Computer Randomly Freezing

[mushyboy]

Hello people!

I have a problem with my computer freezing randomly. Often in games, but also sometimes while watching films, or even in sleep-mode.

My setup:

AMD 64 3200+ CPU
Gigabyte K8T890 Series mobo
1024 MB NCP DDR RAM (2xPC3200)
Palit 7600GT Graphics Card
80G Seagate HD
400W Stock PSU


The problem is something that I've never experienced before, so I wanted to try to find a solution here.

I've installed Windows (XP Pro) with all updates, and runned antivirus (Norton Antivirus) plus spyware removers (Ad-Aware), so the chance that the problem is software related is slim.

I've checked that RAM-modules and cpu-fan are attatched, so it's probably not one of those. I'm using Motherboard Monitor, and at one of the freezes, it showed 29 degrees CPU and 30 degrees System (Celsius that is). (For those not familiar to celsius, 50 degrees is 122 degrees Fahrenheit.) So it does not seem to be a cooling problem either. Also the GPU-fan runs as it should.

The way it freezes is sometimes odd. I play World of Warcraft a lot, and one time I came back to the computer with WoW running, and the computer had frozen. The thing was that the graphical effects were still running, and i could even open some menues, but could not move (and i believe the mouse was "frozen"). A few seconds later it all froze totally.

Sometimes the computer runs for a fairly long time before freezing, sometimes it freezes right away. And the only way to fix it, is by pushing the reset button.

Other games also freeze as well, albeit less common. BF2 also freezes as well as CS:S.

Also, during the times 6pm-12pm, the freezes seem to be more common especially when I play WoW more often during this time. The computer will also freeze when using applications.

I used the memtest x86 today for possible deficiency in RAM. No errors wee detected after the first pass.

I highyl doubt its the CPU as if it were, I don't think I'd be able to type this all up without freezing.

However I would like to note that after playing roughly 2 hours of BF2 last night, without restarting the computer whatsoever and then turning on WoW to play. I saw "rainbow artefacts" in some parts of the animation. I was surprised as I never saw this before. Bear in mind however, not the entire screen was full of these artefacts.

The temperature of the GPU with no load is 45 degrees and 59 degrees maxed out with load. So I don't suspect it is overheating, especially overhere (Australia) where it is winter.

I can try provide more details if people need, but that's as much as I can tell so far. I have updated the drivers to the latest version from the "Palit" graphics card manufacturer. It still happens to freeze.

I really am stoked on this problem, if someone could please help me out before I have to drag the entire computer off to the store where even the computer person would have a hard time finding out what's wrong!

Thanks so much in advance, and I'll try to keep everyone up to date.

Also, I have installed Norton Goback 4.0 and a variety of games and of course Microsoft Office 2003.

[mushyboy]

*bump* please help

[harry12]

Mushyboy, Hi - I'm no gamer, but are you saying the PC freezes ONLY when playing this game?
What happens if you have something simple - like wordprocessor running (ie something with very low video content)....?
Temperature sensors (I read ) are notoriously unreliable except when everything is 100% OK, as I believe they rely on good thermal contact and can only monitor one part of the whole.Your observations about "winter" are valid, but it would be better to specify the actual room temperature IMHO.
/
Another aspect: Has this happened "suddenly" Mechanical or software-upgrade - - or has it been a gradual process (indicating some slow degredation).

Sorry that's about all I can suggest - I presume you don't have interference issues, local welding, lifts etc which might be putting a "spike" into the elecrics....the way you appear to describe it : You suspect temperature.
Some OS are just as like ly to be at fault (ie with a "demanding" game, perhaps), but this is where I have zero experience, so I'd suggest you try to make it freeze with "simple* software" running (only), to prove it's not the game that's at the core of the problem.
Have you changed anything recently? I guess you've already racked yr brains on this.........
Goodluck,
H.

*Notepad is pretty undemanding, if you are running early Windows....

[fritzi93]

Have you actually tested the RAM? If not, you could try this:

http://hcidesign.com/memtest/

Good luck.

[ron999]

if i was you open the base up check if it got dust in and also check if the cpu fan is working if it is running slow then get a new one but get rid of all the dust, if i am right your pc is on the floor right

[kryosar]

I have been having the same problem for 8 months now and have yet to find a fix for it. I would be willing to bet that you are not gonna be able to get your machine to freeze up with anything other than games. Mine will run for days with out freezing. But as Soon as I start a video intensive game it freezes. Sometimes after 15 minutes sometime after an hour or so. once it starts freezing though I'm lucky to get more than 15-20 minutes between crashes. It freezes before any logs can be written as well, So far I've run memtest, switched video cards, tried different video settings, and finally broke down and reformatted and reinstalled all the drivers today. My specs are as follows......

