Random freezes with windows 7 - 64 bit

I feel this thread is full of lots of peoples individual issues and they really need to start their own new threads. For me this thread has lost it's meaning (a bit of a free for all).

As to the memory issues, yes this may effect certain users. People have mentioned this as a "workaround" before.

The fact is many people are dual booting into Linux and XP (including myself), or reverting back to XP and experiencing no such issues. Therefore it's a fact in a lot of peoples scenarios that it isn't hardware related... more likely driver, USB (hotfixes stated here many times if people care to read), power management or something hard going on in the Windows kernal for systems running above 2Gb. Maybe a chipset driver issue.

I also notice people are mainly using 64 bit (nb I am using 64 bit Linux in case anybody is curious).

Cheers...

Hi Everyone,

I am a member of the freeze club too.  I was running fine for over a week and then it happened.  I will list my specs and then discuss what I plan on trying.

ASUS P6T DELUXE V2 - Latest BIOS and drivers from ASUS

i7 920 CPU

CORSAIR 256GB Solid State Drive

Corsair 850 Watt Power Supply

Corsair Dominator RAM 1600 12GB 6 X 2

Plextor DVD Writer

ATI 5780 Video Card

Using onboard sound and network

Stock settings, no overclocking

Idle temps are 30 C

I own and operate a computer shop which makes this ironic. www.computerlift.com

It has happened 4 times in 3 days.  Hard screen freeze, nothing responds but push and hold the power button.

I have noticed that it only happens when I am using the machine.  I left it on all night with no problems.  I ram Memtest Four 6 hours, everything passed. I was using Office and Accounting all morning yesterday and it worked perfect.  I went on Ebay and it froze.  Rebooted, went to Ebay using Firefox and it froze when mousing over a drop down.

It seems like moving the mouse over a drop down menu or scrolling the mouse has caused it almost every time. I was using the MX1100 and have switched to a wired mouse.  It can't hurt.  This problem really has me stumped.  There is no event warning in the log.  There is no dump file.  There has never been a BSOD.

I am going to try the Windows Media Network Service fix posted above. I am going to see if Intel has a newer chipset driver than ASUS. I am going to switch to a cabled keyboard. My plan is to work through all my peripherals before looking at the innards. I guess I might look in the BIOS for a voltage to tweak.

I will report back how all of these work.  I hope we can get this problem solved.

G

Running Memtest86+ just to see if it errors is not enough . You need to verify that the memory timings in your BIOS are EXACTLY as the Memtest shows its testing at what you set them in the BIOS. Incorrect memory timings can show zero errors because many ram modules are overspecced to accommodate bad timings and work fine. Once the OS is under load these bad timings (setting it for 5-5-5-15 for instance in the BIOS only to have it truely be running at 5-5-5-24 in the OS). Memtest exposes the timings/voltage under load blatantly and this is what needs to be paid attention to not the fact its not getting errors . This is a huge and often unforgiving distinction that cause Windows 7 restarts and BSOD'S!

Read the 2nd poster's information in this thread on this. He is on to a core problem I have also encountered on many occasions. Its good information and can fix your PC!

Sudden restarts (and even many BSOD/CTD or freezes) are a hardware problem not a software problem. I am not saying this as law but as a general rule that should not be discounted completely. You can patch your software for all of eternity (as most of the suggestions here imply have been done) and still have this problem. Its hardware in nature, specifically in relations to memory/Mobo timings/voltage. Tackle it from that angle not patching/updating software (with the exception of a BIOS update of course).

You can not have good software if the foundation of the hardware is broke.

Guys,

I might have the answer to your problems.  This might fix your sleep/suspend problems and your random freezing problems.  Bottom line is that the default and "auto" values in Win 7 and your BIOS might not produce a stable computer...even with a virgin install.

RANDOM FREEZES FIX:

My computer used to freeze randomly until I fixed the memory timings.  I suspected bad memory early on and tested it with MEMTEST, but it passed with flying colors.  I even tried swaping memory out, trying to eliminate bad memory and/or slots.  It turned out that it was a memory frequency/timings/voltage issue.  No more freezes!  If you have a similar setup, this will most likely fix it.  If not, then check your memory and/or power supply.

The "AUTO" settings in BIOS *may not* produce a stable setting.  You have to goto the ASUS support website and download the latest memory QVL and lookup the memory settings for your particular brand there.  For my memory (OCZX1333LV6GK(XMP)) I had to make the following adjustments in the BIOS:

DRAM Freq:1066  (even though my memory is rated at 1333 frequency, the QVL guide recommended a lower freq!)

7-7-7-16 for the rest of the timings.  The other settings I was able to leave in "AUTO"

DRAM BUS Voltage: 1.6

*warning: be sure to consult your memory/motherboard documentation...the wrong value could damage your components!

SUSPEND/SLEEP FIX:

My computer used to hang when coming out of sleep or wouldn't completely goto sleep.  This solution may be partially dependent on you fixing a random freezing issue if you have one. 

In your "advanced" power settings, disable "Hybrid Sleep".  That's it!  My motherboard doesn't like hybrid sleep.

*If you have a desktop with a UPS, Win 7 will treat it like a laptop and apply the battery settings....sooo make sure you adjust the "on battery" settings!

My setup:

Processor:Intel core i7 920

Motherboard:Asus P6T

Memory: OCZX1333LV6GK(XMP)    (ie. 6GB in 3 sticks)

Harddrive:  3 x WD Caviar Black drives in RAID 5

PSU: X3 1000W

Video card: 2 x NVIDIA 9800 GTX+ SLI

*I have all of the ASUS overclocking/energy savings programs uninstalled

*I have the latest BIOS 0801 and all the latest drivers installed

Nick

random Win7 release restarts are very likely due to incorrect memory timing issues like the 2nd poster said it fixed. I have encountered this issue myself and after the memory timing was resolved the restarts stopped entirely. Please take note of the 2nd posters information. It is very very good advice to follow!

Interestingly I now have over 60 Dell Latitudes running W7 both 32 and 64. All these were shipped with W7, although even with a rebuild they work fine. Dell Latitudes are the business model and are the machines that, in theory, are least likely to have driver issues. Other machines I've tried to get W7 running on have frozen. My conclusion is that currently there is only a limited set of tried and trusted hardware combinations that will run W7. Remember Vista, we had exactly the same problem, some manufacturers took months to release drivers. If you want W7 now then buy a new machine from a big name vendor, otherwise hang onto vista/xp for a few more months. Finally disregard any manufacturers claims. The real judge and jury are forums like these.