EEVILMURRAY Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 This new PC is causing me more grief than pleasure. Recently it's decided that it won't start up. You can hear the stuff whirling around but no display/sound. I opened it up and gave the leads a little wiggle and it seemed alright, but shortly afterwards it froze on me and I had to restart again. This time you could hear the stuff whirling inside but it would shut itself down about 10 seconds after. I'm fairly confident everything is up to date and I've not recently installed/downloaded anything which should make it behave like this. Helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheikah Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 Sorry to hear that something hasn't gone right for you. I would honestly suggest disconnecting every part and putting it back, it could be that the thermal paste wasn't applied well or there's something wrong with the heatsink if it's turning off shortly after turning on (computers are set to auto switch off if processor overhears). Power cables going from your PSU to the mobo can easily come out and not having a keyboard/mouse detected can also stop the PC booting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEVILMURRAY Posted July 23, 2012 Author Share Posted July 23, 2012 After I whined about this on Facebook, someone mentioned I could be overloading the power supply with all the fans. Could this be possible? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cube Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 I have the same components (apart from HDD) and the power supply/fans aren't a problem. What socket is your monitor cable plugged into? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEVILMURRAY Posted July 23, 2012 Author Share Posted July 23, 2012 The monitor is in the graphics card port (via the adaptor) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheikah Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 After I whined about this on Facebook, someone mentioned I could be overloading the power supply with all the fans. Could this be possible? It's quite unlikely, what wattage is your power supply? It could be a faulty component mind. I would recommend you remove your graphics card and use your onboard graphics for the next couple of days. If you have no problems, there is your culprit. Could be loose seating or you could send it back to the manufacturer for a replacement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEVILMURRAY Posted July 23, 2012 Author Share Posted July 23, 2012 It might be a loose seating. It does appear a little wobbly when it the motherboard and the only other fixing it has is when it's screwed to the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEVILMURRAY Posted July 24, 2012 Author Share Posted July 24, 2012 (edited) Well I took everything out (except th motherboard) and put it all back in - nothing. I've just tried taking the graphics card out and plugged monitor in mobo and it did start up. For about 30 seconds. It complained about the graphics drivers/catalyst control bollocks not compatible or something. But before I get a chance to change them the display goes. Any other attempts to startup give me about 20 seconds of multicoloured static before it shuts down. Grr. EDIT. Just put the graphics card back in and it started up again. A couple of web pages later it's frozen on me again and it's back to the same failure to start routine. Edited July 24, 2012 by EEVILMURRAY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheikah Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Do you have a HDTV or something that you can hook up to as a monitor? You could also try boot in safe mode and have a disk with drivers/latest catalyst/BIOS update (lastest version) for your motherboard and try install them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEVILMURRAY Posted July 24, 2012 Author Share Posted July 24, 2012 So you think it might be the monitor that's the problem? For safe mode I have to hold some key (F10/12?) but I won't really know of it worked as I can't see anything :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheikah Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Well, I'm just trying to weigh up what the problem could be as Cube's PC seems to be working and as I recall he connects via HDMI (as do I). Connecting using a different method could have some weird glitch to do with your monitor, no idea why though. What I would suggest for now is remove your HDD (not SSD), and format your SSD by whatever means (hook up to another computer to do this if need be but you might be able to do this on the boot screen). Put only the SSD in your computer and do a fresh install. Consider a different 'copy' of Windows since you said yours wasn't exactly legit. Doing a fresh install might mean that whatever weird setup you had could be gone (you said there was some HDD and SDD issue, most likely caused by Win 7 being on your HDD for some reason). Only plug the HDD in after several days of all being well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mokong Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 So you think it might be the monitor that's the problem? For safe mode I have to hold some key (F10/12?) but I won't really know of it worked as I can't see anything :-( Safe Mode is F8 If you take back out the gfx card and plug into the mobo's video port and it starts up, go to Safe Mode and it shouldn't ask you about drivers or whatever. Update what it complained about before... and while your at it look for the latest driver for your gfx card too. When you've updated the mobo's gfx drivers and whatever else it mentioned restart (still on mobo gfx) as normal and see if the same still happens or not. If not install the latest drivers for the gfx card and stick that back in and see how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEVILMURRAY Posted July 24, 2012 Author Share Posted July 24, 2012 Well, I'm just trying to weigh up what the problem could be as Cube's PC seems to be working and as I recall he connects via HDMI (as do I). Connecting using a different method could have some weird glitch to do with your monitor, no idea why though. What I would suggest for now is remove your HDD (not SSD), and format your SSD by whatever means (hook up to another computer to do this if need be but you might be able to do this on the boot screen). Put only the SSD in your computer and do a fresh install. Consider a different 'copy' of Windows since you said yours wasn't exactly legit. Doing a fresh install might mean that whatever weird setup you had could be gone (you said there was some HDD and SDD issue, most likely caused by Win 7 being on your HDD for some reason). Only plug the HDD in after several days of all being well. There isn't a problem with the installation of Windows 7. The HDD was formatted and now only holds music, pictures etc. The SSD is all that holds Win 7. Looking at its placement in the case, it looks like the cable is a little bent to the extreme. But I'll try the monitor cable first. I have a bank draft of a tax return to cash tomorrow so I'll check out the selection then. It also means I'll be able to afford a legit copy of Windows 7. And maybe all will be well. Safe Mode is F8 If you take back out the gfx card and plug