Monitor randomly shutting down, computer accepting no input, need to restart to get working
- by Sebastian Lamerichs
First off, spec list:
OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit SP1
CPU: i7-4820k @ 3.7GHz (stock)
GPU: Two 3GB Radeon HD 7970s @ 1.05GHz
Mobo: AsRock X79 Extreme6
HDD: 2TB Seagate Barracuda 7200rpm
RAM: 16GB quad-channel Kingston 1600MHz
PSU: Antec HCG 900W
Monitors: Acer S220HQL 1920x1080 + ViewSonic VA2251 1920x1080. Plugged into different GPUs.
My problem is that, on a daily-ish basis, my monitors will turn off and not turn back on. My computer will still be running, GPU/CPU/case fans all still going, but the monitors will not turn back on. Additionally, it seems to cease all network activity. It doesn't seem to log any errors at all. I've verified that this is not a monitor issue, as when I press the num/caps/scroll lock buttons on my keyboard, the lights don't change, so the computer is clearly not accepting input.
I have noticed a few other people on the internet with this problem, and some have claimed that it was solved by disabling PCI-Express Link State Power Management, but the issue still occurs for me after this. Whilst my CPU and GPUs both run at 100% 24/7, the temperatures are certainly not at dangerous levels, with the CPU averaging 65°C and the GPUs at 70°C and 78°C average. All components are brand new.
I have tried forcing MSI Afterburner to start when Windows starts and to force a constant voltage, as this fixed the issue for a few days for another user, but he reported back saying that it had stopped working properly again, so I'm not putting too much faith in this working.
Many people have said to adjust display sleep mode settings, but this will clearly not work, as the keyboard lights would still work if the monitors were the issue.
The closest I can get to a log file for this issue is the following Folding@Home logs:
14:45:21:WU01:FS00:0x17:Completed 1120000 out of 2000000 steps (56%)
14:46:43:WU00:FS01:0x17:Completed 480000 out of 2000000 steps (24%)
14:46:49:WU01:FS00:0x17:Completed 1140000 out of 2000000 steps (57%)
14:48:30:WU01:FS00:0x17:Completed 1160000 out of 2000000 steps (58%)
14:49:55:WU01:FS00:0x17:Completed 1180000 out of 2000000 steps (59%)
As you can see, the second GPU (FS01) stops computation approximately three and a half minutes before the issue occurs (it should be completing 1% every 80-120 seconds), and the first GPU (FS00) continues for a few minutes more before the logs just end. As far as I can tell, the computer has a network failure at the time the first GPU stops working, the latest IRC message I received from this time was at 14:47:58. That being said, there could have just not been any messages between then and 14:50:00, so I'm going to be connecting a laptop to the same bouncer to double-check if it happens again.
The GPUs functioned perfectly well in another computer for a significant period of time, so I'm fairly confident that they aren't the issue, which means that this is being caused by either software or the motherboard, or possibly RAM. I really hope it's software.
I heard from a forum board that there was a patch from Microsoft that fixed this problem, but "I've forgot which KB it was or the google search terms I used to find the patch, LOL.", so that's not much help. Haven't seen it mentioned by anyone else on about a dozen threads about this issue either.
The computer is plugged in via a surge-protected power board, and I've run several other computers and pieces of hardware through it with no issues, so that is not the cause.
I have just set the hard disk to never turn off, although I don't believe that that will solve the issue.
Strangely, this has only happened when I'm not at the computer (which is actually a minority of the time). Until today it had only happened when I had not been actively using the computer for 6 hours, but today it happened within 10-30 minutes of me last using the computer actively.
I have enabled file logging from MSI Afterburner, so hopefully this will shed some light on the issue, but I'm not too optimistic. I've heard that it could be a motherboard problem, but I figured I should ask around before RMAing it.
Any help?
