Asrock z97 Extreme 6 or PSU? One of them is Dying! (I think)

[blacktruckryder]

I think my Asrock z97 extreme 6 is dying! Well at least the memory section is.
The problem started off with me turning the computer on and all my fans would go to maximum rpm and stay there, including the video card. No video and no post codes. I could get it to boot if I turned the system off by the switch on the psu or hold down the power button, It would take 4 or 5 tries but would boot eventually.
Once booted the computer runs fine. Played a straight 4 hours of Fallout 4 last night.
Went to start it up today and same problem only I couldn't get it to boot at all. I started troubleshooting, unplugging drives and usb devices then trying to boot again. Then I noticed Debug code 55 (memory issue), the first debug code that has stayed on the readout. Tried three different sets of ram, still code 55. Stuck one stick of ram in the first slot, hit the power button and the computer boots just fine! Now the only way it will boot is with one stick of ram in the first slot. No other combo of ram in any slots works, only one stick in the first slot.
All of the ram has been tested with memtest and all works one stick at a time.

What do you guys think? Motherboard, psu, or more troubleshooting? I'm leaning toward the motherboard but I've seen a bad psu do some funky things before.

 

[newtekie1]

I'd try another power supply first. If you don't have one powerful enough for your GPU, take the GPU out and use the onboard graphics to test.

 

[PCGamerDR]

I think my Asrock z97 extreme 6 is dying! Well at least the memory section is.
The problem started off with me turning the computer on and all my fans would go to maximum rpm and stay there, including the video card. No video and no post codes. I could get it to boot if I turned the system off by the switch on the psu or hold down the power button, It would take 4 or 5 tries but would boot eventually.
Once booted the computer runs fine. Played a straight 4 hours of Fallout 4 last night.
Went to start it up today and same problem only I couldn't get it to boot at all. I started troubleshooting, unplugging drives and usb devices then trying to boot again. Then I noticed Debug code 55 (memory issue), the first debug code that has stayed on the readout. Tried three different sets of ram, still code 55. Stuck one stick of ram in the first slot, hit the power button and the computer boots just fine! Now the only way it will boot is with one stick of ram in the first slot. No other combo of ram in any slots works, only one stick in the first slot.
All of the ram has been tested with memtest and all works one stick at a time.

What do you guys think? Motherboard, psu, or more troubleshooting? I'm leaning toward the motherboard but I've seen a bad psu do some funky things before.

I'd try another power supply first. If you don't have one powerful enough for your GPU, take the GPU out and use the onboard graphics to test.

PSU +1, i had the same symptoms years ago with a 450w psu changing it fixed everything.

 

[blacktruckryder]

Should have mentioned,i pulled the video card and tried with the onboard. Still no luck. Anytime more than just the first memory slot is used I get code 55.

 

[Devon68]

I had an similar issue when putting too much load on my system it would make it restart and all the fans start spinning at max speed and I hear 1 long beep. I fixed it by changing the power supply so I'm thinking it might be the same thing in your case too. I'm not 100% but I would vote on the psu being faulty.

 

[PCGamerDR]

Should have mentioned,i pulled the video card and tried with the onboard. Still no luck. Anytime more than just the first memory slot is used I get code 55.

Try cleaning the memory slots with a ruler + cloth + alcohol to get the dust out if there's any and let it DRY then try again.

 

[blacktruckryder]

I'll try cleaning slots.

 

[95Viper]

What are all your temps like?

I see you OC... Have you tried with no OC? Try resetting the bios.

Like others said... try another PSU, if possible.
Could be motherboard; however, you may want to try another CPU, if you have one or can borrow one.

 

[cadaveca]

55 is memory, usually wrong timings, or pushed too far for the IMC. Could be your CPU bit the dust, something wrong with a slot, or bad sticks. Make sure to clear CMOS before swapping sticks.

 

[blacktruckryder]

My temps are great. Idle around 35c, max out at 65c while gaming.
I reset the bios and switched to the other onboard bios.
I don't have another cpu to try and I don't know anyone local with one either.

 

[blacktruckryder]

With just the first ram slot populated, I can boot up and run benchmarks, play games, surf the net. Completly stable.

