[SOLVED] PC constantly restarts after ~3 seconds help!

[Crunki]

So I was just gaming and out of nowhere my PC restarts. Then while booting it restarts again, each time seeming to take less time to restart.

At the time I thought it might be overheating or something, so today I decided to clean it all out (all the dust bunnys and new thermal paste on the CPU). When putting it back, I left the GPU out just to start troubleshooting (gtx 1070). Well, I press on and it doesn't even reach bios or beeps, just loops on and off after like 2-4 seconds. So I guessed the CPU overheating isnt the problem.

I ended up only placing 1 ram stick in (4 slots, 4GB in each). boots fine. Stuck a second, boots fine. Used the same two and switched slots, boots fine. Did the same with the other 2, putting them in 2 slots and switching to the other 2 slots, boots fine. At this point I was trying to figure out if one of the sticks had a problem.

I ended up placing all 4 sticks and the problem comes back again, endless restarting. Took 1 out (so only 3 sticks in), boots fine. So I am running a memtest atm with the 3, and I guess I'll do the same with the last remainder one. Still unsure if the 4th stick (which is currently out) has some problem (but I tried it in pairs and it was fine).

Starting to think the problem is the PSU supplying 4 sticks but.. somehing is odd. I had this PC since 2015, and in 2016 I got the gtx 1070 and never had a single problem with power supply with this setup. Haven't changed anything at all. After memtest is over I am going to hook in the GPU just to see if everything is well supplied still.

Specs:

Intel Core i7-4790 3.6Ghz

MSI H97 Gaming 3 motherboard

Samsung SSD 840 EVO 250GB

Kingston FURY DDR3 8GB (2x4GB) 1600MHz HyperX CL10 Red

Enhance 500W Bronze Series PSU

Western Digital 1Tb 7200RPM SATA3 64Mb Blue

EVGA Geforce 1070 gtx


Update: So the memtest didn't find anythinig. I switched the 4th stick which was out with another random one and everything still works fine. I placed in the GPU and... everything is fine. The moment I put in the 4th stick of RAM, endless restart by the PC..


Any idea what the problem might be guys?

 

[Third-Eye]

Pull the CPU out and thoroughly and carefully check the CPU socket pins for damage. You might possibly have a burned/broken/melted pin. It might just be you need to reseat the CPU. Make sure you have thermal paste to repaste the CPU before yo do this. Don't reuse already applied paste.

 

[Crunki]

I took everything apart and examined it before. Cleaned the CPU paste and reapplied. I just need to have 3 ram sticks slotted and it boots fine and works fine. The moment I place a 4th stick, everything loops a restart. Didn't see damage on the CPU before, and since it works with 3 or less sticks, doesn't seem to be that I assume

 

[Third-Eye]

I took everything apart and examined it before. Cleaned the CPU paste and reapplied. I just need to have 3 ram sticks slotted and it boots fine and works fine. The moment I place a 4th stick, everything loops a restart. Didn't see damage on the CPU before, and since it works with 3 or less sticks, doesn't seem to be that I assume

I didn't say damage on the CPU, I said damage to the CPU socket pins. I'm saying you probably need to take the CPU out of the socket and check the actual pins for damage.

 

[Crunki]

I checked again and I didn't see anything at all off. Reapplied paste etc too.

But why would a pin problem affect this? I assume it the cpu was the problem, it would reoccur independent of how many ram sticks are in. With 1,2 or 3 in any possible combination allows a proper boot and everything is fine. With a 4th stick it restarts indefinitely (with and without the gpu). How would cpu be involved here?

 

[Third-Eye]

I checked again and I didn't see anything at all off. Reapplied paste etc too.

But why would a pin problem affect this? I assume it the cpu was the problem, it would reoccur independent of how many ram sticks are in. With 1,2 or 3 in any possible combination allows a proper boot and everything is fine. With a 4th stick it restarts indefinitely (with and without the gpu). How would cpu be involved here?

Your system boots up with 1 to 3 modules installed but not 4. If the system posts and you are able to run memtest86 with up to 3 modules, it may mean the PSU is probably fine.

Have you tested that 4th module in memtest86 using a different slot to make sure that module is not faulty? If one module is suddenly causing the system to boot loop, it could possibly mean there is a damaged CPU socket pin(s), a pin(s) might have shifted out of place, the motherboard is damaged elsewhere or the ram module is actually faulty. CPU damage is still a possibility, but less likely than a CPU socket pin issue.

 

[Crunki]

So out of nowhere it all went back to working right. Initially, with GPU in, it didn't work with 4 sticks but it eventually kicked in and worked fine until today. Started playing a game (crusader kings 3) and bam all back to the restarting. Started taking 1 stick out at a time, down to one and nothing. Took out the gpu also and this time it started. Sticks back in, started. Gonna see if with the GPU it works also.

Not understanding where the problem is. First time it just wouldn't start with 4 sticks, now it seems taking out the GPU helped? The game is very CPU intensive, not much on gpu. Cpu wasn't heating up tho. Spent all week with cpu heavy tasks also.

Not able to pinpoint the problem. Board? Psu? IDK..getting desperate

 

[Third-Eye]

So out of nowhere it all went back to working right. Initially, with GPU in, it didn't work with 4 sticks but it eventually kicked in and worked fine until today. Started playing a game (crusader kings 3) and bam all back to the restarting. Started taking 1 stick out at a time, down to one and nothing. Took out the gpu also and this time it started. Sticks back in, started. Gonna see if with the GPU it works also.

Not understanding where the problem is. First time it just wouldn't start with 4 sticks, now it seems taking out the GPU helped? The game is very CPU intensive, not much on gpu. Cpu wasn't heating up tho. Spent all week with cpu heavy tasks also.

Not able to pinpoint the problem. Board? Psu? IDK..getting desperate

If you're not using the stock CPU cooler, you might have too much pressure on the CPU from your CPU cooler. This would also be a cause of a shifted CPU pin.

What CPU cooler do you have?

 

[Crunki]

I have the stock one. Classic fan and round heatsink. The first time the problem began was also when playing that game. Before I had to mess around with ram sticks to get it to work. This time, if the gpu is in it loops the restart.

Tested with an old gpu I have and it booted fine. With the GPU out however, when I get into Windows after a while it restartsv

 

[lynx1021]

I think you should try a different PSU, Never heard of a Enhance 500W Bronze Series PSU. I belive it is a cheapo Chinese PSU. Especially since it is 5 years old , most recomend to change PSU out after 5 years unless it has a longer factory warranty!