Black Screen After Post

[rsandelius69]

So here's the dealio:

Over the last couple of weeks, my computer (specs below) has sporadically been halting on a black screen, right after POST completes. No new hardware installs, only thing that I have been updating has been the normal windows updates + patch updates for Starcraft 2.

However, this morning, it refused to boot into windows, even after multiple restart attempts.

Basically, it goes as follows:

• Power button on
• First screen of post (mobo/ram check/drives)
• Second screen of post (checking all USB/ide controllers/dmi pool/etc)
• Voila! Black screen!

Additional complications:

• It won't let me do F8 to try and enter safe mode
• If I try and use the Windows 7 OEM install disk to do a repair/re-install, it goes to the "windows is loading files", scans through once (within a second), then scans through a second time (15 seconds) and then sits... doing nothing. I've let it sit even for 15 minutes, just to be sure... nada.

I've tried the following to solve the issue:

• Removing all the drives but the boot drive
• Using an old drive (in hopes that I could just blank that and re-stall/start new), but the above problem persists.
• Resetting the BIOS to default
• Turning off ALL IDE devices (since everything is on SATA)
• Unplugging all USB devices

Now, most of the information that I've found scouring the web on this topic has seemed fragmented at best... and what little there is, I think I've pretty much tried it.

That being said... speak to me as if I were a child. Any ideas? Because I'm honestly not sure who I'd trust dropping this workstation off to get repaired... the Geek Squad? Oye vey...

System specs:
Mobo: eVGA 132-CK-NF78-A1 nForce 780i SLI 775 ATX
CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad 2.83ghz
RAM: 8GB OCZ OCZ2RPR10664GK PC2-8500 DDR2 Dual Channel Reaper Series 1066MHz CL 5-5-5-18 Memory
Video: (2) PNY XLR8 GTS 250 1024 MB PCI-Express 2.0 VGA + DVI Graphics Card (running in SLI)
Power: Antec TPQ-1000 TruePower Quattro 1000W Power Supply
Hard Drives: (in order, not quantity... there are only one of each)
(1) WD Blue 500gb Sata300 boot drive
(2) WD Green 500gb Sata300 storage drive
(3) WD Black 1TB Sata300 storage drive
(4) Maxtor 160gb Sata300 storage drive

(let me know if you need any other components for the list)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013SLEQM/ref=oss_product

 

[rsandelius69]

Update on new tests:

• Unplugging/detaching ALL internal cards/devices that aren't necessary
• Cycling ram (1 stick in each slot individually)
• Removed second video card/SLI bridge
• Swapped video cards (two cards are available, due to prior SLI configuration) into primary graphics slot
• Tested power connections (as possible) from PSU to brand-new DVD-R drive to confirm that all modular cables are transmitting power.
• Swapped SATA cable/drive connections between mobo SATA ports/different SATA cables
• Tried running it without a DVD-R drive connected at all

Ideas? Anybody? Bueller?

 

[cybercore]

Sounds like a hardware issue, can you boot to safe mode? Can you boot with 7 install dvd and choose the repair option?

1. memtest86 can identify ram issues:
www.memtest.org

2. hdd scan will check your hard disk:
http://hddscan.com/

 

[rsandelius69]

I can't really boot to anything at all. Basically, if I have the Windows 7 DVD inserted, I can go one of two ways:

1. If I want to try and boot from the DVD, I'll set the boot order to go to the DVD, and it'll go to the "Windows is loading files" and when the white bar hits 100% it just stops... and nothing ever happens.
2. If I want to try and boot from the HDD, right after "verifying dmi pool" on the second POST screen, it goes to a black screen and I can't do anything then.

As far as I can tell I can go to the BIOS setup/boot order option, but it won't allow me to access the "boot from safe mode"/os selection screen at all.

 

[Nibiru2012]

Burn MemTest86 to a CD-RW disc. There's an ISO image at the website for that purpose. It will boot to DOS on reboot and run automatically. Let it run for at least 2 full passes and you should know something by then, or you can run it overnight if you want but usually RAM issues will show up within the first two passes.

Have you tried going into your BIOS and choosing "Optimized Defaults" then saving and rebooting?

Is your BIOS firmware up to date with the latest version?

I don't know how old your motherboard is, but from what your describing and if BIOS is current and RAM tests good, your mobo may be going out on you.

 

[rsandelius69]

The mobo is about a year old.
I will look for the newest mobo drivers/memtest later this morning and give that a whirl.

Will update as soon as the last pass completes (or I receive some failure notices).

 

[rsandelius69]

Question: I read that MemTest86 tests more than just the memory... it also tests the CPU + motherboard as well. Should my first memtest be done without any ram in the machine at all? Just to see if it throws up an error (to possibly see if it's a mobo problem instead of ram?)

 

[cybercore]

I don't think you should, what does the test report? All good?

 

[rsandelius69]

So, the day started getting a little bit long in the tooth, so I got a recommendation on a computer repair place over by a friends.

Long story short... the guy there determined a couple things:

• That I spent way too much money on my computer components
• My problem was essentially a combination memory/motherboard breakdown
• Part of the mobo breakdown may be attributed to the metric huge cpu fan that I installed (one of those ones that takes up almost a quarter of the case)

So right now, I'm looking at getting a replacement motherboard (Asus P5K) + 4gb of replacement ram + more realistic cpu fan, installed & tested for around $250 (and that INCLUDES labor!).

Not super great news... but it's a lot cheaper than buying a new computer, I guess. Sorry I couldn't figure it out myself... but there's a certain point where my troubleshooting reaches it's limits and it's time to hand it over to the professionals... lol.

 

[TorrentG]

2nd opinion should be had. There really is no such thing as "a combination memory/motherboard breakdown" or "mobo breakdown". Electronic components can be ruined from voltage spikes or whatnot, but then you'd be getting bsods all the time or it would never work at all, ever.

Motherboards are very well built. Unless you did something rather unusual such as dropping the case from a good height or something similar, installing a large cpu fan is not going to cause this "breakdown" or whatever this is supposed to be referencing to.