New Build Woes

[Sprigum]

Hey guys, first post here. I've been building PC's for about three years now. I've built 8 for myself, friends, and family.

Tonight my latest project arrived and I spent a couple hours putting everything together, but it seems for the first time since I've been building I have damaged hardware somewhere! I'd just like some advice on narrowing down the problem.

Specs:
AMD 955 X4
ASrock 970 Extreme 4
Kingston 1600 DDR3 2x2GB
Samsung Spinpoint 1 TB
XFX 6950 1 GB
Corsair TX650W
HAF 932 (excessive for this build I know)

Basically when booting the computer I can roll a set of dice and get one of a few possible outcomes:

- Freezes somewhere on desktop (win 7 64-bit) in under 10 mins.
- Freezes in BIOS
- Shuts off randomly in Windows

Generally after doing any of these things I reboot and usually can't get video or even a post beep. If I let it sit a minute I can try again and it will usually succeed.

Motherboard recognizes everything appropriately.

What I'm thinking:

- Motherboard came in a box that has seen better days, was split open, motherboard has a cap that is slightly bent near the CPU socket. So that was my first thought.

- My best working theory at the moment is the TX650W though. I think this is probably a PSU issue. Correct me if I'm wrong since I've never had a PSU DOA before. It seems like random shutdowns and freezing would be attributed to this.

I haven't run memtest86+, Prime95, Heaven, 3DMark11, or OCCT yet because I can barely get the thing to run through the BIOS. Managed to get win 7 installed somehow. I haven't had a single BSOD though, so I seriously doubt it's either the CPU or RAM. They haven't even been stressed enough to crash. Doesn't seem like something the GPU would be responsible for, haven't seen a GSOD.

Thoughts?

 

[Theocnoob]

re-seat the CPU/RAM and expansion cards and make sure all connections are tight including to your drives.

Make sure your RAM speed timings and voltage are set as per the manufacturer specs in your BIOS.

If it's still flakey, run 1 stick of RAM at a time and try different RAM.

As per the bent cap, most boards have caps that are bent off to the side these days. Only Gigabyte's mid-high boards are a guaranteed no-bend buy as they are still fully assembled in Taiwan in house. Doesn't make it a better board, though.

Could be a damaged board but my bet is poor connection or bad setting.

You checked for darkened or bent pins on the CPU or missing IC's on the board and/or cracks?

 

[Knufire]

Freezing in BIOS makes me think it's a motherboard or CPU issue. I don't believe anything else is used when you're in the BIOS, right?

 

[Sprigum]

Gonna work on it today. Will definitely move all the RAM around and try some RAM from my PC that I know works fine.

Thanks for the help, I'll report back with my findings.

 

[gammerx]

I have almost the same setup, and I am having similar issues but I can't even install windows yet lol. I actually had incompatible RAM, so I am getting different RAM and will see how that goes. If not I think its a cpu/mobo problem

 

[Sprigum]

I have almost the same setup, and I am having similar issues but I can't even install windows yet lol. I actually had incompatible RAM, so I am getting different RAM and will see how that goes. If not I think its a cpu/mobo problem

The Kingston sticks I bought were on the QVL so I wasn't concerned with compatibility in that sense. Though to be fair I tested 6 different sticks of RAM in every slot.

I actually took everything out of the case today and now I'm running 3DMark11 and Heaven flawlessly.

Perhaps the HAF 932 we received isn't grounded well, that would probably explain the issues.

Still haven't run memtest86+, getting there though.

CPU is running balls hot though (58-60C under load - I did reseat it) the HSF for the 955 is a piece of junk. My 965 stock HSF may have been loud, but it definitely cooled better.

 

[Metlcub]

stock HSF usally are crap, unless you get like the I7 extreem and even those are not the top of the line.

it could be a mobo seating issue and not being grounded properly

I have a PSU go out, and i relized it was the PSU was when my system wouldnt post to Bios, I had to wait a good 1-2 min after turning on the power strip for it to post.

 

[Sprigum]

What do you mean by MOBO seating issue?

I made sure to put in all the standoffs, MOBO didn't come with any screws or anything so I just went with the ones from the case.

 

[gammerx]

Well right now I am getting error code 10. I was able to go to BIOS but then I got some weird screen. After I reset it, I can ONLY get error code 10. Hopefully that is fixed with the new ram, if it isnt then I think its a cpu/mobo problem? I guess I will buy some arctic silver and a hyper 212

 

[Sprigum]

Well right now I am getting error code 10. I was able to go to BIOS but then I got some weird screen. After I reset it, I can ONLY get error code 10. Hopefully that is fixed with the new ram, if it isnt then I think its a cpu/mobo problem? I guess I will buy some arctic silver and a hyper 212

I've never had a CPU go bad. I still have a few computers using the old 3500+ chips and they still do just fine. So I really wouldn't know what to expect.

