Win7 x64 problem 4 months after build

[iw_shawn]

I built a new system about 4 months ago. Everything has worked awesome on it untill today. I was playing FSX when the computer froze. I tried closing it with the task manager, but the "ending program" window went to not responding. I left it a few minutes, nothing would respond so I shut the computer off and restarted it.

On restart windows would freeze on the starting windows screen (before the logo comes on). I tried restarting it a bunch of times, it would freeze at the same spot, or on the black screen right after the boot screens.

I decided to do a clean install win7 (formatted, deleted the partition, new partition, and formatted again). The install went extremely slowly, it took almost 3 hours. It spent well over an hour "expanding windows files." It finished that, installed the features and upgrades. It configured for awhile, restarted did the registry configuration, then went to the progress screen again. It restarted a while I wasn't looking and froze on the windows screen on start.

I rebooted, and it came up on the windows error recovery screen, so i tried starting in safe mode, and the computer froze again after

Loaded: \Windows\system32\DRIVERS\CLASSPNP.SYS

Another reboot to error recovery, tried to start normally and it froze on "Starting Windows"

So after about 5 hours messing around getting no where I thought it was time to do what I should have in the first place. Ask the pro's here.

System specs

Asus P6X58D-E
i7 950
6 gb Crucial Ballistic DDR-3 1600 ram
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive
Sapphire Radeon 5870 2gb eyefinity 6
Samsung BD-Rom

Ok so while writing this after about 35mins it seemed to come to life (off the starting windows screen) and started for the first time, had me enter the product key etc.

Sorry for the rambling post, but I'm hoping somebody can help me find and fix my problem.

 

[iw_shawn]

Ok an update.

The restart after inputting the product key took 18 mins to go from the last boot screen to setting up the personalized settings.

When I first installed windows I think I had win7 and the drivers installed in less then an hour. I've now been over 4 hours.

Could this be a hardware problem?

 

[daship]

Sounds like a bad HDD. Download some diagnostic software from WD.

 

[iw_shawn]

I think you might be right, i downloaded the diagnostic software, and ran the quick test that is supposed to take 2 mins. it finished the first 85% in about 1.5 min and has been running stuck there for 45 mins.

 

[fowang]

sounds like the HDD has given up, try doing a chkdsk /r

 

[Uther39]

Im willing to bet my left testicle you have a bad sector on your HDD, have you an old working HDD lying around you can try, or alternatively buy a new drive, if that works perfectly then RMA the old one for a refund.

 

[iw_shawn]

I forgot I had to install the sata driver for the MB on the new install. It's installed now but it's still super slow. The quick test ran through and passed. I'm running the extended test looking for bad sectors now.

 

[4745454b]

I agree with bad hdd. If that comes back clean somehow, look to an overheating CPU, or bad power. (PSU.)

 

[Onus]

First guess, like they all said, is a bad HDD.
Second, especially if you're using the stock Intel HSF, make sure none of the pins have popped loose, causing your CPU to overheat and throttle.
Third, what brand and model (not just wattage) is your PSU?

 

[penguintech]

im with everyone on the HDD being the issue.

 

[iw_shawn]

Thanks everyone for the help. WD seemed to agree, and are sending me a new hard drive. In retrospect it was being very quiet, I wasn't hearing it ever speed up.

I checked the heat sink pins and they are all still seated. It is a little dusty though so I'm going to pick up some canned air.

The PSU: XFX Black Edition P1-750B-CAG9 750W ATX12V v2.2 / ESP12V v2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS SILVER Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply

I think while I'm waiting for the RMA it's time to upgrade to a SSD, and keep the new WD for storage.

 

[4745454b]

Sounds good. That's a nice PSU to.

 

[iw_shawn]

I had been thinking of getting a 900w power supply for the build, but I'm happy I went with this modular one. I really helped with routing the cables, keeping it well organized and the airflow moving.

I just wished it was blue instead of green to match the lighting in my Antec 900 case.

 

[Onus]

Yeah, that's a nice PSU. Sounds like this story will have a happy ending.

 

[iw_shawn]

I sure hope so. Just have to wait for a HDD to see.

 

[iw_shawn]

Got a new SSD yesterday and she's even faster then when she was faster then she was new. WD RMA came today, and will be for storage.

Thanks for all the help folks!

 

[Onus]

Very nice. I will no longer build a PC for myself without a SSD.