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Hey Ryan - So how did it go in safe mode?? Did it still randomly freeze??
JIM
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It has not froze in safe mode, but that doesn't mean it won't. I will have to play around with it some more. My computer doesn't always freeze while doing something. It will sometimes freeze while on internet, some video games, and in the past it froze a few times at log-in. It freezes in stand-by most of the time. All the freezes must be reset by restarting the computer through power switch/reset button. I can play a particular game all day and it wont freeze, next day it may freeze 3 times, next day may freeze once, ect. The freezes are completely random. Let me clarify on something I should have noted earlier. Computer has froze while playing fallout 3 (other games I said it doesn't freeze in), but it mostly freezes in the games I specified. Far as I know, it's random. That is why i don;t know where to start, so I try things that come to mind. (it's bad, but only way for me now that my knowledge with computer is exhausted).
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These are the worst kinds of faults to try and diagnose Ryan...random events which seem to follow no discernible pattern. That's why I have stressed the importance of following a strict process of elimination rather than just trying things as you think of them.
I realise that going through that process is a pain but if you can persevere through it we will have some answers at the end.
I am continuing to ponder your situation and trying to come up with possible causes....from all that you have said I lean slightly towards graphics card/driver as the most likely culprit but that is a pure guess. You said, in an earlier post, that you manually set the memory voltage in BIOS....I am assuming you did that because the default voltage in BIOS was not the same as recommended by the RAM manufacturer? Did you change anything else in BIOS?
cheers mate.....JIM
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My bios is at default settings at the moment. I double checked and the mobo is running all the voltages nicely. I have a PCI (not express) 256mb graphics card that I am thinking about putting in and testing that. Also have a power supply..but it is a 380watt. My friend was using my comp and said it froze 3 times streaming youtube, so I am going to stream youtube in safemode.
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I left youtube on playlist for an hour or so and comp didn't freeze in safemode.
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Okay....well that certainly is starting to sound like a software problem then or possibly graphics card/driver. Try removing the graphics card altogether and run the machine in normal mode using just the integrated graphics for a while. You won't be able to play any graphics intensive games properly but streaming media, etc. should still be fine.
JIM
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I'm pretty sure sure that my motherboard does not have integrated graphics. Shall I try the 256mb PCI card i brought got? FYI for the thread, i will be out of town this week.
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Hey Ryan - Check your BIOS to see if any RAM has been dedicated for graphics...if not, yes give the 256mb card a try.
Talk to you when you get back......have a safe trip,
JIM
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I put the graphics card in and it still freezes. Since it doesn't freeze in safe-mode does that say it is going to be drivers?
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Hey Ryan - The fact that the machine doesn't freeze when in safe mode strongly suggests that the problem is software related....could be a driver, but I somehow doubt it. What is the status of all the items displayed in 'Device Manager'....are there any listed devices accompanied by a yellow (not working properly!) icon? If that is all clear I suggest you try the following:
1) Make sure all drivers are up to date and definitely 64bit. If you find that all drivers meet the criteria move on to no.2.
2) Ensure that all installed 3rd party software is either dedicated 64bit version or at least definitely supports 64bit. Uninstall anything which cannot be proven to be 64bit. I suggest you visit the publisher's site if in doubt. If that is all clear move on to no.3.
3) Download and run [url=http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/shexview.html:hxqbei1e]ShellExView (zip)[/url:hxqbei1e] from Nirsoft (no install). From the generated list 'disable' all non Microsoft shell extensions. Operate the machine as normal and if it doesn't freeze up, re-enable each extension, one at a time, until the freezing happens again and that will be the culprit. If the freezing continues even with those shell extensions disabled move on to no.4.
4) Run msconfig, select 'services' and disable all non Microsoft items**. Once again, if the machine no longer freezes, start re-enabling each service, one at a time until the machine starts freezing again and that will be the culprit......if that doesn't do it there isn't a no.5!!
**As this will include some security services it's best done while offline (i.e. disconnected from the net). If you wish to test online I suggest you leave any security related services enabled during the process, after making sure they are definitely 64bit.
That's about all I can come with mate.....if none of that fixes the problem I really don't know what else to suggest. Anyway, if the computer continues to freeze after eliminating those possibilities please post back Ryan...someone else may have some other ideas.
cheers....JIM
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ok, wow. sorry I've been AWOL...it's been hectic in my house.
Looks like you've run the gamut of things that could possibly be wrong. I kind of skimmed over everything, so I may repeat things Jim (awesome job by the way) already said:
If your BIOS is at defaults, and you've done a fresh install on Windows, and you're still getting random freezes throughout the day, then it seems unlikely to be caused by software settings or configuration. Drivers could still be an issue.
Something you mentioned that stood out to me: [i:20ia9vpp]it doesn't crash playing Fallout 3, but it crashes mostly when on the Internet[/i:20ia9vpp]. Immediately, I start thinking NIC failure. Have you gone through your Event Viewer to look for any alarms or alerts? I had one computer that had a NIC failure and it presented itself as garbled sound. Never did figure out how the NIC failing caused the sound to get screwed up.
Do you have an onboard NIC or is it a separate card? Either way, I recommend finding a cheap NIC from a friend or a drawer somewhere and throwing that in there and giving it a whirl. Make sure to disable the onboard NIC in the BIOS. If you don't have a NIC, one thing you can do is disable the NIC in the BIOS, start up Windows, and use it like crazy (except for the Internet). See what kind of results you get then.
I'd try Jim's advice first though. A pain, yes, but hardware issues (especially the random ones) are a pain. If nothing there turns up anything useful, I would start to suspect the NIC or the Motherboard. The Safe mode thing bothers me though.
I'll try not to disappear again.
--zig
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I'm not familiar with what NIC means. Also, event viewer shows nothing. I can record exact time of the freeze, look at event viewer after it restarts and there is nothing at the time of the freeze. Now, it does freeze playing fallout 3 or other games (Rarely). But all I have to do is play a playlist on youtube and its frozen in less than 10 minuets. When the computer freezes whatever sound was playing gets put on a short loop like: If game plays the sound "move out" and the computer freezes it will sound like "ououououououououou". Don't know if that helps. The computer doesn't freeze in safemode to my knowledge. I ran a youtube playlist for 2 hours and it didn't freeze. I'm sure its not any programs, I think it maybe drivers. I'm starting to think Vista 64 hates my hardware.
If NIC is the network card, motherboard has two built in (brand new mobo, not a refurb). I will have to buy one from best buy and RETURN IT AHAHAHAHAHA!
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yes, NIC is network card. They cost as little as 10 dollars online.
This is a custom built machine, right? Might be time to involve the Hardware manufacturer. I'd start with the MoBo folks, explain the symptoms, explain your troubleshooting steps. They know their hardware and may be able to help you pinpoint it.
I've been off and on here lately, can you run through all the troubleshooting done to this point? Have you done a barebone boot up at all?
--zig
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Well I fixed it. Took out all but one stick of ram and installed windows. Updated windows and put in 3 more sticks of ram. Everything works. Asus spent a lot of time with me.
I wanted to thank all of you for your help and I want all of you to know how much I appreciate it.
Ohh and...That's a big FAIL to microsoft...
Thanks again,
Ryan
Ohh I'll be back when something else messes up...or I can share what little i know.
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