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Random Freezing issues: Is it the GPU, the Motherboard, the PSU?

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  • Computers
  • Graphics Cards
  • Motherboards
  • Graphics
Last response: in Graphics & Displays
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March 12, 2014 11:29:07 AM

Hey, so this is the third time I've asked this question, but I've never gotten a good answer, and I usually just give up and deal with it for a while. I'm currently on the "This is really pissing me off" cycle, and so here I am again.

My computer will occasionally freeze up. Usually happens while playing games, though occasionally happens during any other use of the computer. Game locks up, stutters a few times, and then goes blank. Audio freezes (or slows down significantly), causing femshep to sound like a demonic version of Mickey Mouse. Causes the Mclaren in Grid 2 to sound like a horde of angry stink bugs. In other words, it's annoying. Not to mention that it has a habit of happening about 30 seconds before a save point, meaning that I have to start over. Or how about when you finally are about to win a 8 minute race, after countless tries, and it happens then? I almost threw a monitor out of my window last time that happened.

About half of the time, the computer will recover for a little while, meaning that you can at least save. When it does, it gives a "Nvidia display driver has stopped working and has recovered" error. The other half of the time, the computer restarts itself or locks up so that you have to hard reset. This occurs regularly and predictably, and often enough that it's hard to ignore.

I have tried RMAing the CPU. That seemed to fix it for a few days, but it didn't last. Oddly enough, that did fix a problem that I had, where the computer would take 5 minutes to find the Wi-Fi. The PSU was RMAed for a separate problem (It died, spontaneously and dramatically), so it should be fine. I've tested RAM, and know that it is fine. Hard drives all pass diagnostic tests. My next thing was going to be the GPU. However, I unhooked the card to run games on the CPU, just to see if that fixed it. Strangely, the problem seemed to get worse, if anything. This is what led to the RMA of the CPU.

Only errors Windows log shows is a Kernel Power error, which I presume is caused by my angry slapping of the reset button. All drivers are up to date. I really don't know what else to do.

Any ideas?

Computer setup

Asus Maximus V, Intel i7 3770K, EVGA GTX 680, 4x4 G.Skill Ripjaws, Crucial M4
64 Gig SSD, Seagate Barracuda 1 TB, Cooler Master Silent Pro Hybrid
1050W, Cooler Master HAF X, ASUS VS238H-P X 2, ASUS VS239H-P X 1

More about : random freezing issues gpu motherboard psu

a c 206 U Graphics card
a c 150 V Motherboard
March 12, 2014 11:36:41 AM

Test your RAM, one stick at a time, using Memtest86+.
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a b U Graphics card
a b V Motherboard
March 12, 2014 12:18:07 PM

Let's do some basics first:

Open Computer, Can Air dust out the bunnies and use paint brush on the vents, coolers, fans, etc.
Download and run SPECCY, copy and paste the first tab to show your idle temps
Download and run MSI Afterburner, run some of the games that crash, what temps are you getting when underload?

Did you install ALL Windows Updates Including OPTIONALs except BING? Check them and repeat till ALL are installed.

Download and run Slim Drivers, it seems to find all sorts of ones in the background people may not realize, install all the latest updates but you don't need to reboot until you do the last update

Remove whatever AV your using and go to www.filehippo.com and download AVAST! or AVG and do a full system scan - this repeatedly has resolved alot of people issue relying on MS Essentials.
Download Malwarebytes do a full system scan (AV doesn't pick up alot of malware) - this resolved almost ALL other similiar posts to date as most had Malware the AV didn't pick up.
Repeat the AV/Malware scans till the system comes up clean.

Finally, uninstall your NVIDIA Drivers (this will include audio ones), then download and run Driver Fusion (formerly Driver Sweeper) to REALLY remove all the driver elements. Then reboot, should be in VGA when you come back. Now download the newest NVIDIA drivers, as these are just now released.

Let us know the results of EACH one listed thanks.
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a b U Graphics card
a b V Motherboard
March 16, 2014 10:19:45 PM

If the issues happens when surfing websites then yes most likelihood there is a hardware issue. But as the issue seems during your illegal games, then Toms Hardware can't help you.
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a c 206 U Graphics card
a c 150 V Motherboard
March 17, 2014 6:57:14 AM

After a wipe and reload of Windows, install no cracked products, and see what happens.
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March 17, 2014 8:45:51 AM

The application in use does not affect whether or not freezing occurs, but it is more prevalent during high intensity programs. Windows has been wiped and re-installed multiple times. Both hard drives have been re-formatted multiple times. The two programs in question are rarely, if ever, used, and the issue started long before they were installed. If I had any concern whatsoever that the programs were an issue, I would not be asking on this forum. Problem happens during perfectly legitimate games, desktop applications, whatever.

I ran an 8 hour memtest86+ cycle last night. It completed multiple passes, and had absolutely no errors.

I'm still convinced that this is a hardware issue. I'm just trying to diagnose it.

Thanks
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a c 206 U Graphics card
a c 150 V Motherboard
March 18, 2014 3:15:07 PM

Please do not bump posts. We're thinking, or maybe hoping someone else has suggestions.
Try opening the side of your case, and aim a common household fan into it. If the problem stops, then something is overheating, and then you begin to try to figure out what.
Also, when it freezes, is your hard drive light on solid? If it does, your Windows swap file may be corrupt. You'll need to delete and recreate it.
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March 19, 2014 8:53:52 PM

Onus,

My apologies for the bump.

I'm not sure that I got the hard drive light hooked up correctly when I built it, as I'm not sure that I cared. I'll get that figured out, and report back.

Thanks
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