PC Boot Loop

[janksion]

Hi Everyone,

 

I have a very old PC currently having boot loop issue and I am not sure if I diagnose it correctly or not and need all of your helps. Let's talk about my PC specs first.

PC Specs:

CPU: i3 - 3220

CPU Cooler: Intel Stock Cooler for i3 - 3220

Motherboard: ASRock H61M-VS3

Ram: SK Hynix DDR3 8GB 1600 mhz cl11 ram

GPU: Asus 750ti 2GB

PSU: E-Super Power 500W (I think this is just a generic PSU)

 

Problem:

So around 19 of May 2023, when I use that PC, that PC suddenly shut itself off and then restart itself, when it goes to windows and I enter my windows password, it loading for awhile then it boot loop but the 2nd boot and onward I am unable to enter the password because before it able to show me the windows login page, it will boot loop means it stay power on shorter than the first boot loop. I unplug every hard drive, and try again, it boot to BIOS, then wait for awhile, it will boot loop again and this time since there's no hard drive plugged in, it's also like how when hard drive is plugged in, the more boot loop the lesser it stay power on. So for example, if i power off it and wait for awhile, then power on again without hard drive, it will stay in BIOS for longer period of time, then it goes boot loop and stay power on shorter time and cant even show BIOS any more after the first boot loop because it stay power on for a lot shorter period of time than the first time.

Then, I power off it for awhile then power on that PC to check if the BIOS setting is all good before it boot loop, I notice my PC boot loop when my CPU hit 65C in BIOS, so i thought it was heating issue that caused it to boot loop since the CPU TCase temp is 65C, i take the cooler off to clean it and buy a new thermal paste to replace it, after do the cleaning and all, the CPU temp drop to 35C but still boot loop. So I remove my CMos battery to reset my BIOS, reseat RAM, test PSU with another working PSU, all those seems not able to find the root cause. Then I remove my GPU and plug my display into onboard display port since the CPU have iGPU, then it even worse, the display black screen cant show anything but the CPU cooler keep boot loop means the CPU fan keep spin stop spin stop etc. Sometime it just black screen and the CPU just spin without any POST.

After sometime which is today, I tried to boot it again without drive but with GPU, it also same on first boot it will be able to boot to BIOS, i can do some configuration but i didnt do any changes to BIOS, just let it stay there to see if it will boot loop. Unfortunately, it boot loop again with same behaviour means the 2nd boot and onward, it will stay power on lesser time and unable to do anything or view BIOS, then on 3rd boot loop, i notice 1 issue, i notice my GPU fan like get not enough power, it spin but it cant spin fast and then it stop then the CPU fan will keep spin but nothing will POST.

Anyone know is it a CPU issue? Motherboard failuer? Ram Failure? or PSU failure? I have not clue the further I test it. Appreciate anyone who willing to read my long post. Thank you 

[Aaron_T]

Unfortunately the situation you've described could be caused by the cpu, motherboard, ram or psu. Any of them could be the cause of frequent reboots.

By no means is this scientific, but in order, I would be the most suspicious of:

1. CPU seems most likely

2. RAM 

3. Motherboard

4. PSU least likely

This is just my opinion, but I have had to fix a fair few PCs over the years, and the above is the order I'd test things in.

[janksion]

@Aaron_T Hmm, it's actually not a frequent boot loop but rather 100% boot loop just stay power on longer or shorter only. Arhhh, I am quite struggling for this issue because if I buy extra RAM and both RAM work, it's ok but if I bought for example extra CPU/Motherboard/PSU, and it's actually one of it that caused the issue, I will have 2 old PC component that is very hard to sell off/let go since it's very ancient in Tech lifecycle. Thank you for your reply tho. Appreciate very much 

[Aaron_T]

39 minutes ago, janksion said:

@Aaron_T Hmm, it's actually not a frequent boot loop but rather 100% boot loop just stay power on longer or shorter only. Arhhh, I am quite struggling for this issue because if I buy extra RAM and both RAM work, it's ok but if I bought for example extra CPU/Motherboard/PSU, and it's actually one of it that caused the issue, I will have 2 old PC component that is very hard to sell off/let go since it's very ancient in Tech lifecycle. Thank you for your reply tho. Appreciate very much 

Do you have a repair shop in the area that might have old PC parts or whole PC? Or maybe know someone with a PC from the 3rd gen intel days that you could maybe borrow parts from?

[janksion]

@Aaron_T About the repair shop nearby, I think I do have but that shop have old PC parts or not this I am not sure, will have to ask them then only I'll know it. Yea, I am currently tried to ask a friend of mine to borrow me his PSU and RAM to test again, if both no issue, I think the main issue will be motherboard already because if CPU have issue, I might not able to boot at all according to my uncle.

[Aaron_T]

8 hours ago, janksion said:

if CPU have issue, I might not able to boot at all according to my uncle.

I have had bad CPUs cause "instability" like you are seeing. It just depends on what is wrong with the CPU.

EDIT: Just to be clear, I am not saying for sure I think it's the CPU, but it still could be, in my opinion.

[janksion]

@Aaron_T Thanks man. Once I find out what issue, I'll get back to you. Just now further check on Google, it seems like some people having same issue as me but those thread just ended with no reply or answer. Sad man. But after reboot again, take out CMOS and boot, and boot using USB, what I can conclude is that, PSU should be all good because right now, it will reboot 3 time, first time can see BIOS but much shorter time than last time, then 2nd time didn't show anything and 3rd time CPU fan spin continuously without anything show in screen and sometime, it just spin then show BIOS less then 1 sec shutdown then spin again, show bios then shutdown again repetitively. RAM/Motherboard/CPU 1 of it or combination of it is causing issue as for my finding.

[janksion]

@Aaron_T So I have finally found the true cause of reboot loop after I found out ways to test my components like CPU, RAM, PSU, SSD and Motherboard, GPU I left out but I think should be ok? i swap everything except motherboard and GPU into another working board, turns out the motherboard is the true cause. Gonna replace the motherboard soon but all I found is just 2nd hand motherboard since it's an "ancient" tech already, I am not sure is it a good idea to buy 2nd hand motherboard since it's kinda risky as I scared it would also go faulty like my current motherboard after few years or even months. What do you think?