blue screen.
2.  dismissed blue screen as fluke, but it happened again.  this time it would power back on but monitor would say "no signal" and didnt sound like all fans were running
3.  have to wait 60 seconds or so before power on again...and then....blue screen after in windows for a few minutes
4.  now, will power on, but cant get anything on screen

so that all happened to you and you just cleaned off old gunk, put on new paste and all is well?

[hulkster]

$45??  what heck are you building your pc for?  to play minesweeper?

Guess I shouldn't be surprised that someone with a half naked man as his profile pic would be so fussy.

nah, not being fussy, just realistic.  $45 aint gonna get you crap....well i take that back, it will get you actual crap for a mobo.  but hey, if netbook type performance meets your needs, then have at it.

[hulkster]

Dude you cooked your processor. 

MAYBE 

seriously though....i never overclock anything, and this is the 10th custom pc ive built for gaming and other stuff.  ive always used the stock intel/amd heatsink and never had a problem like this.  this is the first time ive had a heat issue that wasnt psu related or something more obvious. 

[knave]

anyway, so this is what happened to you right?....

1.  normal pc with vista 32bit until one day, blue screen.
2.  dismissed blue screen as fluke, but it happened again.  this time it would power back on but monitor would say "no signal" and didnt sound like all fans were running
3.  have to wait 60 seconds or so before power on again...and then....blue screen after in windows for a few minutes
4.  now, will power on, but cant get anything on screen

so that all happened to you and you just cleaned off old gunk, put on new paste and all is well?

Aside from me using XP yup that's pretty much it. In my case the CPU shut down before burning up each time. Your miliage may vary. You do want to make sure your fans are spinning  though.

[hyiu]

I got similar experience before... it turns out its my ATI graphics card overheated...

the pc would shut down by itself in the middle of things... and so on....
and finally died....

it was fine when I was only using 1 screen... I added a 2nd screen, and it starts overheating.... turns out the graphics card is a little dusty... I guess I'm partly at fault...

I replaced the graphics card, and installed 3 extra fans, opened the case, and now my pc is kinda like a wind tunnel.... no more overheating for sure....

and no more phlm ever since...

good luck...

[hulkster]

I got similar experience before... it turns out its my ATI graphics card overheated...

the pc would shut down by itself in the middle of things... and so on....
and finally died....

it was fine when I was only using 1 screen... I added a 2nd screen, and it starts overheating.... turns out the graphics card is a little dusty... I guess I'm partly at fault...

I replaced the graphics card, and installed 3 extra fans, opened the case, and now my pc is kinda like a wind tunnel.... no more overheating for sure....

and no more phlm ever since...

good luck...

well my gfx card is only a month old so im gonna be pissed if it screwed up.  i dont have another card really to test with so im not sure what to do there.  maybe ill borrow one from a friend or something, dunno. 

as far as having case fans and stuff....ive got plenty... heres my case http://www.antec.com/usa/productDetails.php?lan=us&id=81800  and heres the blurb on all the fans connected:

Cooling System:
- 1 rear (standard) 120mm TriCool Fan with 3-speed switch control
- 1 top (standard) 120mm TriCool Fan
- 1 lower chamber (standard) 120mm TriCool Fan
- 1 front (optional) 120mm fan
- 1 middle (optional) 120mm fan to cool graphics cards
- Upper drive cage can be used as a duct to provide fresh air to graphics cards

it should be enough but i do have the fans on low/mid speed i think.  maybe once i fix my problem, ill up the fan speed.  so my thermal goop comes in today so when i get home ill put that on there and say a little prayer and hope it comes up.  if not.....i guess ill try replacing the gfx card and hope thats the problem.  ugh.

[knave]

All the case fans in the world won't do you much good if your CPU, heatsink and CPU fan arn't connected and working properly.

[ark_ader]

All the case fans in the world won't do you much good if your CPU, heatsink and CPU fan arn't connected and working properly.

That's not true you can always make the best meal of the day on it.



That's the best smiley face you can get at 5am in the morning.

[orion]

That's the best smiley face you can get at 5am in the morning.

You must be single 

[hulkster]

did anyone ever see that episode of the Screen Savers (old techTV) where they showed how hot the cpu can get without a heatsink?  one of the guys put like aluminum foil tightly around the cpu (no heatsink) to kinda make a box around it.  and then turned the computer on, and cracked an egg...and cooked it on the cpu.  ha. 

[SavannahLion]

did anyone ever see that episode of the Screen Savers (old techTV) where they showed how hot the cpu can get without a heatsink?  one of the guys put like aluminum foil tightly around the cpu (no heatsink) to kinda make a box around it.  and then turned the computer on, and cracked an egg...and cooked it on the cpu.  ha. 

There was an article about it. It's fake.. sort. In the article it was explained they didn't actually have a stable system. Or even a system for that matter. IIRC, he had to use a CPU model that didn't have the thermal fuse built in. At the time I think it was some old ass Pentium or a later model AMD and he either modified the motherboard or wired up a regulator to the CPU to run it. it's been a while since I heard of someone doing that.

