GA-990XA-UD3 Strange Problem

[GhOsTMaN]

Hello
I have an GA-990XA-UD3, AMD FX 8150, 8gb ram 1333 kingston cl7, radeon 5870. So my problem goes like this, every time I want to enter some games or some programs, my computer turns off suddenly. I've tried saints row 3, the darkness II, avast 6 and kaspersky. Each of those 4 titles turn my computer off, and after that I must turn the psu off and on again so that my computer can start over again.
I've tried Battlefield 3 and other titles and everything runs smooth. I would like to ask you, is this a hardware incompatibility problem? My PSU is a zalman zm600-hp 600W 84% eff, and as I was saying bt3 runs perfectly, no overheating no nothing.
I've also updated the bios to F10g thinking that maybe that was the cause but nothing, computer still crashes.
AGESA code must be updated regularly so that new programs can run on amd fx 8150?

Thank you

[bofh1971]

hi there
you might want to check that the ram is completely compatible with the board
Personally I had a problem with some Hyperx ram on an 790FXTA board, the exact same ram worked perfectly on a 790FX board
and it turned out the model number of the ram I had was not in the compatibility list.

Good luck
 

[GhOsTMaN]

But if they were not compatible, battlefield 3 or starcraft 2 were not able to run, yet they work brilliant. Some other title encounter problems and it's weird because i don't know what cause them.
Searching the memory comp list on the mb page i did not find this specific ram model, but if they work in most of cases i guess it's good.
Maybe with a new bios, those games will start running , cos i don't know what else to check... I've run prime95 and memtest and no problems detected :|

[GhOsTMaN]

I've bought new ram memory, corsair vengeance cl9 1866 which is full compatible with the mb as I seen in the compatibility list and computer still turns off .... and now every each one of my components are fully compatible

[jbk]

a instant shutdown indicates the cpu overheating or your psu doesnt have enough juice

have you refitted your heatsink with new thermal grease at all prior to this? also try unplugging all unecessary drives etc as well, and then retry it, if it works after unplugging stuff your psu isnt handling the load well. 

[GhOsTMaN]

i've took out most of comp, so now i use the default ones that comes with the mb
currently only cpu, one gpu 5870, a tv tuner, one hdd and two ram memory
therefore my computer runs well, but as i was saying only some applications does not support this configuration, like there is a barrier and can't get passed it-
psu i think can handle more, because bt3 isn't shutting down my computer, and i want to say that this one truly nails my computer as I am hearing all my coolers running at maximum strength ant yet no shut down

[kzaske]

As JBK noted, RAM & Power can cause an instant shutdown.  However both of those cases are rare.  If the OP had reported a blue screen then yes, RAM would be the first place to look, that is not the case.  As for Power, very rarely (in my experence) will it cause an instant shutdown, normally it just reduces the performance and destablizes the machine.

GhOsTMaN, have some questions for you.  Have you check your error logs to see what they say?  More often than not an instant shutdown is a software problem and I have had it happen several times with my 990FXA-UD3.  I don't know what version of Windows you are using but as a general rule "event viewer" should show what you need to know.

---Very long slow process below---
If you find error messages relating to DirectX or DotNet and you are using Windows Vista or 7; you are going to need to reinstall windows.  In that event reinstall without any connection to the internet.  As for other itemes of hardware; you want to use a generic mouse/keyboard, DVD Drive, hard drive, video card, RAM and CPU.  NOTHING else.  Note that I stated "hard drive" not "hard drives."  Yeah I know a lot of the guys here are going to say I am going overboard but my way of doing things has worked for over 30 years with very few problems.  Once the installation is complete and stable, connect to the web, install all the updates (several reboots later) shut down the computer and install any addational hard drives or optical drives.  Power up and take control/ownership of the various directories on the addational hard drives.  If you use a gaming mouse or keyboard, shut down the computer, disconnect the generic mouse/keyboard, connect the gaming mouse/keyboard power up and install the drivers for them if windows does not do so automaticly.  Now install and test each game.  If your computer instantly restarts again check your error logs and contact the manufacturer of the game.

