Read before asking for help

[colonel_mortis]

Before posting a new troubleshooting topic:

• Check there aren't any similar threads already - if there are, it's much easier for everyone to use the same thread so that everybody gets all of the same advice
• Try turning it off and on again. It sounds stupid, but it's amazing how often that fixes it
• Make sure all of your drivers are up to date

WHEN MAKING YOUR POST, ALWAYS:

• Describe the problem you are having in detail but without rambling. If your post is as long as this one, it's too long.
• Include your operating system including version and 32/64 bit.
• Include your entire system specs, including the wattage of your PSU.
• Tell us which BIOS version you have. Some problems can be fixed by updating to the latest BIOS, so check that there are no updates available
• Include any software running when it crashes (if applicable)
• Give full details of any error messages and screenshots if possible
• Use an informative title briefly describing the error. It's not helpful to see a thread titled "please help" or "Urgent" because most people are better at some problems than others, so may not prioritize your issue, and some people will ignore you completely.

Without these details, we may not be able to help you. To speed up the process, please ensure you have all the details on your post.

Please be respectful to people giving advice. They are just trying to help you, and it's highly unlikely that they will be trying to damage you, your PC, or anything else. If you doubt what they have said, just quote it and ask whether it's really a good idea/what it will achieve/surely it will do this. You would be amazed at the variety of solutions that actually work.
 
When your problem appears to have been solved, mark the solution as the answer (using the check button at the bottom of the post). The troubleshooters would also appreciate it if you liked posts which were helpful and allowed you to solve your problem. Remember, people have given up time to help you.

 

If you have overclocked any components, it is important that you reset them to stock before asking for help, even if it has been working fine. Overclocking can cause a wide range of obscure issues, and it's one of the easiest things to get out of the way.

 

An example thread with the necessary information is:

Spoiler

Thread title: PC BSOD during boot
Every time I turn my PC on, it shows the starting windows screen but before the orbs appear, the system blue screens with error code IRQL_NOT_LESS_THAN_OR EQUAL_TO. I have attached the dump files.

My specs are:

• Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit
• Sabertooth z77 (BIOS version 2003, latest)
• Intel i5 3570k (overclocked to 4.3GHz but issue still present at stock speeds)
• 2x4GB Corsair Vengeance RAM (1600MHz XMP profile 1)
• Sapphire HD7870 GHz edition (stock)
• Samsung 840 (non pro) SSD (250GB) boot drive
• WD Caviar blue 500GB storage drive
• Corsair HX 750 (750W 80+ gold)

 

 

General Advice for common issues

Blue Screen of Death

Spoiler

• Place the dump files from C:\Windows\Minidump into a compressed archive (.zip etc) and upload it to the forum by dragging it into the attachment area at the bottom of the post, then clicking the . This allows us to read the error messages and diagnose the problem effectively and quickly.
• If you can't boot into windows, download a linux live usb such as ubuntu (download) (instructions on putting it on a live USB here) and try to get the dump files.

 

If your PC doesn't POST or power on (is stuck on a black screen and no beeps), run through the troubleshooting steps in README: How to respond to a no POST or no power up situation.

 

Checking SSD/hard disk integrity for Windows users

Spoiler

If you are unable to boot into Windows at all

Spoiler

• Boot off your Windows installation disk
• Enter your language and keyboard layout
• Click "Repair my computer" (I think it's at the bottom of the window)
• Open command prompt
• type the following:

  diskpart list disk

• Find the disk which you believe to be corrupt based on the size.
• Type:

  select disk <the disk number from step 6>
  exit
  chkdsk /F /R

• You may have to restart the computer for it to run.

If within Windows:

Spoiler

• Open an elevated command prompt (right click on the start button -> Command Prompt (Administrator))
• Type:

  chkdsk <drive letter>: /F /R

• You may have to press 'y' to run on restart if the disk is in use by another program

e.g.

chkdsk C: /F /R

would check the C drive. A restart is required for the checks to complete.

 

 

Useful tools

Spoiler

• If you have issues booting into windows, the Windows installation disk contains a number of very useful resources, and most fixes will require it. The Windows installation disk should ideally match your OS (or at be more recent). You can download the disk image from Microsoft's website if you have a valid product key.
• Live USB sticks are useful for debugging and recovering data. Ubuntu is one of the most popular distributions (instructions on putting it on a live USB here)
• Memtest86 is one of the standards for testing your RAM. Get it here
• The ultimate Boot CD contains a large number of debugging tools, including Memtest86. Get it here

 

Other Resources

 

 

If anyone else has any suggestions for stuff to add, comment below and I'll edit this post.

[YoYo155]

Finally yes!

I found myself repeating in reply telling people where to find and how to upload the dump files .

