Thread: Boot up issue

So this one is pretty in depth, please read all of it

My computer has been having random BSODs. Literally, the error on the BSOD is different everytime. So I did a fresh install of Win 7 Pro but nothing changed.

I ran MemTest86+ v4.00 on my system and got a few fails with all 4 sticks in. I removed them all and ran them individually, all passed. I ran them in pairs, pass. I then ran all 4 again and failed (Over 45K fails). Also, the tests it fails are completely random.

Now some other indications. When I turn the system off at the normal power button, if the fan on the PSU is still spinning, it won't POST. If I turn the power off at the PSU and can get the PSU fan not to spin when I turn it on at the back, it will POST. If it spins, I have to cycle power because it just sits there. Sometimes when it won't POST, the video card fan starts spinning fast and never slows back down.

Now here is the REALLY jacked up part... If it posts, it works fine until the random BSOD


The system in question:

MSI K9N2 SLi Deluxe
AMD Phenom 9950 BBE
8Gb Crucial Ballistix DDR2800

Originally Posted by kibner

Sounds to me that the motherboard is borked. Do you have another system around that you can use to test with?

I do but it's the GF's computer that I built her... she's been waiting on it for a while because of my other computer issues.

Sounds like either the mobo or the PSU. Try it with another PSU?

ok here is a test you can do, (this is to test if its the mobo)
1. install 2 ram stick in the first two slots, run memtest, if it fails proceed to step 4
2. install 2 ram sticks in the second 2 slots, run memtest, if it fails proceed to step 4
3. If you are on this step, then the ram and mobo ram slots are ok, its something else
4. Test the first of the two slots you just tested, if it passes its the other slot that is bad, verify this by switching and testing. If it failed then you just found the bad slot, and confirmed it is a bad slot on the mobo.

I tend to agree with Soy on this one. Do you have a spare PSU around that you can use? Sometimes power issues can cause crashes as the system can become unstable if it is not getting enough power.

Also, some motherboards don't work as well when 4 memory slots are being utilized. You might need to increase the memory voltage a bit in your BIOS and test to see if it made a difference.

So an update...

I RMA'd all 8Gb of RAm and got new and different RAM back. What I found was if I use more then 2Gb of RAM is when it has issues. Right now I have 1x2Gb in there and it's fine. If I try 2x2Gb it doesn't work. If I do 2x1Gb it works fine. So I doubt it's the DIMM slots, I am thinking memory controllers on the CPU? (AMD Phenom 9950)

RAM instability can be directly related to voltage. Most motherboards do a good job auto-negotiating that. Others do not. In the BIOS, check the voltage going to the RAM and compare against the specs of the RAM. Could explain why the different DIMMS (2x1Gb vs 2x2Gb) works.