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I bought a desktop computer a few months back. About 3 months ago it started freezing at random intervals, sometimes as much as 2-3 times per day, other times as little as once per week. The specs are as follows

  • CPU: Intel Core i5 3570
  • Motherboard: ASUS P8Z77-V LX
  • Video Card: EVGA nVidia GTX 660 Superclocked
  • PSU: Corsair CX500M
  • RAM: Corsair Vengeance 1600MHz 8GB
  • HDDS: Sandisk Ultra-Plus 128GB SSD, Seagate Barracuda 1TB HDD

The freezes occur randomly, although i've never seen it freeze while in a fullscreen game, usually they occur while i'm browsing the internet/streaming a video, the most recent happened while half screening a game and a video.

I've sent it in to the manufacturer, they sent it back with nothing fixed claiming they couldn't get it to freeze at all. I sent it back, told them there HAD to be something wrong, they replaced the motherboard and video card, (yet still claimed they couldn't get it to freeze) the freezes still occur.

Steps I have Taken to Diagnose it

  • CPU: - I have ran a few CPU tests on it, so did the manufacturer, they've also run furmark on it, Lynx, and many other CPU tests that I did not. This is ONLY thing i'm actually suspicious of (just because EVERYTHING has been replaced BUT this), but apparently the manufacturer couldn't get the computer to freeze for them (over the span of 2 months btw)

  • Motherboard: - The motherboard was replaced, the problem persisted across both motherboards. The BIOS has been updated 3 times, problem persisted across all three. The only thing I could think of here would be that I have the motherboard set on default, (and so did the manufacturer) the problem has persisted whether i've manually timed the RAM and CPU speeds and all that, or if I have it defaulted, or if I use X.M.P

  • Video Card: - The Video card has been swapped out for a 5770, and a different 660, problem persisted across all

  • PSU: - The PSU has been replaced with a 600W Thermaltake TR2 and then back to the 500W, problem persisted across both

  • RAM: - Ran MemTestx86, and Windows Memory Diagnostic, swapped out the sticks for a different pair, problem persisted across both pairs. I've also bumped up the voltage at 0.05 intervals at the request of the manufacturer, still nothing.

  • OS: - Switched between Windows 7 and Windows 8, both clean installs, each has been installed 2-3 times to no avail, the ONLY thing I could consider would be that i'm not installing the drivers correctly? I went to the ASUS website, got the intel chipset driver, the intel management engine driver, realtek audio and lan driver, and the nvidia driver, don't know if I need anything else.

  • HDDS: - I've swapped out BOTH HDDs, the 1TB Seagate is a personal drive and I remove it whenever I send it out for repairs, but I don't suspect it to be the problem as it's been swapped out with a different drive too, and it still froze. I've tested the system with 2 different SATA cables, a Seagate Momentus 5400RPM HDD and a Brand new (now returned) Western Digital Caviar Blue, neither worked.

  • Other: - I've tried plugging in the computer to a different and secluded outlet, i've tried it with a different keyboard (Razer Lycosa --> Logitech G510S), and a different mouse (Razer Naga 2012 --> Razer Naga 2014) Still nothing

Additional Information

The temps are always within normal range on this PC, it has frozen with and without an antivirus, it is always running Razer Synapse in the background, which is the only thing consistent thus far. The only thing that changes between me having the computer and the manufacturer having the computer where it apparently doesn't freeze is the second HDD which has been swapped out and the problem persisted.

There is NEVER a BSOD, and the speakers don't loop, they just cut out.

The drivers i've installed

  • The current nVidia driver
  • The current Intel Chipset Driver
  • The current Intel Management Engine driver
  • The current Realtek Audio Driver
  • The current Realtek Lan Driver
  • Razer Synapse
  • Logitech Gaming Software

Aside from that, I can answer any further questions, I will greatly appreciate any help in solving what I can only assume is a ridiculously annoying mystery.

user268061
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    You did some very good tests. I would have set the case on fire by now. The only thing that I can see that may still be causing your problem may be the CPU. It is the only thing that has not been swopped out. Random freezing is 90% of the time RAM errors, but that has been checked. – StBlade Oct 30 '13 at 07:41
  • Thats a possibility, although it just seems so odd that i've sent this out to the manufacturer 2 times, each for a month and they've been unable to get it to freeze. You would think it would freeze for them if it were the CPU. They went as far as replacing $300 worth of components just in hopes of fixing it too, so they weren't just saying it didn't freeze. – user268061 Oct 30 '13 at 07:46
  • You don't maybe have another CPU that might fit on that socket, that you can test? – StBlade Oct 30 '13 at 07:50
  • Not at all, and the CPU is also a component i'd like to refrain from touching if I can get away with it. At the moment i'd like to dig through everything else before I get to it, as i'm taking their word on not the computer not freezing for them. – user268061 Oct 30 '13 at 07:52
  • When the PC "freezes", you need to be more descriptive with the symptoms. Is the keyboard dead? Do `caps lock`, `num lock` and/or `scroll lock` toggle their LEDs? Can you ping the PC from another computer? Does it respond to the 3-finger salute (Ctrl-Alt-Del)? BTW listing "current" for version numbers is ambiguous; the version could have been updated the next day, so you're running the older version. Try a different NIC. – sawdust Oct 30 '13 at 08:54
  • Take a look at the event log, it usually gives a clue on what's wrong. Just search for event viewer and look through all the logs. – Steen Schütt Oct 30 '13 at 10:37
  • I haven't tried the numlock/whatever but CTRL-ALT-DEL definitely doesn't work, i'll try that if it freezes again. The Versions are definitely "current" at the time I posted yesterday, I checked every single one to be sure. – user268061 Oct 30 '13 at 15:05
  • @TimeSheep I've actually done that, and it doesn't appear to show anything wrong, when a freeze occurs though, the Event Log says "The previous shutdown at – user268061 Oct 30 '13 at 15:07
  • Hey guys, new info, I just checked in BIOS and my processors voltage seemed a little low, 0.973V So I looked online and many people have theirs set at a bit higher voltage, now it's up to 1.031V, think that would help? – user268061 Oct 30 '13 at 15:35
  • It's a bit unlikely, too low voltage usually results in BSOD, but it should still help a bit stability-wise as long as your CPU doesn't overheat. – Steen Schütt Oct 31 '13 at 16:58
  • @sawdust I have a 40 computers networked running Windows-7 and have updated BitDefender. the same problem that the questioner said above happens for some of my computers randomly. and when I saw your comment, I understand that my case is exactly the same case that you explained in your comment. in my case mouse and keyboard and all USB ports disabled. I have the ping of the computer, but I can't do a remote desktop! Another computer trying to connect to the freezed computer,but after a prolonged trying, it can't connect. Do you have any Idea? – TheGoodUser Aug 26 '14 at 13:58
  • @sawdust I check the logs. and as indicated above, there is just : "the previous shutdown at – TheGoodUser Aug 26 '14 at 14:04
  • http://superuser.com/questions/26862/how-do-i-troubleshoot-a-windows-7-freeze-or-slowness – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 Nov 18 '14 at 15:00

1 Answers1

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First. You need to monitor what causes freezes. For Windows-8: open task manager then performance tab and then Resource monitor.

Second. Disconnect wireless and wired networks, to exclude some internet and lan related problems.

TheSAS
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  • That would be an idea, except the freezes can occur as little as once per week so first, monitoring that would be difficult, and second, it could take a very long time and I need this computer, although I AM using a keyboard that tells me my resources and core temps, so maybe I can glance at that if it freezes. – user268061 Oct 30 '13 at 07:54