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Invasor
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Posted: Tue, 20th Apr 2010 15:50 Post subject: Green artifacts while playing, now won't boot. |
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I was playing GTAIV yesterday, then some green dots and small lines started showing randomly (and in movement) all over the screen. When I closed the game they were still there. So I shut it down and now it won't start again, the screen is black, doesn't even blink, no beeps either (hard drive runs). Tested the graphics card on another pc and it's fine.
I suspect is the ram, but I dont have any other DDR3 sticks to test...
MB is Biostar Tpower X58A, 920 i7, 3x2Gb G.Skill DDR3, ATI4870.
Any suggestions?
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Posted: Tue, 20th Apr 2010 16:02 Post subject: |
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Probably only 1 of the sticks has gone bad. Do 2 tests with 1 stick inserted to rule out the RAM.
Maybe PSU problem ? Can you test with another ? (I know it's a lot of work to connect everything ...)
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Invasor
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Posted: Tue, 20th Apr 2010 16:06 Post subject: |
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Tried with only one stick, and in different places too, didnt work.
Guess I'll try with another PSU.
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Invasor
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Posted: Tue, 20th Apr 2010 16:35 Post subject: |
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With the other psu the AMI BIOS post code (onboard led) is 85 - "display errors to the user and gets the user response for error."
Obviously, I cant see any error as the screen is blank. The same error code showed up sometimes with the original psu too, so I guess its not the psu.
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Posted: Tue, 20th Apr 2010 16:46 Post subject: |
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Holy shit, maybe the motherboard gave up ... this is bad !
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Werelds
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Posted: Tue, 20th Apr 2010 18:35 Post subject: |
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Might very well be the motherboard, however: did you try all three of the memory sticks on their own?
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Posted: Tue, 20th Apr 2010 18:40 Post subject: |
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i wouldnt draw conclusions before switching out to another videocard.
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Posted: Tue, 20th Apr 2010 23:31 Post subject: |
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Visual artifacts are a sign of a GPU trouble most of the time - overheating or a hardware failure.
Memory errors usually result in crashes and blue screens, not artifacts. The fact that you don't see anything at all, can also suggest that something is wrong with the GPU.
As Paintface suggested, you should try to find a way to test another card, or test yours on another PC.
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Posted: Wed, 21st Apr 2010 00:44 Post subject: |
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MinderMast wrote: | Visual artifacts are a sign of a GPU trouble most of the time - overheating or a hardware failure.
Memory errors usually result in crashes and blue screens, not artifacts. The fact that you don't see anything at all, can also suggest that something is wrong with the GPU.
As Paintface suggested, you should try to find a way to test another card, or test yours on another PC. |
except
Invasor wrote: | Tested the graphics card on another pc and it's fine. |
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Invasor
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Posted: Wed, 21st Apr 2010 03:18 Post subject: |
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Mortibus is right. I tested the gfcard on another pc, and now I also tested a different gf card on mine, still nothing. Screen is always in power saving mode, not even a blink when I press the power button on the cpu. I think the MB is still under warranty, but the RMA process is VERY slow here...
Already tested each of the 3 mem sticks. Same problem always.
I noticed several leds on the MB (6 for the cpu power phases, 2 for ddr, 2 for video). They are all red (and I dont remember if they used to be green...maybe red is normal?), except for one DDR which is off (may also be normal since Im only using half or less of the ram slots? or is the problem here?)
Im kinda lost now.
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Werelds
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Posted: Wed, 21st Apr 2010 10:13 Post subject: |
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From the manual:
Quote: | DDR_V_D1 & DDR_V_D2: DDR Power Status Indicators
NB_V_D1 & NB_V_D2: NorthBridge Power Status Indicators
PH_LED1 ~ PH_LED6: CPU Power Status Indicators
Please refer to the tables below for different messages:
LED Phase Indicator
ON Phase Active
OFF Phase Disable
Note:
When power saving mode is activated, only one of DDR, of NB, and of CPU
LEDs will light. |
The actual POST code you're referring to is actually "About to display any soft-error and check for BIOS password" - Have you tried resetting your BIOS? Just turn off your PSU and take out the CMOS battery for a few seconds so it's totally cleared
Definitely something with the motherboard though. With your own PSU, does it also show the POST code on-board?
