What is my problem

[MegaMan1]

Antec 600 Case, Xigmatek 500W PSU, Asus P8Z68-V Pro Gen3, I5 2500K, 16GB 1600 Ram, Kingston S100 120GB SSD System Drive, Seagate 500G SATA 3 data drive, 2 monitors, Win7 P/64 SP1 B 7601

While operating , system will freeze or shut down. On reboot hangs. Go to BIOS V 0402 and SSD is missing from boot sequence. The first time I exited without save so as not to remove SSD from Boot.
This does not work. SSD must be again placed in boot sequence.
Is MB loosing track of SSD and changing boot info, or is SSD failing and MB does not detect and automatically remove from sequence (#1 and only system device). IS power supply failing and causing the problem. I add this option as I just put in Sapphire HD 6850 and problem surface soon after. Now VGA has been removed and back to on Chip Video and waiting for reoccurrence.
My boot is so fast that Samsung HD 2770 turns on after desktop appears. To run bios have to guess when to push Del. Only running IE and office at 1920X1080 so PSU should handle one 6850 and two monitors. Intend to update PSU to Sesonic Gold X650 when I can.l
How can I isolate the culprit. Does not seem to be heat related. System loafing and Antec Khuler H20 60 on CPU at 19C and MB at 22C . On standby overnight no problem, only while in use so far. Lucky not a business machine or this would be a major problem.

When I first installed SSD as ISRT cache I got little improvement in performance and people here told me to convert to boot drive. Did not think 120G was big enough for boot but the advice was right on.
Installed Win7/64 in 50G and updates and SP1 to 60G with normal performance applications on D: I still have 50% left for performance programs. Thanks for help rollie59 and RetiredChief.

 

[frombehind]

Seems like your SSD is either failing, or needs a BIOS flash... Look at your drive manufacturer's page and look for BIOS updates to the offending device.

Keep in mind that most of these bios updates - while they do tend to resolve issues - they also tend to be destructive (ie. it will wipe all data you have on the drive)

Best of luck =]

 

[pjmelect]

Just in case it is not the SSD causing the problem I would also run memtest86 4.0a for at least three passes to test the memory.

 

[MegaMan1]

It looks like SSD Bios is the latest. Says ) F 3332h 3041h 4242h 4630h and download from Kinston says _332. I have had it for 30days or so.

 

[MegaMan1]

I can not run memtest4. I downloaded it twice and when I try to run Nero opens and want to burn a CD. I dont want a cd just a memory test.

 

[pjmelect]

I can not run memtest4. I downloaded it twice and when I try to run Nero opens and want to burn a CD. I dont want a cd just a memory test.

You must burn the image to a CD to make the memory test work, it will start at boot up providing the computer is set to boot from the CD drive in the bios.

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolsofthetrade/gr/memtest86.htm

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolsofthetrade/ht/burnisofile.htm

 

[MegaMan1]

ok have done that but have no control. Keyboard is MS Sidwinder 4 and also tried older USB OmniTech keyboard. Neither let me start the memory test. Directions say may not work with some USB kelyboards. Like my two.

 

[pjmelect]

ok have done that but have no control. Keyboard is MS Sidwinder 4 and also tried older USB OmniTech keyboard. Neither let me start the memory test. Directions say may not work with some USB kelyboards. Like my two.

??? You don't need the keyboard to run memtest86 4.0a. When you get to the menu just wait a few seconds and it will automatically run memtest86 4.0a.

 

[MegaMan1]

Thanks for hanging in there with me. When I boot to Memtest I get a screen for about one second (1.) Run ver v.4 (2.) Run v 3.5. I can choose one if I am fast, if I do not choose it runs v 4.0 by default. I have not pushed 2 yet. After that nothing happens. Keyboard no longer appears to work ESC does not end test and screen does not change.It says 4 core processor run all and 16 GB mem but 0% 0 time 0 errors 0 good.

Just does not appear to do anything. Wated over one hour on one test not toching keyboard at all. Nothing. I will try to post a screen shot if that will help.

 

[MegaMan1]

Now have run memorty test in Win7 2 passes no errors.

 

[pjmelect]

I don't think that you have wasted your time with memtest86, have you tried memtest86 3.5? If you are unable to run memtest86 (either version) then there is something very wrong with your computer. Memtest86 will not use your SSD drive so you can rule that out as a cause.
Memtest86 will hang like this either because the small amount of memory that it uses has become corrupted or the CPU has performed erroneous operations . Are you sure that the computer is not overclocked in anyway? It may be a good idea to reset the CMOS memory the way it describes in the motherboard manual. Try running with only one stick of memory or if you can different memory.

