- Aug 10, 2011
- 1
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- 18,510
Hi all,
So I have a very basic PC with the following specs
AMD FX-8320 @ Stock
3 x 4GB Kingston RAM (KHX1600C9D3)
500W Coolermaster PSU
320GB WD HDD
1 TB Seagate HDD
that I use as a home media (running Plex Server) and file share/backup server. The issue I am currently having with it is that it has a habit of becoming completely unresponsive at seemingly random times. By unresponsive I mean that the file shares are no longer accessible, the computer cannot be pinged, the monitor is completely blank and yet the computer is still on (fans all spinning). This has occurred on multiple operating systems (Win Server 2008 & 2012, as well as Win 10, and Ubuntu) and happens randomly; sometimes after an hour of booting, sometimes after days. I keep the computer on all the time.
Yesterday, in the process of troubleshooting, I was trying to install an OS on a new HDD to rule out a hard drive problem, and every time I tried the setup would freeze. Freeze meaning I could no longer move the mouse and the screen was just stuck (Win 10 and Ubuntu). No matter which HDD I selected, it would get stuck.
Next I created a bootable usb of utilites from http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/ and started running some tests. I started with CPUstress and it ended up reaching ~3.7 million iterations before the screen went blank (video here). Then I ran Memtest 86 and it hanged the first time but not the second or third(the timer was not moving) so I removed all the ram sticks but one. Then I reran CPUstress and got the same result as before; black screen. To note, temperatures are max 52° C during tests.
Now today is where it gets frustrating. I ran CPUstress this morning, 1+ billion iterations and all good. Tried an Ubuntu installation and it installed without issue. After installing Ubuntu I ran MPrime for 7 hours, temperatures again at around 52° C and no black screen. All the issues that I had yesterday were magically gone. So I am really unsure what the problem with my PC is. The only thing that could be remaining is the PSU? The PSU is pretty aged (I would guess 5+ years old) and I am wondering whether an inconsistent supply of power could cause these issues and how I would even test if this is the problem.
Can anyone offer any ideas/suggestions?
Thanks.
So I have a very basic PC with the following specs
AMD FX-8320 @ Stock
3 x 4GB Kingston RAM (KHX1600C9D3)
500W Coolermaster PSU
320GB WD HDD
1 TB Seagate HDD
that I use as a home media (running Plex Server) and file share/backup server. The issue I am currently having with it is that it has a habit of becoming completely unresponsive at seemingly random times. By unresponsive I mean that the file shares are no longer accessible, the computer cannot be pinged, the monitor is completely blank and yet the computer is still on (fans all spinning). This has occurred on multiple operating systems (Win Server 2008 & 2012, as well as Win 10, and Ubuntu) and happens randomly; sometimes after an hour of booting, sometimes after days. I keep the computer on all the time.
Yesterday, in the process of troubleshooting, I was trying to install an OS on a new HDD to rule out a hard drive problem, and every time I tried the setup would freeze. Freeze meaning I could no longer move the mouse and the screen was just stuck (Win 10 and Ubuntu). No matter which HDD I selected, it would get stuck.
Next I created a bootable usb of utilites from http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/ and started running some tests. I started with CPUstress and it ended up reaching ~3.7 million iterations before the screen went blank (video here). Then I ran Memtest 86 and it hanged the first time but not the second or third(the timer was not moving) so I removed all the ram sticks but one. Then I reran CPUstress and got the same result as before; black screen. To note, temperatures are max 52° C during tests.
Now today is where it gets frustrating. I ran CPUstress this morning, 1+ billion iterations and all good. Tried an Ubuntu installation and it installed without issue. After installing Ubuntu I ran MPrime for 7 hours, temperatures again at around 52° C and no black screen. All the issues that I had yesterday were magically gone. So I am really unsure what the problem with my PC is. The only thing that could be remaining is the PSU? The PSU is pretty aged (I would guess 5+ years old) and I am wondering whether an inconsistent supply of power could cause these issues and how I would even test if this is the problem.
Can anyone offer any ideas/suggestions?
Thanks.
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