PC freeze issue on IDLE

[Makku293]

All this started when I rubbed the case with my socks accidentally. In the first instance, the PC has rebooted automatically, I didn't notice that I was the culprit. Before I got realize of it, I caused unconsciously to my system to reboot automatically again a couple of times with the same method (ESD, socks). After all the research, I found an answer, I was the reason of the event.

 

The hell doesn't ends here. Several months later with not been rubbing the case (Now aware of my actions). Afterwards an AFK for a while, the screen was totally still without any kind of response (Mouse and keyboard). By pressing the boot or reboot button, I could recover the system back to normal, there is no another way.

 

This only happens (Sometimes) when I'm not using the PC, of course including opened programs. This issue makes presence only on IDLE (Me away from the PC), even in a heavy videogame (Once in FFXV, in pause).

 

I've tried everything: FurMark at full, Prime95 (Each test within 10 hours), MemTest x86 in 10 hours, clean the dust, CMOS battery removal (With all the components connected obviously), BIOS update to the latest, BIOS reset by changing pins, reinstallation of every hardware, back to the default values the BIOS, Update all drivers, format the O.S., and I can't remember the rest.

 

Something is telling me that the CMOS battery could be damaged by all the static that it received in those moments.

 

I don't know what else to do. I came from How to Geek and Tom's Hardware and nothing help me in a way. So, this forum is my last hope.

 

My build:

 

Case: Thermaltake Versa N21

Motherboard: Asus Sabertooth Z170 S (Revision 1.xx, (8th January, 2016))

BIOS: 3504

O.S.: Windows 10 Pro x64 Build 1709

CPU: i5-6600K 3.5GHz Skylake-S

CPU Cooler: SteelSeries Hyper 212

HDD: WD Blue 1TB (WDCWD10EZEX-08WN4A0)

Socket: 1151 LGA

GPU: GDDR5 Gigabyte GTX1060 6GB G1 Gaming

RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 2400MHz 16GB on dual channel, each one of 4GB

PSU: EVGA SuperNova B2 850W (110-B2-0850-V1)

 

Regards

 

[Radium_Angel]

13 minutes ago, Makku293 said:

I don't know what else to do.

A solid build should not transmit static into the system. 

My guess is you have a short somewhere, between the motherboard and case. The normal solution is to pull everything from the case, run it on a phonebook or something for a bit, and see if the issue goes away.

 

If it does, then that's the issue, if it's still locking up, then the problem is elsewhere.

[Makku293]

33 minutes ago, Radium_Angel said:

A solid build should not transmit static into the system. 

My guess is you have a short somewhere, between the motherboard and case. The normal solution is to pull everything from the case, run it on a phonebook or something for a bit, and see if the issue goes away.

 

If it does, then that's the issue, if it's still locking up, then the problem is elsewhere.

The short, is a path of electricity in a incorrect place of the PC?. Sorry, I've never heard about the "short" term.

 

Thank You

[Radium_Angel]

47 minutes ago, Makku293 said:

The short, is a path of electricity in a incorrect place of the PC?. Sorry, I've never heard about the "short" term.

 

Thank You

Correct. The static electricity is not being grounded out (where it would be harmless) and instead being directed to sensitive electronic components, where it is causing the freeze.

[Makku293]

2 minutes ago, Radium_Angel said:

Correct. The static electricity is not being grounded out (where it would be harmless) and instead being directed to sensitive electronic components, where it is causing the freeze.

The weird thing is. Why on IDLE and not in use?. Why happened after a several months of stability?. This behaviour is so erratic.

[Radium_Angel]

6 minutes ago, Makku293 said:

The weird thing is. Why on IDLE and not in use?. Why happened after a several months of stability?. This behaviour is so erratic.

It is weird. Some electronic components are more robust than others, and it might have taken several "hits" of electricity to cause them to go bad.

But this is only one guess, the problem may lie elsewhere, but we need to eliminate this as an issue first.

[Makku293]

1 minute ago, Radium_Angel said:

It is weird. Some electronic components are more robust than others, and it might have taken several "hits" of electricity to cause them to go bad.

