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
    2009-11-14T19:27:42+00:00

    FYI I'm not running CloneDVD so I'll stick out of that thread. I've got rid of everything that I can (I've also diagnosed my dumps with WinDBG as stated above and come to different results). However I think this could be a different issue (dumps only happen on shutdown).

    Back to the real freezing problem then - I agree the 9F hotfix (stated earlier) looks an interesting prospect, but we need to wait for MS to write a knowledge base article for 976972.... still in the pipeline.

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  2. Anonymous
    2009-11-14T21:23:51+00:00

    Well I have reinstalled W7 x64 and applied all the dell supplied drivers. I then applied the hotfix, http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/976972. The machine ran for almost half a day so I thought I had cracked it.

    Alas back to freezing again.

    The only thing I can think of now is to start disabling hardware, (WWAN card, GPRS, ethernet). Interestingly on this machine, (Studio XPS 13), the nVidia video drivers fell over after the wireless card was installed and had to be re-applied, this happened on both build occasions. Makes me wonder if the nVidea drivers are flaky.

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  3. Anonymous
    2009-11-14T22:12:49+00:00

    OK,

     When the PC locks up while in safe mode am I to understand that it is definitely a hardware problem and NOT a software problem??

    Was serching for different driver versions, started to get cursor lag and looked at reliability and performance and this time I was getting hit with about a hundred MMC.EXE then PC froze. Cursor would move and thats all. circle next to cursor is still turning.

     Also, (and I don't know what this means) but I was at 100% CPU freq. and 100% HDD peak....

    Q: If I went out today and bought a new HDD, would I be able to use the recovery/reinstall disk that came from the mfg to install this os ???

    Is it that easy to just unplug and plug in a new one?

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  4. Anonymous
    2009-11-14T22:47:17+00:00

    I'm suffering from random and irretrievable freezes as well.

    They tend to happen right after boot, I get to the desktop and find the taskbar in inaccessible, shortly followed by the mouse pointer freezing and no activity follows. Ctrl Alt Del does nothing. Ctrl Shift Esc does nothing. I can only press my reset button or power off by holding the power button.

    I'd been theorising it was a network related issue. I didn't seem to get a boot time freeze if I left my USB dongle unplugged (A D-link DWA 140). I thought maybe the dongle itself was at fault, so I pulled the WMP54GS from my old computer (this is a whole new build, btw) and put it in hoping for a better result. Thought it had, until I got the freezing again. This time it was harder to disable the network card, since the freezes would happen before I could reach any part of the control panel to turn it off. I eventually did and went back to the dongle, leaving it out for boot and putting it in after a minute or so.

    I'll still get freezes randomly during my browse time. It seems to be when I click a link, usually. I think.

    I am, however, interested in the above idea of checking out the QVL list for my motherboard. I too have an Asus P6T, though it's the SE version (P6T SE). I'm using Corsair Dominator RAM, 3x 2GB sticks placed in the orange slots (TR3X6G1600C8D). I've run two seperate Memtests over this week, leaving one overnight for 7 hours. 7 passes, no errors. Did another one today for 5 hours. 5 passes, no errors.

    I downloaded the latest QVL, and I understand the information in it...but I don't understand how to apply it in the BIOS. I found the area to specify the frequency of 1600, but I do not understand where I am meant to enter the timing value recommended, nor where to specify the voltage.

    Mobo: Asus P6T SE

    CPU: intel Core i7 920

    RAM: Corsair TR3X6G1600C8D (3x 2GB sticks)

    HDD: WD Cavier Black 1TB, WD Cavier Green 1TB, SG 500GB.

    PSU: Corsair HX850W

    GPU: ATi 5850 single

    Sound: Creative Soundblaster Audigy SE 7.1 (Link: http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Creative-Sound-Blaster-Audigy-SE-71-OEM-PCI-Sound-card)

    Network: Linksys WMP54GS (now disabled), D-link DWA 140

    When trying to post this message...it froze again.

    Rebooted and got a blank blue screen. Rebooted again and got an error message.

    Problem signature:

      Problem Event Name:    BlueScreen

      OS Version:    6.1.7600.2.0.0.768.3

      Locale ID:    2057

    Additional information about the problem:

      BCCode:    124

      BCP1:    0000000000000000

      BCP2:    FFFFFA80064E98F8

      BCP3:    0000000000000000

      BCP4:    0000000000000000

      OS Version:    6_1_7600

      Service Pack:    0_0

      Product:    768_1

    Files that help describe the problem:

      C:\Windows\Minidump\111409-16988-01.dmp

      C:\Users\Dragon Nexus\AppData\Local\Temp\WER-21746-0.sysdata.xml

    Read our privacy statement online:

      http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=104288&clcid=0x0409

    If the online privacy statement is not available, please read our privacy statement offline:

      C:\Windows\system32\en-US\erofflps.txt

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