Big Bang Xpower crash/failure

[Magnum Johnson]

Hello, I just built my new system about 1 1/2 months ago and I have had my system up and running 100% with no issues what so ever, but last night while I was watching TV I saw out of the corner of my eye my PC go from sleeping to a blue screen with failure to boot. I was not OC'd and it has been running on stock clocks only plus at the time of the crash it was just siting idle in windows with nothing running. I have removed memory and attempted to boot but it just hangs up on the Big Bang logo screen that now has big yellow lines through it and only makes it to 38 on the debug panel. Any help is appreciated and I have contacted MSI but im still waiting for a response. If it means anything my system temp was 29c or so at the time of failure but the heat sink around the CPU were all almost too hot to touch?! I think that this mobo is a brick now, but asking here cant hurt.

System Specs

i7 950
Big Bang
x2 MSI Twin Frozr GTX 465's
WD Black HD 6gb 1tb
Corsair TX950
HAF 932 case
XSPC Rasa cpu block
XSPC pump/res
Black Ice 320 radiator

 

[HU16E]

blue screen

What was the Stop Code? 0x00000xxx? Test with one VGA individually. No mention of RAM specs or how many installed. If the VGA's both check out, then test each RAM stick individually in the primary black DIMM slot. When removing the RAM & the VGA, remove the PSU power cord, clear CMOS, enter bios if it boots & set Optimized Defaults, & reset personal bios preferences.

 

[Magnum Johnson]

Sorry, my ram is 6gb Adata 2000G. I have tried both VGA cards and swapping the memory but it always ends with the corrupted looking logo screen where I am unable to enter the BIOS. I have no clue what the Blue screen error was, I only saw it for a second from across the room.

 

[HU16E]

I have tried both VGA cards 

Try the VGA's individually in slot E5 & see if the corruption persists. Once in Windows, to keep the BSOD on screen, go in Startup & Recovery, uncheck Auto Restart.

 

[Magnum Johnson]

Ok, attempted every possible GPU configuration and still nothing, cant make it to the BIOS. I have been told by MSI that its likely the power supply...I have my doubts but ill check my voltages tomorrow when I can get my multimeter. Any idea what voltages I need to have at the test points? I appreciate the input so far!

Just want to add that now when I turn the power on it will power up to the logo screen once, then if I turn it off and attempt to power it up again it will power for about a second at a time then shut off again for about 3 seconds, it will do this until I unplug the power supply.

 

[NovJoe]

Have you tried resitting the processor?

 

[Magnum Johnson]

Ok, so I have tested the power supply, the GPU's, memory, and re-set the CPU, I don't know what  else to do. I have no way of testing any other components and MSI has me convinced that its something other than the motherboard and the only way I can determine for sure is to test the CPU and I have no way of doing that. any thoughts?

 

[HU16E]

Ok, so I have tested the power supply, the GPU's, memory, and re-set the CPU, I don't know what  else to do. I have no way of testing any other components and MSI has me convinced that its something other than the motherboard and the only way I can determine for sure is to test the CPU and I have no way of doing that. any thoughts?

Just a shot in the dark, but have you tried with the bundled sound card removed?

 

[Magnum Johnson]

Just tried that one, no luck. So if I have 12v, 3.3, and 4.9-5v coming out of my power supply it can really only be the CPU, 3 bad RAM sticks, or the Mobo rite?

 

[HU16E]

If it means anything my system temp was 29c or so at the time of failure

It would have been nice to know exactly what the CPU temp itself was.

it can really only be the CPU, 3 bad RAM sticks, or the Mobo rite?

Since you have tested each RAM stick individually in the primary DIMM slot, that pretty much rules them out. Tested each VGA in slots E2 individually & in slot E5, that kind of points to CPU or the board. In order of replacement, I would start with only the board or the CPU. If both are RMA'd at the same time, neither you or the forum users will know which one was truly at fault.

 

[Magnum Johnson]

I agree, I'm going to try to throw the CPU in my brothers alienware And verify weather or not it's the CPU. The thing that makes me lean towards the board is the weird looking logo screen and the fact that the heat sinks on the north bridge etc were too hot to touch after if was shut down and the side pulled off the case (at least a few mins). So unless the CPU just randomly died at stock clock and with quality water cooling I'm thinking motherboard.

