M A J O R

@GOTSpectrum I thought this might happen, but after I installed the GPU drivers they disappeared after restarting. Would you advise trying to update the BIOS then trying ther GPU drivers again? That's the only possible solution I can think of that would be causing this short term memory loss problem to happen.

I ran it twice for both Nvidia and AMD as previously I'd previously just tried to install them over the top (woops). Seems to have worked as far as I can tell. Going to install the new GPU drivers and update the BIOS, hopefully that will fix the weird issues stated in the original post.

GOAL: Boot into SAFE MODE > Run DDU to remove old GPU drivers > Install new GPU drivers > Update BIOS > Hopefully have my monitor running at 144Hz again and games above 1FPS. ISSUES: - Any changes I make seem to revert or are forgotten during restart (MSConfig settings, pinned tabs that have been closed reopen, any form of entering Safe Mode, programs I've set to not open on startup.) the list goes on. - DDU need to be in safe mode to run. - All forms of entering Safe mode aren't working (Via Windows settings, holding shift at login>restart button, command, MSconfig menu, F8 spam etc.) I've had almost zero issues with the system for the last 5yrs until I replaced the CPU Cooler and GPU. Is this normal?

Seems like DDU requires Safe Mode, and I can't seem to boot into it, I've tried using F8 spam, via the windows settings, holding shift then restarting etc. None seem to work. I've looked a bunch of tutorials also. Is there a new way to get to safe mode in 2020 or is there another issue? Might be related to what's happening in windows with the (previously closed) browser windows and taskbar icons reappearing after restarting my PC. Is it possible that the PC is forgetting that I selected boot into safe mode? The safe mode option is unchecked in msconfig after restarting too. I'm out of time to work on the PC this evening, will try any suggestions tomorrow.

Bruh I'd never heard of DDU before now, not the "logical" thing to do for everyone mate.

Not yet, will try other avenues for now as @narrdarr suggests, then look at reinstalling Windows

Forgot to mention, yes I did check the mounting pressure, Firm enough to ensure no movement of the block, but not torqued down more than neccessary, same as I'd done with my original AIO until the pump failure Will update all of the above then post an update.

Slowly trying to isolate and resolve a few issues after installing a new CPU Cooler & GPU. I have most of them resolved but one is still sticking around. I have normal FPS in Windows, but when I launch a game it runs at 1FPS. I've since updated my display and GPU drivers with no change. I've also check under display adapter properties and it's set to 64Hz (Used to use DVI but new GPU only has HDMI & DisplayPort), I am however on a 144hz panel, just limited by the HDMI cable and am obviously only expecting to see 60FPS in games because of this. I read a forum post where someone was experiencing the same problem and updating their BIOS solved it for them. If you guys think that's a good next step I can go ahead with that, although to my knowledge it's usually a last resort. My BIOS version is from mid 2015. The new GPU is a RX 5700XT, so I can see how they might not work well together haha. Thanks for any feedback/suggestions. Much appreciated. List of possibly related issues & solutions I've tried: Problems 1. GPU not displaying in HW monitors. 2. Windows Update failed 3. I disabled Discord launch on boot and the setting was reverted after restarting the PC. Also pinned tabs in my browser reappear after I unpin and close them > restart the system. Solutions 1. Removed GeForce Experience, Nvidia Drivers & other companion software 2. Installed AMD Drivers 3. Disabled SMART in BIOS to dodge Disc failure message on boot 3. Updated display drivers

Ahh, I thought it was the SSD mounting pressure haha. Do problems usually arise from to much or too little pressure?

Disabled SMART in the BIOS. Got into Windows no further errors displayed. I feel like the SSD is fine as I've had no problems with it in the past and it's never been physically damaged etc. Will observe closely and potentially look at getting a new drive if the problem persists. I don't have any data stored on the drive other than Win10 & programs so I'm not really worried. It'd just be a pain in the ass haha. Thanks for all the suggestions folks, will update if there are any further changes.

Essentially: "SMART detected HHD/SSD failure 2: Corsair Neutron XT SSD WARNING! Please back up your data and replace your hard disk drive. WARNING! Your HDD/SSD might crash at any moment. Press F1 to Run SETUP." I can't get past the BIOS, the PC just restarts and shows the same error. All the devices are still showing up in the BIOS and on the warning page. Was having no issues prior to installing a new GPU & CPU cooler. I was getting a CPU fan speed error prior to the failure warning because I'd accidentally put the CPU fan on a chassis fan header (silly me). After shutting the PC down and fixing that problem I got the failure screen.

Replaced the cooler, now seeing 27C idle temps :) Unfortuately I'm now I'm getting SSD failure warning and I can't boot to Windows - YAY... Going to start a new thread about this issue but feel free to chime in here if you're reading this and have some ideas. Essentially: "SMART detected HHD/SSD failure 2: Corsair Neutron XT SSD WARNING! Please back up your data and replace your hard disk drive. WARNING! Your HDD/SSD might crash at any moment. Press F1 to Run SETUP." I can't get past the BIOS, the PC just restarts and shows the same error.

