Random freezes with windows 7 - 64 bit

and still no lockups... I can only surmise I may have had some setting out of wack in my bios before the reset to defaults. No idea what. As I've said before I've run at stock settings, underclocked, overclocked, undervolted and overvolted to try and resolve the freezes. But so far so good after a forced bios reversion to defaults 

updated 1/28: Still no lockups.

Not likely the fix for everyone, but I'd advise a clean start on your BIOS settings if you've modified them and are experiencing hard freezes as I have. I.E. in my case, everything froze on screen including mouse pointer and keyboard, and no amount of waiting corrected. Only a hard reset would fix it.

If this works for you and you intend to make bios changes again, I'd suggest stepwise changes with nice long burn in sessions to verify you haven't reintroduced a problem. In my case will be saving last good config in one of the BIOS memories my motherboard supports.

Good luck all. I will continue to update positive or negative outcomes.

Glad to hear that seems to have fixed it for you, James.

This is my first post, so  I'll start at the beginning, listing problems and action taken to try to rectify the issue (not including all the re-installs etc).  I have spent the last 4 months trying to fix my newly built gaming PC.

1 - Built my first PC:

MB: Asus M5A97Pro

OS: Windows 7 64bit SP1

RAM: 8GB (2x4GB) Corsair Vengeance 1600

CPU: AMD Phenom II x4 Z965

GPU: XFX (ATI) HD6790

PSU: Cooler Master GX750w 80+

HDD: Seagate 1TB Barracuda

DVD: Lite-On 24xWriter

Wifi: TP-Link WN851N

Case: Cooler Master RC-370

Fans: Cooler Master 12CMx4

2 - Performed well during gaming, though CPU temps were getting very high and the fans going crazy, then the PC would freeze and only a hard reset would rectify.  Also noticed this happen during video streaming online, watching video offline, and later discovered even audio files would trigger a freeze.

2A - Occasional BSOD also.

3 - Noticed the heatsink wasn't sitting correctly, re-seated.

3A - Stable temps and fan speeds, though freezes and BSODs continued.

3B - Checked all parts, looked for error logs but nothing other than a restart logged, updated Windows, drivers, tried not updating drivers and/or Windows, installed Windows 7 32 bit, ran registry fixes, updated BIOS, used defaults BIOS settings, manually set BIOS settings, cleared CMOS, uninstalled, re-formatted, re-installed, unplugged fans, overclocked, under volted, over volted, checked DirectX, AVG anti-virus, MS Security Essentials, NO anti-virus etc.

4 - Ran Memtest86+, showed RAM faults.

4A - RMA'd RAM to Corsair (great customer service btw).  No BSOD since, bur freeze continued.

5 -  With the problems persisting, I continued going over old ground.  It wasn't until recently that I loaded in safe mode, and then tried playing some movies to see if it would trigger a freeze (most games won't load in safe mode as it doesn't load the audio drivers).

5A - The movies played fine with no crashes, albeit in a lower resolution and with no sound.

6 - I heard about the freeze hotfix and decided to try it.

6A - This made my system LESS stable and seemed to make the crashes more frequent (about every 15 minutes of gameplay or video playback).

7 - Last night (29th Jan 2012), I decided to try and repair Windows from the DVD.  It only gave the option to 'upgrade', so I did.  During the upgrade (from Windows 7 to Windows 7), it told me that a device is unsuitable and would be disabled (Atheros Network Controller).

7A - Windows 7 finished it's 'upgrade', with all devices and drivers still installed, apart from the Atheros Network Controller.  It was late so I started TESV: Skyrim, and went to bed.

7B - 10 hours later when I finally got up, I switced the monitor back on expecting to see a frozen screen, and was delighted to see the game still running.

7C - Windows 7 needed re-activating after the 'upgrade', so I HAD to install the Atheros Network Controller driver for my wireless adapter.  I activated Windows, re-updated everything, and then ran Saints Row Third.  The freezing was back, usually happening within 15 minutes.

7D - I uninstalled the Atheros Network Controller and deleted the driver.  I then loaded up Saints Row Third again, which generally freezes the PC more quickly than other games.  It's since been running for over 5 hours with no freeze.

• Saints Row Third now running for 20 consecutive hours on 'ultra' settings, with no freeze.

                                                             ***CONFIRMATION***

After over 20 hours of uninterrupted gameplay on Saints Row Third, I reinstalled the Atheros Network Controller driver for my wireless adapter, and restarted the game.

It froze the PC in under 7 minutes, requiring a hard reset.  I'm now 95% convinced that (for me), this is the cause of the freezing.

It's worth noting that Windows flags up a warning that the driver is not digitally signed, maybe I should have taken more notice 4 months ago.

Here's the driver info, from the 'Netwrok Adapters' list, in Device Manager:

Atheros AR9227 Network Controller

Driver Provider:  TP-Link

Driver Date:        06/11/2009

Driver Version:   8.0.0.258

Digital Signer:    Not digitally signed

I hope this helps others who have tried everything I have and still found the problem persisting.  I will now disable the device and run the game, and if it freezes again, I will uninstall and delete the driver as previous, and post my findings.

                                                                   ***UPDATE***

3 straight days of hardcore gaming with no freezes, by disabling the Atheros Network Controller in Device Manager.

Over a week now with only one freeze, when I was looking at friend's Facebook photos online, so the Atheros Network Controller was ENABLED.  NO FREEZES when it is DISABLED.

So I can go online, and I can play modern games - I just can't do both at the same time.  Now is this Miscrosoft's problem, or TP-Link's?

*********************************************************************************************************

If the freezing comes back, I will re-post and people will know that it wasn't causing the issue.  If I don't come back, then it's safe to say that the issue was caused by the Atheros Network Controller, and the adapter it's controlling is supposed to be compatible with Windows 7 (32/64 bit), but has since been discontinued by TP-Link.  The most updated driver for the device is dated 2010 on the website.

ok. First of all I have had freezing problems for about 6 months. I have tried everython this thread.

About a week or two ago someone posted that they thought the problem was the free AVG anti-virus software. They uninstalled that and installed the free Microsoft Security Essential software and said it worked for them.

Last night i removed the AVG virus software and then installed Microsoft Security Essentials. To my amazement all freezing has now stopped. It stopped as soon as the software change and reboot had been done. Not a single freeze since.

I am totally amazed but extremely pleased to have my computer back.

If you're tearing your hair out and have AVG software then give it a go. If it works post back on here to let people know... we might have cracked it.

Good luck

Hi Arkinstrocity

Oh if only it were that simple. I have never use AVG, always used MS Security Essentials, and still get 2 or 3 freezes a day.

Still I hope it works for you.