But this is only one guess, the problem may lie elsewhere, but we need to eliminate this as an issue first.

Ok. I understood. Based on what I said. Do you think this is a hard circumstance?. My motherboard could be dying?. I'm guessing to... Could be the CMOS battery too?.

 

Regards

[xaeleep]

What component that is causing the issue will be hard to tell without troubleshooting the actual components. You could check for any physical damage to IO ports on the back, as a damaged port can cause shorting, you should also unplug or change any pheripherials if you haven't already.
 

As you've done more or less everything when it comes to software testing I would, as Makku293 suggests, run the motherboard, CPU and RAM outside of the case, with no additional IO connected.
 

Assuming the problem persists, the next thing could be to cross check the RAM by running them all individually in each DIMM slot.

If you're still having issues, the natural assumption would be motherboard or CPU, most likely the motherboard. However this will be hard to confirm without having spares.

 

[Makku293]

21 minutes ago, xaeleep said:

What component that is causing the issue will be hard to tell without troubleshooting the actual components. You could check for any physical damage to IO ports on the back, as a damaged port can cause shorting, you should also unplug or change any pheripherials if you haven't already.
 

As you've done more or less everything when it comes to software testing I would, as Makku293 suggests, run the motherboard, CPU and RAM outside of the case, with no additional IO connected.
 

Assuming the problem persists, the next thing could be to cross check the RAM by running them all individually in each DIMM slot.

If you're still having issues, the natural assumption would be motherboard or CPU, most likely the motherboard. However this will be hard to confirm without having spares.

 

I got it now. I'll tell you guys when it's done!!! Thank you so much for guided me!!!

[Radium_Angel]

4 hours ago, Makku293 said:

Could be the CMOS battery too?.

While this is possible, as a professional IT, with many decades of experience, I've never encountered this. Typically when a CMOS battery fails, the system simply loses the BIOS setting once the power cord is removed from the system.

 

[Makku293]

3 minutes ago, Radium_Angel said:

While this is possible, as a professional IT, with many decades of experience, I've never encountered this. Typically when a CMOS battery fails, the system simply loses the BIOS setting once the power cord is removed from the system.

 

A professional IT?. Superb, so I have your back-up in a sense. I'm so glad, this issue has drove me crazy, cause, I spent many years gathering the enough money to buy my dream PC, and once I have it, this issue appeared months later, because of my dumb error. I've been dealing with this a year an a half in a hell, but based on the replies, there's still hope for me, as soon as I can, I'm going to do those steps that you guys replied to me!!! The problem is, I don't have more money to buy any of these components again, i.e., I must fix it one way or another!!! Thank you guys for helping me!!!

[Radium_Angel]

9 hours ago, Makku293 said:

A professional IT?. Superb, so I have your back-up in a sense. I'm so glad, this issue has drove me crazy, cause, I spent many years gathering the enough money to buy my dream PC, and once I have it, this issue appeared months later, because of my dumb error. I've been dealing with this a year an a half in a hell, but based on the replies, there's still hope for me, as soon as I can, I'm going to do those steps that you guys replied to me!!! The problem is, I don't have more money to buy any of these components again, i.e., I must fix it one way or another!!! Thank you guys for helping me!!!

You are welcome. Short of an electrical overload, computer components are surprisingly robust, much more than they used to be, provided you don't fry them with too much power (OCing, etc)

Let us know how it goes, and we'll go on from there. 

[Makku293]

1 hour ago, Radium_Angel said:

You are welcome. Short of an electrical overload, computer components are surprisingly robust, much more than they used to be, provided you don't fry them with too much power (OCing, etc)

Let us know how it goes, and we'll go on from there. 

OK. Tomorrow I'll perform those steps.

[Makku293]

On 7/8/2018 at 8:26 AM, Radium_Angel said:

You are welcome. Short of an electrical overload, computer components are surprisingly robust, much more than they used to be, provided you don't fry them with too much power (OCing, etc)

Let us know how it goes, and we'll go on from there. 

