Windows update problem?

[+Zlip792 MVC]

It won't even post with 1 stick of RAM. Apparently it needs a pair at a time and it uses 6 sticks, not 4. I can't figure out why the BIOS settings are getting messed up. I disabled the onboard sound and wifi/Bluetooth and when I rebooted and went back into BIOS they were turned on again. Plus I can't figure out why my drive configuration is changing from what it always has been. Disk 0 and 1 have always been the SSD's but now they are the HDD's. I would think maybe the CMOS battery if the date and time weren't correct. I wish I knew if it could be the PSU or not because it expensive and a pain in the neck to install if it's not the problem.

 

BIOS settings changing up automatically does point toward CMOS battery though it could be some hardware or device is failing as a result, BIOS reset to default stuff for hardware (like in case of MSI mobo, which I have) without messing up date etc.

 

You have Marvel Controller for SATA3, which is based upon 2 PCI Express lanes. Why not you try disabling RAID for a moment? Try to attach boot SSD to SATA2 port and see if this does load fine?

[+Warwagon MVC]

It won't even post with 1 stick of RAM. Apparently it needs a pair at a time and it uses 6 sticks, not 4. I can't figure out why the BIOS settings are getting messed up. I disabled the onboard sound and wifi/Bluetooth and when I rebooted and went back into BIOS they were turned on again. Plus I can't figure out why my drive configuration is changing from what it always has been. Disk 0 and 1 have always been the SSD's but now they are the HDD's. I would think maybe the CMOS battery if the date and time weren't correct. I wish I knew if it could be the PSU or not because it expensive and a pain in the neck to install if it's not the problem.

 

Never heard of a system that picky that won't post off a single stick.

[patseguin Global Moderator]

I just changed to 2 different RAM sticks and powered up. The BIOS came up with an overclocking failure! message again even though I am not overclocking and am running the CPU at stock specs. The DRAM bus voltage was showing around 1.6 or something and it is rated at 1.5 so I changed it and rebooted. Nothing is different. In fact, since I had installed Windows I had the USB stick unplugged. When I boot up, I get a message from windows like "tap to select what to do" and it listed the volume name of the USB stick even though it's not plugged in.

 

As for the single sticks, I seem to remember reading somewhere that RAM sticks had to be installed in pairs on this chipset.

[patseguin Global Moderator]

BIOS settings changing up automatically does point toward CMOS battery though it could be some hardware or device is failing as a result, BIOS reset to default stuff for hardware (like in case of MSI mobo, which I have) without messing up date etc.

 

You have Marvel Controller for SATA3, which is based upon 2 PCI Express lanes. Why not you try disabling RAID for a moment? Try to attach boot SSD to SATA2 port and see if this does load fine?

RAID is not enabled. I am just using a software RAID in Windows.

[xendrome]

Sometimes a hard shutdown (holding the power button for 5+ seconds until the machine powers off) solves the issue. I've done that several times and the updates then finish.

 

Good way to glitch out the catalog files, application experience files and corrupt some systems files all in one swoop. I wouldn't ever recommend doing that, Especially during any type of update process.

[patseguin Global Moderator]

_{Well, I've been about 30 minutes on Windows update at 0%. One of the updates is "NVIDIA Corporation driver update for NVIDIA High Definition Audio". I already have the latest drivers installed so I have no clue why Windows would think it needs to install an audio driver. I have Bluetooth and wifi disabled in BIOS so I have no idea why those are even listed as updates needed.}

[zhangm Supervisor]

CMOS battery pull: It's easy and quick. Just do it and see whether behavior changes.

BIOS flash: worth doing especially for updates.

It's probably not the drives or OS installation images given what you've tried.

 

Next easiest thing to try is a PS swap - you can ignore the OS-based errors for the moment, since you're getting weird behavior during boot.

[+Warwagon MVC]

Good way to glitch out the catalog files, application experience files and corrupt some systems files all in one swoop. I wouldn't ever recommend doing that, Especially during any type of update process.

 

True, I don't recommend it either, unless its the only option.

[patseguin Global Moderator]

There have been no BIOS updates since 2011 so I wouldn't be getting an update, I would just be re flashing the same BIOS. What would pulling the CMOS battery do? Doesn't that store device configuration? PSU is not exactly easy. It's a pain in the neck plus it costs money just to troubleshoot it. Does it really sound like it could be the PSU? I have a Corsair 1200W PSU that cost me a lot of money. The computer is powering on fine, it is just acting weird.

 

I just tried to change drive letters for my HDD from F to E and the cursor has been busy for about half an hour. the Windows update was sitting there at 0% so I went and had dinner and watched some TV and came back and saw that the computer rebooted itself. I checked Windows Update again and it is still listing the NVIDIA High Definition Audio plus SB Recond3D PICe. I've never seen Windows update want to update an audio driver for my video cards. Plus I already installed the latest driver from NVidia.

