Weird HDD/graphics card problem

[mick458]

Hey

This is my first time posting on here but this problem is driving me nuts!!

My first problem is that every so often randomly my pc will hang for a minute or 2 then resume like normal. This
problem has been ongoing for some time but its my second problem that is my main concern.

my second issue is that whenever I play extremely intensive games (skyrim being the main example) when i start playing I will hear the "device disconnect" sound and my WD HDD will disconnect briefly crashing the game and steam and anything else i run on the HDD. It mostly does this but sometimes my screen will go blank and my GFX card fans will start spinning at 100% or the PC just restarts.

It is very hard for my to replicate these problem even while stress testing my cpu, HDD and GFX card at the same time :/.

I know my ram is working perfectly because it is new and my old ram was working fine and i have tested both sets. Both of my Harddrives pass windows and seatools tests and my gfx card runs fine in MSI Kombuster which pushes it far hotter then any games do. also Prime95 never shows any issues with the cpu.

i was wondering if anybody could help me out with these issues, it would be much appreciated

below are my system specs

Samsung 830 SSD
WDC black 1TB
Foxconn flamingblade Mobo
i7 930 cpu
16gb kingston ram
ati HD6950 (flashed with 6970 bios)
750 watt aywun PSU

 

[ubercake]

The first thing I thought of when you said it would freeze for a couple of minutes and then resume was the disk. But since you've passed all the disk checks...

The fact that your system just up and restarts on you could also indicate a RAM or video card issue. Have you run a Windows Memory Diagnostic yet?

Another possibility... That PSU is not a brand I recognize at all. Power could be an issue as well since once the system is stressed (ie Skyrim), you hear device disconnects. Are there any specs for your PSU out there anywhere?

 

[mick458]

The first thing I thought of when you said it would freeze for a couple of minutes and then resume was the disk. But since you've passed all the disk checks...

The fact that your system just up and restarts on you could also indicate a RAM or video card issue. Have you run a Windows Memory Diagnostic yet?

Another possibility... That PSU is not a brand I recognize at all. Power could be an issue as well since once the system is stressed (ie Skyrim), you hear device disconnects. Are there any specs for your PSU out there anywhere?

the ram has been thoroughly tested with memtest and windows memory diagnostics. And I am doubtful that it is a PSU problem because when i have ran multiple stress tests on my ram / cpu / gfx card and harddrives they have ran without a problem.

 

[ubercake]

The RAM might be good, but how are you running triple-channel with 16GB?

How many modules do you have in the system?

Are they all using the same timing/latencies? Maybe it's a mismatch with the RAM?

Or are you running dual-channel with two 8GB modules?

 

[mick458]

The RAM might be good, but how are you running triple-channel with 16GB?

How many modules do you have in the system?

Are they all using the same timing/latencies? Maybe it's a mismatch with the RAM?

Or are you running dual-channel with two 8GB modules?

Well the tests have never shown errors. I am running 2 8gb sticks of identical ram capable of 1600mhz i believe. The motherboard has 3 ram slots

 

[ubercake]

So you're running dual-channel when you don't use the third slot.

You know your RAM is good. You know your disks are good. You don't have problems relating specifically to your processor.

Could possibly mean a short somewhere. I don't mean to insult you, but I've seen a few people do this in the past (myself included on the very first PC I ever built 15 years ago)... When you built your PC, did you screw your motherboard directly to the case or did you use standoffs for each screw?

 

[mick458]

by standoff do you mean spacers between the case and the Mobo? I have suspected for a while that the motherboard is faulty and it isnt the best of brands to begin with.

 

[ubercake]

Yeah the spacers. I actually didn't screw my motherboard to the case, but I used too many of the standoffs (I thought it would provide additional support under the motherboard at the time - things used to fit a little more tightly) under the board and the board would short if you touched the case at all. I've seen other people on the forums putting together their first build and not using standoffs at all though.

If your standoffs are good, I'd suspect either the motherboard or the PSU at this point.

 

[mick458]

Yeah the spacers. I actually didn't screw my motherboard to the case, but I used too many of the standoffs (I thought it would provide additional support under the motherboard at the time - things used to fit a little more tightly) under the board and the board would short if you touched the case at all. I've seen other people on the forums putting together their first build and not using standoffs at all though.

If your standoffs are good, I'd suspect either the motherboard or the PSU at this point.

Yeah thats what I suspect, I would really prefer not to upgrade the mobo at the moment because it would mean that I would have to replace the CPU, I was thinking I might aswell wait for the new intel architecture to be released?
I would much prefer it be a power supply problem but yeah my money is on Mobo.