Bizarre Problem with new build

guns90 · 06 May 2011

This is weird guys. I just bought all new parts and built a new computer. When I boot up, it gets to the point just after where the Windows 7 logo comes up, then the screen goes blank. You can see the HHD led going crazy for about 10-15 seceonds, then it stops. At this point, (screen is still blank), I can type in my
password, hit enter, and it starts to boot into the desktop, however; it takes EIGHTEEN FREEKING MINUTES, then the screen goes blank again. If I wiggle the mouse, the screen lights back up and I'm in my desktop. From that point on, everything works perfectly. Fast as Hell! But every time I boot into the computer, I have to go through this routine

I have reformatted the HHD and done a clean install 6 times now. The BIOS is the latest and the BIOS settings are all as outlined by the manufacturer. As soon as I do a clean install, I install the motherboard's and video card's drivers off their respective CD's. I've tried rebooting after each driver's install and I've also waited untill all drivers were installed before I rebooted. Its when I install the video card main driver that I begin to have the problem.

Would anyone care to offer any kind of suggestion as to how to correct this?

Antec 900 Case
ASRock H67M motherboard
Intel Core I-7 2600K
Zalman 2 Ball Fan & Heatsink
G.Skill RipJaw 8GB (2x4GB)
EVGA GTX 570 video card
Western Digital 500GB HHD
ASUS DVD Burners (2)
Rosewill Multi-Card Reader
Rosewill 850 Watt PSU
Windows 7 w/SP1

stormy13 · 06 May 2011

Tried using the latest driver for the video card instead of the one on the disk?

NVIDIA DRIVERS 270.61 WHQL

paulpicks21 · 06 May 2011

stormy13 said:

Tried using the latest driver for the video card instead of the one on the disk?

NVIDIA DRIVERS 270.61 WHQL

+1 .

neo101 · 06 May 2011

Let windows 7 find and install all the latest drivers from t'internet.
Don't install any off the cds unless you have to.

You are prob. installing a wrong/dated system bus driver.

Some hard drives are only meant to work full pelt off particular sata sockets (raid configs etc) - have you read yer manual?

guns90 · 06 May 2011

All Drivers are the latest per manufacturer's websites. This last clean install did not use any cd's except Window's 7 w/ SP1.

Thanks for the tip on the hard drive. I bought OEM and didn't get a manual, but looking at their website, I have everything right by their specs. Its a WD Caviar Black 500 GB SATA Hard Drives ( WD5002AALX) connected to my SATA6 0. I haven't loaded anything besides Windows and drivers, but that drive seems to fly when its copying.

It appears that during boot up, the monitor goes to sleep just after the Windows & logo appears. It seems obvious that Windows is still pursuing boot up at that time because when the HHD led stops, I can type in my password at the longon page. Again, the monitor appears to go to sleep (because it wakes up to desktop background; but it takes WAAAAAY to long for the desktop to be complete with lower toolbar and icons). And yet again, it goes to sleep when the functions to obtain the desktop have completed, because when I immediately move the mouse, the monitor wakes up to the completed desktop. So it really appears to be a monitor problem except for that EIGHTEEN minutes! Its enough to drive a man crazy.

And yes, I did check the HP website to download the driver for the monitor.

seavixen32 · 06 May 2011

Have you tried booting in safe mode? If it does you can then start looking for bad drivers.

Also, have you considered booting with your internet connection disconnected? That will stop Microsoft offering you their drivers and will enable you to install the manufacturers' drivers from their CD.

You might also want to check your screensaver settings.

Britton30 · 06 May 2011

To reiterate Neo101, make sure your SATA is "on" in BIOS. My gigabyte board had it "off" as default and I had to connect my HDD to a specific SATA header for it to function as s SATA drive, weird

A passing thought...have you tried this monitor on a different PC if available OR a different monitor on this PC? Maybe could might be a hardware malfunction. Bad monitor or maybe a new bad graphics card.

paulpicks21 · 06 May 2011

Have you got another graphics card you can try?

That way you can confirm its the graphics card causing the issue and not another component.

Hopalong X · 06 May 2011

Here is the manual link.
Just in case.
ASRock > Products > H67M > Manual

Mike

guns90 · 07 May 2011

I would like to thank everyone for their input. Its nice to have help when you need it.

It finally figured it out. Going back and reading my last post, I started concentrating more on what was affecting the monitor. My epiphany was when I discovered that if I shut off the monitor when it 'went to sleep' and turned it back on the computer was doing what it was supposed to; I had just not been seeing it because the monitor was black. After re-downloading all Windows and HP drivers associated with monitor/graphics, to no avail, I happened to notice that Windows was detecting two monitors. I only have one monitor, but it has two connectors, both of which I had connected to the graphics card like I did on my old set up. I disconnected one of the connectors from the graphics card, and VIOLA! I have a new, very well functioning computer.

Thanks again for all of your help.