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I built a desktop just over a year ago, and it's been rock solid since then in Linux and Windows. However, two really weird problems have happened over the last few days. When I turned my computer on, it would not detect that a keyboard was plugged in at all, requiring several reboots before the computer was operational, other USB devices have also been affected. Most disturbingly however, today I had to reboot and it went really, incredibly slowly. I got into Linux and was trying to figure out what the problem is - ended up looking at the clock and the seconds were not moving. Waited, and about 12 seconds later by my phone one second passed. I kept watching and this repeated. The rate at which the seconds themselves were passing was off, not just the time. I loading a live CD for Linux mint as well, the "Automatic boot in 10 seconds" message took two minutes. Miraculously my mouse cursor still moved normally before mint eventually crashed.

As of now, the problem appears to have abated. So far I have tested the CPU temperature - Windows and Linux report that it is normal under load at about 41 Celsius, the fan is running and the heatsink is cool. I'll be running a memtest overnight to see if anything turns up. I am relatively certain this is not software, even the motherboard BIOS was responding incredibly slowly.

I can't even find this on Google because all results for a clock being off are obvious things about needing to change system time, not hardware issues with the clocks rate. So I'd like to ask: The motherboard is still under warranty but I don't want to have my desktop out of commission while Asus leaves it sitting in a warehouse for a month before fixing it. Is the motherboard likely to be the cause of the issue, or is there some other component of the machine that I should test / are there logs that might tell me what happened? Has anyone ever even had a problem like this before? Is my computer Cthulhu incarnate, come to wreak havoc upon the living?

I hope this is the right area to ask this, I have never asked a question on SU before. Thanks in advance.

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  • The motherboard is the likely source of the issue, more precicely the clock circuitry. You can, of course, try to strip all components that are not needed to boot the system to BIOS to see if there is any change, but likely it remains the same. And what comes to good customer service, I assume you bought the motherboard from a retailer and not directly from Asus, and if they are not totally ignorant, they will not allow you to remain without a working motherboard for too long a time.
    – zagrimsan
    Oct 7, 2013 at 8:39

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