Random freezes with windows 7 - 64 bit

Anonymous
2009-10-28T19:01:43+00:00

I use to run Vista home premium x86 on a acer computer. This summer I downloaded Windows 7 rc x86. A month ago I bought all new parts and since I could use 64-bit system now I installed a 64-bit Windows 7.  Then did the problem start. Every new and then the computer freezes, some days over 30 times. I thought it was hardware problem and tried a lot of hardware finders and nothing helped. I also installed windows 7 rc my mothers laptop (The same version I use to have that work fine) that used to run on Vista home basic.. But her computer didn’t freeze it just got a black screen now and then.

The I started to suspect that it was because it was a beta version so when windows 7 were released I bought two of them a 32-bit and a 64-bit. But the problem didn´t go away. It´s still there and It´s kind of frustrating and even more now when I’m trying to write a essay.

I used windows upgrade advisor and it didn´t see any problem with an upgrade to windows 7. What can I do?

original title: Random freezes with windows 7

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Windows update

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Anonymous
2009-11-14T19:44:19+00:00

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

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-10-03T19:48:45+00:00

    I've requested the hotfix and will give it a whirl tomorrow. It may be few days before I can confirm if it works.

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-10-01T22:39:56+00:00

    OK... a little looking around and this is what I've found:

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2265716

    Personally, as I said in my previous post, I have no intention to be Microsoft's unpaid beta tester so I won't be downloading and applying this Hot Fix.  Well... not just yet.  Unless someone here is brave enough to do it on their machine and encourages others to try it.  If you do this, please let the rest of us know what your results are.

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-10-01T20:31:47+00:00

    Has anyone stopped to consider the one thing we all have in common when it comes to this "freezing issue"?

    Windows 7.  That's the problem.

    I had Win 7 Ultimate 32 bit on another machine and when I finally got fed up with the freezing, I downgraded it to Win XP pro with no problems.  I now have this Win 7 64 bit machine and here I am, back to the freezing even though all of the hardware is new out of the box and all drivers are fully updated, along with the OS.

    I feel compelled to say it - it's not the hardware - it's not the drivers - it's Win 7. Period.  Unless or until Microsoft can get their act together and fix this obviously widespread problem, I will downgrade this machine to XP as well. Perhaps then I can get some real work done instead of dicking around as though I'm beta testing what should be a fully functioning operating system.

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  4. Anonymous
    2010-09-26T16:10:37+00:00

    On August 9, I posted that I believed that I had solved my system freezing issue.  At that time, my system had been stable since June 3. 

    On September 16 @2:41p, my system froze while using it (screen visible, but not updating; mouse and keyboard frozen; hard reset required).  And it froze again on September 17 @7:06a and September 20 @2:19a.  In the latter 2 events, the system was unattended.  The September 20 freeze also included a perpetually lit HDD activity light.  These are the same symptoms that plagued my system from the initial installation of Windows 7.

    I looked at the Windows Reliability Monitor, and found that I had upgraded my ATI Catalyst drivers from 10.8 to 10.9 (i.e., the monthly upgrade) approximately 3 hours before the first freeze.  I reinstalled the 10.8 drivers on September 20, and system stability appears to have returned.

    ********

    Update on 9 Oct 2010:  no freezes since removing ATI Cat 10.9, and returning to 10.8 (~20 days now).  I contacted ATI Tech Support, was escalated, and they advised "We have seen quite a few reports [of this] however we cannot reproduce it in our labs.  Please tell the customer to stick with what works for him for now until further notice or until 10.10 is released."

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