Bios shows 60-70C, iirc idle temps were around the mid 40s when I built it. My friend says that he had a faulty cooler that showed the same signs (one hot pipe, one cold) and the water wasn't being cycled properly. All signs are point to the cooler/pump, going to order a new one as I'm pretty sure the system is over 5yrs old at this point and probably not worth the hassle of checking & returning. Thanks for all your help guys, will post an update once the replacement arrives if I'm still experiencing problems.

UPDATE: I've re-mounted the CPU cooler & replaced the thermal paste as directed. My Idle temps are ~50C, but again as soon as I boot a game, it instantly jumps to 100C. Radiator is cold to touch, I don't know how long under load it takes to warm up though. One of the AIO tubes (assuming that it's pumping out) is warm to touch, the other (assuming that it's pumping back in) is cool to touch. Going to check idle temps in the BIOS, but as you say @burh4n it could be the pump has stopped working. If so, is that fixable or would I have to get it replaced/buy a new one (If I can't find the warranty card after moving several times xD). Will update again with BIOS temps.

I have my CPU cooler's light set to go red when temps hit above 85C. I noticed it was red as I had Terraria going. I checked the CPU temps with CPUID Hardware Monitor and the package temp was in the high 90s. I've been observing the temps in different games and it's hitting 100C I've checked all the fans are still working and the air coming from the exhaust fan doesn't feel hot at all. When alt-tabbed on a game the package temp returns to ~70C, then back to 100C as soon as I tab back in. Does thermal paste ever need replacing? If so could that be the issue? What's going on here?

So what you're recommending is 5700XT? Hahaha.

No I'm no sure, I just assumed as the video card was a compromise already when I built the system. Will check usage next time I'm working.

TLDR; Looking to upgrade my current system. Monitor with good colour accuracy, 1440p, 144hz & 27inch+ as well as a new GPU so I can run games @1440p & Improve 3D performance. I'm starting to delve into the world of 3D to assist in pre-vis for my personal project and am lacking a bit of power, I assume from the GPU. I'm working with the 2D/3D programs listed below. One of my main hobbies is gaming so I'd like to be able to run modern games well at 1440p. As for minitors, I'm admittedly not very knowledgable on Display technology, but I know that the monitor I have, although fine for gaming has really bad colours. Paintings/designs I make look completely different on my laptop & phone. Ideally, a nice balance of performance for gaming & colour accuracy for my creative work. Cheers. Budget (including currency): ~$1500AUD Country: AUS Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: DAZ, Marvelous Designer, ZBrush, Keyshot, Adobe Suite etc. + Games (non-specific) Other details (existing parts lists, whether any peripherals are needed, what you're upgrading from, when you're going to buy, what resolution and refresh rate you want to play at, etc): System CPU Core i7 6700k Motherboard Maximus VIII Hero Z170 RAM 32GB HyperX Fury DDR4 2400mhz GPU Gigabyte GeForce GTX970 4GB Case Corsair Carbide Air540 Storage Corsair NeutronXT 240GB / Samsung EVO 500GB SSDs - 4TB WD Black PSU HX850i 850w 80+ Platinum Display(s) BenQ XL2430T 144hz 1080p Cooling H100iGTX & SP/AF120s

The note 5 was good overall. A nice balance between screen real estate and comfort to hold. I thought I would use the stylus a lot more than I actulally do. If it were an iPad I would definitiely get more use out of it as an artist but on the phone it's just not that usefull. Headphone jack is a "must" until the airpod styles become cheaper. Battery was really bad as you can expect from a 4+yr old phone as I never replaced it. From memory it was fine in it's prime. Storage isn't a big issue as I'm not a huge photo/video taker on phones. I lean towards an actual camera for that, although it's definitely nice to have a good qualtiy one on you at all times. The one on the N5 was showing it's age compared to recent cams. As for getting the latest updates, it's always nice to see a refresh of the UI or other features that come via software updates.

My Note 5 just died. It's been a while since I've been in the market for a new phone. Looking for suggestions for what to pick up. I'm not after the big d*ck flagship that costs a small fortune. Just the best bang for your buck without cheaping out. I've been looking at some older models like the Pixel 3, at the moment I'm not sure if it's a good idea to purchase a phone that's already a couple of years old in terms of release date. I know with my old phone I wasn't recieving updates after owning the device for a coulple of years. In terms of specs, I'm not really looking for anything specific. Mostly looking for a fast deivce that runs everything smoothly. Second to that a good quality camera is always appreciated. Looking mostly at Android, not opposed to iOS, they seem to be more expensive overall. TLDR: - Looking for best value for money. - Is it okay to buy a phone that released 1-2yrs ago? - Specs priority: 1. fast & responsive. 2. Camera. 3. everythig else - Not the latest flagship.

To further prove my point, the net is down for a second day in a row.

That's good to know, I'm on NBN so I might investigate my options there. Telstra in notoriously bad for customer experience so it would be nice to have some choice.

Is there anything I can do as a customer? Or should we just be switching service?

Mine's usually during business hours.

I'm with Telstra here in AUS. They're one of the main ISPs in the country. My question is, how often does my internet connection need to be turned off for maintainence? My connection is being cut on average once a week, sometimes more often, sometimes a week without any issue. These outages are often for the entire working day. Is this acceptable/normal? I can't help but feel this should only be happening for a few hours maybe once a month. Thoughts?