 

[HU16E]

the fact that the heat sinks on the north bridge etc were too hot to touch after it was shut down

When you get the new CPU or board as the case may be, I would recommend the CPUID Utility H/W Monitor. The TMPIN1 reading is the NB (IOH). You want to make sure that stays at or below 95C Tcontrol. Since you have an alternate CPU cooling method, the surrounding components are not getting the cooling air flow from the stock cooler which the boards were designed around using Intel specs. Good case air flow in addition to an auxilliary fan like an Antec Spot Cool for example, pointed at the IOH does wonders. For others that read this thread, the last thing needed is this response of mine to open up debate again over how hot is too hot for the IOH. As per Intel, it is above 95C Tcontrol 'at load' on a continual basis. Personally, IMHO, for an idle temp, anything over 84-85C at idle would get some attention.

 

[Magnum Johnson]

My temps have always been low, I use every monitor program available and have never seen a CPU temp over 62c under load (even @ 4.2ghz) with Prime 95, and my surrounding temps have always been around 80c. I have the 140mm fan on my 932 blowing onto my CPU area and x3 scythe 120mm fans pulling air through the radiator out the top of the PC as well as the 200mm fan in front, a 120mm in the bottom and a 120mm blowing over my GPU's. All of these fans run through a NZXT fan controller. The cooling setup I have is fantastic but I think im going to also add one of those spot coolers and use it in a push/pull with the 140mm at the back to help cool the CPU area. And again I have no real idea what the CPU temp was at the time of my system crash but I can say that my coolant reservoir was cool to the touch.

 

[Magnum Johnson]

Ok, so I found an old system speaker and tested my system for beeps. If i have everything connected I get no beeps, If I remove the ram I get 3, this is the only way im getting any beeps. This should show that its not a RAM issue but a mobo/CPU rite?

 

[HU16E]

Ok, so I found an old system speaker and tested my system for beeps. If i have everything connected I get no beeps, If I remove the ram I get 3, this is the only way im getting any beeps. This should show that its not a RAM issue but a mobo/CPU rite?

Would say RAM has been pretty well ruled out, so yes, it has to be one or the other.

 

[Magnum Johnson]

OK, so I took my CPU to frys and they tried it in a test rig and it would not post for them either. I was able to exchange my CPU at FRYs where I purchased it but after installing it my PC still will not post. So until I get the Xpower replaced ill go with a motherboard failure.

 

[HU16E]

I was able to exchange my CPU at FRYs where I purchased it but after installing it my PC still will not post

When you replace a CPU, with the PSU power cord removed, you need to clear CMOS & reset. Use only one RAM stick in the primary DIMM slot & then give it a try again.

 

[Magnum Johnson]

When you replace a CPU, with the PSU power cord removed, you need to clear CMOS & reset. Use only one RAM stick in the primary DIMM slot & then give it a try again.

I did, left that battery out for about 30 mins too. Still the same corrupted bios logo screen. I just find it funny that the guys at FRY's didnt get it to post either, but I think they had something connected wrong because their test rig had no sign of life, but because of that I got a new CPU and I believe I can finally rule out the CPU now. Still hanging up on #28 in the BIOS.

 

[NovJoe]

As you have tried a number of things, I suggest that you should RMA the board for a replacement and see if the problem still exist with the replacement board.

 

[Magnum Johnson]

I just wanted to update this for future reference. I did receive a replacement board from MSI yesterday and it did fix my problem, but im still not at all pleased with MSI's service. From day one I was told by MSI that the problem was likely caused by anything but the motherboard and there tech support was borderline rude and insulting about their product not being the failure in my system. So once I was able to conclude without a doubt that I was in fact the motherboard I sent in for the RMA and I happy to say that the turn around time was faster than I expected (about two weeks with the holiday in there too). Unfortunately the replacement board I received back can best be described as used, and when I say used I mean that the entire back side and parts of the front were covered with thermal paste fingerprints. Needless to say I had to clean those off before I gave the board power to avoid a possible short. The board is also missing one of the plastic covers that goes over the SATA ports and the screw holes in the board look like they were previously tightened with a 1/2 impact wrench. This is coming from a guy that uses gloves (over the top I know) to handle new PC components.

So while im very happy with a reasonable turn around time and a working board im not pleased with the board I received back and im not happy with the MSI support service. I don't believe im asking for too much here but I can say that in my line of work as a Mechanic if I were to fix a vehicle and return it in worse shape that I received it in I would not have a job for long.

So my opinion of MSI's support...... 3/10