Black Screen NOT of death

I'm having an interesting situation with a computer I built for a friend.

It happens randomly but if you touch the computer (no noticeable electrical discharge occurs) the screen goes into a reset type black screen, all the fans rev up, and that's it. It stays like this until you either hit the reset switch or power off completely. Once you reset you get the Windows did not shut down properly screen.

At first we thought it might be a faulty CD drive because it was happening when he pushed the CD drive eject button or when he closed the drive. I switched out the CD drive for a new one and when I went to put the side panel back on I touched the body of the case with the panel and it did it. This doesn't happen regularly, I can't recreate the problem. I tried moving wires (the case button pin connectors) and moving the case around, opening and closing the CD drive and nothing.

I put his case on his plastic floor mat and told him to try and avoid touching it until I figure this out.

We haven't tried a windows reinstall or anything software related. He's running AVG free, scan showed nothing. I'm going to get him on Norton 2011 internet security and run a registry check with Registry Mechanic.

Any thoughts?

-ZALMAN CPU Cooler

-LG 22X DVD Burner - Bulk Black SATA Model GH22LS50

-COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-WW Computer Case

-Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

-(2) SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM SATA
-(2) SAMSUNG 1TB 7200 RPM

-CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V

-EVGA 512-P3-1153-TR GeForce GTS 250 512MB 256-bit DDR3

-ASUS M4A89TD PRO/USB3 AM3 AMD 890FX

-ASUS PCE-N13 PCI Express Wireless Adapter

-G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)

-AMD Phenom II X6 1090T Black Edition Thuban 3.2GHz Socket AM3

That kind of "screams" Hardware. No need to change any drivers. I would check each and every cable for damages (including checking everything between case and outlet for proper grounding) even anything coming from the PSU that isn't connected.

What I can't say from here is, if you guys are charged up statically by an unfortunate combination of carpet/footwear and lack of humidity or if you simply provide a better ground than the cables.
whatever the case...electrical current seems to run ways it's not supposed to and that pulls down your comp.




-DG

SledgeDG said:

That kind of "screams" Hardware. No need to change any drivers. I would check each and every cable for damages (including checking everything between case and outlet for proper grounding) even anything coming from the PSU that isn't connected.

What I can't say from here is, if you guys are charged up statically by an unfortunate combination of carpet/footwear and lack of humidity or if you simply provide a better ground than the cables.
whatever the case...electrical current seems to run ways it's not supposed to and that pulls down your comp.




-DG

Thanks for the reply!

Couple of things: I didn't switch drivers it was the physical DVD drive itself that I swapped out. I figured it was hardware related. Everything is new, we live in Phoenix AZ, no humidity to worry about and I was standing on a plastic mat when I touched the case side panel to the body. The computer itself was on carpet but I was not. I didn't feel any electrical discharge at all, I'm surprised that a discharge I couldn't even feel was enough to shock the PC into limbo.

It has a brand new Corsair power supply I just can't believe it would have trouble with grounding. This problem also happened at two different locations so it can't be a wiring issue with the house itself.

It has to be a simple grounding issue though I agree, what would be the best way to go about grounding the case? Wire around a screw leading... anywhere?

The Howling Wolves said:

Try using MSE AV(free) and uninstalling AVG! IMHO

Is MSE much better than AVG? How would it compare to Norton 2011?

I wasn't talking about the house wiring (that would have shown upon different issues as well) ...more like the cable/power strip between outlet and PC.
As for the static build up..lack of humidity promotes it. New or not..I was thinking about a cable where the insulation has been nicked and now has unwanted contact. Why else should a simple touch to the case have any effect (besides leaving a fingerprint .
Hell it could even be a screw left under the motherboard that now shorts something.

-DG