# Did I break my computer? :(



## StevenThehRo (Dec 30, 2008)

I started with this:

CPU - Intel Core i7 960
Video Card - ATI Radeon 5870
MOBO - Alienware 0H869M
Memory - G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB
BIOS- a11 (Dell / Alienware current BIOS)

Ended up overclocking the CPU to 3.9 using someone elses #'s for that CPU. It ran everything with stable temps for about 30min, then I decided to go buy a GPU (970gtx)..so I went and got that, came back, installed it, turned on PC. Booted really slow. I get one beep at startup, it continues to boot and all that jazz though. We're just talking back to the stone age status..2-3minutes to boot up windows.. Decided the Overclock was making it boot slow so I opened up BIOS and f9'd back to default settings. Forgot to remove old video drivers so had an awkward time getting those off (used amdcleanutility) and then got my new evga drivers. 

I went from 250fps in Counter-Strike:Global Offensive to like 150fps. My computer boots up stupid slow now and it seems like every time I restart my monitors switch off on which one comes up showing the bios loading screen first and then the other one finally cuts on when windows is loading.


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## StevenThehRo (Dec 30, 2008)

For OC I did the following:

speedstep: enabled
c state: enabled
turbo mode: disabled
XMP support: disabled
QPI frequency: 4.8GT
CPU bclk: 165
cpu core voltage offset: +300
RAM voltage: 1.65
IOH voltage: 1.30
QPI ad uncore voltage: +320

that's the stuff I copied from another guy. But I reset it all within 2 hours time and only put the PC under any load for 30-45min tops during which I watched the temps using speedfan. Highest reached was 77c at one point, generally 68-74c


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

Download and run this software here in Safe Mode:

Display Driver Uninstaller Download version 15.3.1.0

Select AMD and clean the drivers. Also select Nvidia and clean those too.

When restarting see how it performs and get the latest Nvidia drivers from Nvidia GeForce Experience after it boots up normally.


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## Panther063 (Jul 13, 2009)

StevenThehRo said:


> I started with this:
> 
> CPU - Intel Core i7 960
> Video Card - ATI Radeon 5870
> ...


Every computer is different.
You are best off overclocking your system and running a game to test stability.
Disable Speedstep and C State.
Enable XMP support.
Decrease Ram voltage to 1.5v
Decrease CPU core voltage to +.050v


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## StevenThehRo (Dec 30, 2008)

Masterchiefxx17 said:


> Download and run this software here in Safe Mode:
> 
> Display Driver Uninstaller Download version 15.3.1.0
> 
> ...


Did all that, still a very slow boot. All updated with GeForce experience as well.


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## StevenThehRo (Dec 30, 2008)

N525EF-00 80 plus silver

That's my power supply


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Do you still have the ATI video card?

If you do swap it back in and see if the boot time goes back to normal.


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## StevenThehRo (Dec 30, 2008)

Okay I'll do that next...boot time was slowish from the OC though


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## StevenThehRo (Dec 30, 2008)

I haven't done that yet as I was trying one thing at a time. Reset CMOS through jumper, ran prime95.

30minute p95 -










CPU-Z & GPU-Z currently -


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## StevenThehRo (Dec 30, 2008)

Wrench97 said:


> Do you still have the ATI video card?
> 
> If you do swap it back in and see if the boot time goes back to normal.


If I do that, do I need to wipe drivers, reinstall old device and it's drivers..or just put it back in and see if it loads faster?


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

RAM voltage: 1.65
IOH voltage: 1.30
QPI ad uncore voltage: +320

do not relate to the cpu but relate to the RAM.

What power supply and wattage do you have?

a +300 ofset is pretty high but with speedstep enabled it should keep the cpu for underclocking at idle.

did you stress test with a stress test program if not you should always stress test to make sure everythng is ok. Just playing a game doesn't prove you have a decent overclock or that your system is stable. You need to stress test with prime 95 for atleast 6 hours or 20 passes on very high with IBT.

and as said two people with the same system can get very different results overclocking guides are just that they are guides not definitive ways to overclock your system.


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## StevenThehRo (Dec 30, 2008)

greenbrucelee said:


> RAM voltage: 1.65
> IOH voltage: 1.30
> QPI ad uncore voltage: +320
> 
> ...


N525EF-00 80 plus silver (525W)

I did not stress test. Like I said, I ran 30-45min watching temps..then I closed everything and went to buy new GPU. Came back, put in GPU..PC started slow again so I said screw it..we'll just see how the GPU increases performance instead of the Overclock..so I reset BIOS settings and it has continued to be super slow since.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

what power supply make is it and what wattage is it?


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

greenbrucelee said:


> what power supply make is it and what wattage is it?


Stock Dell unit


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

well I wouldn't take a chance of overclocking with a stock dell unit, I would try a better make of psu.


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

That PSU isn't powerful enough for that GPU. You should be using a 550W and one that is better quality than that. I would expect that being a leading issue in your problem.


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## StevenThehRo (Dec 30, 2008)

Masterchiefxx17 said:


> That PSU isn't powerful enough for that GPU. You should be using a 550W and one that is better quality than that. I would expect that being a leading issue in your problem.


Well I switched back to the old GPU and booting up is still slow. I recorded it to time it...we're talking 3.5minutes just to get in to windows.