What does Error code 10 even indicate I can't find any documentation on it.

I can't even get Prime95 to run on this new machine because of the CPU temps though. It climbs up to 60-61C in just a couple minutes, which I'm not comfortable with.

I've seated a lot of HSF and this one sucks.

 

[gammerx]

Yeah that's the thing neither can I -_- that's why this is so frustrating! I feel like I shoulda just went intel

Regardless though. Onetime I got the error 54 code so that gave it away for me. I think getting an aftermarket cooler is the way to go though. I will probably have to do that. Only thing that sucks is the lian li k62 doesn't have alot of room in the back to run cables quickly. you have to take your time and position/tie everything right to make it neat and able to put the backside on :/

 

[Sprigum]

Yeah that's the thing neither can I -_- that's why this is so frustrating! I feel like I shoulda just went intel

Regardless though. Onetime I got the error 54 code so that gave it away for me. I think getting an aftermarket cooler is the way to go though. I will probably have to do that. Only thing that sucks is the lian li k62 doesn't have alot of room in the back to run cables quickly. you have to take your time and position/tie everything right to make it neat and able to put the backside on :/

Not AMD's fault, probably ASrock if anyone for not listing their codes somewhere. That manual isn't impressive either. I've built/used both and honestly AMD/Intel systems are both superb.

Might try reseating the CPU. I did that when I took out the Mobo, which is currently outside the case on its anti-static foam mat.

As for the HSF. I've remedied the heat issue by messing with the CPU voltage. I've got it down to 1.33v now. Stock is 1.35v I think. It's running about 58/59C atm ~138-139F on load. That's with a 74F ambient temp.

Its running prime95 comfortably now though, so I'm reasonably happy with that.

I'm gonna run memtest86+ now. If it passes without error then I think I've eliminated every single problem besides the case itself.

I've run:
Prime95
Heaven 2.5 - 2 hours straight.
3DMark11
Furmark

Everything is passing with flying colors. I'm thinking now its a grounding issue, which should be interesting, because I have no idea what I can do to fix something like that: \

After memtest86+ I'll load it back in the HAF and see what's up.

 

[Sprigum]

Update: Memtest86+ passed with no errors at stock RAM settings.

GPU runs beautifully.
CPU Runs Fine.
RAM has no issues.
HDD passed Chkdsk.
PSU seems perfectly fine.

It's gotta be the case/some sort of grounding issue, right?

Gonna reseat the motherboard and everything in the case. Maybe everything will be rainbows and unicorns after that.

 

[gammerx]

That's awesome glad to hear! Don't put anything on the anti static sleeve though! x.x The outside is conductive and that can actually mess your mobo up

 

[Sprigum]

Interesting, actually wasn't aware of that, good thing I wasn't doing it!

Time to put everything back in the case

sigh sigh sigh.

 

[gammerx]

I actually figured out my problem. My first 2 RAM ports are defective! The computer boots when I have a RAM in stick in B1 or B2 but not in either A port! The other problem is when I am in the BIOS, after like 20 seconds it will give me the error "0d". The RAM is controller by the cpu or the mobo?

 

[Metlcub]

what I mean by seatting issue is , to make sure you dont have a mobo stand off in the wrong spot in the case and touching the back of the mobo, I know I fried a old P3 system that way. opps..

 

[Theocnoob]

Freezing in BIOS makes me think it's a motherboard or CPU issue. I don't believe anything else is used when you're in the BIOS, right?

I've had bios freeze over RAM it just didn't like on a 990FX board. (but 1155 boards loved that same kit).

I actually figured out my problem. My first 2 RAM ports are defective! The computer boots when I have a RAM in stick in B1 or B2 but not in either A port! The other problem is when I am in the BIOS, after like 20 seconds it will give me the error "0d". The RAM is controller by the cpu or the mobo?

The RAM controller on that platform is inside the CPU. If you are only getting errors on certain slots it is much more likely to be the mobo, though. I seriously doubt it is the CPU. If you are certain of this issue I would exchange the motherboard.

 

[Sprigum]

Good news and bad news. I got the PC installed in the case and everything is grand!

Bad news: It's not the case I ordered.

Long story short there is something very wonky going on inside the HAF 932, some sort of grounding issue I just can't seemed to remedy. In the end it was $150 case and issues like this SHOULD NOT be prevalent. End of story.

New PC is now cozy in my older Black Coolermaster Wavemaster case. Looks a lot sleeker than the HAF anyway.

 

[gammerx]

Take out all of the standoffs you aren't using...only use the 4 on the corners and try?

As long as you're happy with your case thats awesome ;]

As for me, My only problem is the faulty slots. The computer runs fine though! I am wondering if 1 stick of 4gb 1333 cl9 ram will be enough?