Hi all,
I'm looking for some suggestions on how I can troubleshoot this problem.
A few weeks ago, I noticed my computer blue screening and rebooting, but for the most part was working fine. Last week, it started crash on load up of Windows or shortly after I log in. It's basically in a boot loop now, sometimes it will load the Windows Recovery Environment if it failed enough times in a row, sometimes it will actually boot into Windows and allow me to log in.
If I get into the Windows Recovery environment, pretty much anything I choose causes the computer to crash and restart (e.g. resetting the PC, automatic repair, etc.
When I am able to get into Windows, I immediately pull up Windows System Logs, and see some errors, but nothing that stands out, but it always crashes within a minute or 2, so I don't have time to look at it.
I've tried booting in with Ubuntu Live and it also crashes.
I've tried booting with the Windows Media Creation Tool via USB key, and it also crashes
So it seems like a hardware issue of some sort, but I'm not sure what is failing.
I am able to boot into an Ultimate Boot CD I burned years ago, and was able to run some tests.
- Vivard - tested the drive, and no errors or remapping done. Didn't think this would be the problem, but tested anyways
- CPU burn in - ran for 3 hours, no crashes no issues I could see
- Memtest86+ - Ran with all RAM in, and saw 1 error after running over night. But when I tested each one separately in different slots over the past few days, none of them are showing an error (tested 6-15 passes with each test).
When I try to run Memtest86, it crashes right away.
I was able to book in using Avast Rescue Disk, but it crashes when I try to scan.
All the info I find recommends doing a clean boot, or booting to safe mode, or running sfc, but I can't boot into Windows to be able to configure any of this, plus it seems more like a hardware issue.
The common thread seems to be UI interfaces are the ones that fail. Memtest could run for 12 hours and not crash. So I tried sticking in an old GPU into one of the PCI-E slots and turned off the onboard VGA, but there's no difference.
I've tried unplugging everything inside the case, and all peripherals, except the boot drive, but still the same issue.
The 12/5/3.3 voltages seem to be ok in the bios (they're above the voltage rating), and CPU temp is 39 degrees. I've cleaned out the dust inside the case (I admit there was quite a bit of it built up inside)
I've tested the power supply by joining pin 4 and 5 together and confirmed the fan comes on.
I tried following this thread: https://forums.techguy.org/threads/how-to-troubleshoot-your-system.1278885/ and I've done most things, except monitoring the voltage rails while doing a stress test. Is there a tool that I can boot into, that has no UI, to do a stress test, and also have the voltage and temps monitored at the same time? The tools suggested here only work if you're running them in Windows it seems like.
Here is my computer:
I know, it's a 10 year old computer. But I would love to get it back and running if it's cheap/easy to fix, as I have some uses still in mind for it.
Any other thoughts on how else I can troubleshoot and pinpoint what's the culprit?
I'm looking for some suggestions on how I can troubleshoot this problem.
A few weeks ago, I noticed my computer blue screening and rebooting, but for the most part was working fine. Last week, it started crash on load up of Windows or shortly after I log in. It's basically in a boot loop now, sometimes it will load the Windows Recovery Environment if it failed enough times in a row, sometimes it will actually boot into Windows and allow me to log in.
If I get into the Windows Recovery environment, pretty much anything I choose causes the computer to crash and restart (e.g. resetting the PC, automatic repair, etc.
When I am able to get into Windows, I immediately pull up Windows System Logs, and see some errors, but nothing that stands out, but it always crashes within a minute or 2, so I don't have time to look at it.
I've tried booting in with Ubuntu Live and it also crashes.
I've tried booting with the Windows Media Creation Tool via USB key, and it also crashes
So it seems like a hardware issue of some sort, but I'm not sure what is failing.
I am able to boot into an Ultimate Boot CD I burned years ago, and was able to run some tests.
- Vivard - tested the drive, and no errors or remapping done. Didn't think this would be the problem, but tested anyways
- CPU burn in - ran for 3 hours, no crashes no issues I could see
- Memtest86+ - Ran with all RAM in, and saw 1 error after running over night. But when I tested each one separately in different slots over the past few days, none of them are showing an error (tested 6-15 passes with each test).
When I try to run Memtest86, it crashes right away.
I was able to book in using Avast Rescue Disk, but it crashes when I try to scan.
All the info I find recommends doing a clean boot, or booting to safe mode, or running sfc, but I can't boot into Windows to be able to configure any of this, plus it seems more like a hardware issue.
The common thread seems to be UI interfaces are the ones that fail. Memtest could run for 12 hours and not crash. So I tried sticking in an old GPU into one of the PCI-E slots and turned off the onboard VGA, but there's no difference.
I've tried unplugging everything inside the case, and all peripherals, except the boot drive, but still the same issue.
The 12/5/3.3 voltages seem to be ok in the bios (they're above the voltage rating), and CPU temp is 39 degrees. I've cleaned out the dust inside the case (I admit there was quite a bit of it built up inside)
I've tested the power supply by joining pin 4 and 5 together and confirmed the fan comes on.
I tried following this thread: https://forums.techguy.org/threads/how-to-troubleshoot-your-system.1278885/ and I've done most things, except monitoring the voltage rails while doing a stress test. Is there a tool that I can boot into, that has no UI, to do a stress test, and also have the voltage and temps monitored at the same time? The tools suggested here only work if you're running them in Windows it seems like.
Here is my computer:
- Intel i5 2500K
- Gigabyte Z68 motherboard
- Intel 160GB SSD (boot drive with Windows)
- WD Black 2TB HD (data)
- Corsair CX650M (fairly new, about 1.5 years old when the previous PSU died)
- Using integrated graphics
- 4 x 4GB of RAM
- Running Windows 10
I know, it's a 10 year old computer. But I would love to get it back and running if it's cheap/easy to fix, as I have some uses still in mind for it.
Any other thoughts on how else I can troubleshoot and pinpoint what's the culprit?
