Something is wrong, no idea what

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mukarakaplan

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Apr 10, 2009
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There is something wrong with my new home-built computer, but I couldn't diagnose what yet.

First, most of the time, everything works well with no failure or so, but then sometimes:

Brief description of the problem: Sometimes, while the Win 7 is on, everything's working well with no problem, the internal speaker starts beeping long beeps, which doesn't have a matching beep pattern with the ones in the troubleshooting part of the manual of the motherboard.

In addition to this, sometimes, when I shut down the computer, and start up the system the following day, right after the Win 7 logo screen, the computer shuts down and restarts and then ask me if I want a normal startup or a repair startup. When I select repair, it doesn't do anything. When I select normal startup it tries starting up again but resets right after Win 7 logo again. It keeps doing this if I don't interrupt and shut down manually.

Brief system specification:
Win 7 Ultimate 64 bit
Gigabyte GA-MA785GMT-UD2H Motherboard
AMD Phenom II X4 965 Processor
2x2 G.Skill DDR3 1333 Memory
WD velociraptor 300 Hard Disk
Samsung 1000 Hard Disk

I suspect that there is a hardware problem, but I have no idea what could be causing the problem. Is there a software to test all of the component? Or any ideas about the source of the problem or how to diagnose it?

 
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Since AMD says that the maximum temperature for my CPU is 62, I left the bios setting as it is (>60 => beep)
http://products.amd.com/en-na/DesktopCPUDetail.aspx?id=591

But then I changed another setting, the CPU fan speed. It was set to be auto adjusted. I set it to work at maximum speed. So now the idle temp is around 38. Maybe I should buy two additional fans for my CM storm scout case. I thought there was enough air flow inside.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119196
 
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I think that your temperatures are too high particularly if they reach 60C in only a minute, although increasing the fan speed will help I don’t think that this is the cause of your problem. The fact that the temperature rises so quickly would indicate to me that the heatsink is not mounted correctly on the processor but is at an angle so that only half of the heatsink is making contact with the processor. Try refitting the heatsink.
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My son's 920 never breaks 54 at a 3.7 overclock .... low 70's at 4.2 - 4.4

Sound slike you need a better HS or to reseat the old one with a new layer of TIM.
 
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I am convinced that there is a problem with the heat sink, especially after checking the OCCT forums. This is what happens in my case as well:
http://www.ocbase.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=198

Well, anyway, so I opened the case to check if the heat sink is not mounted correctly. There are only two latches, which keep the heat sink connected to the motherboard, and there is actually only one way to put it right. And it looks well mounted, latches are tight and holding the sink firm. Nothing looks skewed... Nothing jiggles except the plastic fan at the top of the sink, but it doesn't move much and I don't think that's a big deal.

I wanted to remove the heat sink to check the thermal compound and put more if necessary, so I released the latches and tried really hard to pull the heat sink but it's stuck. I was the one who put it there so I am sure there is nothing else that keeps them together -but the thermal compound. So I didn't (or maybe couldn't) pull the heat sink off. I mean, if the thermal paste is that much to hold the sink there this tight, then I think the amount should be enough, no?... If not, how can I take this heat sink off?
 
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[SOLVED]

Yesterday, just to see that I can take the heatsink off, I tried to twist and pull it right after running the OCMT for a minute or so. Of course I turned off the computer and unplugged it before pulling the heatsink, but thanks for the warning. It did come off very easily as you said. Then I orders Arctic Silver 5, but it takes time to get it, you know, and the local stores have only the low quality thermal material. I was kind of impatient and wanted to test a couple of other things. So guess what I did. Hehe. I wiped off most of the compound on the surfaces of the CPU and heatsink and attached the heatsink back into its position (aren't I crazy? DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME!) And then I put an industrial strength super fan in front of the stock fan of AMD and started it. And then I turned on the computer. It just started as if nothing had changed (although there was almost no thermal compound between the CPU and the heatsink) and then the softwares reported the same temperatures as before. OCCT test failed after the first minute because of high temperature (>62).

Then I turned off the super fan while the computer was on, and watched the temperature but nothing had changed. I tell you, AMD's stock fan is real good. Anyway, while risking my 200 dollars or maybe even more, I realized that maybe the problem was not due to the thermal compound, or the fan or the heatsink... Then I checked the CPU voltage with SpeedFan and OCCT, and it was set to something around 1. But after running OCCT, the voltage was shooting the 1.60-2 range in the first minute. The recommended range of voltage for my CPU is stated to be between 0.825 and 1.40.
http://products.amd.com/en-us/DesktopCPUDetail.aspx?id=617&f1=&f2=&f3=&f4=&f5=&f6=&f7=&f8=&f9=&f10=&f11=&f12=&f13=

So obviously the CPU voltage volatility was the problem. But why was it volatile? Because of the EVIL AMD Cool'n'Quiet option in BIOS which is enabled as default, as if it does an awesome job. And they don't know how EVIL it is. EVIL. The general idea of this Cool'n'Quiet is to set a low voltage when not much task is around, and increase the voltage if more work is needed. But then I understood that when it gives very low voltage to the CPU, Windows cannot even start up and HENCE is "the restart loops" problem mentioned in my initial post. And when CPU is loaded by OCCT, or other regular tasks, it gives a very high voltage to the CPU, HENCE the temperature gets very high, BIOS starts beeping, and Windows eventually gives a blue screen and the computer shuts down, which were again mentioned in my inital post as the pieces of the problem.

So what I did was: I turned off the EVIL Cool'n'Quiet option in BIOS, set the CPU voltage manually to 1.40. I got a very good idle/full loaded (34-56 C) temperature range with this voltage but I wasn't satisfied, so I set the CPU voltage to 1.225 (the lowest stable under full load). With this setting OCCT auto test runs for 1 hour without giving any errors. The min and max temperatures are 32-52 C. Isn't it amazing???

Now the computer runs without any problems or beeps, idling around 32, and I am a happy man. I'd like to thank you all. You guys are so helpful and just so awesome.

And ah, arctic silver 5 is coming tomorrow and I will put some there for sure (yes, just a little). Hopefully it will decrease the temperatures even more like a degree or two...
 
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I have to select one of the replies other than mine as the best answer to set the thread as solved. I think you all deserve the honor :) but I can give it to only one. So I'm giving it to aford10 for his quick replies, number of posts in this thread and contribution to the solution. Thanks.
 
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Almost feels unworthy. :lol:
Thanks for the vote though.
 
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