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Posted: Wed, 21st Apr 2010 10:47 Post subject: |
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Ah, didn't see that you had already tested the card. My next guess would be the motherboard then, but it's obviously not that easy to test.
Also, does it look like the PC still boots up despite the screen, does it react to any input?
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Saner
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Posted: Wed, 21st Apr 2010 10:49 Post subject: |
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Could be the card slot that shagged.
I know that would still be a mobo fault, but try saucing an old PCI card (or whatever slots you have available)
ragnarus wrote: |
I saw things like that in here and in other "woman problems" topics so...... Am I the only one that thinks some authorities needs to be alerted about Saner and him possibly being a rapist and/or kidnapper ? |
Saner is not being serious. Unless its the subject of Santa!
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Invasor
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Invasor
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Posted: Wed, 21st Apr 2010 21:38 Post subject: |
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After i reset the bios, the graphics card fan runs at max speed all the time, the POST code changed (now it is a sequence of 3 numbers, one after another in loop, and none is mentioned in the manual). Screen is still in power saving mode, not even a blink.
Still stuck.
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Werelds
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Posted: Wed, 21st Apr 2010 21:58 Post subject: |
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Sounds more and more like a motherboard issue, but that's hard to verify unfortunately 
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Invasor
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Posted: Thu, 22nd Apr 2010 02:49 Post subject: |
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Now things are even more weird.
After trying pretty much everything I could, I decided to test the system with an old dell 19" flat panel and guess what, it works. Now before you all start calling me stupid, let me say that my screen (LG w2353v) works in the other pc, with the same cable and everything. If I start my pc with the dell screen and then change it to the LG one it also works. Only cold boot with the LG screen doesn't work. WTF?
And now the bios only shows 4gb of ram (should be six, obviously). Maybe I fucked one stick or slot while removing and re-seating them so many times.
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Posted: Thu, 22nd Apr 2010 03:57 Post subject: |
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i just read about biostar x57 board having problems with ram, its a long shot but try all the steps again with one only one ram module in the mainboard ( hopefully the working one, stresstest the one that makes you able to start it up )
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Invasor
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Posted: Thu, 22nd Apr 2010 15:46 Post subject: |
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Problem is I dont have access to another DDR3 i7 board, my old system is DDR2 c2d.
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Werelds
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Posted: Thu, 22nd Apr 2010 16:29 Post subject: |
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well acquiring one to make sure that my pc works is the only solution in this case, unless that mobo will magically resurrect itself
and yes i always have spare mobo for my current socket
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Posted: Thu, 22nd Apr 2010 17:31 Post subject: |
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It's kinda odd that the motherboard would work with one monitor, but not with the other. If the motherboard is at fault, it is one weird glitch.
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Posted: Thu, 22nd Apr 2010 17:56 Post subject: |
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Twilight zone shit.
Maybe it's some partially malfunctioning card slot or monitor cable. By partially I mean it's only a slight problem and that's why it works in most cases.
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Invasor
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Posted: Thu, 22nd Apr 2010 18:22 Post subject: |
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I'll try with a different cable (even though it works in the other pc).
As for the memory, turns out that the 3 sticks are working, and the bios can see them (there's an info section to show what's on each ddr slot, and all 3 are there) but it only counts (shows) 4gb. Same on windows. I think it has something to do with voltages on the NB or on DDR itself, but all I know is the ram should be 1.5~1.6V and it is, no idea about NB.
Edit: so it works with the older cable (and the one that doesn't work here works in the old pc)...
Now I just need to fix the memory issues, currently showing only 4gb and running at 1067MHz (should be 1600 and 6gb).
Cpu-z shows 6gb, but windows doesn't. I was able to run at 1600MHz (only 4gb) but it wasnt stable.
Last edited by Invasor on Thu, 22nd Apr 2010 22:05; edited 1 time in total
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Invasor
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Posted: Thu, 22nd Apr 2010 18:25 Post subject: |
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Also noticed that the NB temp is high (60C). Its voltage currently is 1.15V.
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