It could be the power supply, but I just don't understand how? The computer freezes at login screen...before the login screen (right after Windows loads but before the login screen). It freezes when doing random crap in windows (internet, folder borwsing). Freezes a lot when I play Rome/Medieval 2 Total War. The least I have seen it freeze is when I play Fallout 3 (froze 3 times maybe in last 3 days when playing fallout compared to freezing three times in 20 mins for Medieval 2 Total War). I doubt its a power issue, but then again my knowledge is far limited to what I once thought it was...
Think I may need to go to the computer repair guy I know and to get it looked at? Just afraid he may mess it up or charge me an arm and a leg for something simple.
The rest of your computer isn't hot, so you're right, it may not be the power supply. The power supply is one of the main ventilation mechanisms in your machine, and if the fan in it fails, you'd be overheating everywhere.
However, if the power supply starts to go and is no longer delivering constant voltage to the motherboard/processor/GPU/etc then you could see the random freezes that you're talking about. And they would be completely random. It would be whenever the voltage spiked, dipped, did something that the hardware component didn't expect.
Since you reinstalled the OS, it would seem to point to a hardware issue. It could be your motherboard, processor, hard drive, or power supply.
But since this doesn't occur in safe mode, it sounds like a software issue. How long did you leave it in safe mode without freezes?
You've unfortunately run into one of those problems that's very very difficult to narrow down. If it is a hardware problem, the only way to narrow it down is to swap out hardware components until it no longer freezes.
--zig
[quote="GunWarrior26":poqdje60]This problem is harsh. Is it possible my hardware doesn't like Vista 64bit? It all says its vista ready and whatnot.[/quote:poqdje60]
Any recent hardware will work with Vista. It is the drivers that you need to worry about. A driver is much like a translator. You speak spanish. I speak Russian. We need a third party who speaks both to translate between us. If our translator isn't good - our conversation suffers.
BTW, I missed a reply somewhere up above... Those temps you mentioned did not seem out of line to me. 60c isn't bad for a CPU/GPU. Now, a hard drive would start to concern me at that temp.
I took my computer down to a computer repair guy that I know and he went to the log-in screen and said. Device manager is showing that you have a floppy and SCSI drive; you don't have a floppy or SCSI drive therefore I think it is your motherboard. So, I called ASUS today and got on their technical service list (they had too many calls) and I am going to get it replaced. It has a one year warranty so it shouldn't be too bad to get a new one. So, let's see if this works. I will update yall on if it works or not.
Anyway, do you all think this could be the problem? My motherboard again is a [u:1i9fcmpy]Striker II Extreme - nvidia 790i ultra sli[/u:1i9fcmpy]
Long story short, got my motherboard back today. Have a new processor Q9550. It is still freezing.I bought a new case for better air flow. I want to remind everyone that a few minuets after i reformatted it froze again. I'm going for what zig said, drivers or hardware. Doubt its my Motherboard/processor/memory (Mobo new, processor new/ ram was bought in middle of the issue). Where shall I start? Graphics card (just updated the drivers and it froze since then)?
Silly question(s) here. How much did you spend on the computer (just computer) and additional cost to fix the problem (parts and labour)? This should be the fine line of whether to keep solving the mystery or abandoning all hope.
Ops! You are using Vista , Mindblower!
"For the needy, not the greedy"
Hi GunWarrior - Lots of reports of this problem with Vista 64bit systems...not much help in the solutions department though. It seems different solutions have worked for different users, there doesn't appear to be any common denominator. Many have suggested it is caused by their mouse and have reverted to using PS2 mouse and keyboard...that seems to be the most common fix. Another reported possible cause is, of course, drivers (you have covered that pretty much with Zig and Dave)....in particular, graphics driver and/or card.
