My computer freezes during restart and the BIOS isn't accessible.
My computer freezes during restart and the BIOS isn't accessible.
As the title indicates, my computer becomes unresponsive during startup and in BIOS. I had an internet issue, but it might have been the hardware itself. I restarted the modem and during the process it kept booting again, so I chose to "update and restart" to install the Windows update while the modem booted fully. This lasted about 10 to 20 minutes.
I decided to manually turn off the PC and after rebooting it, the BIOS remained stuck with no loading for another 10 minutes. I then restarted the computer and the same issue persisted.
I attempted to clear the CMOS, which helped somewhat but the system wouldn’t start. I checked the RAM and removed the fourth slot’s memory, which allowed the PC to boot normally.
I tried swapping the RAM modules: replacing Ram1 with Ram2 and then Ram2 with Ram1 in the same slot worked. After that, removing Ram2 and putting Ram1 into slot 4 also resolved the problem. Then I tried Ram2 alone in slot 4, and it functioned correctly.
Both RAM configurations were successful. I returned the modules to their original positions and the PC failed to boot, with the DRAM and CPU lights cycling on and off. I swapped them again and the system operated normally.
Now that the PC is working, I started playing Escape From Tarkov, a memory-intensive game. It performed well without issues.
When the game became unstable or froze, I would usually close it by ending the task.exe.
The unusual part was that I couldn’t end the task even though it was using very few resources. I restarted the PC again, but the same problem occurred.
Currently, I’m running the PC with a single stick, but based on previous tests, both configurations work individually. I plan to try reseating the components once more to see if they function together again.
Details:
CPU: i7-8700k
GPU: RTX 3080
Motherboard: Z390 Edge Gaming AC (or similar)
RAM: 3200 MHz, 16 GB (2x8 GB)
Power Supply: 650W Gold
Any suggestions?
I repeated the tests once more.
I’ll be more organized now.
I’m sticking to using only Slot 2 and 4, as I always do.
RAM 1 on Slot 2 worked fine.
RAM 2 in Slot 2 functioned properly.
RAM 1 in Slot 4 also worked.
RAM 1 in Slot 2 with RAM 2 in Slot 4 solved the issue again after a restart.
Swapping RAM 2 into Slot 2 and RAM 1 into Slot 4 fixed the problem.
The PC booted normally after the changes.
I ran Windows memory diagnostics on each stick without issues.
I’ll attempt it again with both in, since it worked normally after the swap.
As a side thought, I believe it could be related to playing the game honestly. I won't play (I'll be busy anyways) and it would be my 7th or 8th wipe lmao. I'll let you know if it happens again even if I haven't played it yet.
I understand 16 gb isn't enough for this game, so I plan to upgrade soon, which might mean I have to wait. My build is from late 2019 when I created it. Perhaps the RAM is failing or the motherboard itself.
Edit: I also wanted to mention that I installed a fresh Windows 10 OS about a month ago. That's something I usually do every six months.