Possible reasons for a system freeze.

[Dropz]

I have just installed my new RIG about a week or two ago.
The system is still having some issues.
One of those issues are total system freeze (even manual restart does not work , i have to hold shutdown) it happened about 5~10 times , not sure.
It mostly happened when playing BF3.


I want to know what are the possible causes for this issue in order to solve my problem and anyone else's as well.

The reasons i came up with after searching are.

Malfunctioned RAM stick/s
Malfunctioned RAM DIMM/s
Bad Graphics card drivers.
Weak PSU.
Onboard realtek audio issues.
Multiple monitoring/controlling software accessing the same device (like MSI afterburner and trixx at the same time , or GPU-Z and Afterburner at the same time)


What do i need to know is,
Are there other possibilities that i have not mentioned above ?
How to know which one is the problem ?

As for my case ,

I have tested all of my memory sticks (8 sticks on 8 dimms as i have a 64gb kit) with memtest86+ and after about 5 hours i got 1 pass 0 errors , and did not have the time to do that again.
The PSU is 1500w so , i do not think that this is the case.
Graphics card drivers are beta AMD catalyst 12.11 8.
We will eliminate the multiple monitoring software , cause it only happens when i try to open a monitoring software whilst another is running , which is not the case at the last few freezes.

I am left with onboard audio , and i do not know even how could this be a problem?
Or with bad graphics drivers , and i do not know how to be sure of that?
Or retesting with memtest86+ again?
Or any other option that i have overlooked!




Thanks for your help.

 

[dodger46]

Memory failure still top of the list of suspects. Did you try running Memtest86 from a boot disk to eliminate problems with memory already involved with OS? Also try running with one stick removed at a time, and in different slots. Remove all sticks and replace them, making absolutely sure no dust etc. Same with Graphics card. Another consideration is the quality of your RAM, assuming you're using a high end CPU, BF3 will stretch your system and cheap RAM might not cope...

 

[Dropz]

I have tested all of my memory sticks (8 sticks on 8 dimms as i have a 64gb kit) with memtest86+ and after about 5 hours i got 1 pass 0 errors , and did not have the time to do that again.

Memory failure still top of the list of suspects. Did you try running Memtest86 from a boot disk to eliminate problems with memory already involved with OS? Also try running with one stick removed at a time, and in different slots. Remove all sticks and replace them, making absolutely sure no dust etc. Same with Graphics card. Another consideration is the quality of your RAM, assuming you're using a high end CPU, BF3 will stretch your system and cheap RAM might not cope...

I have those G Skill Ripjaws Z 64GB Kit 2400 @ Newegg
And i am running them on default 1333 (i do not want to mess with the voltages VCCSA unless i know what i am messing with)
My motherboard is Rampage 4 extreme with 8 dimms.
all of the memory slots are occupied with all of the RAMs .
memtest86+ was installed on a bootable CD and was run before booting to windows.
Testing all of those RAMs took about 5 hours and i had 1 pass with 0 errors.
Do i need to do this again , knowing that i do not have that much time!

 

[dodger46]

Aside from an obscure Motherboard fault, RAM still favourite problem. You can easily afford to run your system with sticks missing to see if you can isolate the fault, with that amount of RAM I'm not surprised Memtest found little, suspect it would take a fair amount of time to complete one pass! Remove 4 sticks, one from each channel, and see if that achieves stability. If freezing continues, replace that 4 and try the other 4. If you get stability replace a pair at a time to isolate...

 

[Dropz]

I have just installed my new RIG about a week or two ago.

One of those issues are total system freeze (even manual restart does not work , i have to hold shutdown) it happened about 5~10 times , not sure.

Aside from an obscure Motherboard fault, RAM still favourite problem. You can easily afford to run your system with sticks missing to see if you can isolate the fault, with that amount of RAM I'm not surprised Memtest found little, suspect it would take a fair amount of time to complete one pass! Remove 4 sticks, one from each channel, and see if that achieves stability. If freezing continues, replace that 4 and try the other 4. If you get stability replace a pair at a time to isolate...

So , you are saying that i shall run more memtest86+ passes on less RAMs ?
How many passes do you think is enough ?

 

[dodger46]

No, suggest you run BF 3 as normal having removed 4 sticks RAM to see if it freezes! OK you'll suffer a performance drop, but it shouldn't freeze...

 

[deboyrunner]

Sorry, don't mean to be rude but did you look in the application log files. This tells you all sorts of interesting things. If you see a red error when it bombs... post it here or google it. I can't tell you how many of these issues are solved with a simple google search instead of guessing it.

 

[Ramzzz2936]

Memory failure still top of the list of suspects. Did you try running Memtest86 from a boot disk to eliminate problems with memory already involved with OS? Also try running with one stick removed at a time, and in different slots. Remove all sticks and replace them, making absolutely sure no dust etc. Same with Graphics card. Another consideration is the quality of your RAM, assuming you're using a high end CPU, BF3 will stretch your system and cheap RAM might not cope...

hey i have the same problem my computer freezs but only when i watch a video in full screen for about 5 to 10 min otherwise even when i am playing games it never freezes

 

[Dropz]

No, suggest you run BF 3 as normal having removed 4 sticks RAM to see if it freezes! OK you'll suffer a performance drop, but it shouldn't freeze...

I will try to do so!
But something may not happen at all.
The freeze is kind of rare , and i do not play that often.

Sorry, don't mean to be rude but did you look in the application log files. This tells you all sorts of interesting things. If you see a red error when it bombs... post it here or google it. I can't tell you how many of these issues are solved with a simple google search instead of guessing it.

Good idea , how can i find it knowing that the issue is a total system freeze that makes me use force shutdown.

hey i have the same problem my computer freezs but only when i watch a video in full screen for about 5 to 10 min otherwise even when i am playing games it never freezes

I do not know what could be the cause , but do test your rams if you like.
Search google for memtest86+ and download version 4.2.
Update your bios and make it on bootable cd and boot it , then let do some passes (i guess)

 

[Dropz]

I have done 2 extra memtest86+ passes with zero errors.
I have played for a while.
And i have been using the system for a while now with no freezes at all.
The last freeze was the one that was mentioned in this thread.

 

[dodger46]

OK. Maybe just re-seating the RAM sticks cured the problem... quite common!