[GhOsTMaN]

in error logs i see some problem, but none related to dot or directx.
Most of them because of DNS, because I use a pppoe connection and have trouble with sometimes.
I use win 7 x64 sp1, and the software (games) that are turning my pc down is basically new, as I tested the latest games that appeared cause some serious problems, in my case instant shutdown. As for software related issues only avast turned off my pc, but when I try to access the log, it's like nothing happen, no bsod, no nothing... the error before and the errors that will occur after, but not in that specific moment :|... 
Same components I've used on another pc, with intel q9450 processor and all worked fine. Since I've changed to amd fx it have been a nightmare on some apps, and I can't find out which thing is causing them. And installing the windows won't do the trick, because they will keep doing that.
The only thing that I've realized is that, for the game SAINTS ROW 3, in bios version F9, there was no hope --> BSOD, but at least I have saw the problem, incompatibility with CPU or something like that, and after updating my bios to the recent BETA one, he started to run, not quite that good but it was playable and no BSOD. Reading the change log in that latest version of bios, i have seen only an improvement like Update AGESA 1.1.0.0 code, which i don't know what it meens but that fixed the problem.
@kzaske Since you have a 990fxa-ud3 which is almost on the same page with mine, I would like to ask you... Are you having issues with computer? New games cannot work or shut down the pc? Because if it was something else, it had probably occur more often, and yet the computer runs smooth, no bsod, no restart, no strange stutter, and the windows is 4 months old.

[kzaske]

I have two computers with this motherboard, my wife's uses a Phenom II X4 965, mine a Phenom II X6 4090T, mobos are using BIOS version F5 .  My wife's computer has been trouble free (disturbingly so).  Mine has been quite a pain, since I got this mobo I have had to do six full (clean) reinstalls and I finally have what appears to be a stable install.  I admit that one of the reinstalls was my fault, I accicently uninstalled a system driver.  There have been four times where my system would just reboot with no error messages but only when a specific application was running.  It was a different application every time but in every case the root of the issue was caused by a visual C runtime corruption that cascaded and corrupted other system files including dotnet after they were loaded into memory. 
What driver versio are you using for your 5870?  Would you be so kind as to clear your error logs then reboot your pc.  Once the system is fully up check your error logs, going to first error after the restart, and let us know what the error message says?

I have noted one very strange thing: Neither one of the computer will run AMD OverDrive.  Both report they are unable to detect a series 7 CPU.  Not sure what is up with that.

[BayernTFC]

You should definitely answer kzaske's question and let us know which driver you are using for your 5870.  Is your FX8150 on stock settings or are you overclocking it at all?  What are your CPU temperatures like when your system is idle, during games you can run, and before your system crashes running the software causing issues?

[Vezina]

I have an GA-990XA-UD3, AMD FX 8150, 8gb ram 1333 kingston cl7, radeon 5870. So my problem goes like this, every time I want to enter some games or some programs, my computer turns off suddenly.

Shut down could occur if :

-the power supply enters into protection stage(over-current or short protection kicks in)

-the video card exceeds the maximum temperature set up as limit in the VGA BIOS (over 90 Celsius usually) -> this will generate a report in Event Viewer in Windows

-the CPU exceeds the maximum temperature allowed and motherboard shuts off the system

-the CPU sucks to much power and the motherboard protects itself against over-current ,avoiding catching fire ,shutting down the system.

If the CPU exceeds maximum temperature  it can be the case that the CPU has a bad heatspreader from factory (not heatsink as in cooler ! ) and it doe sn t transfer properly the heat from the silicon chip to the cooler you have installed.

Order of checking :

-Video card <- check the Event Viewer for vga shutdown
-Power supply Swap (corsair 600W +)
-CPU swap
-Motherboard RMA

LE: Check the system out of the case as well ,on a wooden surface.

Succes !

[GhOsTMaN]

I've forced over those stupid games, so that i can see which error will appear, apparently so i had this

The previous system shutdown at 01:42:59 on ‎20.‎02.‎2012 was unexpected.

