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Windows crashes, HDD no longer recognized


Messerschmitt

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Hey guys, I am having quite a peculiar problem.

What happens basically that randomly, my current program hangs (whatever has focus). Then as the time progresses, other programs start to crash. The program that had focus sometimes exit from it's hang, but once this sequence started, all programs will crash, including explorer.exe (taskbar dissapearing). Most programs will crash until the computer will suddenly restart.

Upon restarting, my main SSD that has windows will no longer be visible in BIOS. Therefore my computer is unusable. The only way to fix this is to hit the PSU switch, turn it off, then deplete the capacitors by holding power on button. Then I turn on the PSU and bios is again detecting my SSD. OFC windows will report it crashed, blabla as per the usual when it's not properly shut down

I have made a video of it happening.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKzT-JIBJfg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzfTdk2YGxw

(2nd video is after I turned off the PSU, depeleted the capacitors and turn it on. As you can see, it now detects SATA 1 with my Crucial SSD)

I have changed the cables but that didn't help.

Edited by Messerschmitt
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Try powering the PC with a spare PSU, it is incredible the number of seemingly unconnected and different issues a failing PSU can create.

Ideally you could use a PSU tester (it is a little device that costs only a few bucks) to check your current PSU, but trying another one (which you may have hanging around) is just as effective and - unless it is a gaming rig - a (average, i.e. a good but not overly expensive) PSU could cost around 30 to 40 US$, and having a spare one is a good idea anyway.

jaclaz
 

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Unfortunately I do not have a spare PSU. This PSU was also a replacement a long time ago from a Corsair 850TX which had coil whine to the current 850HX.

Any other possible culprits? Why would windows crashing disable my SATA1 port so that bios cannot see the SSD? If all of the sudden the SATA1 would be disconected, shouldn't windows freeze all of the sudden rather than the sequential crashing of programs until it finally resets?

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Most probably parts of the programs you have opened are in RAM, so they crash as soon as they swap or however access the SSD.

The SSD itself or the motherboard may be defective, of course, and as well you could have something botched in the OS, but as said first step is always to check the PSU, particularly since you mentioned the need to discharge capacitors.

You can load a Live Linux CD or a PE and see if it creates similar issues (just to exclude the OS), though this way you won't be using the SATA internal bus and the SSD in the same way, so it won't be enough to pinpoint the issue to a single point of failure.

Probabilities (in my perverted mind ;)):

1) PSU 57.25 %
2) SSD 12.44 %
3) Motherboard/SATA bus 9.18%
4) OS 6.88 %
5) *Something else* 12,95%

Quote


Oh, people can  come up with statistics to prove anything, Kent. 14% of people know that.


 

jaclaz


 

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