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
    2011-05-23T14:36:28+00:00

    These are not necessarily universal, there are always exceptions depending on your situation, but it seems to me that once you weed out the other small issues that are actually not related to this problem, you come up with the following...

    *Note that although I have severe freezing, if I watch TV or play a hug game, it does not freeze too, mainly the OS/small apps only, which makes no sense, except that the CPU/GPU does most of the work, possibly bypassing something else?

    Commonality:

    ASUS Motherboards

    Corsair XMS Memory/similar, that is to say "high performance memory."

    Memory timings/voltages not properly recognized by the BIOS

    Windows 7 64-bit

    New PCs

    All diags and benchmarks find no problems, except for unknown SATA/ATA OS errors

    Excessive hard drive access/LED activity

    Programs freezing for seconds to minutes at random after perfect performance for long periods.

    My observations:

    I have this problem.

    File copies/moves/anything are VERY slow.

    The OS and small programs freeze, but BIG SYSTEM TAXING PROGRAMS DO NOT FREEZE!!??

    My BIOS is current and recognized the memory correctly righ out of the box.

    My voltages do not move they are so stable, except for 1 that floats by 0.1 normally.

    My memory matches the MB QVL, so it is recommended just as is.

    Problem happens worse after Windows Updates applied, but still before.

    Vista did not seem to freeze for me, but I did not run it for long periods/windows 7 freezes right away for me now.

    I can make the problem happen with any combo of connections and hard drives/devices.

    All my drivers are current.

    Thoughts:

    If this is not a problem with Asus or memory hardware, then others will report the same thing on other hardware.

    If the above is found to be true on other hardware, the problem is Windows 7 64 or peripherals.

    The problem happens with no peripherals.

    Is the problem with the chipsets? I did see someone with an Intel chipset, mine is AMD.  That would explain the hard drive mysteries.

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-05-24T14:48:29+00:00

    I suggest all of you refer to this link http://windows.microsoft.com/uninstallwindows7sp1 didn't your problems start with installing sp1?

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-05-25T04:47:43+00:00

    My freezing problem started well before the availability of SP1.  I think that this is true for most people here.  I was hoping that SP1 would fix this.   Didn't happen.

    Paul

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  4. Anonymous
    2011-06-05T17:41:12+00:00

    I had a freeze problem on my Asus A8N-based computer, but with the 32bits version of windows 7. It has been freezing randomly for months, without a starting event or a reason that I could find. I however FOUND A SOLUTION to unfreeze it. Pushing the power button unfreezes the computer, and makes it cleanly shutdown. This is clearly to me the behavior of a IRQ deadlock somewhere on the low priorities IRQs, since the IRQ of the power button surpasses it.

    Solution: configure the power button to do nothing in the power management control panel. When your OS freezes, it will unfreeze it and continue as nothing happened. That's not a real fix, but a workaround, unfortunately, since microsoft is not wanting to give us information or help. I hope it works for you all too.

    Cheers. Vincenzzo.

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