Frozen Screen! A non Windows related, long term problem...

[jmarket]

My System

Asus P9X79 WS
Intel i7-3930K
CORSAIR Vengeance (8x8GB) DDR3 1600
Zotac GTX 680 4GB (which feeds Three Monitors)
and now Asus DUAL-GTX1660TI-O6G-EVO

I’ve have been using this set up more than 7 years.

I’ve always had the latest BIOS.

Hello,

This problem was there for over two years… It was annoying but occurred between long periods of time so I was just complaining once in a while and forgetting it the rest of the time.

All of a sudden picture would freeze in my three monitors and whatever was on the screen would stay there until the system reboot.
And The Q code would show “B2” Towards the end, the Q code would never pass the “B2” state and it wouldn’t even make to the BIOS.

At first only one of the two operating systems (with separate drives) was suffering from the prıblem. So I was thinking maybe this is a software issue.
But maybe almost a year later my other OS was frozen too. The major difference between these two Win 10 x64 operating systems was internet capabilities, my workstation system did not have internet.

I took my huge and heavy WS twice to the professionals, once for 4 hours, and the last time for 3 days and they couldn’t be able to repeat the problem…

In the last pro shop session, I was told that none of the suspects were faulty. Memories were checked OK.

Even though it has a Memory part in it, the CPU, I was told that couldn’t be the problem. Because with a faulty CPU, the picture wouldn’t freeze instead there would be no picture at all…

The Zotac GTX 680 4GB apparently survived all the intense 3D tests and all. But afterward, when I told them that I had three monitors hooked up to it, I was pointed out that the “three monitors” in the equation, would have changed the integrity of those tests.

So since those monitors heavily depend on the memory of the Graphic card, and all the things I read on the Asus Rog forums “B2” points towards that direction I was %90 sure that the Zotac was the problem.
Hence my new Asus DUAL-GTX1660TI-O6G-EVO…

So I installed the new card, had issues with the driver, it wouldn’t install and I had only one monitor registering! But I was at least at ease because nothing was freezing… That ease only lasted a couple of hours. The picture froze and this time “b1” code was shown as the machine stuck in that state…

So as a next attempt I took my memory sticks out of the board. And tried them first one stick (8GB) then two, up to six sticks; 48GB. And it worked without any freeze. Except that I have to install a Windows 10 post-2016!!! This lovely Ausu card is not compatible with any Windows 10 version released prior to 2017… Of course, I learned that the hard way since there was no indication of that on the product page…

So, okay it’s all good. I bought a new GPU card for nothing but okay. Nope, not okay! Maybe 40 to 45 days later my single monitor was frozen…

I attempt to reboot 4 times after that initial freeze.
And each time it failed I got a different Q Code.

“B8” was the first one after the first freeze. I rebooted it and it lasted 2 minutes before it was frozen again. This time the Q Code was “01” then it never booted again but I got these lovely Q Codes: “5A” and “E7”

I left it alone. The next day it worked 5 hours with no glitch. Today it has been an hour so far so good. I’d be happy to finish this before sht hits the fan…

I am assuming at this point my Mobo must be very tired and dying. It has weirdness to BIOS as well. just little things.

I don’t know but I am so tired and screwed. I cant totally upgrade my machine. And even if my very uneducated hunch comes toı be true then I have no idea how am I gonna find a suitable MOBO. I doN’t one those Chinese X99 cards, and I don’t even know if those are compatible with my Ram Cpu and GPU either…

So I would love to hear from some of you to guide me.
I know it has been a lengthy post so thank you for reading the whole thing. I’ll appreciate your input.

cheers

[jmarket]

Also

All my Rams GPU and CPU tested. Ram has been tested with some heavy-duty test programs without booting into the system.
My CPU’s thermal paste has been renewed.
My temperature control is very unorthodox yet very powerful. I have very low temperatures in my case it is a huge case. and I have 10 HDDs in the case so I care about the airflow and the heat.
I have a Corsair AX 1200i and it is working perfectly.

[veeg]

Hello

Please give us your complete psu spec’s..

@Bruce

[Bruce]

geez - first up, man, what a rig.
and there-in lies the issue with trouble shooting such a beast - where to start!
I don’t know how you could get a more complicated issue to resolve even if you tried, it’s like the perfect storm: multiple memory, multiple drives, multiple monitors, even multiple OS’s, OS dependent GPU.

despite your assurances and the huge amount of testing done by many people, to me you have a hardware issue SOMEWHERE. but heck, it could be a driver issue, even the age of the 3rd gen CPU may be worth considering.

considering the history of this issue and the randomness of it, I feel you have no choice but to strip the rig back to it’s core basics. that is remove all gear and run it with just one drive, one stick of RAM, one monitor.
one problem with that is the amount of time it seems to take to get the next freeze, so you may have to run it for days before you are confident you could add more RAM, more HDD’s etc.

what are the different OS’s, and are they the latest build?

in short, unless you get lucky with a quick fix, you have to take it back to something simple that an average human brain can get it’s head around. then slowly add complexity, one part at a time.

[jmarket]

Adjustable Single/Multi 12V Rail
Yes

ATX Connector
1

ATX12V Versionv
2.4

Continuous output rated temperature C
50°C

Continuous power W
1200 Watts

Fan bearing technology
Dual Ball Bearing

Fan size mm
140mm

MTBF hours
100,000 hours

Multi-GPU ready
YES

Power
1200 Watts
Warranty
Ten years

80 PLUS Efficiency
Platinum

PSU Form Factor
ATX

Zero RPM Mode
Yes

[jmarket]

Thank you both for taking time.
And cheers Bruce. It was the best machine 8 years ago. Now it’s an elderly dude. But not in spirit I guess )
I kinda did all that. One drive just one stick of memory and just GPU with a single monitor.
I have Windows 10 Enterprises (unfortunately 2016), as I mentioned all these in my very long post.
What I didn’t mention however, was I even tried with a simple Lunix…
Unfortunately none of the versions of my tests indicated a solid problem.

[Bruce]

yeah, sorry, I got nothing more I could help lead you down any sort of path that either hasn’t been tried already or that would have any better chance of success.

it’s the proverbial needle in a haystack sort of issue.

if you took the PC back to its core, essential components with a fresh install of Windows and it still misbehaved then the issue is at the fundamental level, as in the CPU or mobo.

[veeg]

Any updates?

[jmarket]

Nothing worth mentioning. It’s just that it is in “working mode” at the moment and I’m trying to do some work done.
At this point there is a 90 percent chance that what I have is a MOBO related problem which means I have to replace memory and CPU as well as the MOBO and that’s no FUN…

Thank you for asking… I’ll make it sure and more than be happy that, if and when this is resolved…

[veeg]

OK…this is what we can do…I will close the thread and when you get the issue resolved,contact me thru pm and i will re-open your thread..

[jmarket]

I suppose… I’ve never had a thread parked before…
Just curious, what would be the difference if it was just left alone until someone has a reason to add something?

[veeg]

As a forum standard,we don’t leave pending threads open that long.. I can leave this open for a week for more replies,

[jmarket]

No need to… Thank you.

I’ll come back if I have to

[veeg]

Ok,just refer to this link if you have anymore issue’s..