[colonel_mortis]

Finally yes!

I found myself repeating in reply telling people where to find and how to upload the dump files .

Yeah, that's mainly why I made it :D Not that the people it affects most will read it.

[YoYo155]

Yeah, that's mainly why I made it :D Not that the people it affects most will read it.

Unfortunately true.

Again, well written.

[colonel_mortis]

Unfortunately true.

Again, well written.

Thanks! As I was writing it I kept on thinking of new things to add just as I was about to click post. Hopefully it will make it a bit easier, so you don't get people making a thread saying "help my computer just turned off what do I do", or at least they can be sent back here to think on their sins.

[YoYo155]

You deserve it.
How about something about no post situation beep-codes what they mean and where to reference them.

[colonel_mortis]

You deserve it.

How about something about no post situation beep-codes what they mean and where to reference them.

Done. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a standard, so every manufacturer has a different set of codes.

[YoYo155]

Done. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a standard, so every manufacturer has a different set of codes.

Cool.

Yeah PC's are a pain :P

[MG2R]

I wish more people would actually read stickies before posting. Sick of all the "HELP!!!!???!!?!?!?!" threads -_-

[YoYo155]

You forgot about the "URGENT!(*)!#$!!" ones :ph34r:

 

Is there a way to change their title to BOLD RED!, see how effective this is?

I'll ask one of the mods about this matter.

[lookoutworld11]

so what do I do if not a single person reads my thread -__-

[colonel_mortis]

so what do I do if not a single person reads my thread -__-

Part of it is that the stats aren't working properly (my view didn't register), but the forum has also been down for about 1 1/2 hours today. When it goes off the first page, you can try bumping it, but generally it means nobody has any idea how to solve it.

[lookoutworld11]

Part of it is that the stats aren't working properly (my view didn't register), but the forum has also been down for about 1 1/2 hours today. When it goes off the first page, you can try bumping it, but generally it means nobody has any idea how to solve it.

Sigh, ok. thanks for the response

[E.Beadle]

This is beautiful, as a computer technician myself. This shall come to happiness when i need help. I will do my best to use this to fill out any requests that I may need with resolving laptops and desktop issues.

another site to consider for help: http://www.technibble.com/forums/index.php

[atrociousPanda]

Can I post a video about my problem?

[tek inpektor]

How about you make me read it...

[colonel_mortis]

Can I post a video about my problem?

If it helps get your point across, a video can help. Just make sure you write about it too, and the video isn't excessively long/pointless etc. Sometimes videos make it much easier to figure out what's going on other times it just gets in the way.

[MrMendes]

Hmmmmmm yummy. New user here, and first sticky i read has all this goodies? Congratulations, 

 

Keep it up 

[cesrai]

Can someone help me find a topic about BSOD, the topic was about how to read the BSOD information and about .dmp all those thing, help is appreciated. 

[tobben]

Can someone help me find a topic about BSOD, the topic was about how to read the BSOD information and about .dmp all those thing, help is appreciated. 

is this the one you are looking for? 

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/96083-how-to-diagnose-bsods-blue-screen/

[cesrai]

is this the one you are looking for? 

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/96083-how-to-diagnose-bsods-blue-screen/

Yep thanks m8.

[Beltboy]

Can we add something about event viewer error "System shutdown was unexpected" there have been a few people lately asking what this means?

 

It means your pc crashed, and the event is triggered on boot not by the crash.

[Redicat]

What does 'loose card' and 'short' even mean????

[spaiduhz]

http://windowsmatters.com/tag/winpe/ <-- gandalf winpe. very useful.

suggestion. some peeps might not be familiar with using a bootable linux distro to troubleshoot. i suggest giving gandalf's winpe a try. it uses a familiar windows 10 interface stripped down, yet contains plenty of tools for you to use to troubleshoot errors. if paying 60 bucks for acronis true image sounds expensive, it also comes with a gui version of imagex as well. i promote making a 1-1 image of your operating system partition prior to every major change. acronis does make incremental updates easy, and its more forgiving on changed hardware. if your OS is screwed up so bad that nothing works, you can always create a winpe wim image anyway, transfer the wim file, and extract your important stuff using 7zip.

[noob at PC]

i need some help (i74790k, z97x-sli, hyper212 evo, 550w psu evga, wd blue 1tb, corsair spec-01, windows 10) so i was just kind of playing with my cpu oc and i got a stable 4.9ghz with 1.445v on air with like idle 60c so everything was going great then i tried to go for the great 5ghz it went to windows then said it needed to reboot becuase something was wrong and then after the reboot nothing will display i tried to clear the cmos by using a screwdriver as a jumper but all that happens is still just my system turing on and not displaying