[SOLVED] 3/4 drive failures on new system

Feb 6, 2019
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Hello all, I’m a fairly new PC builder here and have run into an issue I’d like to solve before it happens again. Any help is appreciated. I will try and make this simple to follow and read.

PC SPECS:
- CPU (AMD Ryzen 1700x)
- RAM (G. Skill Ripjaws ddr4 3200)
- MOBO (ASUS Rog Strix B450-f gaming)
- COOLER (EVGA CLC 240mm AIO)
- GPU (XFX RX 580 16gb black edition)
- CASE (NZXT h500)
- DRIVES (Crucial M4 500GB SSD, Inland Prf. 240GB SSD, PNY 120GB SSD, Unknown 500GB HDD)
-PSU (EVGA 850 watt bronze)
- OS (Windows 10)

PREFACE:
Built a new system with the intention of getting into higher end gaming and dabbling in overclocking. Everything fired up just fine. All components registered on the mobo and successfully installed windows. Temperatures looked good. Decided to try overclocking with one of the mobos auto OC settings, TPU II. Everything looking good so far, small increase in temps from 35c (3400 MHz) stock to 41c (3885 MHz) idle.
Ran the ASUS Real Bench stress test for one hour and it passed with max temp reaching 69c. Temp was monitored with RyzenMaster and another one I forgot the name of.
Loaded up a game (elder scrolls online) and played for 45 min before the problem began.

PROBLEM:
After playing game for 45 min the PC completely shut itself down. It was like the power cord was yanked out of it. Just a black screen no warnings or lights from mobo. PC wouldn’t boot up again after multiple tries. It would try to, RGB lights would turn on, fans would start to spin then shut off after 2 secs.

WHERE IM AT NOW:
I disassembled the entire PC and started putting parts in one by one testing to see if it would boot each time. I didn’t run into any problems doing this. The PC has booted up to the BIOS with all the parts installed and everything is running fine in the bios, aside from the drives. After this unexpected shut off only one of my four drives survived. The Crucial m4 500GB is the only drive that will show up in the bios. The other 3 will not register no matter what I do. I have also hooked them up to my old computer and they will still not register. Cleared CMOS and reset to default settings.

CONFIRMED WORKING:
-All sata ports confirmed working with good drive
-All other PC components register in bios

POSSIBLE CAUSES:
- Noticed there was a few tabs from the case touching the mobo. Possible short?
- Refurbished PSU from Newegg. Maybe refurbished wasn’t a good idea, maybe it can’t maintain steady voltage.
- Auto overclocking feature to much for chip to handle (voltage for CPU I noticed was between 1.38-1.41 volts.

BOTTOM LINE:
I am getting one of the drives replaced at micro center under warranty but will have to eat the cost of the other two as they are older and out of warranty. I decided to return the refurbished PSU and purchase a brand new one. Any advice so this doesn’t happen again? Or any ideas that could’ve caused this? Sorry for the long post I just wanted to give all the info I could. And yes I understand if you “too long didn’t read” me haha.



 
Solution
Your motherbord should only ever touch the case where the standoffs are and maybe a bit around the I/o pannel and front pannel connectors. If it's touching anywhere else then you need to see what's going on. It may or may not have been your problem but it certainly could have been

Supahos

Expert
Ambassador
Your motherbord should only ever touch the case where the standoffs are and maybe a bit around the I/o pannel and front pannel connectors. If it's touching anywhere else then you need to see what's going on. It may or may not have been your problem but it certainly could have been
 
Solution
Feb 6, 2019
4
0
10


Thanks for the reply! I do understand this and corrected the problem as soon as I saw it. I hope this was it and luckily it didn’t fry my mobo.