- Feb 2, 2014
- 4
- 0
- 10,510
Good morning to all,
This might be a very long post as I have been troubleshooting a lot already, so I'll apologies for the heavy reading in advance.
That being said, I beg all of you for help.
In December, I built myself a gaming PC with a friend, everything was running smooth and flawlessly until one random day about 2 weeks ago, I started to notice extreme choppiness especially in first person shooter games, but I think it's just because it's more apparent.
This happened right after transferring files from my external HDD to both my SSD and storage HDD, but I doubt it would have anything to do with the problem.
The problem seems to be present in Windows as well when moving windows, etc, and I also feel like I am having a slight loss of performance but it's hard to tell as I see lag everywhere now, out of obsession.. Ahahah!
FYI, I always do 60 FPS+, which is to be expected with my specs. (See below)
I tried to lock it at 60FPS at first as I was convinced that it was a GPU problem, didn't help.
I narrowed it down a bit now, but I really need your opinion on what it could be.
Here are my specs:
Z87-Pro Motherboard
EVGA 1000 G2 Gold power supply
4x 4gb G-Skill Trident 2400Mhz Ram
2X (SLI) EVGA Geforce GTX780, ACX Version
i5 4670k CPU, 3,4Ghz Clocked to 4,6Ghz
H100i Hydro Cooling unit for the CPU
ADATA SX900 SSD
2TB Green Series WD HDD
Windows 7 64bit OS
And a lot of fans! =P
Here are the main steps of troubleshooting I have taken up to now:
-The obvious: Tried with a few different mice, switched graphic drivers, removed the overclock, tried with the two GPUs at once, reinstalled the OS out of desperation, nothing helped.
At that point I thought: What if it was the SSD?
-I reinstalled W7 on my regular HDD, only to experience the same problem.
I began being frustrated, and I won't note every little thing that I have tested as I haven't been sleeping for 2 weeks doing just that, working and eating.. xD but after flashing the bios and going back to the base specs that worked perfectly fine a month ago and didn't work properly anymore, the only logical solution was that it had to be hardware related: I got unlucky and something that was working fine on day one failed a month later.
I ripped the poor machine out: took off both GPUs, left only 1 RAM stick and reinstalled windows yet again on the SSD. (I wasn't gonna troubleshoot from a slow HDD, no way xD)
I ram MemTest86 with all 4 RAM sticks on at first and then with one only, and had similar results, meaning no CPU or RAM error.
However I did notice one weird reaction from MemTest86: during the sequential test, the test itself would pause about every minute except during "sleeping". It didn't give any message or anything, but as soon as I would move the mouse of press any key on the keyboard, the test would resume.
I also tried unplugging both mouse and keyboard, same stuff. The test would pause and I had to reconnect one of the devices to.. press any button or move the mouse so it would resume.
I could probably assume that it has to do with Legacy USB in the BIOS/ etc, however it ONLY does that in the Sequential test (and I have done ALL of them separately) so this might, to me, indicate something wrong with the motherboard's USB controllers? Still unsure but it's a hard coincidence since the choppiness seems to be coming from the mouse.
I booted up, installed minimal drivers: Intel graphic chipset for the onboard GPU, NO windows update (as I had installed all updates every previous times without trying games, I thought I'dd try with no updates).
I installed Steam and installed the game "Killing Floor" witch is a funny, cheap FPS with shitty graphics that the on board gpu would run without effort.
(By the way, before you ask, yes I have tried with non-steam games on the EVGA GPUs, did the exact same thing. I just doubt that the on board GPU will run the 2-3 non steam games that I own.. Assassin's creed IV, etc.. So that's why I installed Steam+Killing floor XD but I could probably try with an older game, just in case. I will probably try and do that later on.)
I was amazed: same problem with graphics at minimum: Super fluid when moving around with WASD keys, but as soon as you dare to touch the mouse it becomes choppy again.
The problem did not come from the 1300$ SLI setup, and just there I was relieved.. But that doesn't solve the problem.
Even after getting no error in Memtest86, I wasn't gonna take a chance: I tried to boot 4 times separately with every different RAM stick on (only one) and I also tried to underclock it to 1600mhz and 1333mhz in the BIOS, just in case it would have any effect.
I have tried pretty much everything I know at that point, and I am in great need for help.
I could be wrong, but I can't really think of anything else than a hardware problem with the CPU or MoBo, and I strongly doubt that it could be the PSU. (I still need to find how to test it tho, I will have to google this later on and perform some testing, but I don't think it could possibly be related to the PSU, because of both the nature of the problem and the fact that they have an impressive reliability rate.)
I also have doubts that it could be the CPU as well as it ran perfectly fine @ 4,6Ghz, but we never know.
Up to now my guess is the Motherboard, but I don't want to RMA something that might still be working well, pay for the shipping, and be back at the starting point after waiting for a month.
I'dd really like to narrow it down to the source of the problem before I start to RMA, I'm sure you will understand that.