The fact that your freezing problem is occurring very early on in the process suggests to me that it is most likely hardware driven. Start looking outside the obvious/norm and check all peripheral devices as well as main hardware. Disconnect all peripheral devices, try using a PS2 mouse...if none of that works start disconnecting hardware within the tower, ROM drives, RAM and any extra cards (modem, sound, graphics)..one by one. It is a long winded procedure but that process of elimination is way better than attempting to guess what the problem [i:36kgojjh]might[/i:36kgojjh] be and address it based on assumption.
BTW: Have you applied SP1 to your Vista OS??
good luck....JIM
Next week I am getting another power supply and graphics card to through in and see if that doesn't fix anything. I am going to try and find a ps2 mouse and see if that won't work. I am using a Logitech mouse/keyboard right now. Its odd really: Computer=doesn't freeze while playing Fallout 3. Computer=Freezes most when using the internet.
Only hardware I have plugged in is sound card that came with motherboard and Graphics card. Not sure if I have SP1, Windows update doesnt ask me to download anything but language packs and some dumb ultimate extras.
If my graphics driver is up to date, shouldn't it work correctly on my computer (that's to say there isn't anything wrong with my GPU)?
It an MSI Nvidia Geforce 8800 GTS 512 with most recent drivers.
Also, how exactly can a PSU cause freezing?
700 Watt Coolmax (CUG-700B)
Anyway, I will get back to yall after i throw in my test PSU and/or GPU.
Ryan - It's important to know whether or not you have SP1 installed. Go to control panel/system and under the heading..."View basic information about your computer" SP1 will be listed if it is installed....if it isn't listed there I strongly suggest you install SP1 before going any further. Why?...because a lot of information I have read tells me that a fair number of the 64bit system's freezing problems were solved with the installation of SP1.
Just because your graphics driver is up to date doesn't necessarily mean everything in that department is okay...the graphics card itself may be faulty or not quite seated correctly.
It's ironic you should mention using 'Logitech' for mouse and keyboard as that is the brand which has been named many times in connection with the 64bit freezes.
A faulty PSU can cause freezes under certain circumstances, if the power supply being produced for certain devices is underdone or spiking it will cause the machine to freeze, for others it will switch off altogether. I really doubt this would be the cause of your problem...it is a possibility but IMO an unlikely one.
Ryan....it seems to me you are still attacking this problem in a somewhat higgledy-piggledy fashion....sorry mate but you need to formulate a strategy involving eliminating items one at a time, from most likely onwards. Here is a list in the order as I see it (and check machine for stability after each step):
1) Check for installation of SP1...if it is not installed, do so.
2) Run in safe mode...this will help identify the most likely culprit, e.g. not freezing in safe mode = most likely software related...still freezing in safe mode = most likely hardware. (If the machine runs for an elongated period of time in safe mode without any freezes, please discontinue testing and report back asap..
3) Temporarily replace existing mouse and keyboard with PS2 types.
4) Check inside tower and make sure all connections are tight and secure...including any drive cables and cards (remove cards and reseat if unsure). Check to make sure all fans are working properly.
5) Remove 2GB RAM (of the 4GB you have) and try running the machine with just 2GB...some have reported that this fixed the freezing problem for them (although I doubt it will for you - still, worth a try).
6) Begin disconnecting/removing internal hardware devices (as mentioned previously), one at a time, rebooting after each disconnect.
If, by the time your are running the machine bare bones, it is still freezing then you will have eliminated all those possibilities and you will have narrowed it down to just a few remaining options.
[i:1fqvure8]"Computer=doesn't freeze while playing Fallout 3. Computer=Freezes most when using the internet."[/i:1fqvure8]
Ryan, I thought you reported earlier that your computer was freezing at log-on? How are you connecting to the internet? Does it still freeze when offline and internet devices (e.g. modem/router) are disconnected?
cheers mate....JIM
Jim Hillier
Richard Pedersen
David Hartsock
Carol Bratt
dandl
Jason Shuffield
Jim Canfield
Terry Hollett
Stuart Berg
John Durso
1 Guest(s)