• Happy holidays, folks! Thanks to each and every one of you for being part of the Tom's Hardware community!

[SOLVED] What is wrong with my computer please help

Jan 10, 2021
4
0
10
LONG STORY🙁SUMMERY AT THE END)
Hello, I bought my computer almost 3 years ago I will list all the specifications about the components at the end, for the problem, almost 6 months ago I started having an issue where I would turn on the computer and the screen would stay blank and give no signal, so I would keep turning the computer off and on until it works, and when it did it was all working well,
after that I changed the power supply because I thought it was the problem but it didn't fix anything,
so after that I discovered that if I just take off my ram sticks and put them back on it works from the first time and I've been doing that since then but lately,

almost a month ago it started giving me the blue screen of death (Whea unccorectable error) and would just stay stuck on it at 0%, and nothing happens sometimes I get lucky and don't get it for a long time but lately I can't even stay for 5 minutes,

so I posted the problem and was told to update the bios because it could cause the issue I was having but the computer froze while I was doing that, which sucked and I had to buy a programmer from amazon to flash the bios externally which I did but again it didn't fix anything,

took it to a pc repair shop and the guy tested different RAM and different Video card and the problem stayed there, and so I was told it was the drivers on the computer after that so I installed windows on a flash drive and tried it, at the beginning it worked for almost 3 hours with no problem but now I am back to the same problem(I tried with updating all drivers on the flash drive and then again with no drivers at all), on the motherboard the cpu led light lights up when it's trying to turn on, and I am not sure now what could be the issue, I am just not in a financial situation to replace everything and keep taking it to people to look over it please let me know what could be the issue??
Summery: my computer has been giving me whea uncorrectable error for a while and freezing even in bios tried multiple things which are all listed above
Computer specifications:
motherboard: msi z390 a pro
cpu: intel core i9-9900k
gpu: RTX 2070
ram: 2x8GB
PSU: 700 watts (not sure of the brand)

<mod edit - spacing>
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Solution
Testing PSU
the paper clip method - https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/what-is-the-paperclip-method-of-testing-a-psu.1336402/

or multimeter, this is probably best way as you can look at scores under load (repair shop should have one)

or in the BIOS to check the +3.3V, +5V, and +12V. - https://www.lifewire.com/power-supply-voltage-tolerances-2624583

Could take it back to shop and ask them to test PC with current PSU or a better PSU. Something from EVGA, Corsair or Seasonic will actually supply the power they say they do. If it still shows the blank screen, its unlikely its the PSU and then I would have to wonder. My current guess is PSU doesn't push out enough power to run GPU

Buy something like a Seasonic Focus GX...
took it to a pc repair shop and the guy tested different RAM and different Video card and the problem stayed there, and so I was told it was the drivers on the computer
while its possible WHEA errors are caused by drivers, its not often. especially if it survives a reinstall.

When you flashed bios, did you do it inside windows or via the tool in the bios? If it froze while you flashed it and you weren't in windows, its also a sign its not windows.
if it freezes in BIOS, its not windows.

WHEA = Windows Hardware Error Architecture.
They are errors called by CPU but not necessarily caused by it. Can be any hardware. which is what makes them hard to solve.

So lets see
swapped PSU (can you tell me what brand it is) - were you getting WHEA errors before you replaced PSU? Just blank screens?
Store swapped out GPU & RAM, still happened. So we can assume its not either of these.

Do you have another PC? Make this on it and try to run it on other pc, it creates a bootable USB -
Prime 95 bootable - https://www.infopackets.com/news/10113/how-fix-bootable-prime95-stress-test-hardware

Prime 95 Guide: http://www.playtool.com/pages/prime95/prime95.html
 
while its possible WHEA errors are caused by drivers, its not often. especially if it survives a reinstall.

When you flashed bios, did you do it inside windows or via the tool in the bios? If it froze while you flashed it and you weren't in windows, its also a sign its not windows.
if it freezes in BIOS, its not windows.

WHEA = Windows Hardware Error Architecture.
They are errors called by CPU but not necessarily caused by it. Can be any hardware. which is what makes them hard to solve.

So lets see
swapped PSU (can you tell me what brand it is) - were you getting WHEA errors before you replaced PSU? Just blank screens?
Store swapped out GPU & RAM, still happened. So we can assume its not either of these.

Do you have another PC? Make this on it and try to run it on other pc, it creates a bootable USB -
Prime 95 bootable - https://www.infopackets.com/news/10113/how-fix-bootable-prime95-stress-test-hardware

Prime 95 Guide: http://www.playtool.com/pages/prime95/prime95.html
Hello thanks for replying, when I flashed the BIOS I wasn't in windows, it was done through the BIOS itself and froze, and PSU brand is here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08723XFD4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1a
I thing the PSU is called GAMEMAX
so before the PSU it was just a blank screen, but even after PSU change same thing(blank screen) but after almost 2 months or more of replacing it I am getting the blue screen, I am trying to get another pc to try different parts and will try what you listed soon as well thanks for replying again.
 
Gamemax PSU... not ideal replacement.

seems uncertainty about if that is a gamesmax PSU or not, they saying its fake,

Might be cheap but could be reason for errors. it didn't fix your problem so what was your old PSU?

2070 needs in my guess probably a 650 watt PSU. You better off with one from Corsair, EVGA or Seasonic as they will actually supply the power on the box.

could be neither of the PSU are powerful enough to run GPU and hence blank screens
could be problem is another part but that PSU isn't going to help. WHEA errors starting after PSU might be coincidence and related to blank screens.
 
Last edited:
Gamemax PSU... not ideal replacement.

seems uncertainty about if that is a gamesmax PSU or not, they saying its fake,

Might be cheap but could be reason for errors. it didn't fix your problem so what was your old PSU?

2070 needs in my guess probably a 650 watt PSU. You better off with one from Corsair, EVGA or Seasonic as they will actually supply the power on the box.

could be neither of the PSU are powerful enough to run GPU and hence blank screens
could be problem is another part but that PSU isn't going to help. WHEA errors starting after PSU might be coincidence and related to blank screens.
Hi, I had a 600 Watts power supply made by cyberpower which is why I replace it, I checked its rating online and it was pretty bad so I thought the problem was from it, I watched the video you linked, could it be that both power supplies are bad, I am not sure how I can test them I don't have the equipment I am not sure what to actually do, I will try the testing you listed in previous comment. thanks for replying
 
Testing PSU
the paper clip method - https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/what-is-the-paperclip-method-of-testing-a-psu.1336402/

or multimeter, this is probably best way as you can look at scores under load (repair shop should have one)

or in the BIOS to check the +3.3V, +5V, and +12V. - https://www.lifewire.com/power-supply-voltage-tolerances-2624583

Could take it back to shop and ask them to test PC with current PSU or a better PSU. Something from EVGA, Corsair or Seasonic will actually supply the power they say they do. If it still shows the blank screen, its unlikely its the PSU and then I would have to wonder. My current guess is PSU doesn't push out enough power to run GPU

Buy something like a Seasonic Focus GX 650 and never worry if its the PSU again - https://seasonic.com/focus-gx
 
Last edited:
Solution