New build shuts down after a couple seconds then restarts fine.

[hoopdloop]

Please help! Just built a new system, and everything was working fine until I added a previously used hard drive (could be coincidental) from my old system, and now with each boot, it powers on for a couple of seconds, shuts down, then restarts fine. What is the most likely culprit that I should troubleshoot: motherboard, PSU, HDD's, etc...?

build:

Intel Core i7 2600K
Asus p8z68-V pro
8g (2x4g) Patriot Signature DDR3 SDRAM 1600
Antec High Current Gamer Series PSU 750W
Crucial M4 64Gb SSD
Sony Optiarc DVD/CD optical drive
Western Digital Caviar Blue 1Tb HDD
Added from old system: WD Caviar Black 1Tb HDD (purchased December 2009)

Has anyone else seen this with the p8z68-V Pro motherboard?

Thanks in advance!

 

[GhislainG]

After adding the hard disk, did you go into the configuration and save the settings?

 

[photonboy]

Is this a SECOND hard drive, or did you install Windows on it?

Either way, you simply have to try running things without that hard drive in the system.

Before that, you should try running diagnostics on that hard drive (from the manufacturer) but it may not find all errors.

It sounds like a defective hard drive but I'm not certain.

You could also see what happens if you put it in a different computer.

 

[hoopdloop]

Is this a SECOND hard drive, or did you install Windows on it?

Either way, you simply have to try running things without that hard drive in the system.

Before that, you should try running diagnostics on that hard drive (from the manufacturer) but it may not find all errors.

It sounds like a defective hard drive but I'm not certain.

You could also see what happens if you put it in a different computer.

This was a third hard drive. And the system does the same thing with it disconnected, so I'm no longer thinking it has anything to do with that hard drive. I also disconnected the GPU (GTX 460), and same behavior. The last thing to test is my SSD (Crucial M4), but that's harder to test since it is my boot drive.

 

[monkeysweat]

it's your power supply, I had a similar issue before,, I would start the system, wouldn't do anything, have to cut the power and then restart,, did that for months, then I replaced the PSU, never had an issue again

 

[hoopdloop]

Problem solved! And here's a warning to all wanting to use the TPU and EPU features on their Asus Z68 motherboards. If you use both TPU and EPU simultaneously, you will likely experience instability. And furthermore, it is not enough to have the EPU switch off, when the TPU switch on. It turns out that there is also a BIOS setting that can enable the EPU, even while the physical switch is off. I consider this a severe design flaw by Asus.

My plea to ASUS: If you are going to add a hardware switch that relates to a BIOS setting, please connect them, so the BIOS setting disables when the switch is turned off. In addition, I really hope Asus figures out how to get TPU and EPU to play nicely together and releases an update. Thanks to everyone for your suggestions.