Comp Freezes Randomly

[Android412]

About a week ago my computer started freezing randomly. Could be almost anything, but seems to be "mostly" when i'm using my net connection at medium to high levels. Could be with torrents, games, or just surfing a page with lots of pics, or news sites combined with Firefox's drag to tab feature(multiple tabs open at once).

At first I thought it might have been the contact with the heat sink on my CPU (took it off recently to clean dust from vents), but have since replaced the paste.

Thought it could have been a bad stick of RAM, just by the symtoms, but ran Memtest on them, and seems fine.

Dont think its an over heating problem because for the last couple days I've been running my comp with the side off the case, thinking it was overheating, but it still happens.

My last thought might be the power supply, but I dont really now how to test that, other then get a new one to see if it solves the problem.

Any other ideas on this?

Android412

 

[Android412]

Anybody?

BTW Spyware and virus scans have been done as well.

 

[1badtech]

If you already ruled out spyware and virus, do a test on the hard drive to make sure that it doesn't have any parity error. Have you defragged your drive lately? Might want to do a disk cleanup and defrag.

 

[Heeter]

Could be just corrupted software too. Do what 1Badtech (Luvz the name, LOLOL) suggests,

Then maybe start removing and reinstalling some suspect software. You said that it could happen when certain software is working, start with those.

Heeter

 

[Maroon]

Freezes are very rarely caused by soft ware.
Hard ware drivers it could be, but not likely unless you haven't changed anything recently.

It's most likely a hard ware problem.


The most usual causes for computer freezes are due to over heating.
Check your CPU temperature in BIOS "hard ware monitor" and check that the CPU fan works properly.

You say scan disk checks your drive for consistency automatically.

That would suggest a hard drive problem.

If you have several hard drives on the computer, try to install the OP system on the other hard drive and then disconnect the other one for a while.

Just to see if that helps.

It can also be caused by a graphic card problem, a motherboard problem or more rarely a ram problem.

 

[lancer]

I also think its a heating issue, it seems to freeze just at the point where the CPU is being used at its max, opening firefox will generally spike the cpu, so i'm inclined to think thats what it is. I would take the cpu out again, make sure all the pins on the cpu are straight and none are bent, totally clean off all paste. Then reapply the paste reseat the heatsink.

I would download a heat monitering software if your mobo supports it, i'm sure someone here can help you with that.

 

[mlakrid]

I also think its a heating issue, it seems to freeze just at the point where the CPU is being used at its max, opening firefox will generally spike the cpu, so i'm inclined to think thats what it is. I would take the cpu out again, make sure all the pins on the cpu are straight and none are bent, totally clean off all paste. Then reapply the paste reseat the heatsink.

I would download a heat monitering software if your mobo supports it, i'm sure someone here can help you with that.

darn it your too fast lancer thats exactly what I was thinking...

like he said, remove cpu, clean with ispropyl alcohol, repaste, reseat.. check and see.. and dont trust your temp monitor from the desktop they are normally incorrect, do a restart and check it from bios

let us know how it goes...

 

[Android412]

Well took out the CPU to look for bent pins, but none were. I'll repaste it in the morning.

Tried uninstalling some recent software programs that might be suspect, defragged, and tried some ****ty PSU that I had that came with my case. Thought one of them worked because after trying my best to make it freeze for 40 mins before work (didn't), my gf checked to make sure it was still running before she went to work 4 hours later (it was). But alas when I came home from work it was frozen. Although it was hella hot in my room because it looked like it was gonna rain hear, and my "smart" gf closed the window and the door.

Where can I get a prog to test for a "parity error" of my HD?

 

[mlakrid]

You still didnt do a temp check after normal use of the PC...

Can you do this for us?

I wouldn't suspect a bad HDD unless you see this kind of activity many times after saving to the HDD...

Temps.. give us your TEMPS....

Use prime95 or any other burn-in software and see how badly your temps rise after about 30 mins

We can help you better when we have ruled out a bad thermal issue...

 

[Android412]

Using Motherboard Moniter I get 44-48C idle (time of day, room gets hotter), under load they go to 52-58C. Either way, when it does freeze I go to the BIOS as quick as possible and it usually says 49-54C. Seems faily normal considering its summer and all.

I'm starting to suspect an over heating HDD, as I went out and bought a new PSU, and while doing some cable management during installation, noticed the HDD was VERY hot. As well as the North bridge cooler (passive) was extremely warm. Since its fairly cheap to get active coolers for both of these, figure I will, couldn't hurt either way.

After that if it's still happening, I think its time for a format of my HDD. Been a good 6-7 months anyway, not too mention I've noticed some stange behavior with Firefox, even after a re-install. (cant login to hotmail, yet my gf's is fine, as well as IE is fine, and yes I tried clearing the cookies)

Thanks again everyone helping with this.

Android412

 

[mlakrid]

Thats warm, but I wouldnt think that would crash your system.

What do you have in the way of cooling?

I.E. how many fans? size, type, CFM?

 

[Android412]

I have a 120mm rear exhaust fan, 120mm PSU fan, stock intel heat sink fan, and the stock fan on my 9600xt.

There's an intake port/tube over the CPU. (http://www.hardcoreware.net/reviews/review-190-2.htm) Would love to put a fan over that, but holes don't line up right, and would also like to put some sort of intake fan at the front of my case, but there just isn't anywhere to put one. Thats why I figure the HDD cooler would work great as its right over the intake holes/vents.

 

[celticfan11]

this is what i do to rule out overheating. Clean the case of dust as much as possible. Open the side of the case. Take a house fan ( a nice high powered one, and a nice big one) stick that puppy right next to the computer. run your computer and if it freezes, i dont see how it could be a heat issue.

 

[Android412]

Well, narrowed it down to the MB, still under warr., so it's getting RMA'd.

Thanks for everyones help.

 

[Shamus MacNoob]

this is what i do to rule out overheating. Clean the case of dust as much as possible. Open the side of the case. Take a house fan ( a nice high powered one, and a nice big one) stick that puppy right next to the computer. run your computer and if it freezes, i dont see how it could be a heat issue.

Yep thats the way to test for over heating !

 

[supabertbert]

What about laptop overheating? any way to cool it down?

 

[dreamliner77]

yeah, get a cool pad for it.

 

[Admiral Michael]

yeah, get a cool pad for it.

Or build your own!

http://homemadelaptopcooler.blogspot.com/

If you want to use it on your lap, Id suggest attaching a flat botton to it.

I made a similiar idea way back, a fan that redirects air into the laptop's cpu vent. It was only made out or paper in the beginning but it worked well. Aw well.

 

[mlakrid]

LOL

Well that works for HOME use...

heh