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
    2012-01-18T22:38:20+00:00

    I was having this same issue, Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit freezing randomly whenever I let the computer go idle for a minute or longer.  I finally had success fixing this issue when I went into the Advanced Power Settings and under "Hard disk" I changed the option of letting it "Turn off the hard-disk" to "Never" when I have the computer plugged in.  Whenever my computer froze before I had to close the lid and let my laptop go to sleep and then wake it up again to resume work, but after I changed the "Turn off the hard-disk" setting in my Advanced Power Options I haven't had the freezing issue reoccur.  Worth a shot maybe?

     I think with the 64-bit operating system there's a bug somewhere when it has the hard-drive set to go to sleep after a certain amount of time, because that amount of time doesn't need to pass and the computer still freezes if you let it stand idle just a minute or 2.

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  2. Anonymous
    2012-01-18T22:14:15+00:00

    Hi there Mike Colvin,

       I posted on pg. 85 that I let my Kaspersky AV expire about 6 weeks ago - and I haven't had a desktop freeze since.  I, too, am now just using Microsoft Security Essentials, which had originally been installed along with Kaspersky (by Best Buy).

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  3. Anonymous
    2012-01-18T20:34:27+00:00

    I've been doing a fair bit of research into this matter and it appears that AVG 9 seems to be a significant trend to this problem .

    Out of interest, how many of you guys that are experiencing this problem are running AVG?

    I was. I have removed it and replaced with Microsoft Security Essentials . Since this I have had no problems. (Fingers crossed).

    Good luck!

    There's been some talk that a conflict between two anti-virus programs cause lock-ups (apparently they both want to use the same system process at the same time so they kind of "fight over" it) like this as well. Mostly they say its Microsoft Security Essentials and Norton, but I've heard AVG does it too if you have both installed.

    Did you have any other anti-virus running when you had AVG?

    I have only ever had Chrome running with MS Security essentials alone.Still locks up from time to time even when nominally idle (i.e. I am not actively using it, screen is switched off, and it is just collecting emails from time to time).

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  4. Anonymous
    2012-01-18T20:10:33+00:00

    I have AVG Anti-virus Free edition 2012 version. I dont have any other anti-virus software. I am running Zone Alarm firewall. I have random freezes and posted to this forum a while back. I have had the random freezes for months.

    My machine has multiple discs (1 SSD for OS and 4 seperate RAID1 storage drives)

    It is Win7 Ultimate 64 bit

    The motherboard is an Asus motherboard.

    16GB RAM

    Sandibridge Quadcore chipset.

    ATI radeon graphics card.

    A lot of my custom built machine matches the various postings on this forum, in terms of machines that have had problems. ink of it that may have been the start of the problems in terms of freezing. From memory it got a lot worse in the around October 2011 but i cant be sure of the exact time.

    I went back to the store where i had the machine built and they said they had never heard of such problems... although this thread suggests it is a real problem.

    I bought the machine custom built in May 2011. Initially there seemed to be delayed read and write time on the discs which i put down to faulty discs or access times on the discs, but now that i th

    I might hunt around for another AV software and give it a go on the weekend.

    All of my drivers are up to date. All windows updates in place, registry cleaned, etc as per all previous advice on this thread. tried chrome and firefox... same result.. freeze.

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