 

[MegaMan1]

I will try running V3.5. New Bios is out for my MB on 2/24/2012. I have 0402 and 3202 is available. If I have to reset everything should I also update to new Bios, or wait to see if problem is fixed. For now I will only run Memtest v3.5 TNX

 

[pjmelect]

You should always reset the CMOS memory after updating the BIOS as the new BIOS may use different memory locations to save its parameters which may be in conflict with the previous BIOS memory setting locations. It may be a good idea to reset the CMOS memory before you upgrade the BIOS in your case.

 

[MegaMan1]

I have run Memtest v3.5 for 6 plus hours. No errors on Pass 5 now 1/2 done. Only error I see is memtest thinks my cpu is Intel core I 7 3400 mhz. That could be because it predates 4 core I 5's. I do not see it as significant, if you do let me know. I will stop it soon and maybe try ver 4.0 one more time now that I know what it should do.
Then:
Reset bios defaults.
Reset bios memory.
Update bios with USB Drive.
Reset bios memory.

Correct?

 

[pjmelect]

Memtest86 is only reporting what the BIOS is telling it is. It could well be that Your BIOS does not properly support the i5 CPU and that a BIOS update is needed.

Correct although the reset BIOS defaults is not strictly needed but it will do no harm.

 

[MegaMan1]

Bios sees I 5 2500K at 3400 mhz and it has always said that. New Bios is for more cpu support but I think it is Ivy Bridge. I will check but am shure v 0402 supports I5.
I have now reset bios to "Optimized Defaults" and it did not boot as SSD was no longer boot device. Went back and changed that and boots right up. I am on it now. Memtest-86 v 4.0a did not run on new check. It says 4 cores started CPU select all, state: s s s s , CPUs active is blank, that may be where it stalls. After that cpus found 4, time 0 iterations blank test_sel std. pass 0 errors 0.
What next?

 

[MegaMan1]

One more item. It is not overclocked but bios had some items set to AUTO and there was a target CPU speed (not sure) and target mem freq. 1648. Now that I have reset to defaults I will have to check the values now. It was running at 3.4 and not 3.3 ghz so motherboard may have turned it up a litttle. I will check manual but think everthing was set per manual as I an not a "Vetran" except the Viet Nam period.

 

[pjmelect]

I have had memtest86 4.0a not running on some old motherboards, but on all newer ones I have not had a problem.

 

[MegaMan1]

One more item. CPU voltage jumps around from1.84V to 2.02V and mem voltage also is never steady to 3 decimal places. Bios setting look like manual so far.

 

[MegaMan1]

I just looked at another computer Asus P8H67MPro with Antec PSU, I3 2120, and voltages do not bounce around. Maybe there is ripple on CPU voltage and 3.3Volts.

 

[MegaMan1]

Now have new MB bios. CPU Voltage and 3.3V still not solid but different. Still no Memtest-86 v 4.0a. Will see what happens. Do you think the Voltages should be more stable or is jumping around by 10's of MV ok.

 

[MegaMan1]

I looked carefuly through BIOS. Under CPU Setup there is a tab CPUID. I had it set to enabled and disabled is for WinXP. Asus does not give much info about it. With it diabled Memtest-86 v4.0 started right up much faster that V3.5 was running plus CPU was listed as 2500K and cache information was there and it was not before. Then I got the flue and it ran all day with no errors.

Do I need to worry about CPU voltage jitter or 3.3V jitter? I have had no problems since this post started and HD 6850 has not been reinstalle. What to do?

 

[pjmelect]

That is very interesting about memtest86 4.0a not working with CPUID enabled, I will try this the next time I have a similar problem. The recommended setting for CPUID is disabled otherwise you may get the wrong CPU type reported.
More info on the CPUID setting
http://www.techarp.com/showfreebog.aspx?lang=0&bogno=362

I would not worry about the jitter on the supply rails, if you were to put a multimeter on the 3.3V rail I am sure that it would be stable.

After updating the BIOS and setting the CPUID to disabled, has your original problem been fixed?

 

[MegaMan1]

I thogut it might be ok, I left it on overnight, but this morning it would not boot and SSD was missing from boot sequence.

I would like to say logic lead me to CPUID, but it was luck and I have not gone back to verify yet that it was the problem. Something changed.

 

[MegaMan1]

Vrified that CPUID in bios, when enabled hangs Memtext86 v4.0 and screws up v 3,5. So one unknow problem solved. Why does my SSD disapear from boot sequence? It is my only boot device. No SSD no OS.