Windows keeps rebooting on cold start

[*Rage*]

Hi,

 

My PC when cold booted often requires a number of restarts before it will load windows. It is particularly bad the first time I turn it on after a day or so away. What happens normally is I get the Asus splash screen followed by windows trying to load. My USB devices light up (keyboard and throttle) and then it'll turn off and try again. It can do this a few times before windows finally loads. Alternately it will attempt to 'diagnose the problem' as windows loads up or even try to repair the disk drive (no problems found).

 

Specs: i7-2600k@4.6ghz, Asus z77, 16gb ram, 980ti.

 

Once loaded up its completely stable in gaming and prime95 with temps 40-65C under load.

 

Any ideas if its the PSU/Mobo issue?

[hansangb]

Maybe it's some driver race condition? Try setting windows to boot in safe mode (Start, msconfig, Boot, set the Safe boot option) to see if the problem persists.

[BitMaster]

Could be a temp issue with aging HW. Once it has warmed up it seems to work as I understand.

 

Try booting Linux from a stick so you dont kill your Windows while testing.

Any Ubuntu, Mint bootable stick is far more forgiving than any Windows I came across when it comes to interrupted boots and crashes !

 

You could also let it boot to Bios, wait 10min there and then boot on. If that cures it it for sure is a temp issue. Too cold = wrong parameter somewhere( Volt, Ampere, Ohm..whatever )

[*Rage*]

HW?

[BitMaster]

HW = HardWare

 

cold boot problems are usually voltage related, from what I have seen over the years. The Damocles sword might have come an inch further down Rage. Make backups NOW if you haven't done so yet, that's my best advice for your data.

 

;)

[BitMaster]

You have cleaned your PC from dust I assume ?!

 

Take your RAM out, clean them, clean the slots, insert them back, same with GPU maybe.

 

Re-seat every connector: Out-->back IN. Your machine is a few years old, connectors might need a reseat to properly connect. Easy things, 10 min.

 

Go to Bios and read your Volts for 12V, 5V and 3.3V. They must not differ more than say 0.05-0.10max. A 3.3V being at 3.19V is a problem that may or may not trigger BSOD's. 2.95V for sure does. Those are things I would check now, signs of voltage drops.

 

HWinfo is a perfect tool to read all that, and it's free. Given your board supports the reading of those values, that actually depends and differs.

[Hadwell]

bad capacitors, if it crashes untill it warms up, it's because the capacitors are leaking, and as they warm up, their capacitance changes, and eventually they hold enough capacity for your computer to run...

 

could be the powersupply or the motherboard... look for any capacitors that are dented or bulging, etc...

[Lausbub78]

I had something similar happen some years ago,turned out the PSU was faulty.

[Johnny_Rico]

Cold boot with Asus boards , seen it a few times in the past

 

It seems to take a few goes getting the memory timing right, try lowering the RAM timings and see if it stops it happening

Edited December 6, 2017 by Johnny_Rico

[Cibit]

New PC ;)

[Paganus]

A friend kept having all his USB devices reset. Here is what he discovered.

 

I was looking at updating the mobo bios firmware on asus' website and noticed it said something about logitech device fixed. I have logitechs wireless mouse and keyboard so i removed them and so far no crashes.

 

May not be related to your issue, but then again...

[outlawal2]

Make sure all drivers are up to date as well..

[BitMaster]

Cold boot with Asus boards , seen it a few times in the past

 

It seems to take a few goes getting the memory timing right, try lowering the RAM timings and see if it stops it happening

 

his is from the glory Sandy era, they dont have that "new" symptom like Z170 and later.... terrible it is, suffer myself.

 

his is a cap issue, vrm area maybe....4.x oc is stress for vrm

[Johnny_Rico]

his is from the glory Sandy era, they dont have that "new" symptom like Z170 and later.... terrible it is, suffer myself.

 

his is a cap issue, vrm area maybe....4.x oc is stress for vrm

 

Seen a few Asus Z68 boards with this issue a over 4 years ago

[BitMaster]

ohh ok z68 is a bullseye

[*Rage*]

Thanks all,

 

As far as I can tell my BIOS and drivers are up to date. It seems you are mostly suggesting its a capacitor issue with either PSU or Mobo? Unfortunately I dont have a spare of either. Any way to differentiate?

[Johnny_Rico]

I suggested you lower the RAM timings, did it make any difference when you tried it ?

 

If you want to try and see if is thermal related, leave the system overnight to "cool" down

Get your trusty heat gun (or hair dryer) and blast hot air over over the mobo and PSU

for a few mins

 

Power it up and see if it start and loads windows first time

[ricktoberfest]

Same problem with me was underpowered computer. Put in a bigger power supply and problem gone

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BitMaster]

Same problem with me was underpowered computer. Put in a bigger power supply and problem gone

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

His system ran fine for a LONG time, his PSU was sufficient before.

 

Might be that it starts fading away with caps etc.. but it wasnt too small 1st place, that was ok.

 

It's something that appeared out of the blue with HW that used to work very well before.

[hansangb]

Actually, try running PUBG! LOL. I never had issues with my 1250W PSU. Until I started playing PUBG. I refused to believe it was my PSU given that I could run any number of HW stress tests w/o any issues.

 

Then out of desperation, I swapped out the PSU and never again had the PC shutting off playing PUBG. And remember, *nothing* else would kill my PC other than PUBG.

 

So it's entirely possible that if it's a PSU issue, PUBG may catch it!

[BitMaster]

run a miner ! your psu will love it, my peaks are above 40 amps on my gpu wires !!

[Breakshot]

Easy fix Rage. It's most likely your RAM contacts need cleaning. I've had the exact same issue and it happens most often in humid climate.

 

Just open the case, take out each ram one by one and rub the contact with a pencil eraser. Brush any dirt off in the slot on motherboard with a brush. Put them back in snug. You should be fine.

 

Sent on mobile Android via Tapatalk

[*Rage*]

Thanks. Ill give it a go.

[Demon_]

The video card use the +12v rail, so wattage/voltage= amps.

[cichlidfan]

Brush any dirt off in the slot on motherboard with a brush.

 

I would be very cautious doing that. Make sure the mobo is well grounded. Almost any sort of brush rubbing back and forth across those sockets is going to generate static electricity.

 

If I ever considered doing this, which I have never had a reason to do, I would do it in an environment with a relative humidity higher than 50%. That will help keep the development of static charge to a minimum.