Device fails to connect to the server. System restarts every 2 to 4 seconds.
Device fails to connect to the server. System restarts every 2 to 4 seconds.
Yesterday evening I rebooted my PC (I seldom do this, perhaps once a month, the machine works nonstop) after which it repeatedly powers off after 2-4 seconds. What I’m describing is that when I press the power button, the fans begin spinning, the lights illuminate, and the HDD starts up, but after a couple of seconds the power shuts down again. It remains silent for a moment or two before attempting once more, only to repeat the cycle indefinitely until I either hold the power button or disconnect the power cord. There’s no sound, no BIOS activity, nothing unusual. Interestingly, the motherboard lights sometimes flicker on and off within those initial seconds after turning the system on. (Usually the embedded board lights should stay lit if powered) The issue seems to stem from removing the 8-pin CPU power connector—it might be harmless, but it could help. My main system has operated smoothly for about five years without any problems, with only recent upgrades to peripherals and the GPU. Here’s what I’ve tried so far: - Swapped the CMOS battery and jumper, replaced the CMOS chip. - Inspected every cable to ensure secure connection. - Disconnected all additional components like SSDs and the GPU, leaving only the motherboard, CPU, and RAM powered. - Tested the PSU in a separate system (it worked fine). - Swapped RAM sticks in various slots, but no success—until I booted with just one stick, which triggered POST and displayed the BIOS screen. This happened multiple times despite swapping several times. My takeaway: If I can reach POST after adjusting RAM, it points to a RAM problem. But since I haven’t been able to consistently reproduce this after many attempts, it’s puzzling. Could the motherboard be the culprit? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
It seems like the mainboard is experiencing issues. The RAM sticks aren't showing up when tested individually, and the power supply unit appears functional. If the other system you've tried uses compatible parts, you might be able to use them for further troubleshooting. A 1150 socket motherboard would be ideal, but if it supports DDR3 RAM, you could test those components to confirm the problem isn't with the memory.
The other setup uses a socket 775 with DDR2 memory. Check for unusual behavior or symptoms on the motherboard, such as fan noise changes, error lights, or inconsistent performance. Look at the chipset and RAM slots—any misalignment or damaged components could affect operation.
Last year there was a capacitor failure on your motherboard, causing the system to shut down randomly. I’m checking for models that show a swollen top. Do you recognize what a capacitor typically looks like?
After exiting the system for roughly 15 minutes during its reboot cycle, I returned and was welcomed by the Windows 10 startup screen with the message "Getting your devices ready." Unfortunately, the application freezes when it reaches that point. Trying to restart by pressing the reset button on the front panel restarts the system, though it immediately re-enters the reboot loop. This suggests the issue isn’t a full freeze but rather a partial one. I’ve seen this screen multiple times, each time ending in the same outcome. To try a fix, I inserted a bootable Windows 10 USB drive to access the repair menu, as my BIOS is configured to boot from a USB whenever one is present. After leaving the system in its loop for another 15–20 minutes, it successfully booted again. This time, the interface changed to a purple background reminiscent of the installation UI, but the system still froze during startup. In summary, I managed to get the motherboard to power on during about every 200 attempts, once succeeded, and repeatedly pressed the DEL key to enter BIOS. The BIOS checked all connected devices and reported everything correctly. However, closing it caused the loop to restart. My concern remains: what could be causing a system to freeze when loading core Windows files, yet BIOS operations proceed without errors? My suspicion leans toward a faulty motherboard.