 

[95Viper]

My temps are great. Idle around 35c, max out at 65c while gaming.

Not bad.

I reset the bios and switched to the other onboard bios.

Do any good?

I don't have another cpu to try and I don't know anyone local with one either.

I don't have a spare for that socket... I need to get one, too.
Maybe, someone will see you post and sell you one cheap.

With just the first ram slot populated, I can boot up and run benchmarks, play games, surf the net. Completely stable.

Try one in the other slots, one at a time... to test for bad slots.

You ain't got the cpu cooler to tight?

 

[blacktruckryder]

Resetting the bios didn't help.
First two slots work, second set both code 55.

Now it will boot with the first two slots populated.

 

[NdMk2o1o]

Funny thing, had the same issue with a pair of Gskill RAM's (4x4GB 1600) and wouldn't for the life of me boot up in the correct dual channel slots, both sticks worked fine on their own but I could only place them in said slots to get both to boot up, ended up replacing the motherboard, low and behold the RAM exhibited the same behaviour in the 2nd motherboard I bought and would only work in single channel in the first 2 slots so I bought an 16GB set which have worked flawlessly...

 

[blacktruckryder]

I pulled ram out of my son's amd rig and it acts just like my other two sets. Works in the first two but not in the second two.

 

[NdMk2o1o]

Motherboard would be my culprit then, any access to a PSU thought honestly without the GPU the RAM is hardly going to stress the crappest of PSU's though best to rule it out anyway, my money's on the motherboard at this juncture!

 

[blacktruckryder]

I think I'll take a little trip up to the local microcenter and pick out a new board. If that doesn't work I'll return it and try a new psu.

 

[95Viper]

Just my opinion... could be psu, but I doubt it.
I am leaning to MB or CPU.

If you can afford... time to upgrade.

 

[blacktruckryder]

Has anyone seen a cpu do something like this? I had a bad athalon cpu once, I fried it overclocking. That computer wouldn't boot or even post with the bad cpu in.

 

[newtekie1]

The other thing I just thought of is possibly the waterblock is too tight? I've seen that cause warping on the motherboard, causing bad connections to the CPU pads to the socket pins, causing memory issues.

 

[cadaveca]

Has anyone seen a cpu do something like this? I had a bad athalon cpu once, I fried it overclocking. That computer wouldn't boot or even post with the bad cpu in.

Yes, I have. And I've seen ram like NdMk2010 above. Also bad board. very rarely is it PSU. I have all three possibilities gathering dust on my shelf next to me , no bad PSU.

The other thing I just thought of is possibly the waterblock is too tight? I've seen that cause warping on the motherboard, causing bad connections to the CPU pads to the socket pins, causing memory issues.

That's not so much of an issue on Z97 for some reason, but I guess totally possible too. But usually, it doesn't just stop working overnight when that happens, unless the board was slowly warped from many excessive heating sessions. The backplate design somehow seems to prevent it.

 

[blacktruckryder]

I just pulled the waterblock off, cleaned and reinstalled. Same problem. The code 55 comes up first, no other codes. As soon as power is applied its on the readout. Normal boot the readout displays a bunch of different numbers and letters.

Also checked the socket for bent pins, none that I could see.

Pulled the psu and put it in my son's rig (fx8350/Asus sabertooth, r9 290) runs his system fine.

 

[blacktruckryder]

Switched my bios back to my oc profile and ran the intel burn test 10 times with the first two slots populated. The run was flawless and my cpu temp hit 74c, mb temp hit 32c.

I would think that if the cpu was going bad I could trigger a bsod or reboot or somthing.

 

[Filip Georgievski]

Take MB Battery out, wait 5 mints, put battery in, put all ram sticks in, try to boot.
Had similar problem, that solved it for me.

 

[newtekie1]

Switched my bios back to my oc profile and ran the intel burn test 10 times with the first two slots populated. The run was flawless and my cpu temp hit 74c, mb temp hit 32c.

I would think that if the cpu was going bad I could trigger a bsod or reboot or somthing.

It could be the IMC is going bad, meaning the part responsible for those two memory slots has died.

But my guess is the motherboard at this point. I'd start an RMA with Asrock here.