Homebuilt PC freezes...

zattelor · Oct 30, 2013

I keep getting freezes at random points and more frequently as of today than yesterday or even the day before.

Was playing BF4 on low settings and it just happens at random points where it just freezes with the HDD Led on for about a minute and suddenly bsod with system restarts an a 0xc00000e error.
Before this, I was having the problem of when I wanted to wake up the PC from sleep, it just stays at the black screen and I have to do a restart.

Which then I have to resit my RAM and it all boot up just as normal until the next time it freezes and I have to repeat this cycle.

Somehow I thought it was just BF4 but even when I was just surfing the net it would just freeze.

I've updated my graphic card drivers and defragmented my disk. I have 1 SSD which I use for boot and 2 HDDs for storage.

Anw, my specs are:-

Intel i7 CPU 3.07Ghz
G.Skill 2.00GB RAM x3
EVGA GeForce GTX460
ASUS Sabretooth X58 Motherboard
Corsair AX750 PSU

Hmmm, any insights about this problem?

Anas Bashar · Oct 30, 2013

overheating is a possible reason. monitor your temps CPU/GPU and post the results here.
what case do you have? how many case fans installed?

zattelor · Oct 30, 2013

alright, I'll monitor it for awhile and post it soon.

I'm using a CoolerMaster HAF 912. 2 Fans one on the front and the other on the back. My CPU is running on Corsair CPU Hydro Cooler. So the fan is attached there.

zattelor · Oct 30, 2013

I've installed SpeedFan 4.49 and this is what it shows:-

GPU: 61C
System: 46C
CPU: 47C
AUX: 69C
HD0: 0C
HD2: 41C
HD1: 36C
MB: 46C

Anas Bashar · Oct 30, 2013

your cooling is ok, normal temps.
is your bios up to date? update if not.

zattelor · Oct 30, 2013

Hmmm, okey I've just updated my BIOS for the first time. Anw. I'll see how it goes again if it freezes up or not.

zattelor · Oct 30, 2013

Alright. As of now Ive updated the bios and it was running fine for few hours. Until the problem starts again. As of now. I cant even switch my pc on. I kinda doubt its the bios update as it was running fine for like a an hour or so until it starts to freeze up and restart with the 0xc00000e error.

Anas Bashar · Oct 31, 2013

ok, remove the GPU, and keep one ram stick only, now try to start it up. if it doesn't switch the ram stick with another one.

zattelor · Oct 31, 2013

Alright, it switched on and now I've tested it with my GPU and all three RAMs. But now it just freezes like before but still able to reboot and boot up like normal.

Anas Bashar · Oct 31, 2013

we just need to see for how long the PC will stay on WITHOUT the GPU, with one ram stick.

zattelor · Oct 31, 2013

Hmmm, I can't take out the GPU as my mb doesn't have a built-in connector (the thing that connects the mb to the monitor). Unless you meant leaving it running without the screen?. I'm now however testing just one stick.

Anas Bashar · Oct 31, 2013

ya you do not need the monitor now.
how is it going with one stick only?

zattelor · Oct 31, 2013

It still freezes but now its less frequently as was yesterday. Hmmm. Think i shld just do an rma check on my mb. Tried w/o the gpu too and it jus beeps twice and nothing.

Anas Bashar · Nov 2, 2013

ok do that, the issue should be in the Mobo.

himnextdoor · Nov 2, 2013

I notice that your system is a 'home build'.

If I may make a suggestion, did you apply heat-sink compound to the various heat-sinks that you might have installed?

This could make an enormous difference to the heat-transfer efficiency of the fans and heat-sinks.

Anas Bashar · Nov 2, 2013

himnextdoor :

i believe the temps he posted are good, unless he is getting heat spikes, which is unlikely since no OC, it even freezes without the GPU installed, what do you think?

himnextdoor · Nov 2, 2013

Anas Bashar :

Well, to me, a 'freeze' suggests that the CPU has simply stopped.

If the fan and heat-sink can be ruled out as a problem then I would suspect a power supply problem that causes the CPU voltage supply to be interrupted.

What do you think about Service Pack 1? Do you think that it might be responsible for a lot of the driver problems we are seeing?

Anas Bashar · Nov 2, 2013

either the power supply or the Mobo, since the CPU takes its power from the mobo.
when we remove the GPU, we took most of the load off the PSU (specifically the +12V rail), unless the PSU just broke somehow amd started failing, am suspecting the Mobo.

himnextdoor · Nov 2, 2013

I see where you are coming from and indeed this does seem like a heat related problem but it would be cheaper and easier to try out another PSU on the machine.

I imagine that the 12 V rail is okay since the fans appear to remain unaffected and the OP indicated that the computer sometimes won't start from sleep mode and that suggests to me that it is the 3.3 V rail that is the problem.

It is true that there are motherboard components that deal with the regulation and distribution of the 3.3 V power supply but to me, the increasing frequency of the problem suggests that there is a 'dry joint' somewhere and that as it becomes more oxidized over time, it becomes more sensitive to temperature variations and now, it takes slightly less heat expansion to interrupt the power supply than it used to.

At any rate, I would at least try a different PSU before I consigned the mobo to the scrap heap.

In the end, you may be correct but it is possible that it is an intermittent problem with the PSU that is causing this.

I'd be interested to know if the voltage being applied to the RAM is being interrupted. The resulting corrupted data would be very likely to cause a BSoD, wouldn't it?

That could be why having less memory sticks attached delays the 'freeze' somewhat; it is the load put on the PSU by the memory that affects the behaviour the 'faulty region', the rate at which it heats up.

One other little test that I would carry out, since I don't have the courage to exonerate Windows altogether at this stage, is to start the computer and go straight into BIOS.

Leave the machine in BIOS and see if it freezes under that condition.

I would ensure that it does before I changed any of my hardware.

Anas Bashar · Nov 3, 2013

himnextdoor :

I see where you are coming from and indeed this does seem like a heat related problem but it would be cheaper and easier to try out another PSU on the machine.

I imagine that the 12 V rail is okay since the fans appear to remain unaffected and the OP indicated that the computer sometimes won't start from sleep mode and that suggests to me that it is the 3.3 V rail that is the problem.

It is true that there are motherboard components that deal with the regulation and distribution of the 3.3 V power supply but to me, the increasing frequency of the problem suggests that there is a 'dry joint' somewhere and that as it becomes more oxidized over time, it becomes more sensitive to temperature variations and now, it takes slightly less heat expansion to interrupt the power supply than it used to.

At any rate, I would at least try a different PSU before I consigned the mobo to the scrap heap.

In the end, you may be correct but it is possible that it is an intermittent problem with the PSU that is causing this.

I'd be interested to know if the voltage being applied to the RAM is being interrupted. The resulting corrupted data would be very likely to cause a BSoD, wouldn't it?

That could be why having less memory sticks attached delays the 'freeze' somewhat; it is the load put on the PSU by the memory that affects the behaviour the 'faulty region', the rate at which it heats up.

One other little test that I would carry out, since I don't have the courage to exonerate Windows altogether at this stage, is to start the computer and go straight into BIOS.

Leave the machine in BIOS and see if it freezes under that condition.

I would ensure that it does before I changed any of my hardware.

very nice illustration, thanks himnextdoor.

ive been doing some research. am thinking about the 20/24-pin cable connection, as you have mentioned, oxidization might be causing the issue here. i would suggest turning everything off, then unplugging this cable and checking for oxidization traces. it is possible that signals (not power) are not being successfully exchanged between the Mobo and the PSU.

Homebuilt PC freezes...

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