PC Problem w/ Rebooting

[+Steve B Subscriber²]

I have a Windows machine (Win7). I came home and it was sitting at the BIOS info screen saying CPU Fan error. The fan was still spinning and the CPU heatsink was still firmly attached to the board. I tried rebooting and got the error to go away but now, no matter what I do, it will reboot at a very specific point. No matter if booting from the Win7 DVD or the Win7 install, about two seconds after the color window tiles appear during the windows startup process, it shuts off and reboots. Just to be clear, even if I wanted to do a new install of Windows, I cannot do it because it will load the files from the DVD and once it restarts and windows tiles appear, bam, shuts down and reboots. I can't get anywhere beyond this point. I should also mention I noticed an odd smell in my house when I came home and I'm wondering if something electrical went bad...bad capacitor? I need some input on this guys. Thanks. =)

[jnelsoninjax]

Are you using the stock cpu fan? Have you physically inspected the fan for scorch marks or any other signs of damage? I had an issue similar to this before, turned out the the system is looking for the CPU fan to plugged into the CPU fan plug on the board, otherwise it would say that there was an error with the fan, and would have to press F1 to continue. So it could be that the fans motor has burned out, or it could be an erroneous reading. I would suggest that you pull the fan completely off the CPU and clean it, check it for damages, etc. then plug it back in and see what happens. If it continues to give the same error, then perhaps you should invest in an after-market cooler for your CPU.

[Grogi]

Turn on the machine. Check the speed of CPU fan in BIOS, in hardware monitor. Also, monitor CPU temp data there and if the value increases over 60C you should replace CPU fan. The speed of CPU fan should be around 2000rpm, often more. Normal CPU temp should be 45C-50C.

[Detection]

Electrical burning smell + BIOS errors + crashing during setup doesn't sound too good.

I'd check the PSU voltages are normal with a multimeter if you have one, or BIOS if you don't

Look on the motherboard for any popped caps or other little components

Also I guess its possible that a sensor died and is reporting the wrong temps to the board which cuts off, you could try disabling CPU FAN errors / shutdown protection if the BIOS lets you and you are sure it is spinning and cooling correctly

[Detection]

The speed of CPU fan should be around 2000rpm, often more. Normal CPU temp should be 45C-50C

CPU Fan speed depends on CPU fan + Board

CPU Temp should not be 45-50c - that is too hot for most stock CPUs, 30-40c tops at idle

[+Steve B Subscriber²]

I looked more closely at the board. There wasn't any scorch marks anywhere. The CPU fan was still spinning. Also, the smell really could've been anything since this is a multi-unit townhouse. I just mentioned it "just in case". I attached a pic of the main setup page so you guys can see the temps, voltages, etc.

I'm wondering if it could be the HDD. Like I mentioned before it does NOT shut down as it would in a overheating case but, it does come back on, on its own and tries again. This happens right after the reading of the HDD begins.....every time. It doesn't matter if I'm trying to load Windows already installed or when I try to boot from the DVD...loads the Windows files and begins to read them. What do you guys think?

[Detection]

I looked more closely at the board. There wasn't any scorch marks anywhere. The CPU fan was still spinning. Also, the smell really could've been anything since this is a multi-unit townhouse. I just mentioned it "just in case". I attached a pic of the main setup page so you guys can see the temps, voltages, etc.

I'm wondering if it could be the HDD. Like I mentioned before it does NOT shut down as it would in a overheating case but, it does come back on, on its own and tries again. This happens right after the reading of the HDD begins.....every time. It doesn't matter if I'm trying to load Windows already installed or when I try to boot from the DVD...loads the Windows files and begins to read them. What do you guys think?

All those reading look spot on, have you checked the event logs ? Maybe there will be an error or critical log around the time of the reboots

Event Viewer > Windows Logs > System

Doh, you can't get into windows...

Memtest ?

Reset CMOS ?

Update BIOS ?

[+Steve B Subscriber²]

I did update BIOS after this started...that didn't do anything. I haven't tried memtest or CMOS reset. I will try that and report back. While I do that, what did you think about it possibly being the HDD?

[Detection]

Its definitely a possible, could explain crashing and not posting or installing windows, but I would think it would hang on the drive detection part of POST not CPU Fan error

I used to get CPU fan errors when I had it running too slowly for the danger zone I had set in the BIOS, not a fault, just wasn't happy I had it running too slowly

You could burn a copy of Spinrite 6.0 onto CD and run an overnight scan or repair on the drive

[+Steve B Subscriber²]

Well, I downloaded Western Digital's Data Lifeguard Diagnostics program and ran both the quick and extended tests and it came out fine. I wrote zeroes to the entire drive, erasing it and didn't have any issues then. I went to boot from the Win7 DVD and it loaded the files and as soon as it tried to read those files...the colored windows tiles, bam, it rebooted....hmmm. The computer will stay on indefinitely if I leave it on the BIOS setup screen...

[tomasarson]

i would try running memtest.

or if you don't want to run a full memtest yet try installing windows with one stick of ram in at a time. if it reboots with one, then switch it out with the other and try again.

[+Steve B Subscriber²]

i would try running memtest.

or if you don't want to run a full memtest yet try installing windows with one stick of ram in at a time. if it reboots with one, then switch it out with the other and try again.

I did run memtest and there wasn't any errors.

[+Steve B Subscriber²]

Well I tried a new hard drive and that didn't solve the issue either. The I was able to get A TAD bit further before it rebooted. So now I'm guessing the SATA controller has gone bad which means replacing my MB or looking into a SATA controller card.

[Detection]

Did you try a new SATA cable for the HDD yet ? or a different SATA port on the mo'bo ?

Even though memtest came back ok, did you try a known good stick of RAM in place of your current RAM just to be 100% ?

[+Steve B Subscriber²]

A new SATA cable and new port as well. I had two RAM sticks in the machine. I took one out and tried....nothing changed. I put it back in and took out the other....same thing.

[+Steve B Subscriber²]

I finally have a follow up to this problem. After all this time, I ended up trying a new CPU, RAM, HDD, PSU, SATA Cables, and I even had ASUS send me a replacement motherboard. I even tried a new case. That covers everything and wouldn't you know it, it still was having this problem. I finally gave up and took it to a shop and they encountered the problem I was having and tried a new motherboard....the problem stops. Which means...f'in ASUS sent me a bad replacement board....ugh. I just sad f it, just bought a new board so I can get the damn computer back. LOL