PC Freezes While Playing/Editing Video and Gaming

[birthdaymonkey]

I think you're going to have to find a new motherboard to use, or else take the machine to a local shop where they would have a test motherboard to try.

It's possible though that both RAM sets that you've tried are incompatible. Some boards have a reputation for being very picky, and I do remember people complaining about ASUS's Z68 line. Are you able to get a kit that's on the board's Qualified Vendor List?

The final avenue of testing is to try a different CPU. If you don't have one, you could buy a cheap 1155 Celeron and then just sell it later at a modest loss.

EDIT: Actually you could do the same with the motherboard... buy a cheap Z77 board, and sell it if it turns out not to be the problem.

 

[crashtech]

You've tried different RAM, HDD, GPU, PSU, and motherboard? The only thing left is the CPU, and it being bad is extremely unlikely. But if we assume your testing methodology is sound, it's the only thing left.

One other remote possibility is a bad PSU damaging both your old board and your replacement before you decided to try a different PSU.

edit: Lately I have been buying RAM from the qualified vendor list for the mobo. This is something that must be done for server boards, but it sure doesn't hurt for consumer level stuff. It's time consuming and can mean spending a bit more, but it gives more assurance that the setup will be compatible.

 

[Ketchup]

Also, have you tried replacing SATA cables? Now that we know it occurs when under stress and not under stress, the number of possibilities has increases a good bit.

 

[adnank77]

Minor thing but worth checking: What kind of Anti-Virus are you running ? I had kinda similar issues with some Anti Virus programs ..

 

[KyleGates]

Just out of curiosity, what are the PSU's that you have tried?

I remember having a remarkably similar issue a couple years ago and it turned out to be a PSU issue. I had tried 2 identical Thermaltake PSUs and when I switched to an Enermax Revo the problems just...evaporated.

Aside from that I would only say...yeah...absolute stock clocks and voltages on everything!

 

[ecomog]

I think you're going to have to find a new motherboard to use, or else take the machine to a local shop where they would have a test motherboard to try.

It's possible though that both RAM sets that you've tried are incompatible. Some boards have a reputation for being very picky, and I do remember people complaining about ASUS's Z68 line. Are you able to get a kit that's on the board's Qualified Vendor List?

The final avenue of testing is to try a different CPU. If you don't have one, you could buy a cheap 1155 Celeron and then just sell it later at a modest loss.

EDIT: Actually you could do the same with the motherboard... buy a cheap Z77 board, and sell it if it turns out not to be the problem.

Out of the 3 sets of RAM I tried, 2 were on the Qualified Vendor List. I wanted to avoid dumping more money into this PC, but if I don't have a choice, I guess I could try another CPU. I just don't want to buy another and that not be the issue.

You've tried different RAM, HDD, GPU, PSU, and motherboard? The only thing left is the CPU, and it being bad is extremely unlikely. But if we assume your testing methodology is sound, it's the only thing left.

One other remote possibility is a bad PSU damaging both your old board and your replacement before you decided to try a different PSU.

I only used the older PSU on the previous board.

Also, have you tried replacing SATA cables? Now that we know it occurs when under stress and not under stress, the number of possibilities has increases a good bit.

Yeah, I've tried numerous SATA cables

 

[ecomog]

Minor thing but worth checking: What kind of Anti-Virus are you running ? I had kinda similar issues with some Anti Virus programs ..

Running NOD32. I tried uninstalling it and just using Windows Defender, but the system still froze.

Just out of curiosity, what are the PSU's that you have tried?

I remember having a remarkably similar issue a couple years ago and it turned out to be a PSU issue. I had tried 2 identical Thermaltake PSUs and when I switched to an Enermax Revo the problems just...evaporated.

Aside from that I would only say...yeah...absolute stock clocks and voltages on everything!

My previous PSU was a Rosewill Xtreme Series RX950-D-B 950W (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182097)

EDIT: I set basically everything in the BIOS to Auto

 

[Ketchup]

One test I have not seen mentioned is safe mode. If you run safe mode with networking for a while, does your computer crash?

 

[ecomog]

One test I have not seen mentioned is safe mode. If you run safe mode with networking for a while, does your computer crash?

Yes, it froze even while in safe mode.

 

[Ketchup]

Sorry I missed safe mode. Just saw that in the OP. What kinds of hard drives are you using?
Also, what equipment do you have running on the machine (external devices, adapters inside the case, etc)?

 

[ecomog]

Sorry I missed safe mode. Just saw that in the OP. What kinds of hard drives are you using?
Also, what equipment do you have running on the machine (external devices, adapters inside the case, etc)?

As far as hard drives, I'm using 5 regular sata drives (no ssd). My C drive is a 3TB Hitachi GST Deskstar 5K3000 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822145561). I'll list the other ones if you wanna know about those as well.

As for everything else, I'm using a ZALMAN CNPS9900ALED cpu cooler (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118046), the ASUS front panel USB 3.0 box, and a iHAS424-98 LITE-ON cd drive (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106335)

 

[Ketchup]

You could try unplugging the Asus USB box and see what happens. I have seen other brands of these cause similar issues.

 

[ecomog]

You could try unplugging the Asus USB box and see what happens. I have seen other brands of these cause similar issues.

Yeah, I've tried doing that as well. I'll unplug it again though.

 

[Ketchup]

Yeah, I've tried doing that as well. I'll unplug it again though.

Dude, you've tired everything!!!

Time for target practice, lol.

The only other thing I could think of right now is unplugging everything - CD drive, extra USB drives, extra hard drive, maybe even the video card and run on integrated video, all USB except for keyboard and mouse, and see how it runs.

 

[Torn Mind]

Dude, you've tired everything!!!

Time for target practice, lol.