Provider

   [ Name]  EventLog
 
  - EventID 6008

   [ Qualifiers]  32768
 
   Level 2
 
   Task 0
 
   Keywords 0x80000000000000
 
  - TimeCreated

   [ SystemTime]  2012-02-19T23:50:41.000000000Z
 
   EventRecordID 100976
 
   Channel System
 
   Computer GhOsTMaN
 
   Security
 

- EventData

   01:42:59
   ‎20.‎02.‎2012
    
    
   582
    
    
   DC0702000100140001002A003B008200DC0702000000130017002A003B0082003C0000003C000000000000000000000000000000000000000100000000000000
The video driver for my 5870 is AMD Catalyst 12.3 pre WHQL driver
As for the CPU temp it's hard to tell, when i am in bios stays 42 and when i try other software like hwmonitor, amd overdrive and core temp, the temp is changing with no meaning, 13 - 22 - 35 - 16, there is no stable one to tell
@Vezina Computer only turns off on some applications or games, for example Bt3, nfs the run, l.a noire, nfs world, starcraft 2 work brilliant
and darkness 2, alan wake, amalur and even avast antivirus -> every time i try to enter those, pop instant shutdown with the error mentioned up.
For cooling the cpu i use a thermaltake frio with his own thermal paste (which seemed kind of sticky, as I never saw a thing like that, cos the ones that i had were simple paste) on max rpm 2500 both of the coolers, and when i play i didn't see it at max, not even 2300... stays around 2200 rpm
I'm guessing if the psu had been over the limit it had closed my computer on those titles as well, and as for my computer specs, it contains 1hdd, 1vga, cpu, 2x ram, 1tv tuner and 4coolers Thermaltake AF0030 red light and one default 140 mm with no led

[Vezina]

As there is no VGA error picked up in Event Viewer it means that the ATI driver has no involvement ,so it s some hardware stuff

Avast is CPU intensive and HDD intensive.
Now when this 2 hardware parts are solicited they do 2 things, they heat up or they suck more power.
As the HDD usually gives lock ups or strange noises or BSODS you most probable have an issue related to the way CPU works.
This CPU you have is a very hungry CPU and also overheats so you have to make sure that:

-it has enough power -> swap the power supply for a single railed 600W + one ,even temprarely

-it has the latest motherboard BIOS so it doesn t get overvolted or overclocked by mistake

-it has proper cooling .
IN this case you can remake the system outside of the case and see what happens

Replace the thermal on the cooler and make sure it is ok for 150W CPU TDP.A cooler for that CPU needs to get rid of the heat as fast as possible as the CPU will build heat very quick.I had similar issues with a MSI K9A2 Platinum and a very warm X2 6400+ in the past ,a better cooler and new bioses fixed my issue then.

Swaping will identify the issue.

[GhOsTMaN]

I am thinking at a new psu, but I don't have enough $ for the moment so I've looked over some and found this:
http://www.pcgarage.ro/surse/inter-tech/combat-power-cpm-750w/

Will this be good on my config, or it requires more power?

Also these two:
http://www.pcgarage.ro/surse/ocz/fatal1ty-series-750w/
http://www.pcgarage.ro/surse/inter-tech/energon-1000w/
http://www.pcgarage.ro/surse/corsair/gaming-series-gs800w/

power supply may be a problem as @vezina said, cos it's 4 years old, and cpu in default 3.6 take around 280W, and with turbo core to 4.2 i'm guessing somewhere around 400W, and video on load around 200W, not to mention those 5 coolers with led ... and my psu has 84% efficiency at 600W, which is not enough :|

As for the bios it has the latest version on beta because it have core control and many other features which the final one didn't have, and no problems with overvolting or overclocking.

[kzaske]

Yes, it could be power.  If you are going to replace the PSU, I would advise getting at least 850W if not more.  Try to give yourself at least a 30% buffer which will ensure a long healthy life. Given what I know about your computer, the AsusTek PSU calculator says that 600 watts is enough to power you system, barely.  I really think you should look at nothing less than 850 watts.

If you can, remove all un-necessary componets from your computer and try again.  Yeah I know it's a pain but if you can remove enough of them to matter it may prove a borderline PSU theory.  Nothing but Video card, mobo (cpu & RAM) and HD.  That wold take your power requirements down to around 550 watts.  I have read reports (all unconfirmed) that some 58xx & 57xx video cards can draw a lot of excessive power when shifting into 3D mode, that issue was one of the ones reported fixed via the driver.  Which brings me to the next test.

If the system works fine without addational componets; I would like you to uninstall 12.3, restart the computer and install 11.12.  Why?  Because 12.3 is in alpha and intended for testing, but if you don't have a base line with a fully functional driver you don't really know if 12.3 is the cause of an issue or not.  At the very least moving back to 11.12 will confirm that it is not the video driver causing the issue.