I'm running HDD tests now (seatools), should I be running ALL the tests or is there one that covers it all?

Next is memtests.


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

Those are good tests, let us know the results.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

the thing is if its not your hard drive then it probably is because you have used that psu and gpu in your system. Even though you have now switched back the damage has been caused and wont be reversable just because you have swapped back.


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## StevenThehRo (Dec 30, 2008)

Explain? Damage to?


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## StevenThehRo (Dec 30, 2008)

And all the HDD tests passed. Mem testing 2000 / 2000 / 2000 / 1500 mb of RAM.


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## StevenThehRo (Dec 30, 2008)

StevenThehRo said:


> And all the HDD tests passed. Mem testing 2000 / 2000 / 2000 / 1500 mb of RAM.


Nevermind that was an old memtest. Mounted correct memtest on to USB drive and have it running right now.


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## StevenThehRo (Dec 30, 2008)

First test on one stick of 4gb I ran 3 passes (like 2.5hours)..no errors. Started second stick of 4gb and went to bed...woke up and my computer was on but nothing was showing on the screen and my fan was STUPID loud on my video card (the ATI Radeon HD 5870)..I've since reseated it but it's not getting any better...I mean it's LOUD and sounds broken, very clicky.

This is getting out of control. I have no idea what happened with the 2nd stick since the screen was off (tried turning it on/off) and now my video card fan is so loud I can't leave my computer on like this.

Edit: Using speedfan (which immediately notified me of an issue with my GPU) I manually clocked the fan speed up and the noise is much better. My GPU was 78c under no load at all. I bumped it up to 100% fan speed and then have worked it down to 55% but when I tried to go lower it started again..and I had to go all the way back to 100% to get it to go away..then lowered it back down to 70%.


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## StevenThehRo (Dec 30, 2008)

Upon restarting the fan is back to noise until I get back in to windows (still slow) and turn speedfan back up.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

if you have been using a psu which in underpowered for your system which you were (the 300w psu when you need a 550w psu) then it could have over volted some of your components or all of your components.

Usually if you use an underpowered psu it causes damage to the graphics card that you were using along with the psu itself or the motherboard but there are cases when it destroys everything.


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## StevenThehRo (Dec 30, 2008)

I was using a 500w psu and at the time the only thing changed was the RAM when I went from 3gb to 8gb. The slow booting happened prior to the gpu but after the OC attempt.


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## Superion (Oct 3, 2014)

Does it look like your PC is rediscovering its hardware at every reboot? That and long boots can mean a bad CMOS battery.


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## StevenThehRo (Dec 30, 2008)

It's not saying discovered / installing new hardware or anything when I get to windows? Windows boots up normal...just takes forever to get to that point.


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## Superion (Oct 3, 2014)

Ok then your good on that.


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## StevenThehRo (Dec 30, 2008)

I'd like to try a new power supply without having to rewire everything...so I need a psu with the same plug style as the one I currently have. The Alienware aurora is set up nicely cable wise...things are locked away etc and it would require a LOT to rewire the system. Would rather just plug all the cables in to a new supply.

I believe it's a 60pin fully modular...


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## StevenThehRo (Dec 30, 2008)

So in the mean time..so I'm planning on selling the computer to my brother if I can get it working (like $200?) and then buying a new one..what do we think of this build?


Intel Core i7-4790K, EVGA GeForce GTX 970, Corsair 200R - System Build - PCPartPicker

(PSU listed is the extra one I have already)

Will be streaming in OBS, playing CSGO, The Elder Scrolls online, etc. Need an all around good streaming/gaming rig around the $1,000 price point.


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## Panther063 (Jul 13, 2009)

StevenThehRo said:


> It's not saying discovered / installing new hardware or anything when I get to windows? Windows boots up normal...just takes forever to get to that point.


Faulty ram can cause slow starts too.
Try booting with one stick of ram only.


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## StevenThehRo (Dec 30, 2008)

Panther063 said:


> Faulty ram can cause slow starts too.
> Try booting with one stick of ram only.


I did memtests last night, first one went through 3 passes - no errors. However with just this stick in it still booted up slow before I did the memtest on it.

So I switched out for the second stick, started test and went to bed - Woke up and computer was still on, GPU was making SUPER LOUD clanking/rattling noise, but screen was completely black. Restarted monitor, still nothing. So no idea how the memtest went for 2nd set of RAM.


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## Panther063 (Jul 13, 2009)

Can you try another graphics card?
edit: I had a look back through the posts and see that the CPU might be the reason it is booting slow, the overvolting may have damaged it during that brief period, especially on a poor power supply.
If that is the case, they are fairly cheap to replace.


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## StevenThehRo (Dec 30, 2008)

Panther063 said:


> Can you try another graphics card?


I've tried it with the new GPU (970GTX) as well as the old GPU (RADEON HD 5870 - The one with the loud noise problem now)


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## StevenThehRo (Dec 30, 2008)

HWMonitor readings.... 100% CPU fan usage?


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

The temps look good so the 100% fan reading may be because the bios is set to run them at 100%.

Use the Intel diagnostic tool to test the CPU > https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/19792/Intel-Processor-Diagnostic-Tool-64-bit-


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

3 passes on memtest really isn't enough usually people do 6-7 passes on each stick it can take a few hours but it is a good way of finding any issues.


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