My computer keeps freezing

[fudgeavers]

A few months ago, i upgraded my motherboard, CPU and RAM in my custom PC. Ever since then, my computer would randomly freeze up on me and the only solution is a hard reboot. At one point i also got a boot disk error and i selected the restore normal settings and restart option. I haven't had that error since, but the freezing is still happening. My computer freezes up on me at the earliest at boot up and then there were times where it would be hours before it freezes up. It usually freezes up while watching videos or playing games. I have tried every other possibility, i've updated drivers, there's no overheating and there are no viruses. I think its a computer issue and not windows as i have looked up windows 10 freezing issues and when i do those solutions, it still freezes. I suspect it to either be a CPU or a RAM issue, but i'm not totally sure. Please write back and ask any questions you need from me.
Specs:
CPU: Intel Core i5 6500
RAM: Corsair Vengance 8 GB, DDR4 2400MHz.
GPU: Geforce Gtx 760
Power Supply: Corsair CX 500
motherboard: Gigabyte z170x Gaming 7

 

[clarkjd]

A few months ago, i upgraded my motherboard, CPU and RAM in my custom PC. Ever since then, my computer would randomly freeze up on me and the only solution is a hard reboot. At one point i also got a boot disk error and i selected the restore normal settings and restart option. I haven't had that error since, but the freezing is still happening. My computer freezes up on me at the earliest at boot up and then there were times where it would be hours before it freezes up. It usually freezes up while watching videos or playing games. I have tried every other possibility, i've updated drivers, there's no overheating and there are no viruses. I think its a computer issue and not windows as i have looked up windows 10 freezing issues and when i do those solutions, it still freezes. I suspect it to either be a CPU or a RAM issue, but i'm not totally sure. Please write back and ask any questions you need from me.
Specs:
CPU: Intel Core i5 6500
RAM: Corsair Vengance 8 GB, DDR4 2400MHz.
GPU: Geforce Gtx 760
Power Supply: Corsair CX 500
motherboard: Gigabyte z170x Gaming 7

Welcome to Tom's!
When you "upgraded" CPU, MB, and Ram, did you do a clean install of Windows?

 

[fudgeavers]

A few months ago, i upgraded my motherboard, CPU and RAM in my custom PC. Ever since then, my computer would randomly freeze up on me and the only solution is a hard reboot. At one point i also got a boot disk error and i selected the restore normal settings and restart option. I haven't had that error since, but the freezing is still happening. My computer freezes up on me at the earliest at boot up and then there were times where it would be hours before it freezes up. It usually freezes up while watching videos or playing games. I have tried every other possibility, i've updated drivers, there's no overheating and there are no viruses. I think its a computer issue and not windows as i have looked up windows 10 freezing issues and when i do those solutions, it still freezes. I suspect it to either be a CPU or a RAM issue, but i'm not totally sure. Please write back and ask any questions you need from me.
Specs:
CPU: Intel Core i5 6500
RAM: Corsair Vengance 8 GB, DDR4 2400MHz.
GPU: Geforce Gtx 760
Power Supply: Corsair CX 500
motherboard: Gigabyte z170x Gaming 7

Welcome to Tom's!
When you "upgraded" CPU, MB, and Ram, did you do a clean install of Windows?

 

[fudgeavers]

No i didn't perform a clean install. I dont even know where my windows disc is.

 

[clarkjd]

No i didn't perform a clean install. I dont even know where my windows disc is.

What version of Windows are you using?
The problem with not doing a clean install, is that when Windows is installed, it determines what other components you have, and installs basic drivers for them during the Windows install. When you upgraded your CPU, motherboard, and ram, the current windows didn't get a chance to get the right basic drivers for the new CPU and MB. That could lead to instabilities. It is a wonder that it even booted at all!

 

[jr9]

Clean install always is step #1 when the motherboard changes. I would not even continue troubleshooting until you've done this first. If you can't find your Windows disk or you had an OEM copy then I would purchase a new Windows 10 license through Microsoft. If you are not using Windows 10 then you can find resellers offering older versions of Windows although they are not ideal for the Skylake platform and support is limited.

 

[fudgeavers]

No i didn't perform a clean install. I dont even know where my windows disc is.

What version of Windows are you using?
The problem with not doing a clean install, is that when Windows is installed, it determines what other components you have, and installs basic drivers for them during the Windows install. When you upgraded your CPU, motherboard, and ram, the current windows didn't get a chance to get the right basic drivers for the new CPU and MB. That could lead to instabilities. It is a wonder that it even booted at all!

Sorry I forgot to say that, I’m using Windows 10

 

[antonio.parrot]

You can do some things for diagnose:


a) check your memory (simply type memory at cortana hole and go on).
b) unload and run "intel processor diagnostic tool" for checking CPU.
c) look at event viewer for a clue.

about windows 10:
if you are using a digital activated windows 10 can perform a clean install with the windows tool.
do you any trouble with the digital license when change the mobo?

 

[clarkjd]

No i didn't perform a clean install. I dont even know where my windows disc is.

What version of Windows are you using?
The problem with not doing a clean install, is that when Windows is installed, it determines what other components you have, and installs basic drivers for them during the Windows install. When you upgraded your CPU, motherboard, and ram, the current windows didn't get a chance to get the right basic drivers for the new CPU and MB. That could lead to instabilities. It is a wonder that it even booted at all!

Sorry I forgot to say that, I’m using Windows 10

Go to the Microsoft website, and search for the Windows 10 media creation tool. follow the instructions to create a bootable DVD or USB flash drive. Backup any data you want to save to offline storage. Use the media you created to perform a clean install of Windows. Restore the data you backed up. You will also have to re-install any programs or apps.

