[Repost] Strange unidentified freezing problem

[rosenberg]

Sorry for posting here, but I had to in an attempt to get some one to throw in some ideas, this is the original post:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/278646-30-strange-unidentified-freezing-problem

Hi guys,

Firstly, the setup
Cpu: Core i7 920
MB: GA-EX58-UD5
Memory: 12 GB Corsair kit
Vid 1: GTX 285 ssc
Vid 2: GTX 285 ssc
PSU: Seventeam 850w

The problem
The computer freezes randomly when using Windows 7. Note that while using Mac OS X 10.6.2 under this system there is NO problem what so ever.

Things I have tried
- Formatting 5 times.
- Changing Hard Drive, unplugging all the hard drives but a brand new one.
- Tweaking bios settings (overclocking, loading optimized defaults).
- Taking the computer apart, cleaning the dust out of each individual piece of hardware.
- Changing the PSU from 750w corsair to seventeam's 850w.
- Switching the slots of the video card, switching the sli bridge with a brand new one.
- Disabling SLI.
- Different versions of Windows 7.
- Updating BIOS from F7 to F12.
- Running Prime95 (no problem occurred).

Event Viewer Report
Nothing is reported except for a kernel power failure when I re-start the computer, NOT when the problem occurred.

PS.: At first I thought the problem was SLI related, but I had the problem occurring without SLI enabled.
PS2.: Temperatures are all fine, I double checked.
PS3.: Doesn't freeze while using Mac OS X 10.6.2 under this system.

Thank you very much, you guys can delete this thread if you find it unnecessary.

 

[COLGeek]

Since you are OCing the CPU, are you also OCing the GPUs? How are your system temps (CPU, GPU1, GPU2, and motherboard)?

Have you tried running your system at stock speeds to see if it is more stable? Is Win 7 (I am sure you are running a 64-bit flavor) fully up to date and all of your drivers current?

Have you tried to run with only one GPU?

Just trying to figure out what you have done to see where we might go to resolve?

Last, what kind of case do you have and what sort of cooling (case fans and HSF) do you have installed?

 

[rosenberg]

Hi, thanks for the reply.

I do not OC at all, in fact what I did was simply change to Profile1 XMS (or was it XMP, don't remember) so that the memory could function 1600mhz, which they are. And the profile settings are seemingly correct. I also tried running everything on default, meaning that it identifies the memory as being 1300mhz. Froze at both the stock settings and the profile1 settings.

Case is an AKASA Inifiniti as on the image:

I have a Xigmatek Darknight cooler, which keeps my CPU at 35C at all times.
My MB temperature is about 40c idle, 50C overload.
My GPU temperatures are about 45C idle, 60-70C overload.
I modified the casing with a big cooler blowing wind right on the side of the GPUs, it's a cooler that was taken out a server, so it's very potent. I do not know the brand, but the fan is awesome. I also poked holes in a square format each centimeter so that the air could flow through.

The case itself has coolers on the HD, a cooler that leads the air out and the top side has a ventilation system as well.

Running with only GPU resulted in the same behavior. The GPUs are factory settings.

I have not tried the latest updates for Windows 7, I'm going to try it. And yes, I do use it 64 bits.

What intrigues me is that the computer functions quite well while using Mac OS X 10.6.2 whereas freezes randomly while using Windows 7 64 bits.

 

[zach538467]

Have you tried testing the sticks of ram individually? Strange that it runs fine in OSX though. Also you could try downclocking the ram to 1066.

 

[rosenberg]

I went to check the bios and apparently I misspoke, the default settings are 1066mhz, I have not tried the ram individually, but I figured the problem wasn't it since I ran prime95 for 18 hours straight. Also, it could take a day or a few minutes for the freezing to happen, it's very random. I'm thinking it could be the version of Windows 7 I'm using, which has no updates..

 

[COLGeek]

You definitely need to apply all Windows 7 updates and see if it helps. Same for all of your drivers.

OS X uses is own set of drivers. Windows, something very different. You really can't compare the two directly.

We have now all but ruled out a hardware problem. Appears to be software. Get this thing updated ASAP and we'll proceed from there.

Good luck!