The only other thing I could think of right now is unplugging everything - CD drive, extra USB drives, extra hard drive, maybe even the video card and run on integrated video, all USB except for keyboard and mouse, and see how it runs.

Lol, I suggested a similar thing on the last page. That board doesn't have an IGP out, so he can't do that. He'll need a brand new board.

I dunno, maybe it is some house wiring fault, I guess...but that would apply only to much older houses. Maybe his hardware just can't get along.:hmm: One last hope is installing a Linux distro on a spare hard drive with everything else disconnected and seeing if the Linux OS freezes.

 

[Ketchup]

Lol, I suggested a similar thing on the last page. That board doesn't have an IGP out, so he can't do that. He'll need a brand new board.

I dunno, maybe it is some house wiring fault, I guess...but that would apply only to much older houses. Maybe his hardware just can't get along.:hmm: One last hope is installing a Linux distro on a spare hard drive with everything else disconnected and seeing if the Linux OS freezes.

His cpu has the ipg and his board supports it, so he could try this.

 

[Torn Mind]

His cpu has the ipg and his board supports it, so he could try this.

There are no video output ports on the motherboard itself, so while the board might support it, he can't use it.

According to the manual, the "Initiate Graphics Adapter" has either PCIe/PCI or PCI/PCIe options. Other ASUS boards have the option for selecting the IGP.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131791

 

[fixbsod]

I'm still thinking RAM -- but possibly settings/timings/voltages as opposed to any actual issue with the RAM. I have an i7-2700k on a Gigabyte GZ68XP-UD3 and Corsair 4x4GB 1866 dual channel modules -- CMZ8GX3M2A1866C9. I was getting hardlocks early on and a combination of dropping the RAM speed to 1600 and using auto voltages did the trick.

 

[Ketchup]

There are no video output ports on the motherboard itself, so while the board might support it, he can't use it.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131791

Yep, my google searched failed, Boo google, boo!

 

[KyleGates]

Dude, you've tired everything!!!

Time for target practice, lol.

The only other thing I could think of right now is unplugging everything - CD drive, extra USB drives, extra hard drive, maybe even the video card and run on integrated video, all USB except for keyboard and mouse, and see how it runs.

Thats what I would try now. Run it with the PSU, Mobo, CPU, a single stick of RAM, the HDD and thats it! Integrated Video, Intergrated sound, no usb nuthin. Just total barebones. And see what happens.

If its stable add a piece at a time till it fails.

If its NOT stable, trade er in for a nice big Coke Slurpee and call it a day.

 

[ecomog]

I'm still thinking RAM -- but possibly settings/timings/voltages as opposed to any actual issue with the RAM. I have an i7-2700k on a Gigabyte GZ68XP-UD3 and Corsair 4x4GB 1866 dual channel modules -- CMZ8GX3M2A1866C9. I was getting hardlocks early on and a combination of dropping the RAM speed to 1600 and using auto voltages did the trick.

I tried both 1600 and even 1333, and still had freezes, even with everything set to auto. Is it possible the bios are setting the wrong voltages even on auto?

Thats what I would try now. Run it with the PSU, Mobo, CPU, a single stick of RAM, the HDD and thats it! Integrated Video, Intergrated sound, no usb nuthin. Just total barebones. And see what happens.

If its stable add a piece at a time till it fails.

If its NOT stable, trade er in for a nice big Coke Slurpee and call it a day.

I can strip everything down, but I'd still have to use my video card due to lack of integrated video on my board.

 

[fixbsod]

SOunds like you've already tried just about everything so you may have already done this but perhaps just 1-2 sticks of ram at 1333 ? Auto should work -- does your bios show you what setting the auto is ? Should be 1.5v TYPICALLY. I see 1.5v in your HWinfo read out. However, I don't see your RAM on the QVL : http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/P8Z68_DELUXEGEN3/#support_QVL

I also am noticing that the voltages listed for RAM 1866 and up is 1.65v per the QVL -- so perhaps your RAM wants more juice at the faster settings. I would try up to 1.6v on 1600 and down to 1.5v on 1333

I tried both 1600 and even 1333, and still had freezes, even with everything set to auto. Is it possible the bios are setting the wrong voltages even on auto?




I can strip everything down, but I'd still have to use my video card due to lack of integrated video on my board.

 

[ecomog]

SOunds like you've already tried just about everything so you may have already done this but perhaps just 1-2 sticks of ram at 1333 ? Auto should work -- does your bios show you what setting the auto is ? Should be 1.5v typically.

Auto always sets the voltage to 1.65. I manually set that to 1.5 when that happens.

 

[Ketchup]

Auto always sets the voltage to 1.65. I manually set that to 1.5 when that happens.

Ram is pretty loose with voltage. Have you even tried leaving it at 1.65? According to Newegg, that RAM should be run at 1.65. You could even run it a little higher for troubleshooting.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231510

 

[fixbsod]

Well actually on the manufacturer's page they note 1.65v for 2133 and 1.5 for 1600

http://www.gskill.com/en/product/f3-17000cl9q-16gbsr

edit: Tho if you're still having issues w/1.5v at 1600 or 1333 not sure what then -- timings? Match the timings shown -- try using the XMP profiles

I'm seeing someone on newegg that notes :Motherboard BIOS reports that this is DDR3-1600 MHz memory with 11-11-11-28 timings at 1.6v, not DDR3-2133 at 1.65v with 9-11-10-28 timings as advertised.

Does not work at 2133MHz (x10.66) -- motherboard BIOS reports an "overclocking error", even though motherboard BIOS supports this speed.

So they used 11-11-11-28 @ 1.6v / 1600

Auto always sets the voltage to 1.65. I manually set that to 1.5 when that happens.