 

[fudgeavers]

You can do some things for diagnose:


a) check your memory (simply type memory at cortana hole and go on).
b) unload and run "intel processor diagnostic tool" for checking CPU.
c) look at event viewer for a clue.

about windows 10:
if you are using a digital activated windows 10 can perform a clean install with the windows tool.
do you any trouble with the digital license when change the mobo?

I ran the tests and there was no problem. It maybe a windows issue. I tried doing the reset option and it failed three times. Is there an alternative?

 

[johnbl]

you have to reinstall windows, then update the bios and motherboard drivers from the motherboard vendors website.
Otherwise the install will be using limited alternate hardware setting (interrupts and dma channels)

if you fail to enter bios and toggle a setting or not update the bios then the bios will not rebuild the database of hardware settings it sends to windows plug and play.

You can do some things for diagnose:


a) check your memory (simply type memory at cortana hole and go on).
b) unload and run "intel processor diagnostic tool" for checking CPU.
c) look at event viewer for a clue.

about windows 10:
if you are using a digital activated windows 10 can perform a clean install with the windows tool.
do you any trouble with the digital license when change the mobo?

I ran the tests and there was no problem. It maybe a windows issue. I tried doing the reset option and it failed three times. Is there an alternative?

 

[fudgeavers]

So I tried using the media creation tool and it froze during the installation.

 

[clarkjd]

So I tried using the media creation tool and it froze during the installation.

Did you run the Media Creation tool on the machine that is having issues? If so, try running it on a known good machine to create a good install image.

 

[fudgeavers]

So I tried using the media creation tool and it froze during the installation.

Did you run the Media Creation tool on the machine that is having issues? If so, try running it on a known good machine to create a good install image.

I did run it on the machine having issues. Arent i suppose to do that? How do i run it to make a good install image on another system?

 

[clarkjd]

I did run it on the machine having issues. Arent i suppose to do that? How do i run it to make a good install image on another system?

Run it on a known good machine. All you are doing is creating the actual Install media, either a DVD or a flash drive, not anything machine specific. After you have created the install image, make sure that the new PC is set to boot from whatever media you created. You will have to go into the BIOS to do this. Put the install media into the new PC, and turn it on. Follow the prompts, and you should be good to go!

 

[fudgeavers]

I did run it on the machine having issues. Arent i suppose to do that? How do i run it to make a good install image on another system?

Run it on a known good machine. All you are doing is creating the actual Install media, either a DVD or a flash drive, not anything machine specific. After you have created the install image, make sure that the new PC is set to boot from whatever media you created. You will have to go into the BIOS to do this. Put the install media into the new PC, and turn it on. Follow the prompts, and you should be good to go!

Thank you. i will try that when i can. That may fix it.

 

[fudgeavers]

I did run it on the machine having issues. Arent i suppose to do that? How do i run it to make a good install image on another system?

Run it on a known good machine. All you are doing is creating the actual Install media, either a DVD or a flash drive, not anything machine specific. After you have created the install image, make sure that the new PC is set to boot from whatever media you created. You will have to go into the BIOS to do this. Put the install media into the new PC, and turn it on. Follow the prompts, and you should be good to go!

So I got the windows 10 download on a flash drive and I put it on my computer selected clean install and then I got to the partition selection and it says that it’s formatted wrong and I need to format it to FAT32. How do I do that?

 

[clarkjd]

So I got the windows 10 download on a flash drive and I put it on my computer selected clean install and then I got to the partition selection and it says that it’s formatted wrong and I need to format it to FAT32. How do I do that?

You do NOT want to format your HDD as FAT32! NTFS is the correct standard to use.
How was the flash drive that you used for the install formatted?

 

[fudgeavers]

hey guys i got windows reinstalled. Ive had one freeze so far. Im installing drivers now. its been about one hour

 

[fudgeavers]

Im trying to update the BIOS, but the file says it cant be opened cause theres no app that supports it

 

[clarkjd]

Im trying to update the BIOS, but the file says it cant be opened cause theres no app that supports it

You should follow the BIOS update procedure EXACTLY as listed in the owner's manual for your motherboard.

 

[fudgeavers]

i updated BIOS. Could this possibly fix the issue? Cause reinstalling windows didn't fix it

 

[fudgeavers]

Im trying to update the BIOS, but the file says it cant be opened cause theres no app that supports it

You should follow the BIOS update procedure EXACTLY as listed in the owner's manual for your motherboard.

I reinstalled windows and updated bios and nothing has changed. It still randomly freezes

 

[clarkjd]

I reinstalled windows and updated bios and nothing has changed. It still randomly freezes

Have you installed ALL the chipset drivers for your motherboard?
If you have and you are still having freezes, then we have to look elsewhere.
Freezes tend to be memory related, So I would try running Memtest86 for several passes(if possible). Is your memory listed as compatible in the QVL for your motherboard? Is it an 8G kit or a single stick? Try using a single stick in one of the other slots on the motherboard.

 

[fudgeavers]

I reinstalled windows and updated bios and nothing has changed. It still randomly freezes

Have you installed ALL the chipset drivers for your motherboard?
If you have and you are still having freezes, then we have to look elsewhere.
Freezes tend to be memory related, So I would try running Memtest86 for several passes(if possible). Is your memory listed as compatible in the QVL for your motherboard? Is it an 8G kit or a single stick? Try using a single stick in one of the other slots on the motherboard.

One thing I found during memtest was that it said it found 4 CPUs and only one was active if that’s an issue. I’m not home so I won’t know the end of the test until later. But hypothetically if it comes back with no errors and it’s still freezing. What should I try next? Also I have a single memory stick with 8 GB. And I do recall that when I looked on the website it didn’t have my specific 8 GB model on there, but it did say that other 4 GB and 16 GB models of the same brand were compatible.