I'm still on the troubleshooting by the way. I'll tell you when it's done. There's a detail I forgot to mention. If I run it outside the case as you said. How long this should be doing?. Cause, this may happen at any time, might be, hours, days or months. I cannot leave the PC on testing for any of those periods of time, it's too much. How long it needs to be outside the case?.

[Radium_Angel]

3 minutes ago, Makku293 said:

I'm still on the troubleshooting by the way. I'll tell you when it's done. There's a detail I forgot to mention. If I run it outside the case as you said. How long this should be doing?. Cause, this may happen at any time, might be, hours, days or months. I cannot leave the PC on testing for any of those periods of time, it's too much. How long it needs to be outside the case?.

Well, that's a problem then. You need to test it like that for several days under standard user conditions (gaming, stress testing, etc) to see what ti does, or doesn't do. A few days ought to give you an indication of what's going on...

[Makku293]

23 minutes ago, Radium_Angel said:

Well, that's a problem then. You need to test it like that for several days under standard user conditions (gaming, stress testing, etc) to see what ti does, or doesn't do. A few days ought to give you an indication of what's going on...

OK. I'll see what can I do. The fact that I pulled it off from the case and put it on a cardboard, ought to help to release the static in a way or I'm wrong?.

[Radium_Angel]

2 hours ago, Makku293 said:

OK. I'll see what can I do. The fact that I pulled it off from the case and put it on a cardboard, ought to help to release the static in a way or I'm wrong?.

*IF* the case was the issue (the static buildup), then yes, this will solve the issue....

[Makku293]

21 minutes ago, Radium_Angel said:

*IF* the case was the issue (the static buildup), then yes, this will solve the issue....

OK. Thank you so much. You're a great support. I'm more calm down because of your guidance. Tomorrow I finish. I'm studying this for a better understanding in the future. I will attach some pics of what I found in the motherboard, it's nothing strange, but, I've never seen something like that on a motherboard, and how the PSU got fit with the motherboard (I wanna know if is wrong).

[Radium_Angel]

7 hours ago, Makku293 said:

OK. Thank you so much. You're a great support. I'm more calm down because of your guidance. Tomorrow I finish. I'm studying this for a better understanding in the future. I will attach some pics of what I found in the motherboard, it's nothing strange, but, I've never seen something like that on a motherboard, and how the PSU got fit with the motherboard (I wanna know if is wrong).

Sounds like a plan. We are here to see you through this.

[Makku293]

On 7/13/2018 at 5:28 AM, Radium_Angel said:

Sounds like a plan. We are here to see you through this.

I found only these anomalies on the motherboard, they were removed, but I don't know what they are. It's normal?. After build the PC again, the piece of the chassis that makes contact w/ a component is the one depicted in the images. 

[Radium_Angel]

In the second pic, that little chunk of metal looks like part of the case, remove if it possible.

The other pics, those looks like heat discolourations, not too much to be worried about.

[Makku293]

41 minutes ago, Radium_Angel said:

In the second pic, that little chunk of metal looks like part of the case, remove if it possible.

The other pics, those looks like heat discolourations, not too much to be worried about.

Yes, that chunk of metal is a part of the chassis, used it to hold the PSU in place as I know. What could happen if I can't remove it, it will occur again?.

[Radium_Angel]

18 hours ago, Makku293 said:

Yes, that chunk of metal is a part of the chassis, used it to hold the PSU in place as I know. What could happen if I can't remove it, it will occur again?.

Hmm...put some tape or something over it. 

[Makku293]

2 hours ago, Radium_Angel said:

Hmm...put some tape or something over it. 

OK. I'll do it. I'll tell you how it goes. However, what happens w/ the back of the PSU?. Is touching the chassis too, but, I can't do nothing about it, cause, it's fixed w/ the screws (Is inevitable). What do I do about it?. Sorry for my stupid comments.

[Radium_Angel]

3 hours ago, Makku293 said:

OK. I'll do it. I'll tell you how it goes. However, what happens w/ the back of the PSU?. Is touching the chassis too, but, I can't do nothing about it, cause, it's fixed w/ the screws (Is inevitable). What do I do about it?. Sorry for my stupid comments.

The power supply is grounded (so it's not an issue). The case I'm less certain about. Hence the tape.