22ndSAS PC Gaming Clan

The last couple of days I've had issues with sudden PC shutdown crashes.
Last night I cleaned out the case and put everything back the way it was. (apart from the DVD-ROM drive EDI cable)
But at bootup the PC starts up (fans running/led's on) and the monitor won't detect a signal.

I've tried several things (without success):
- PSU off switch and unplugged all cables.
- RAM removed.
- GPU in secondary PCI-E slot
- GPU different powercable
- Reseating CMOS battery (no idea where the jumper is located)
- Tried a different monitor

The only thing I haven't tried is using a different GPU, but I don't have one
And all the other PC's in our house dont have a PSU with the right connectors (PC's are old and PSU not enough watt)

As for BEEP'ing sounds, it gives non.
Only when I disconnect the GPU powercable it gives the standard sound when turning the PC on.

You can find my specs here

So have any of you got an idea what the problem could be? Or tips to find out?

Does your GPU have any diagnostic LEDs on the PCB that light up to indiciate an issue with power, seating in the slot or other?

Can you try your GPU in a mates PC? or do you have a mate with an old card knocking about that is compatible with your mobo/psu?

Its one of 4 components IMO:

:: PSU (not providing enough power to GPU)
:: GPU has died a horrible death (maybe a dry solder problem)
:: Mobo is fubar and not detecting GPU.
:: Dodgy Ram (see: http://www.22ndsas.info/forums/viewtopi ... 687#p85687)

You could try eliminating a short on the PC case by taking everything out of the case and running it off a wooden desk, start with:

:: mobo + cpu + hard drive
:: mobo + cpu + hard drive + 1 ram stick
:: mobo + cpu + hard drive + 1 ram stick + gpu

...if it works at that point, introduce your other components (additional ram, DVD drive, sound card, etc)

start with psu, any computer shop should be able to test it or a psu tester should cost about €20 on ebay
once your power is checked ok you can start checking other components if you can borrow one a pci gfx card is good for testing

your cmos clear is above the chassi intrusion.. next to bios chip bottom right

will gpu fit in another machine as you only need to see if bios screen is coming on //you can run the other machine by its side to power the card

I had exactly the same problem as you describe about two months ago.
The only difference, or you haven't mentioned that maybe, was that in the beginning of when the problems started my pc was completely normal and all of a sudden, mostly ingame, the screen froze and my sound keept on repeating.
Ater a reboot it somtimes came back up, sometimes not. When that happend I did a bios reset back to default and that helped me out a few times (my mobo MSI X48C Platinum has a small button on the outside).
The weird thing is that sometimes I could play all evening without any problem and than the other day it was wrong from the start.
When the problem continued the freeze-ups were happening only more and more until I couldn't boot it at all, also the bios reset wasn't helping anymore.

To find out what was wrong I tried several things:
* cleaning the whole case and also with a clean air spraycan I cleaned the gpu (without removing the cover) - didn't make any difference so it wasn't the heat
* swapped my gpu for a simple one (power from mobo) and than it booted normal like it should so it wasnt the mobo, now it could only be things: GPU or PSU
* Like Sky also says uphere I bought a psu tester and saw that nothing was wrong with that, so it could only be the GPU has died, an ATI 4870X2
* I bought a MSI NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti and that fixed the problem

It is even much quieter than the ATI and the performance is good as well, altho I havent done the 3dMark06 yet.
Don't think I will ever buy an ATI again, this was already my 2nd one, I RMA-ed the 1st one already after a few weeks, but that is completely personal off course, I saw u have a Nvidia card already

Thanks for the replies.

After 4 years I finally took out every component from the case.
I connected the mobo, psu and hdd (and case powerswitch as I don't know how else to start the PC )
psu fans working, mobo light's on, hdd working normal.
Added 1 stick of ram, no difference.
Added the gpu, fan working but no signal when I connect a monitor.

I found the CMOS jumper, changed it, no difference.

The next step seems to test if the psu is still working propperly after all those years of service.

If that works I might just get a cheap gpu (ATI 6670?) to test and afterwards stick it in my parents PC.
Or as umbongo stated sticking the gpu in another PC with my psu powering it. (if any of the available PC's have the correct PCI slot)

LuMbErJaCk wrote:I had exactly the same problem as you describe about two months ago.
The only difference, or you haven't mentioned that maybe, was that in the beginning of when the problems started my pc was completely normal and all of a sudden, mostly ingame, the screen froze and my sound keept on repeating.
Ater a reboot it somtimes came back up, sometimes not. When that happend I did a bios reset back to default and that helped me out a few times (my mobo MSI X48C Platinum has a small button on the outside).
The weird thing is that sometimes I could play all evening without any problem and than the other day it was wrong from the start.
When the problem continued the freeze-ups were happening only more and more until I couldn't boot it at all, also the bios reset wasn't helping anymore.

2 days before the incident my PC started to crash(as if psu was switched off) during gaming and when I tried to start EVGA precision software . (opened it twice, PC crashed twice)
no overclocking involved, just to monitor gpu tempature.


I'm taking this incident as a sign to build a new rig (after 4 years with no upgrade), a bit earlier as planned (was waiting for bulldozer and corsair force 3 series reviews)
I will post up specs anytime soon open for feedback.

2 visual checks you can make are power capacitors on the MB and in the psu (requires taking psu cover off)
they should have flat tops, if any have bulged (domed out), split or have brown gunge oozing from them they're probably the cause because they're [f*cked]

maybe you have a virus.

sw337 wrote:maybe you have a virus.

I doubt it, not that I completely trust ms essentials but I don't enter dodgy sites and only use trustworthy fixes for gametesting.


Here's an update:
Well I opened up the psu and the only problem I saw was the large amount of dust covering it.(but no ooze leakage)
Cleaned it out with a large toothpick and spraycan.
I can feel the fan pushing air out again but it didn't give any effect to the main issue.

Next week the atx psu tester will arrive, untill then...



Here's what I have in mind for a new system:
- CPU: Intel Core i5 2500K (sticking to Intel for first build)
- RAM: Corsair Vengeance 8GB DDR3-1600 CL9 kit (4GB option)
- CPU-Cooler: Scythe Mugen 2 Rev. B / Corsair Hydro Series H60 (leaning towards H60 after seeing my PSU casing, my room is a dust magnet and H60's easier to install)
- MOBO: ASUS P8Z68-V Pro (no p67 but a z68 mobo)
- GPU: MSI N560GTX-Ti Twin Frozr II OC / ASUS ENGTX570 DCII/2DIS/1280MD5 / MSI N580GTX Lightning (all depending on what my budget will be)
- SSD/HDD: OCZ Vertex 3 120GB + Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB (SATA3)
- DVD-ROM: Lite-On iHAS324
- Case: Fractal Design R3 Black / Corsair Obsidian 800D (silent budget case or over-the-top case)
- PSU: Corsair Professional AX750

So what do you guys thing?
And any suggestions for a 23/24 inch monitor? No 3D, maybe IPS, either 1920x1080 and 1920x1200 will do.

Muchas gracias.

samsung syncmaster bx 2350.

its what i bought a couple months ago. absolutely love this screen, its 1080p and i can strongly recommend it to anyone.

back on topic. the last couple of weeks i had the exact same thing as u had. random crashes when my processor got loaded. these crashes were always bluescreening me. it went from crashes under heavy loads to the point i couldnt even get passed the "please wait" sign on the boot process. when i did manage to log in (pure luck) it would crash after a min or so.

my issue was a virus and i ended up formatting (had vista) and installing W7. problem = gone and now my pc is shiny fast smooth again ... i love her even more than before.