into the mobo's video port and it starts up, go to Safe Mode and it shouldn't ask you about drivers or whatever. Update what it complained about before... and while your at it look for the latest driver for your gfx card too. When you've updated the mobo's gfx drivers and whatever else it mentioned restart (still on mobo gfx) as normal and see if the same still happens or not. If not install the latest drivers for the gfx card and stick that back in and see how it goes. I'm not sure if the gfx drivers were the problem. Based on how I was reading it the monitor was having problems with the way it connected to the PC. So I might have to look into a cable which connects into the gfx card on one end and a HDMI on the other end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheikah Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 If you can update the BIOS for your mobo somehow (perhaps in safe mode/without your graphics card in) then that can often solve weird issues. Here's the link for you: BIOS update. The reformat thing might get rid of whatever drivers for your graphics card are installed. Then you could go to the driver website and get the latest version here: link. NB that's for 64-bit Win7 which you should have (since you have lots of RAM). Also I just thought, perhaps you could take photos of the inside of your case and @Cube could confirm whether anything is differently placed to his stuff. Maybe you have some component slotted either in the wrong place or not slotted in as well as in Cube's PC. Also Cube, not sure if you've done it yet but I recommend opening the AMD catalyst control panel and cranking your clock rate of your card up to max (something like 1200 - 1250 MHz). Instant performance boost and the card can easily handle it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEVILMURRAY Posted July 25, 2012 Author Share Posted July 25, 2012 I tried an attempt of safe mode. Putting the monitor cable in the mobo and starting up and holding F8. It gave the choice of starting normally or solving problems. I chose the latter and whilst it said it was solving problems it went to rainbow static and that was all. I would love to fap around with the BIOS/whatever settings but getting a display that lasts longer than 10 seconds is too much to ask for it seems. I'll look for a new hdmi cable tonight. I took a picture though! Hopefully you can see it as an attachment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mokong Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 (edited) So I might have to look into a cable which connects into the gfx card on one end and a HDMI on the other end. huh? so what kind of cable are you using? I tried an attempt of safe mode. Putting the monitor cable in the mobo and starting up and holding F8. It gave the choice of starting normally or solving problems. I chose the latter and whilst it said it was solving problems it went to rainbow static and that was all. You sure you pressed f8 at the right time? Was there no options like Safe Mode Safe mode with Networking Safe mode with Command Prompt and a few others? Wonder if the apparent lack of a safe mode is maybe cause of you no-so-legit copy of Windows? Edited July 25, 2012 by Mokong Automerged Doublepost Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cube Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Also Cube, not sure if you've done it yet but I recommend opening the AMD catalyst control panel and cranking your clock rate of your card up to max (something like 1200 - 1250 MHz). Instant performance boost and the card can easily handle it. GPU clock speed: 1050 MHz memory clock settings: 1450 MHz There's also a +/- thing for "Power Control Settings" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEVILMURRAY Posted July 25, 2012 Author Share Posted July 25, 2012 huh? so what kind of cable? Dunno what the names for the ends are... but I believe they both have blue ends. But for the graphics card port I have to use this adapter which came with the thing. I kept F8 pressed just after I pressed the power button. Since it starts up quick being on the SSD I didn't want to miss it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheikah Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Ok I'm a bit confused, you're not using a straight HDMI to HDMI right? Maybe try a HDMI to HDMI if you can. I think the blue one is a VGA cable (white tends to be DVI). Does your PC stay on when the screen goes or does it shut down? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEVILMURRAY Posted July 25, 2012 Author Share Posted July 25, 2012 I think both ends are VGA but you have to use that adaptor that came with the gfx card to make it fit in there. That's not HDMI, what do you call thqlat port end? I'm trying to find something with a HDMI end I can use but all I'm seeing at Tesco (great place for cables I know) has just HDMI both ends. I've been focussing on connecting through that weirdass long white port when I've forgotten there is a fine HDMI port for the gfx card also. I'll give that a purchase and see how it goes. When it goes rainbow static it usually stays on until I turn it off myself. But sometimes the screen powers down with the machjne. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheikah Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 The adaptor is probably a VGA to DVI (the DVI cable end is wider). You can get DVI to HDMI (won't carry over sound though unlike pure HDMI) but if you have a HDTV then all you need is a HDMI-HDMI anyway. By the way, if you manage to go into the boot menu / options it shouldn't even be factoring in your graphics card drivers in any way and the fact a signal appeared on your screen to begin with is odd. Best bet for now is to try another display to connect to I think, ideally with pure HDMI. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cube Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Here's mine if you want to compare: Only noticable difference is the side the CPU fan is attached to. And the socket on the bottom left of the motherboard. I don't seem to have anything there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mokong Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Ok I'm a bit confused, you're not using a straight HDMI to HDMI right? Maybe try a HDMI to HDMI if you can. I think the blue one is a VGA cable (white tends to be DVI). Does your PC stay on when the screen goes or does it shut down? Haha yeah I was thinking the same. I thought you were using a HDMI cable all along. If you can get hold of one give that a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEVILMURRAY Posted July 26, 2012 Author Share Posted July 26, 2012 Ok Shabba's. I've purchased a straight hdmi cable on my break. When I get home... It's judgement day. My balls are officially going to break if this doesn't work. Right. Pure HDMI interaction doesn't seem to be working. It isn't shutting itself down but I'm still not seeing anything. On a whim I tried hooking it o the HDMI port on my TV but it didn't show anything either. On the monitor it seems to recognise when it isn't connected (ie when it's switched off) but when you turn the PC on nothing comes up on the display. :-( meeeeeeh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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