"Red" POST & Bios screen problem

[191x7]

Hi,

 

About a month ago I noticed a problem with my PC.

Somtimes my POST screen and Bios screen get RED /artifacted/defected/.

 

Here are some pictures to see how it looks when "red" and when "normal":

 

What I first tried:

- Memtest86+ -> stable (no errors) overnight

- OCCT GPU:3D DX11 Error Checking mode - no errors

- FurMark -> fullscreen (1680x1050) Burn test - no artifacts

- OCCT CPU:Linpack -> passes a long stability test

- Hardware checkup -> everything seems fine (no bad capacitors, burns or damage anywhere)

- Voltages tested - everything fine

 

The last hardware I added to my system was the SSD drive, but the RED post/bios was seen before that too.

 

None of that helped. Afther that I did:

- Clear CMOS (bios reset) & changed the RC 2032 battery

- Prime95 Blend 24+ hours test

- Cleaning the PC thouroughly (compressor, part by part)

- Testing with no USB devices connected during boot (to eliminate faulty USB devices as a cause)

- Bios reflash with the latest bios version again

 

And nothing of that helped too, not even a sign of instability during the testing - just a faulty "red" screen in POST and/or bios sometimes.

 

And then I was suggested to change the PS/2 keyboard with an USB model by some other hardware enthusiasts from my country.

Afther doing that the problem dissapered until TODAY. It lasted for for about 25 days. And now PAF here it goes again.

 

Have you got any suggestions? What could be the cause of this? How to repair?

 

You can see my configuration in my signature (link to google docs), and here are:

CPU-Z Validation - http://valid.canardpc.com/2797983

GPU-Z Validation - http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/mn86w/

Speccy - http://speccy.piriform.com/results/BwxN60g3y0xumj5zDQILs16

 

Thank you.

[Matty_]

I'd say that your VGA/DVI/HDMI Cord is starting to fail, if you have another one lying around try that.

 

Does the "colouring" occur outside of the BIOS Screen?

[191x7]

I'm using DVI, but I have a spare VGA cord which I could use - the problem is I don't have a DVI to VGA adapter (I gave one to a cousin of mine and use the other one on the 2nd PC).

Looks like I would have to go to a store and buy one - the problem is that I'm in a Village and the next town with an informatics store is about 15 kilometers away...

 

The "colouring" does not occur outside of the bios. And it's occurrence is not that frequent in post/bios...

[Matty_]

if it doesn't occur outside of the BIOS then why is it bothering you? once it starts happening inside windows then you should be worried.

[191x7]

if it doesn't occur outside of the BIOS then why is it bothering you? once it starts happening inside windows then you should be worried.

It bothers me because it's not normal behaviour. It is a sign of something, but I (in all my expertise) can not figure it out.

And that's what worries me.

[HEXiT]

have you aplied a crack to windows? sometimes they will interfere with bios in this way. they inject some kind of slice and if your bios doesnt match theres it will put it in the wrong pace and corrupt part of the bios.

[191x7]

No, I have legit/original Windows.

[Colby]

I ran across an issue with a display going bad that would do this on a laptop. If you have another display to connect this to I would try that and see if you get the same results with a different display. Also the DVI cable could be an issue to. If your display supports different modes VGA/DVI/HDMI it could be that the DVI mode you're currently using on your display is faulty. Because you say this only happens in your BIOS. I would try updating your BIOS. If there is no available update. Just reinstall the same version you are currently using. Just a few things that come to mind I would try and see if that changes anything.

[RDilux]

try another bios a version before the new one see what that will do :)

[Colby]

I'd be careful of going to an earlier version than you currently have because if an older version doesnt support your hardware then we could run into trouble. That's just my opinion.

[191x7]

I will change the DVI cable in the near future.

 

The bios allready is the newest version. I did reflash it and I wrote thet here. And I did try older versions (forgot to mention that) - did not help.

[Blade of Grass]

This usually has nothing to do with your BIOS, rather, with your GPU. Try updating your GPU drivers and see if that helps.

[191x7]

You really think that drivers have something to do with the POST & Bios screens?

They DON'T.

[Blade of Grass]

You really think that drivers have something to do with the POST & Bios screens?

They DON'T.

Artifacts (such as what is happening to you) are usually caused by your GPU. And since your GPU is told what to do by its driver yes, I do think it can have to do with that.

[191x7]

No driver gets installed on a video card. Drivers installed in the OS stay in the OS, they are not installed in the Bios or in the card.

The card has it's own bios too, but that is a different matter, not related to my problem.

Bios (& POST) does not take drivers from Windows nor does it use it.

[Blade of Grass]

Sorry, I always thought that GPU drivers were SERVICE_BOOT_START drivers. I guess that I'm wrong.

[191x7]

They are, you're not wrong. But your perception of it is wrong - Service_boot_start meens they are the first to be loaded when starting Windows.

That means they are loaded after POST, while Windows is starting, not in the Bios.