Is it the motherboard that's broke?

[draemn]

Let me walk you through what's going on.

1) Computer has trouble booting, so we just wouldn't shut it off as sometimes it'd fail to start and just reboot itself before windows loaded.
2) One day it decided to just say screw it and rebooted itself (like hardware reboot) and got stuck in an endless reboot cycle where it would just reset itself before it loaded windows.

Here's what I've tried:
1) Flash the BIOS with current version
2) Different memory sticks
3) reset CMOS - use defaults (IDE mode won't boot SSD) - change to AHCI mode
4) different power supply
5) uninstall all components and re-install
6) run a bootable windows USB stick to repair/check the windows install
7) Switch the SATA cable on the mobo from 3 to 2
8) Start the computer with no SSD/HDD hooked up (initially made some progress, but didn't fix)
9) Made a clone of another windows install to an independent HDD and tried to boot from that (got to windows loading screen and then shut off/rebooted)

Here's the problem and behaviour:

1. It will either freeze up on the motherboard splash screen, freeze up with the windows logo showing (with or without saying it's attempting recovery), get stuck with a black screen after post, or restart (most common)
2. If I can get into the BIOS when it boots, I can stay in the BIOS as long as I want and change settings and no problem while in the BIOS
3. For a while it seemed like it was willing to work without the SSD/HDD plugged into the sata ports on the motherobard... but after a lot of testing different combinations it can freeze up on or restart without either plugged in
4. When loading the windows 10 bootable USB media, it sometimes lets me stay in there and fiddle around but at some point always ends up powering off and rebooting unexpectedly on me. chkdsk passes.
5. Usually at some point it will only freeze up on the splash screen and won't let me enter BIOS/etc until I reset CMOS or boot it with no SSD/HDD installed. If I wait too long to press the key on the splash screen it will just freeze (except when it does go to the next screen and freezes there)
6. Now it's even having problems trying to load the USB boot drive

Edit: for now my problem is fixed and the computer is working normally. I have no idea what caused the initial problem with it but after taking it apart twice and putting it back together, flashing BIOS, and tweaking the BIOS settings it's working again.

 

[ZZLEE]

Get a PS2 keyboard this should get into Bios.

look fore a Bios update.

Run defaults. see if problem still.

 

[sswilson]

Pick up a replacement coin battery at the dollar store and see if replacing the cmos battery does the trick.

 

[KaptCrunch]

yes cmos bat or malware on your drive

can you boot in safe mode into windows

 

[draemn]

I have tried running default BIOS settings but with IDE instead of AHCI, the computer doesn't boot off the SSD.

I don't see why the battery would be an issue... I am resetting the CMOS by taking the battery out and putting it back in and the motherboard is keeping the BIOS settings and clock/date settings no problem.

I can't boot into safe mode, computer either freezes or shuts off and reboots before I can attempt to do that.

 

[KaptCrunch]

what MB and its Rev. # not bios version should see printed Rev.x.xx on MB

remove ram and use a pencil eraser on the contacts of ram, wipe an install only 1 closest to CPU and try

system works fine till you hook up a drive ?

 

[draemn]

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-Z77-HD4-rev-10#ov I did not install the F2c BIOS since they are listed as beta (probably should try them at this point)

I have tried using other RAM sticks I own and it didn't fix anything, I'm willing to rule out memory at this time.

More or less I can get into BIOS as long as I press del before the POST beep happens, but the odd time it'll freeze up after I press F12 (boot option menu) and try to select the boot drive to launch with.

No, system doesn't work even with all the SATA cables unplugged (for a while it was acting normal, now it just freezes on the splash screen or a black screen). Sadly this motherboard has no diagnostic information display or beeps for the motherboard speaker to assist with troubleshooting.

Currently: 70% of the time it freezes on the splash screen for the motherboard and 10-20% of the time it freezes or restarts on the windows logo, 10-20% of the time it freezes/restarts on a black screen before the windows logo. I'm starting to think I'm close to being thorough enough to say there isn't any other problem except CPU or a short circuit somewhere.

 

[KaptCrunch]

UEFI ? Support Secure boot option with F2c boot from flash

they didn't say if it was supporting UEFI boot

have tried another proven working PSU

are smoker and pets if so need to clean PSU, MB also check for exploded Cap's on both items

Note: do not spin any fans with air pressure hold fan from sinning cause it will generate power more then MB can handle or unplug fan

 

[draemn]

I'm not quite sure what you're trying to say or ask there Kapt, it's a bit broken up and incomplete.

 

[KaptCrunch]

clean hardware and update beta bios if find all is good with capacitors