Newbie homebuilder with random crash problems :(

[canucksfan]

Hi All

First post on TH , Ive read alot of articles on TH but couldn't find anything relating to the problem I am having with my newbuild. It randomly crashes while installing programs or starting them. Twice happened when i clicked on google chrome and other times ive left the computer to install something and come back to the "windows didn't shut down properly" screen with the safe mode options.
These are the parts:
Seagate barracuda 500G sata3gbs (from a previous build , around 3.5 years old)
Palit Radeon 4850 512mb video card ,also from previous build, same age.
I7 2600k - recently purchased not overclocked .
asus p8z68 v-pro gen 3 motherboard
OCZ Vertex 3 60GB 2.5IN SATA3 6Gbps Sandforce SF-2281
Corsair Vengeance 16GB 4X4GB DDR3-1600
Coolermaster Elite 370 case with 4 12cm fans
Antec Earthwatts Green 750W Power Supply
Lite-on Dvdrw drive

any help would be greatly appreciated , and again sorry if this problem has been addressed somewhere else, I just couldn't find it. Thank You.

 

[Raiddinn]

Start by downloading MemTest86, putting it on a CD, and booting with it.

Let it run while you are sleeping and tell us tomorrow if there are any errors detected.

 

[canucksfan]

alrite, sounds good. I should have mentioned before that I am also Running windows 7 64 bit os.

another thing I am a newb to alot of bios/drivers/software issues. so ill do my best to understand . Ill run memtest tonight and post tomorrow morning. thanks again

 

[Raiddinn]

While you are sitting around waiting for bedtime, right click on my computer, properties, advanced system settings, advanced tab, startup and recovery, settings, and make sure restart automatically is not checked.

You can check it again once this problem is resolved.

 

[canucksfan]

sorry, to boot with the cd I would have to change the boot menu priority in the bios or can i just put the disc in the computer before bed and it will do its thing?

 

[Raiddinn]

It wouldn't hurt to temporarily change the boot priority.

Put the CD in and see if it will try it. Many times the computer says "hit any key to boot from CD" quickly before it loads windows even if the hard drive is first in the lineup.

You would have to try it to see how your system will react.

 

[canucksfan]

While you are sitting around waiting for bedtime, right click on my computer, properties, advanced system settings, advanced tab, startup and recovery, settings, and make sure restart automatically is not checked.

You can check it again once this problem is resolved.

alrite it was checked so i unchecked it.

 

[Raiddinn]

That will make your computer give error messages instead of restarting. You can write those down and post them in here and maybe I can help point you to a cause better.

 

[canucksfan]

ran memtest during the afternoon and dinner and it says pass complete no errors, so far since turning it back on there has been no crash but it has only been abuot 5 minutes

 

[ebola28]

needs to run for 3 complete passes, at least

 

[canucksfan]

ahh sorrry about that, I will run it again over night, roughly how long does it normally take to do 3 passes? whats the recommended?

 

[ebola28]

3 complete passes can take anywhere from 2-8 hours. ive seen sticks pass the first 2, but fail on the third. once they pass the third, ive never seen them fail...

 

[Raiddinn]

I have seen errors start at the 5th pass and heard of them showing up even later (like 8 - 10), but generally the errors will come pretty soon.

It is always suggested people let this run while they are sleeping, though, and through the next work day if possible. Just to be on the safe side.

 

[canucksfan]

is there always a bunch of strange symbols on the screen under the top few lines of good information? it just ran for 11 hours but i cant find anywhere that indicates how many passes have happened. my keyboard is usb which I read sometimes wont work in memtest

 

[ebola28]

total passes is about a third of the way down from the top on the right hand side of the screen

 

[canucksfan]

hmmm I just looked at google image -> mem test screen shot and my screen doesnt appear like any of those. I dont have a total passes counter. I have a bunch of weird symbols and stuff going all over the screen except the top 3rd. I am running the newest version of memtest , could it be flawed?

 

[canucksfan]

ahhh was shovelling the drive and let the computer just sit and relax and came back to a blue error screen saying : "INTERNAL_POWER_ERROR"

any ideas?

 

[canucksfan]

http://www.fixerror.net/2009/10/fix-stop-0%C3%97000000a0-internal_power_error-in-windows-7/

tried what was said on the above link and it seemed to work, but then the computer crashed with no error screen just shut off.

 

[Raiddinn]

You increased the size of hiberfil.sys just fine?