 

Why are my problems so random but specific? When I install Windows, my drive letters are changed form what they have always been every time I installed Windows. Trying to change it just freezes the Management console indefinitely. NVidia driver install always freezes at Installing Shadowplay. I've never had an issue installing NVidia drivers in 5+ years. Windows update just sits at Preparing to install updates 0%. I try to copy files to desktop and they do not appear. if I right click 'refresh' they appear. Next, I went to install the dongle driver for some software I use at work and it is frozen at 0%.

 

Such strange behavior and it's the same every time I install and whether it's 8.1 or 10.

[T3X4S]

Does your board use Marvell controller for SATA or RAID ?  Some of the issues you mention were ones I was getting when I would put both my Caviar Black and SSD on the SATA3 controller (an x58 mobo)

I was getting the same kind of weird stuff - making me think it was RAM, I talked to someone who told me how crappy the Marvell controller was and I decided to just put my SSD in SATA3 and my large HDD on SATA2 .... all problems gone.

Now, I am sure you are aware of it, or someone else has mentioned it but there are some bad driver problems with latest win10 build... 


This all sounds like a controller driver... I am sure it was fine for a while - but with win10 being a preview and all..... (I wont beat that dead horse)

[patseguin Global Moderator]

Does your board use Marvell controller for SATA or RAID ?  Some of the issues you mention were ones I was getting when I would put both my Caviar Black and SSD on the SATA3 controller (an x58 mobo)

I was getting the same kind of weird stuff - making me think it was RAM, I talked to someone who told me how crappy the Marvell controller was and I decided to just put my SSD in SATA3 and my large HDD on SATA2 .... all problems gone.

Now, I am sure you are aware of it, or someone else has mentioned it but there are some bad driver problems with latest win10 build... 

This all sounds like a controller driver... I am sure it was fine for a while - but with win10 being a preview and all..... (I wont beat that dead horse)

I hear ya but this isn't a new build. I built it in 2011 and it has always worked perfectly. I've also ran Windows 10 since last year. Not to mention that I get the same exact issues with Windows 8.1. I'm at my wit's end. On Monday I had a perfectly working PC that I could do work at home on and now it's completely useless. Nothing will install on it properly. I started that driver install for the dongle about an hour ago and it's still at 0. Windows Update is not working, NVidia driver won't finish. Can't view any files I drag to desktop unless I manually refresh. Tried multiple install media/versions and maultiple target drives. It seems like it all started right after I did that Wind 10 update on Tuesday which is what prompted me to do the clean install. However, clean installs of Windows 10 and 8.1 yield the same crazy issues.

[patseguin Global Moderator]

Now to pile onto it, my Kodi HTPC in my living room has been working perfectly for a long time and now about an hour ago it started pausing about every minute and buffering while I'm watching something. This has rendered it completely useless. I rebooted the NAS and the switch in the basement but it didn't solve anything. It seems odd that these issues occurred within a couple days of each other but I've had the issues on the Windows PC with the ethernet unplugged. What the hell is going on here? There is no virus that would survive a had drive format is there? Also would the virus even work on a NAS not even running Windows?

[Shiranui]

Uhh... who's trying to charge you for a fix?

To be fair, he did say "chage".

[T3X4S]

Now to pile onto it, my Kodi HTPC in my living room has been working perfectly for a long time and now about an hour ago it started pausing about every minute and buffering while I'm watching something. This has rendered it completely useless. I rebooted the NAS and the switch in the basement but it didn't solve anything. It seems odd that these issues occurred within a couple days of each other but I've had the issues on the Windows PC with the ethernet unplugged. What the hell is going on here? There is no virus that would survive a had drive format is there? Also would the virus even work on a NAS not even running Windows?

A root kit could survive a format... 

See if you can run TDSS Killer and Hitman Pro - 

[patseguin Global Moderator]

Super weird. I had the same problem with Windows Update sitting at 0, the nVidia driver stuck at shadowplay, files not showing up on desktop, generally nothing installing without delays and problems. I decided to let the computer sit with windows update running as well as the nvidia driver install. I went and watched TV for a long time and came back and Windows had rebooted itself. Right now it seems to be behaving properly and I have no idea why.

 

The last thing I did in my computer last night was press the CMOS reset button. I entered BIOS and set all my settings to where I wanted and installed Windows 10. The update still took a long time as did the driver install but right now (fingers crossed) the PC seems to be behaving normally. One slight problem was after the updates and I figured it was running fine, I shut down and put the rest of my RAM back in. At BIOS post I got the same message about overclocking failing even though I am not overclocking. I pressed the key to enter setup, didn't change anything but saved and exited, and here I am today and have reinstalled most of my software, nvidia driver, dongle driver, etc.

 

So what the hell could have been going wrong and I am just lucky at the moment?

 

PS, TDSS Killer stuck at 40% so I chatted with Kaspersky and they told me none of their software works on Windows 10 TP. I was running Bit Defender before although it doesn't remove the rootkits (which I never heard of and still don't know if I have). Doing some Googling, people are saying that Windows Defender is plenty of AV protection for Windows 10. Is this true?