New system freezes up

[jb6503]

Hello,
I recently built a new gaming rig with parts from newegg.com. The assembly process and initial boot went pretty well, but as soon as I installed W7 and loaded up the (correct) drivers for my Mobo and components the system began crashing frequently (every ~5 minutes). When it does crash, the screen freezes up and is completely unresponsive. The crashes can occur anytime, including the splash screen and BIOS. Occasionally, the system even turns itself off prior to the splash screen. I initially thought the problem was due to faulty drivers, but it persisted even when I loaded up the outdated drivers from the disk included with my Mobo. I tested the ram, but Windows memory check came up with nothing and the "Mem OK!" light is off. I want to get this thing working ASAP, so anything anyone can think of will be considered. Thanks!


Specs below:


Cpu: Intel i7 3770k
Gpu: Geforce 680 GTX
MOBO: P8 Z77-V LK
RAM: 16 GB (4x4) Corsair Vengeance LP (running at 1333)
PSU: 750 Watt
HDD: 2 TB WD Caviar Green at SATA 6.0 GB/s

 

[nafoni]

There are better RAM tests out there than the Windows one.

Do you hear any beeps when you turn on your computer or see any special messages in the BIOS screen that pops up before the Windows log-on?

 

[jb6503]

No beeps or anything of that sort, the bios and splash screen are both error free. I'm considering testing with 2 sticks of ram instead of four. Worth doing?

 

[nafoni]

1 by 1 ideal.
Use memtest http://memtest86.com/.

Check windows event viewer for any critical errors.

 

[jb6503]

I'll give it a shot, thanks.

 

[nafoni]

Click the "free download" on the left side of the screen if you didn't notice.

Should be instructions on that page.

 

[pjmelect]

The Windows memory test is only very basic and you should use memtest86 4.0 for at least three passes to test the memory. Even if the memory test passes I would still be suspicious of the memory, try just a single stick.

 

[rallymcwilliams]

I had a very similar problem with my build -- it would just freeze randomly in place, no BSOD or error message, just unresponsive mouse and keyboard etc. Used to happen anywhere between 30 seconds and 3 hours of use. I'd have to hard reset every time.

After updating drivers, running memtest and scouring forums, someone suggested to update/flash the BIOS. Needless to say after I did, the freezing stopped and I've had no issues since then. That was around 2 months ago.

When updating BIOS, make sure you download a compatible version from your motherboards website and follow the instructions carefully. I don't remember the exact steps but this link is pretty close to what I did:

http://www.wikihow.com/Update-Your-Computer's-BIOS

Pretty much involves checking your current BIOS version, backing up if possible, copying the new BIOS file to a disc or USB drive (I used a DVD) and selecting the disc or USB as the boot drive. Your computer will recognize you are updating and prompt you from there.

Hope that helps.