[hulkster]

so my arctic silver goop came in today.  i applied it and.....nothin.     still nothing on the screen.  so i thought, well maybe its my gfx card.  i took my gfx card out and put it in a pc i brought home from work with a known working pci-e slot.  and the gfx card worked fine.  SO....the only other components i have left to replace/test are the hard drives, cpu, mobo, and ram. 

however, if it were the hdds, or ram...i would at least get a post of some sort.  but im getting nothing on the screen which leads me to believe its the cpu. 

so what should i do?  should i go ahead and upgrade my asus p5b deluxe mobo with 2.4ghz core 2 duo cpu?  or should i try to order another core 2 duo in hopes that it will solve my problem?  id rather not spend the money right now to upgrade...but i will if necessary obviously.

[orion]

so what should i do?  should i go ahead and upgrade my asus p5b deluxe mobo with 2.4ghz core 2 duo cpu?  or should i try to order another core 2 duo in hopes that it will solve my problem?  id rather not spend the money right now to upgrade...but i will if necessary obviously.

That would only make sense if you knew for sure it was the CPU and the motherboard was fine. Good news is that Duo cores and the motherboards that support them seem to be fairly inexpensive these days.


"nah, not being fussy, just realistic.  $45 aint gonna get you crap....well i take that back, it will get you actual crap for a mobo.  but hey, if netbook type performance meets your needs, then have at it."


That's why I am skipping the whole vista thing and just waiting for 7.... which I hear runs just fine on netbooks BTW.

[hulkster]

i looked up the cheapest core 2 duo cpu on newegg and here it is http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115206 ....$119!  i could get an amd quad core with mobo for around $300 or less.

at this point its a better investment to replace my cpu and mobo...at least in my opinion.  what do you guys think?

btw, this is my gaming rig that im using to play fallout 3, and soon...diablo 3. 

[knave]

Replacing the Mobo and CPU is a good option...I would see if the ram is good first plus make sure it is compatable with the new Motherboard if you plan to reuse it.

Just a fleeting thought...I once had a PC that would not boot due to a grounding issue. But baring that I'd still check the other components.

 take the upgrade route, I think newegg has some pretty good deals.

[hulkster]

k update....

im typing on the formerly known as BSOD pc.   

yeah, so i read some stuff on the internet today about people having the same problem with this mobo.  resetting the cmos ended up letting me post again.  i think....just think.....it has something to do with this mobo and the way it handles more than 3gb of ram.  im not sure at this point, so im just working on one stick...2gb of ram total. 

so im not sure whats going on yet because ive only left the pc up for a few minutes.  so we'll see.

[lordtodd75]

1 - make sure all of your fans are running, especially your processor fan. I did not see this mentioned.

2 - take lithium battery out that powers the cmos. wait about 10 to 15 minutes. put it back in and try to boot up.

3 - remove all hardware not needed ie. graphics card (if you have onboard), sound card (same), all but one stick of ram. boot up

let me know what happens when you try all of this.

guess you missed my post. you could have got to this point a long time ago  glad you are finally getting somewhere without having to spend cash.

edit: for spelling mistake

[hulkster]

1 - make sure all of your fans are running, especially your processor fan. I did not see this mentioned.

2 - take lithium battery out that powers the cmos. wait about 10 to 15 minutes. put it back in and try to boot up.

3 - remove all hardware not needed ie. graphics card (if you have onboard), sound card (same), all but one stick of ram. boot up

let me know what happens when you try all of this.

guess you missed my post. you could have got to this point a long time ago  glad you are finally getting somewhere without having to spend cash.

edit: for spelling mistake

well i know it sounds like i wasnt listening but the kicker was the resetting the cmos.  see, i upgraded from 2gb to 4gb of ram and was working FINE for a month.  then all of a sudden the blue screens.  after a few reboots and stuff testing other components other than ram, it got to the point where it wouldnt post at all.  yes i tried taking out all but 1 ram stick, but because my mobo is half retarded.....it doesnt have an onboard speaker.  so theres no way to hear system beeps or anything.  yes i promise, i checked the manual and forums to be sure.  so i tried everything everyone said but because of weird circumstances it seemed like the ram wasnt the issue.  make sense??   

[RayB]

Speakers are never (well, in my experience never) on the motherboard. It always comes with the tower/case and you just hook it TO the motherboard where it says "speaker". This is a standard feature.

[hulkster]

eh....well theres nothing like that on my motherboard....as in...no place to plug it in.

[shmokes]

I didn't read the whole thread, but I think you're video card is failing.  For one thing, that's the component you were taxing when the problem first appeared (and the power supply is ruled out already).  Secondly, when you rebooted the computer powered on but nothing came on the screen.  The video card is the very first thing to be initialized at power on, even before the POST (otherwise you wouldn't be able to see your computer POST).  While I've seen bad RAM cause a computer to do the same thing, my gut still tells me that your video card is the culprit.

[hulkster]

I didn't read the whole thread, but I think you're video card is failing.  For one thing, that's the component you were taxing when the problem first appeared (and the power supply is ruled out already).  Secondly, when you rebooted the computer powered on but nothing came on the screen.  The video card is the very first thing to be initialized at power on, even before the POST (otherwise you wouldn't be able to see your computer POST).  While I've seen bad RAM cause a computer to do the same thing, my gut still tells me that your video card is the culprit.

its possible but im up and running now and just played some fallout 3 with no blue screens.