Windows startup error

Yankatank

Honorable
May 14, 2016
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10,530
First my build

i7 5960x
Geforce GTX Titan X
MSI X99s Gaming 7
16 GB of DDR4 rip jaws
Corsair TX850
Also a evo cooler 212 (don't think this is important though)

Anyways, it had been a while since I dusted my build so I decided to do that. I was very careful when it came to removing components and dusting them. It was a relatively quick and easy process. Some things I did that may be worth noting 1. Removed my GPU and the clip on the slot had broken even though I was very very meticulous about removing it, but not sure how imperative the presence of the clip is 2. Rearranged which ports the SATA cables were plugged in to in order to achieve better cable management 3. Relocated a fan

I am not sure if any of that is the source of my problem but I am looking for someone to help. Anyways so my problem. Note that it operated perfectly before this so obviously I did something it didn't like. Every time I power it up I see the BIOS screen, then the windows logo. After a brief black screen I got another black screen with a series of red dots and lines in pattern arrangement. It continuously gives me that outcome everytime. I tried placing my GPU in the next slot and I get the same problem. Then for some reason even though I hadn't changed anything, it booted to my OS and I saw the lock screen in extremely poor resolution and as soon as I clicked my mouse to enter my password, it went to the red dots and lines again. And theeeeen, on another random startup, it took me to a blue screen titled "Recovery" with the error code 0xc000000f with the phrase "a required device isn't connected or can't be accessed." So I don't understand what the problem is. My mother board busted? Gpu? Do I need to replace something? Thanks in advance!
 
Solution
Does the odd dots and patterns occur in the UEFI as well? However, just off hand since it worked fine before, and you mentioned accidentally breaking the locking clip, it could be you damaged your GPU. The graphic anomalies your describing are usual a bad driver or faulty/failing graphics card from my experience. It's possible it's a driver issue, but again since it worked fine before taking apart, this is pretty unlikely. Moving SATA cables and a fan shouldn't cause any of this. Just to be sure, you may want to reseat power cables, ect. to be sure it's not something simple like that. If your display is fine in your UEFI, you may want to try a restore point/system image to try a reinstall of the drivers if you can get around the...
Does the odd dots and patterns occur in the UEFI as well? However, just off hand since it worked fine before, and you mentioned accidentally breaking the locking clip, it could be you damaged your GPU. The graphic anomalies your describing are usual a bad driver or faulty/failing graphics card from my experience. It's possible it's a driver issue, but again since it worked fine before taking apart, this is pretty unlikely. Moving SATA cables and a fan shouldn't cause any of this. Just to be sure, you may want to reseat power cables, ect. to be sure it's not something simple like that. If your display is fine in your UEFI, you may want to try a restore point/system image to try a reinstall of the drivers if you can get around the BSOD. I'd tell you to test w/ a spare GPU if you have on available.
 
Solution


There are no red dots on the UEFI page. And if the GPU is damaged, is there any method of confirming that that is the issue?
 
Well, you could remove it and do a closer inspection. The gold contact pins that go into the PCI-E motherboard connector and any small surface soldered components nearby would be where I'd be looking first. However, since it isn't happening in the UEFI(you may want to idle there for 1/2 hour or so to be sure), it may indeed be something driver related. You mentioned that it's after the Windows logo screen switch, or after you logged in with odd resolution that this occurs. In other words, it's happening when GPU drivers are being loaded. Can you boot into Windows or Safe Mode at all? Do you have the Rescue disc or USB to try a restore?
 


Thanks for the reply again, unfortunately after inspection of my graphics card, I discovered a scratch about 2 millimeters long parallel to one of the gold contact pan. I have a feeling that's probably what is causing the issue. I am able to boot into safe mode, however the red dots are still present. And I had thought about reinstalling my OS, however I did the free upgrade from Windows 8 so I do not have a Windows 10 disk. Would you consider a scratch of that size to be fatal?
 
Can you upload a picture in anyway of it? If not, you can PM me and I can send you my email address and you can send that way. I actually work w/ circuit boards for a living and may be able to give you my thoughts. Also(if your PC is bootable), you can download the tool from MS to create a replacement disc/USB. Also, if you can get to the login, you can hold down SHIFT and click restart. This should let you reboot in the recovery options where you can "reset" your Windows 10 back to the day it was installed.
 


Here is a link
http://i.imgur.com/c1Mj3jQ.jpg

 
OK. Actually to me the gouge doesn't look all that bad. The gold contacts themselves look undamaged by it. You may want to try cleaning them all up w/ some rubbing alcohol and clean up the damaged area as well to see how deep it goes. If there are no exposed trace wires beneath the damaged spot, I don't think it's the cause. If you had a curled up gold contact, that would be a different story. Also, even though you tried in another slot, I'd inspect the primary PCI-E slot on your motherboard as well, namely the area where the card looks damaged would plug in. Do any of the pins look damaged inside the connector? Any plastic bits from the broken locking pin in there?
 


Ok I'll give that a shot and get back to you with the results! Thanks
 


Okay so from what I can see with the naked eye, the pcie slot looks perfectly fine and everything looks intact and in place. I had just reinstalled my graphics card and Boot It Up Again, I am on the lock screen and I can get in to my desktop fine, but the red dots are still in the background. Definitely an improvement. Perhaps the alcohol did the trick? I am just curious then if me rubbing the scratch with rubbing alcohol somehow further advancement in the operating system, does it make sense that the red dots are still present? Does this mean the source of it is from something else?
 


Sorry for bombarding you with more comments, but it had been running for about 2 minutes and then it just reverted to the black acreen with the red dots again and then Windows did the Auto restart as it always does.
 
OK. Is there enough time to uninstall the drivers from within normal or safe mode? I'm just trying to be sure it's not some coincidental driver issue that cropped up. Power connections to card look good as well? It's odd to me that your not seeing problems in the UEFI, but only when Windows loads which would point to a driver issue, but at the same time, safe mode has the red dots and Nvidia drivers aren't used, only basic OS drivers. Plus, your system is crashing/rebooting in Windows. Is the GPU fan spinning correctly as well? Do you happen to have another cheap Nvidia GPU laying around or one you could borrow?
 


I should definitely have enough time to uninstall if I'm quick about it. As for the GPU connection cables, everything seems snug and in place. And yes the GPU fan is running properly. I agree though, odd that it is happening both in safe and non safe mode. I've tried several times now booting up and I can't get to the desktop anymore, just red dots. Seems like its just random in terms of when it properly intiates. Here is a picture of what I am experiencing almost every time the windows logo passes.

http://i.imgur.com/nLhTku7.jpg
 
OK. If you can try the driver uninstall. However, if the same issue occurs then, combined w/ your picture I'm thinking your GPU is damaged. If so, it had to be something w/ the locking connector break. It's just to me the other picture of the contacts didn't look all that bad. Still, I'm hoping it's something simple, especially being a 1K Titan X.