520W Ultra Powersupply
P4 3.0Ghz 530J Prescott
1024 RAM
200GB SATA HD
Gigabyte 8I91PL-G MotherBoard
e-VGA Geforce 6800XT 256MB video (Also have a Gigiabyte Geforce 6600 Turboforce 256MB Card as well)

I would greatly appreciate any input on things to test. I really don't want to run and buy a new CPU to see if that's the problem. I have a spare Power Supply that so far I have not tried installing, so there's still the chance it could be a PS issue.

Anyways yes any input would be GREATLY appreciated.

[mungyun]

I too have been having the same problem for about a year now. I get it at any random time. 2 weeks apart or 10 min apart. It doesn't matter what I'm doing either. It has froze on screensaver, sleep, games, movies, internet, defrag, etc. I have no clue what it is either.

I have ruled out overheating because if it did overheat then it would freeze as soon as i restarted it because it would still be too hot. I know it's not my graphics card because ive had 3 different ones in this pc and I'm pretty sure it's not my ram because ive gotten new ram. About the only thing I can think of is maybe one of my hardrives are failing or maybe an error on disk somewhere that when the os reads it it causes a freeze. I also know that it is not the os because I have had the problem when running linux too.

This is really annoying because i have no clue what i will be doing when it happens. I lost a 5 page paper for my english class because i forgot to save it and wham, freeze. ugh.

Hopefully someone has had this problem and figured out what it is. I have no clue, just having to deal with a retarded pc.

[Viciousss]

Hey, sorry for bumping an old post but this is the EXACT same problem I am currently having with a newly built PC. When playing a game after a while the computer randomly freezes, especially WoW and Counter Strike: Source and the only way out is to press the reset button, but yet it can run for hours/days without freezing when I am not running a graphics intensive programme.

My current specs are:

AMD Athlon 64 3700+
Asus A8N-E Motherboard
2 gig of GeIL ram
radeon x1300 256mb GFX card
Seagate Barracuda 250gb SATA Hard Drive
450W PSU

I can't see any similarites between our systems apart from the cpu and this problem has me completely stumped. Pretty sure it is not an overheating problem as when I restart I check the temperatures straight away and they are fine. So please, if anybody has any idea or has managed to solve this problem I would be mighty grateful

[mushyboy]

Still happening to me as far as I can tell you..

I got this application called "Easytune" that goes with Gigabyte motherboards.

I was bored and playing around with this application today.

I used the application to overlock the cpu +10% up to 2.4ghz. My is a 3200+ AMD

It was running fine while I was playing CS:S and what not.

The computer was a bit jiggly while playing the game, but it stood up.

Anyway, I decided to put the CPU clock speed down to 0%. i.e. back to 2ghz.

And Voila, the computer froze.

beats me whatever the problem is

[Harrykaka]

I've had the same problem for a while now, and i've changed everything except the motherboard and CPU. I've even cahnged the wires and the plug sockets.
I'm using a socket 775 pentium4 3.20ghz processor

[mushyboy]

hmmm

does the SATA drive got the do with it?

I got a Seagate SATA 80gb with the others above also displaying troubles

[Shadowcra]

Hey,

I have the same problem, I know what it is, but I don't have the solution.

It's the graphics card driver, I have it only when it's installed, I'm waiting for an answer from nVidia or from this forum but no luck yet. Try uninstalling your graphics card driver and stay with windows for a while until we could figure something out...

[Matt H]

I have exactly the same problem.
Sigh.
Happened recently, but rollbacks are not working. Freezing is here to stay.

Freezing involves the screen holding the image, orange light on computer to stop working, no key-presses or mouse movements can be made.

Freezing in all computer games I play. (Civ IX, World of Warcraft, The SIms 2, Counterstrike). Does not seem to have a pattern, sometimes it will freeze immediately, sometimes up to 2 hours.

It also freezes in ITunes, usually after one and a half songs have been played. Size of library and version of itunes do not make a difference.
As far as I;m aware, there is no corrupt media on the computer.

It has never frozen while idle, nor in IE, Mozila, or any Microsoft Office program.

All I can do is list what doesn't work.

1) Full clean of computer, including fans and each individual component.
2) Upgrading RAM
3) Running external fan
4) Full virus check from 2 internal and one external source
5) Changing power supply
6) Unplugging, cleaning, plugging in properly all cables.
7) "Tweaknow Regcleaner"
8) Defragging Hard drive
9) Updating all drivers.

There were no hardware changes before the freezing started.
Any help of even more suggestions are appreciated.
The worst thing is having no idea and no hope.

[fixit]

Check the virtual memory settings

[septia]

i think the problems should be similar...
but the cause of the problems may be different...

for the mushyboy problems, the computer works normally while overclocking right???
so it should not caused by driver problems...

have u ever try to use different computer component???
u can borrow components form your friend...
and try it one by one...
try the video card first then the memory and the other one latter...

i think it should not be related to hard disk problems...

hope it can solve the problems