Odd Issue
Odd Issue
Hello, new member. I’m facing a strange problem. My PC keeps having trouble turning on, and it’s been acting up before—once it even shorted my motherboard during a rebuild. I’ve checked everything carefully, but sometimes it takes a long time to boot. All the nice lights come on except for the keyboard and mouse. It was originally built from CLX, and I’ve worked with Dell as a technician. I’ve swapped the motherboard and power supply, changed RAM several times, tried using a different outlet, reloaded Windows multiple times, flashed the BIOS, and even updated it. I thought it might be a Windows Insider issue, so I removed that after the new build and ended up back where I started. The computer runs smoothly under load, the GPU looks good (GeForce RTX 3060ti), but I’ve seen green and blue screens before. I ran memory tests and checked everything. This machine has become a great way for me to unwind and get back into the world after service. It’s cost me twice or even three times what it’s worth now. Can you help?
Are you considering a complete replacement? You've already updated the motherboard, RAM, case, and power supply. The only remaining components are the hard drives, GPU, and CPU. I see a minor overclock, which was added later when the problem began—it's already quite close to a fresh build. Could a short on the GPU be contributing to this issue?
You’ve already made several adjustments. This list is mainly for hardware concerns, though I understand you’re not a specialist. My mistake – I’m just experimenting. Not a seasoned pro. The equipment I rely on is simple. Please forgive if you’ve done this before. From the way you’re speaking, it seems you’re using a Windows 7/10/11 system. SPECCY, CPU-Z and HWINFO help me track all my parts, including CPU temps and RAM graphics. Diagnostic software like ESET’s SysInspector_NT64 is useful too. Have you tried the Safe Boot feature on your Windows machine? If it boots quickly, it might point to driver problems because only “safe” drivers are loaded in a virtual setup. Make sure your system drive has more than 20% free space and that the drives are functioning properly (see later). Also, try a thorough cold restart: turn off internet, reboot, wait for the PC to power on, then disconnect it from power for five minutes. Then restart in Safe Boot without any internet. If you don’t see any changes, try the same steps without Wi-Fi. Check BIOS verbosity during startup – are there any warnings or errors? Are you pressing WinKey-plus-X at the same time and viewing Event Viewer for any red or unusual entries? The next steps are a bit tedious: examine the BIOS logs, Device Manager for strange items, Disk Management for disk health, System settings, Task Manager for resource hogs, Performance tab, Startup tab, and the Computer Management area. Also, look at the registry for any suspicious entries. I’ve never found a better tool for Windows before. Have you run antivirus scans again, even though you’re offline? You might want to use ESET’s offline scanner or Windows Defender. I’m not sure which sites you’re thinking of, but two technical forums helped a lot. They were thorough but took a couple weeks to provide clear answers. The process usually involves filling out forms after triaging your issue, then following a series of instructions via email. You might need to download a passive analysis tool that works without internet, which will analyze your PC and send the results back. Afterward, you’ll receive guidance through several emails to complete the setup. These experts were very helpful. Sorry I couldn’t pinpoint them. Wishing you good progress.
Turn off the non-system drive and power down. If the issue continues, remove the system drive and install Windows on the remaining drive. Based on the sounds, the drives and CPU are likely the main causes. If that doesn’t resolve it, consider replacing the CPU.