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Question

Freeze Crashes and Reboot loop on laptop, tried a lot of inv

Aug 24, 2018 7:44AM PDT

Hi,

I got a crash / reboot loop problem on my laptop. I investigated for several days without success. My system configuration is at the end of the post.

Symptoms :
- Computer freeze after a completely random usage time (can be 5s after startup, before or after the bios, can be after 5 hours of normal usage. Right now I had no freeze since yesterday evening). Sometimes with graphical glitches sometimes just freezing on whatever it was displaying. I noticed that moving the laptop or simple pressing on it move the graphical glitches patterns (and sometimes activates it). Unable to do anything but power off the computer (long press on power button or sometimes I had to unplug battery + Power). It can happen 15 times a day or 0 time, completely random. However it tends to not crash for several hours if it doesnt crash for the 10 first min, but this is purely theoretical.

- Often after a freeze + crash, the computer would reboot for 1 second, emit one short beep, shutdown, reboot again, one short beep, shutdown and so on until I power off and wait some time (totally random) and try again to start it. No POST, no BIOS, nothing. Just the fan launching and then the laptop shutdown as if the power were cut.


These are the 2 problems I had. Here are the investigations / analysis I already made :

- I installed a brand new Windows after completely formating my disks (HDD + SSD).
- I removed my hdd and ssd from the laptop and launched a GParted light OS on a usb device : the problems still happened (freeze and crash).
I assumed the problems could not come from my disks.

- I removed one of my 2 RAM modules and tried : problems still happened. Tried to switch the modules : problems still happened. I used memtest86 on both ram modules, no errors.


- I used FurMark and Prime95 to stresstest my GPU and CPU : no freeze crash happened, both my GPUs and CPU went to 90~ degrees celsius and no problem happened.

- I tried to use it without the battery on, problems still happened.


From my point of view, what is left is either the motherboard or my PSU. The problem I have is that given the complete randomness of the crash, I cannot just take a friends PSU (who has the same laptop as me) and test it for a few hours since the crashes might not happen.


I hope you guys can help me.

System configuration :
MSI GE602QE Apache Pro on Windows 10
CPU : Intel Core i5 4210H
GPU : Integrated Intel HD Graphics 4600 + NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M
SSD : SanDisk SDMSATA 256G
HDD : HGST HTS721010A9630
PSU : ADP - 120MH D
RAM : 4GB 1rx8 pc3l-12800s-11-13-b4

Discussion is locked

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Answer
To me this reads like a hardware failure. Why?
Aug 24, 2018 8:36AM PDT

-> "I removed my hdd and ssd from the laptop and launched a GParted light OS on a usb device : the problems still happened (freeze and crash)."

This means the issue is across all OSes which points to hardware issues. Is this in warranty? Let them deal with it.

NOTE: https://www.techspot.com/community/topics/freeze-crashes-reboot-loop-on-laptop-tried-a-lot-of-investigation-without-success.248659/ looks like you are searching widely.

https://www.google.com/search?q=MSI+GE602QE+Apache+Pro+crashing doesn't give us much more but if this went back to service I bet they'd try a deep clean of the machine and fresh heatsink compound and as it went together a fan check.

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Indeed hardware
Aug 24, 2018 8:54AM PDT

I do search widely.

It is not in warranty so I cannot return them. As someone suggested I'll try to disassemble the laptop and clean everything I can / unplugh plug all the cables.

If you have other suggestions I'm looking forward to hear it.

Thanks,

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Repeating a little here.
Aug 24, 2018 9:28AM PDT

I'd do the deep clean and new compound on all heat sinks and see where it stands with the tests you did with a single stick of RAM. If you can leave out the ODD that's something I find sometimes helps get a cranky PC a few more months of use if the motherboard is starting to conk out.

Shop for a new motherboard but let's cover another area or two.

1. Just replace the CMOS battery. We used to test them but given the cost we just pop in new ones.
2. If the main battery is over 2 years we pop in that too as prices have fallen and an old battery can cause weird hard to trace issues.

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Need some precisions
Aug 24, 2018 10:15AM PDT

Thanks for your answer. I'll remove ODD and clean my pc. However I need some precisions if possible :

- What do you mean by "new compound on all heat sinks" ? You mean to replace all heatsinks ? Or just clean them

- How can I know my CMOS battery model ? I'll need to buy a new one if I want to replace it

- How can the battery be at fault if the bugs still happens when the battery is removed from the PC ?

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Just clean and new compound.
Aug 24, 2018 10:23AM PDT

1. Never had to replace a heatsink. Just clean it and replace the compound. There are youtubes on this work if you need it.

2. The battery is found by googling your model and cmos battery. It's just a google away.

3. THAT"S NOT GOOD. If you run without the battery some laptops such as my laptop y510p which has the dual GPU pack can exceed the adapter's ability and reset. Maybe even BSOD.
While the GPARTED would not fit in that category if you have a bad main battery you replace it. Your new techs don't get this.

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Thanks for your help
Aug 29, 2018 3:15PM PDT

Okay thanks for your help, I'm gonna try all the cleaning and CMOS replacement and let you know if it worked.

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Answer
Test HDD and SSD
Aug 24, 2018 1:09PM PDT

Hi Mokyx,

besides all the recommendations provided, we also suggest you to check on the health of the HDD and the SSD.

Testing them with the diagnostic software of the manufacturer, would be a good option. Happy

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Hi
Aug 29, 2018 3:18PM PDT

Hi, thanks for your answer

I already did removed my HDD and SSD from my laptop and booted on a usb device, the problem was still there.