New computer freezes at random tims

[Shimfs]

Hi guys
Yesterday i received a new computer that i ordered through a company that buys hardware and custom builds the computers (so no brands here)

The computer features a:
Core i7 860 processor
XFX xxx HD5870 (OC'ed from XFX)
8gb kingston ValueRam 1333Mhz
1tb WD harddisk

THE PROBLEM:
I installed windows 7 ultimate yesterday and everything ran fine for some time. Due to an error on my behalf (partitioned the computer and made windows reside on the wrong partition) i had to use a free partitioning tool. During the partition in BIOS my computer became unresponsive and froze. THIS was the first time the error ocured.
Then i partitioned the computer through the windows DVD and installed it all over again. I couldn't even update windows this time, it froze everytime i tried that, and it gave me a BSOD (MACHINE_CHECK_EXCEPTION) (STOP: 0x0000009c (0x0000000000000000, 0xFFFFF) )


This BSOD only happened once and my computer froze several times (i have to restart the computer after each freeze)

Well i finally installed the GPU driver and suddenly i could install the windows updates and my anti virus.
but it STILL freezes at semi random points. Whenever i try to play DIRT2 it freezes at the same point right after character creation and it often freezes when i have just started windows and i open IE before it has fully loaded everything.

WHAT I HAVE TESTED:
I have run a memtest86+ pass (it completed the pass but it didn't recognise it on the pass counter)
i have run prime95 for 5 minutes or so (to check if it was the CPU fan that failed)

due to the computer being a custom build (but still under warrenty) computer, i can't open the case until monday morning where i can speak with the manager and get a free pass to break the seal on the backside of the cabinet.


Does ANYONE have any solution to this? do you think it is because of windows 7 ultimate or due to a hardware error?

PS: My CPU only shows 3 cores and 6 threads, do you guys think that it has a defective core?



DXDIAG: http://codeviewer.org/view/code:a7c


Also i don't understand why Windows and BIOS only shows 3 cores and 6 threads when a core i7 860 should be a quadcore



any help would be appreciated

 

[Shimfs]

Ahh i am pretty sure it is due to the harddisk. It has started to happen when im playing TF2, once it happened when i was downloading some content, and the second time it just froze. The gfx around a rocket is stil playing its animation, so i think its the harddisk

 

[apache_lives]

perhaps reseat the cpu and hsf, you should be seeing 8 threads total in task manager (any i7 in general)

also reset the cmos and set everything manually in the bios, ram +0.1v, 800mhz etc

 

[Shimfs]

well as stated i can't open my computer unless i want to void my warrenty, i am about to start at HD check using Western Digitals own program

 

[Shimfs]

*** ed?

 

[xaira]

hdd

 

[Shimfs]

Curently i am scanning the HDD in bios, and so far it hasn't reported any errors

 

[xaira]

i had the same prob, you wont detect any errors, the hdd just stops for a while and then continues, if you can get a really good hdd fan it might help, my 320gb has stopped doing it as much, i bought a 500gb and use the 320 as an external drive in a enclosure with a fan an its only frozen twice since

 

[Shimfs]

then it is easier for me to just send in the HDD and get a replacement.

But it still doesn't explain the problem that BIOS and windows only detects 3 cores out of 4 on my processor :S

 

[Shimfs]

does it matter that my SATA drive is running IDE mode in BIOS? because whenever i try to activate AHCI, my computer fails

 

[xaira]

npe doesnt matter(ide)

run,msconfig,boot, advanced options, set# of processors, cpuz screen maybe

 

[Shimfs]

okay i will try that after the HDD test

 

[Shimfs]

wee everything works fine now

The retailer answered his email sunday evening (impressive) and allowed me to open the case
The GFX wasn't seated correctly (apparently under transport it had popped a bit out)

so now i can game again and regarding the missing core, the BIOS is retarded and default to 3 cores unless you find the little menu that is hidden inside 3 others and allows it to use all cores