Bad motherboard? Bad CPU? Bad RAM??? Bad something for sure!

[leopoldporkstacker]

Fresh components from NewEgg, delivered this morning:

• Intel Core i5-4570S Haswell 2.9GHz LGA 1150 65W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics BX80646I54570S
• GIGABYTE GA-H81.Amp-UP LGA 1150 Intel H81 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
• CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Profile Desktop Memory Model CML8GX3M2A1600C9
• TP-LINK TL-WDN4800 Dual Band Wireless N900 PCI Express Adapter, 2.4GHz 450Mbps/5GHz 450Mbps, IEEE 802.1a/b/g/n, WEP/WPA/WPA2
• LITE-ON DVD Burner - Bulk Black SATA Model iHAS124-04 - OEM
• CORSAIR CXM series CX500M 500W ATX12V v2.3 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Modular Active PFC ...
• Both a 128GB 6G SSD as well as a 1TB 6G non-SSD Western Digital Caviar Black

Built everything up, was able to install OSX 10.6.8 and Windoze 7 on the 1TB SATA HD without any issues… so I thought. Seems as though the longer the computer is on for, the sooner it will give bluescreens or fail partway through booting in Windoze, or lock up in OSX or just freeze partway through booting into OSX. As stated, somehow earlier on in the day I was able to get complete installs of both OSX and Windoze.

I figured perhaps there was a problem with the 1TB HD, so I popped the brand-new 128GB SSD and was able to install OSX 10.6.8 and Windoze 7 onto it. Started experiencing the same exact problems once again.

The lockups and bluescreens appear at seemingly random times, however, it seems as though as the day grew longer (I’ve been screwing around with this setup from about 10:00AM Pacific Time, it is now after 7:30PM Pacific Time) the machine became flakier and flakier.

Troubleshooting:

• tried downclocking CPU from 2.9GHz to 2.5GHz = same problems
• put a cooling fan on the chipset heatsink = same problems
• tried just one RAM module at a time, and in different RAM module slots = same problems
• cleaned and reapplied thermal compound for CPU and reseated stock heatsink = same problems
• tried three different graphics cards: Radeon HD5870, Radeon HD5850, Radeon 2600XT = same problems
• disconnected wireless PCI card = same problems
• disconnected Ethernet cable = same problems
• ran the BIOS-level memory check = both modules report as being just fine

What have I missed in the troubleshooting??? Bad CPU??? Bad Motherboard??? Where do I start?

Thanks!!!

 

[Tino2]

Check the Logs in Windows might you get some information out...

BTW Haswell isn't compatible with 10.6.8 so this will never be a stable combination.

Have you checked if the Ram is compatible with the Mainboard?

Bios update, Firmware update of sdd should also be checked.

Lastly might you get another Ram Stick to try, but as you explain it sounds like CPU, Powersupply or MB but without Logs you won't be sure about that. To Nail down you have to Replace or Check logs ... GL

 

[leopoldporkstacker]

The problem now is getting the computer to boot up in order to get to said logs. The computer has been taking less and less time to crash/freeze each boot, and now it only seems to get about 20 seconds into a boot past the iBoot boot selector screen. Freezes partway into the Apple logo boot, and now freezes partway into the Windoze 7 boot. My other Haswell 10.6.8 Hackintosh (GA-Z87MX-D3H with same ram modules, 3.5GHz Core i5, dual SLI Radeon HD5870s) has been buttery smooth and running great for more than a month without any of these issues I have been experiencing with this new system which is less than one day old.

Compatibility is not the point here, rather, the point is that some component is dying. When I first built the system up (early yesterday morning) it was running great, I was able to get a complete install of both OSX 10.6.8 and Windoze 7, and even install the 10.6.8 Combo Updater as well as apply the Windoze updates.

Dealing with RMAs sucks dirtballs, and if the problem is the CPU it is likely that NewEgg won’t take it back even if it is defective.

 

[leopoldporkstacker]

Latest update: I swapped the SATA cables just on a whim and the computer isn’t crashing or freezing… yet. I am able to get the setup to boot into Windoze 7 and do software updates and all that happy crap without any issues so far. However, the OS X installation isn’t booting past the Apple screen, so I am going to try that over again. Erased the 1TB non-SSD HD, going to try that over again with the new SATA cables and see if I can/cannot get Windoze 7 and 10.6.8 running again. Fun stuff– just wasting my days away with computers.

 

[leopoldporkstacker]

Scratch that notion of the SATA cables having been the culprit. I am going to go out on a limb here and pinpoint the CPU or the CPU heatsink/fan as the culprit, as the computer is back to crashing/freezing/etc. (ambient temperature in the room is rising as time progresses– an ordinary happening when the sun is out) again. Seems to do this when under load of any sort. Quickest way for me to force crash it (assuming it hasn’t already done so) is to run dnetc and instantly the the computer falls to it’s knees.

I am going to start swapping stuff back and forth between my two Hackintoshes and see if the CPU/heatsink is the culprit… my other Haswell 10.6.8/Windoze 7 hackintosh runs flawlessly with the stock CPU/heatsink setup.

 

[leopoldporkstacker]

Have tested the Core i5 2.9GHz CPU and stock heatsink/fan in my other hackintosh (the GA-Z87MX-D3H one that just runs all day long) as well as both RAM modules, and they have been happily chugging along perfectly. Only thing I have NOT tested yet in the known-working hackintosh is the TP-LINK TL-WDN4800 Dual Band Wireless N900 PCI Express Adapter, although I wouldn’t suspect it to be the culprit… although I am going to test it out on my old mangy 2006-era Sempron based PC running Windoze 7.

So far, all roads lead to the GA-H81.AMP-UP motherboard as being the problem in this equation.

 

[leopoldporkstacker]

OK, so…

Have tested out ALL components in two other PC systems– CPU, RAM, HDs, optical drive, all cabling, power supplies, graphics cards. They all work fine. All tests seem to point to the GA-H81.AMP-UP as either being defective or just being a piece of garbage. Cheap is as cheap does, I’d purchased this motherboard on a gamble for it’s dimensions (being able to clear the optical drive carrier inside a Blue & White Yosemite G3 case) as well as the low cost. Seems as though I should have instead purchased one of the TonyMacX86-certified MICRO ATX motherboards instead. Meanwhile, time to fill out a NewEgg RMA…

 

[leopoldporkstacker]

Because I just looooooove to beat a dead horse (apparently) I decided to be stubborn and attempt to work with this garbage “AMP-UP” motherboard again. This time, however, armed with my USB thumb drive with a 10.7 Lion installer (took a day to clear from purchasing from being able to download from the Apple Store) I attempted to beat this dead horse further into the ground. This produced absolutely random results. The motherboard now is 100% unpredictable as to when it will crash. I give up. RMA time now.

So, the question remains now: I am planning on shoehorning this system into an already-modified/clearanced Blue & White “Yosemite” G3 Powermac case (test fitting went perfectly), ought I purchase a TonyMacX86-approved mini-ITX motherboard or one of the two GA-87-series mATX[ ones? I’ve had GREAT SUCCESS with the GA-Z87MX-D3H, however I am drawn to the slightly less-porky GA-Z87M-D3H since it will take up slightly less real estate inside the case.