Problems with Gigabyte Z77x-ud3h motherboard ?

[mitch256]

Built my own computer about a year ago using a gigabyte z77x-ud3h motherboard. 

Specs:
CPU: Intel I-7 3770
Gigabyte z77x-ud3h
RAM: Viper Extreme 8gb stick and 4gb stick for total of 12gb
GPU: GTX 970
Sound Card: ASUS Essense ST
HD: Western Digital Blue 1.5TB internal drive
Windows 10 64bit

About a month ago, two problems surfaced (mutually exclusive):

1) Random freezing and crashes while playing video games
I mainly play a racing game called iRacing.  For some reason, with no warning, my computer will freeze, lock up, become non-responsive and crash; necessitating a restart.  When it restarts, the computer won't boot.  A black screen comes up asking for the boot drive.  Sometimes, I can restart it again and it will boot up fine.  Other times, I have to go into the BIOS and reassign the boot drive to get it back up and running. 

2) Annoying beeps from the motherboard AFTER the computer starts and is up and running.
This a newer issue than #1.  Started about a week ago.  I turned my computer on and I started hearing beeps from the motherboard.  Random beeps.  Sometimes it is one short beep followed by another short beep about 30 seconds later.  Sometimes it is three shorts beeps in a row.  Sometimes it is several small beeps (6+) in a row.  Sometimes, it is one short beep followed by several consecutive short beeps a few seconds later. Completely random.  Sometimes the beeps stop, sometimes they don't.  It is driving my crazy !!!  I am somewhat knowledgeable about the basic internal workings of a computer but this issue is beyond me.  Reminder: The beeps continue after the computer boots, loads windows and is up and running.

I searched online and found info about what most beeps mean but I have no idea where to start to trouble shoot the beeping and crashing issues.

What I have done:
• Searched online to find out what the beeps mean (hasn't really helped cause the beeps are so random and I don't know what most of the descriptions mean anyways)
• Checked all my internal connections.  Power, hardware, GPU, sound card, etc.  All is good.
• Reseated my RAM.  Unplugged and replugged the RAM several times.
• Tried plugging the RAM into different slots.
• Ran a memory diagnostics in Windows to see if there are memory errors (diagnostics says everything okay with RAM)
• Ran checkdisc to make sure HD doesn't have errors (checkdisk didn't find any errors on the HD)

Can anyone give me some advise on where to start trying to chase down the issues and find out what all the beeps mean and how to solve them? As stated above, the issues are mutually exclusive, separate issues and do not happen in connection with each other (at least I think they don't)

Any replies will be appreciated.


 

[dmdilks]

Have you look in the bios to make sure there isn't a temp setting to low. When was the last time you did a really good cleaning CPU heat sink & fan and the video card.

[mitch256]

Have you look in the bios to make sure there isn't a temp setting to low. When was the last time you did a really good cleaning CPU heat sink & fan and the video card.

Don't know how to check that in the bios.  Can you give a me a "Dummies guide to checking bios for temp settings"

My heat sink/CPU fan is pretty dirty and the fins are clogged with dust.  I was watching a youtube video when you replied on how to remove it.  I should probably clean it.  Only concern is: isn't the factory thermal paste underneath that heatsink/fan?  If so, will I need to reapply thermal paste if I remove the fan (I don't have any thermal paste to reapply)?

[dmdilks]

You don't have to remove the heat sink just get your self a can of air blow it out. If you feel you have to take it off just don't touch that part of the heat sink you should be fine fine.

But you if you do want to clean it don't get that stuff on you if do clean off. Plus when you put paste on you only need a be be size on the middle of the CPU.

In the bios it will must likely near the bottom of the page it usually says PC health.