I could probably try to RMA both the CPU and MoBo, but I know from reading about horror stories like this one that there is a slight chance that they might simply send me back the faulty part, and that's why I'dd rather be convinced of where the problem lies before I RMA anything. (Once again, I'm sure you will all agree.)
If I knew that they wouldn't even test the hardware and send me a different, brand new part.. I would very simply RMA boh the CPU and Mobo, and im 95% sure that the problem would be gone, but A- Life doesn't work out that way, and B- that leaves 5% off and that's why I need your extra knowledge, you little geniuses.
FYI:
Little extra information before you ask:
1- I never received any error message of any kind that was out of the ordinary, none that I can remember and I tend to be obsessed with troubleshooting - I would remember. (I work in IT.. I'm much more of a software guy tho. I never studied or worked with hardware, I know the basis but I Google the rest.)
2- I always, always monitor the temps on my PCs and I can guarantee you that the CPU never went over 45c, and averaged around 25-30 according to the MoBo sensor. I know that the board's CPU reading could be a bit off since I am using an hydrocooler, however even when using Corsair's LINK application to monitor the temp from the pump, I never have seen it go any higher than 50c. I simply didn't use it because I largely preferred AI Suite from Asus, the Motherboard's monitoring application.
I strongly doubt that the temperature would have fried the CPU, especially since it didn't undergo extreme use.
The board itself idled @ 25, and didn't go over 40 after a few hours of gaming, with an SLI setup.
Not really important as they are not the problem, but both GPU averaged around 60-65 while gaming, and 25 at idle. I've seen 'em around 75(top) and 65(bottom) when playing extremely demanding games, but even there that's still well under EVGA's/Nvidia's/ threshold.
That PC is a fridge, the problem doesn't lie in the temps.
3- I wouldn't complaint if it was playable, but it is unplayable.. I have actually tried hard to live with it, but I have been dizzy for days - I think it would f-up my eyes if I kept playing like this =P I also hate having to live with a choppy OS on a war machine like that, it doesn't make sense.
4- One of the things that I consider important in this particular case is that when we first set up the PC, it was almost plug-and-play, even with the Bios.
We didn't have to mod the bios a lot or anything, in fact the only thing I have to change in the bios when I flash it is something with the power saving that keeps the PC from shutting down properly (it comes back on).
Other than that, the RAM info looks alright even without the XMP profiles, so I really have a hard time believing that the issue could be software related. (I am still opened to any suggestion)
I have reached the edge of my knowledge and I probably need someone who knows more than I do about MoBo and CPU troubleshooting.
Please, please help. 😀
This might be a very long post as I have been troubleshooting a lot already, so I'll apologies for the heavy reading in advance.
That being said, I beg all of you for help.
In December, I built myself a gaming PC with a friend, everything was running smooth and flawlessly until one random day about 2 weeks ago, I started to notice extreme choppiness especially in first person shooter games, but I think it's just because it's more apparent.
This happened right after transferring files from my external HDD to both my SSD and storage HDD, but I doubt it would have anything to do with the problem.
The problem seems to be present in Windows as well when moving windows, etc, and I also feel like I am having a slight loss of performance but it's hard to tell as I see lag everywhere now, out of obsession.. Ahahah!
FYI, I always do 60 FPS+, which is to be expected with my specs. (See below)
I tried to lock it at 60FPS at first as I was convinced that it was a GPU problem, didn't help.
I narrowed it down a bit now, but I really need your opinion on what it could be.
Here are my specs:
Z87-Pro Motherboard
EVGA 1000 G2 Gold power supply
4x 4gb G-Skill Trident 2400Mhz Ram
2X (SLI) EVGA Geforce GTX780, ACX Version
i5 4670k CPU, 3,4Ghz Clocked to 4,6Ghz
H100i Hydro Cooling unit for the CPU
ADATA SX900 SSD
2TB Green Series WD HDD
Windows 7 64bit OS
And a lot of fans! =P
Here are the main steps of troubleshooting I have taken up to now:
-The obvious: Tried with a few different mice, switched graphic drivers, removed the overclock, tried with the two GPUs at once, reinstalled the OS out of desperation, nothing helped.
At that point I thought: What if it was the SSD?
-I reinstalled W7 on my regular HDD, only to experience the same problem.
I began being frustrated, and I won't note every little thing that I have tested as I haven't been sleeping for 2 weeks doing just that, working and eating.. xD but after flashing the bios and going back to the base specs that worked perfectly fine a month ago and didn't work properly anymore, the only logical solution was that it had to be hardware related: I got unlucky and something that was working fine on day one failed a month later.
I ripped the poor machine out: took off both GPUs, left only 1 RAM stick and reinstalled windows yet again on the SSD. (I wasn't gonna troubleshoot from a slow HDD, no way xD)
I ram MemTest86 with all 4 RAM sticks on at first and then with one only, and had similar results, meaning no CPU or RAM error.
However I did notice one weird reaction from MemTest86: during the sequential test, the test itself would pause about every minute except during "sleeping". It didn't give any message or anything, but as soon as I would move the mouse of press any key on the keyboard, the test would resume.
