So. I have had a battle going on with my aging desktop and stability.
Here is the original specs:
- CPU: Intel i5 2500k , No overclock.
- RAM: Corsair Vengance 1600MHz 16GB (4x4GB) Running at 1333 MHz.
- Motherboard: AsRock P67 Extreme4 Gen3 manual
- Graphics: Nvidia 570GTX ( MSI OEM design )
- OS: Windows 10
Events up until now:
So a little over a week ago, my rig would not boot all of a sudden. Got the post code 32 for "CPU post-memory initialization is started".
Okay. Time to check memory. Started systematically to check to see if it was the sockets, memory module, or the controller. While going through all the different configurations, except single module, I got shifting error codes, including not being able to detect the graphics card. Now when I install all four DIMMs, I just get post code 55 "Memory not installed".
I decided to clean the entire machine (all components, heat-shields, heat-sinks and everything.) as it had accumulated quite the patina of dust and nicotine, as I used to be a smoker.
Then I checked all memory configurations again, this time with single modules also.
To my surprise, Dual channel 2 stick config and single module, single channel configs worked now. How ever, installing a third DIMM did not register but did change the registered module. The motherboard did not seem to care about pairing the slots correctly as it had no problem running A2 and B1.
All four sockets work. Just not at the same time (Error 55 again)
All four memory modules work.
So.. I am currently running 2 sticks of memory (8GB). The system boots, and runs just fine, except I get random crashes of hardware modules. The audio device cuts off for a few seconds sometimes, and the system black-screens when under some types of load, especially graphical loads, but sometimes also just at close to idle. And it isn't always it crashes under load anyway. Some sessions the system is stable. Windows does not even register the crashes in the event-logs when it happens.
Observations, discussion and conclusion
I am a little perplexed as there are indicators of multiple hardware faults, but they are all intermediate and only have half patterns. The memory controller seemed to be dying, but all sockets and all modules work.
Graphics card works, but it does crash the system when loaded.. But not always. Sometimes it doesn't care what I throw at it. (Coil-whine/buzz is audible from the card when loaded fully)
Sound card crashes sometimes, but not in a way that crashes the whole system and it recovers within seconds.
Memory tests on the modules turned up no errors. All four sockets work. CPU Stress testing does not cause crashes.
Chipset on this motherboard does get a little toasty, but that is not something that has caused issues before.
I am suspecting a bad power supply, along with a corrupt BIOS, corrupted by bad power. My current power supply is a cheap 500W job, that I have seen draw 800-900W from the wall. So, prime suspect. It is a 50$US PSU and has 5 years of heavy use on it. Since I need a new power supply for my next build anyway and a new BIOS chip is cheap as stale bread, I will be attempting a rescue by those means.
If that is not going to solve the stability problems, I'd have to check components on the power delivery on the graphics card.
Anyway, I wanted to get some opinions on my theory and see if anyone can see any glaring faults in my reasoning and logic.
I have re-flashed the BIOS, No change. Including driver revamp.
Thanks for your time, Much appreciated