I also tried unplugging both mouse and keyboard, same stuff. The test would pause and I had to reconnect one of the devices to.. press any button or move the mouse so it would resume.
I could probably assume that it has to do with Legacy USB in the BIOS/ etc, however it ONLY does that in the Sequential test (and I have done ALL of them separately) so this might, to me, indicate something wrong with the motherboard's USB controllers? Still unsure but it's a hard coincidence since the choppiness seems to be coming from the mouse.
I booted up, installed minimal drivers: Intel graphic chipset for the onboard GPU, NO windows update (as I had installed all updates every previous times without trying games, I thought I'dd try with no updates).
I installed Steam and installed the game "Killing Floor" witch is a funny, cheap FPS with shitty graphics that the on board gpu would run without effort.
(By the way, before you ask, yes I have tried with non-steam games on the EVGA GPUs, did the exact same thing. I just doubt that the on board GPU will run the 2-3 non steam games that I own.. Assassin's creed IV, etc.. So that's why I installed Steam+Killing floor XD but I could probably try with an older game, just in case. I will probably try and do that later on.)
I was amazed: same problem with graphics at minimum: Super fluid when moving around with WASD keys, but as soon as you dare to touch the mouse it becomes choppy again.
The problem did not come from the 1300$ SLI setup, and just there I was relieved.. But that doesn't solve the problem.
Even after getting no error in Memtest86, I wasn't gonna take a chance: I tried to boot 4 times separately with every different RAM stick on (only one) and I also tried to underclock it to 1600mhz and 1333mhz in the BIOS, just in case it would have any effect.
I have tried pretty much everything I know at that point, and I am in great need for help.
I could be wrong, but I can't really think of anything else than a hardware problem with the CPU or MoBo, and I strongly doubt that it could be the PSU. (I still need to find how to test it tho, I will have to google this later on and perform some testing, but I don't think it could possibly be related to the PSU, because of both the nature of the problem and the fact that they have an impressive reliability rate.)
I also have doubts that it could be the CPU as well as it ran perfectly fine @ 4,6Ghz, but we never know.
Up to now my guess is the Motherboard, but I don't want to RMA something that might still be working well, pay for the shipping, and be back at the starting point after waiting for a month.
I'dd really like to narrow it down to the source of the problem before I start to RMA, I'm sure you will understand that.
I could probably try to RMA both the CPU and MoBo, but I know from reading about horror stories like this one that there is a slight chance that they might simply send me back the faulty part, and that's why I'dd rather be convinced of where the problem lies before I RMA anything. (Once again, I'm sure you will all agree.)
If I knew that they wouldn't even test the hardware and send me a different, brand new part.. I would very simply RMA boh the CPU and Mobo, and im 95% sure that the problem would be gone, but A- Life doesn't work out that way, and B- that leaves 5% off and that's why I need your extra knowledge, you little geniuses.
FYI:
Little extra information before you ask:
1- I never received any error message of any kind that was out of the ordinary, none that I can remember and I tend to be obsessed with troubleshooting - I would remember. (I work in IT.. I'm much more of a software guy tho. I never studied or worked with hardware, I know the basis but I Google the rest.)
2- I always, always monitor the temps on my PCs and I can guarantee you that the CPU never went over 45c, and averaged around 25-30 according to the MoBo sensor. I know that the board's CPU reading could be a bit off since I am using an hydrocooler, however even when using Corsair's LINK application to monitor the temp from the pump, I never have seen it go any higher than 50c. I simply didn't use it because I largely preferred AI Suite from Asus, the Motherboard's monitoring application.
I strongly doubt that the temperature would have fried the CPU, especially since it didn't undergo extreme use.
The board itself idled @ 25, and didn't go over 40 after a few hours of gaming, with an SLI setup.
Not really important as they are not the problem, but both GPU averaged around 60-65 while gaming, and 25 at idle. I've seen 'em around 75(top) and 65(bottom) when playing extremely demanding games, but even there that's still well under EVGA's/Nvidia's/ threshold.
That PC is a fridge, the problem doesn't lie in the temps.
3- I wouldn't complaint if it was playable, but it is unplayable.. I have actually tried hard to live with it, but I have been dizzy for days - I think it would f-up my eyes if I kept playing like this =P I also hate having to live with a choppy OS on a war machine like that, it doesn't make sense.
4- One of the things that I consider important in this particular case is that when we first set up the PC, it was almost plug-and-play, even with the Bios.
We didn't have to mod the bios a lot or anything, in fact the only thing I have to change in the bios when I flash it is something with the power saving that keeps the PC from shutting down properly (it comes back on).
Other than that, the RAM info looks alright even without the XMP profiles, so I really have a hard time believing that the issue could be software related. (I am still opened to any suggestion)
I have reached the edge of my knowledge and I probably need someone who knows more than I do about MoBo and CPU troubleshooting.
Please, please help. 😀
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