[SOLVED] Random freezes while using Windows and in-game

[adriankellman]

I recently built my first gaming PC, and have been experiencing some strange freezes. Sometimes certain programs freeze up while using Windows, but I can still use everything else. I've also been experiencing some freezes while playing Just Cause 3, where the game freezes for 10ish seconds and repeats the last 1 second of audio. These freezes get more common the longer I have the game open. I do not believe my GPU is thermal throttling as it was running at around 70C and I have it set to max out at 92C.

Specs: i3-8500K (not overclocked yet), GTX 1060 6GB, 16GB 3000MHz RAM, 480GB Kingston SSD

Thanks in advance!

EDIT (SOLUTION!):
I pinned down that the SSD was the problem. I followed a YouTube tutorial (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HqYxVC_aoU) and downloaded the directory file that added more power settings for my SSD. I set it to "activated," restarted the computer, and voila! The computer was immediately noticeably faster, and the freezes are gone.

 

[Vic 40]

To get a better picture of your specs,

download hwinfo,
install and open it=click run,
close the top window which is the system summary,
in the main window at the left top click "save report",
at the bottom of the next window check "short text report",
after that you'll see what's in the pc,
copy by clicking "copy to clipboard" and rightclick+paste in your next respons

before you close the "system summary" look at the left side bottom quarter for your bios revision,like to know that too
Also like to know which psu=maker+model+wattage.

 

[adriankellman]

To get a better picture of your specs,

download hwinfo,
install and open it=click run,
close the top window which is the system summary,
in the main window at the left top click "save report",
at the bottom of the next window check "short text report",
after that you'll see what's in the pc,
copy by clicking "copy to clipboard" and rightclick+paste in your next respons

before you close the "system summary" look at the left side bottom quarter for your bios revision,like to know that too
Also like to know which psu=maker+model+wattage.

Computer: MSI MS-7B54
CPU: Intel Core i3-8350K (Coffee Lake-S, B0)
4000 MHz (40.00x100.0) @ 3399 MHz (34.00x100.0)
Motherboard: MSI Z370M MORTAR (MS-7B54)
BIOS: 1.20, 03/08/2018
Chipset: Intel Z370 (Kaby Lake)
Memory: 16384 MBytes @ 1066 MHz, 15-15-15-36
- 8192 MB PC23900 DDR4 SDRAM - Corsair CMW16GX4M2D3000C16
- 8192 MB PC23900 DDR4 SDRAM - Corsair CMW16GX4M2D3000C16
Graphics: MSI GTX 1060 Aero ITX OC/ARMOR OC
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB, 6144 MB GDDR5 SDRAM
Drive: KINGSTON SA400S37480G, 468.9 GB, Serial ATA 6Gb/s @ 6Gb/s
Sound: Intel Kaby Lake - High Definition Audio / cAVS (Audio, Voice, Speech) [A0]
Sound: NVIDIA GP106 - High Definition Audio Controller
Network: Intel Ethernet Connection I219-V
OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Home (x64) Build 17763.195 (1809/RS5)

My PSU is a Corsair CX450M

 

[Vic 40]

Latest bios is pretty recent o might want to update that.It brings betetr memory compatibility,maybe that helps.

Also ram is not working at rated specs,after the update set XMP to enabled. Use the option that brings your rams rated settings.

Also check temps for the cpu. Can be done with that same tool,

download hwinfo64,
install and open it,
check "sensors-only",
click "run".

obviously do you have the tool so only do the underscored bit.

Have the latest motherboard drivers as well?

 

[adriankellman]

Latest bios is pretty recent o might want to update that.It brings betetr memory compatibility,maybe that helps.

Also ram is not working at rated specs,after the update set XMP to enabled. Use the option that brings your rams rated settings.

Also check temps for the cpu. Can be done with that same tool,

download hwinfo64,
install and open it,
check "sensors-only",
click "run".

obviously do you have the tool so only do the underscored bit.

Have the latest motherboard drivers as well?

I have the latest motherboard drivers, yes. When I install the new BIOS updates do I install all of the ones I need or just the most recent one?

 

[Vic 40]

You download the latest bios "Version 7B54v15", unpack it, then put it on an empty usb stick (just to be sure),that stick needs to be formatted Fat32 but most usually are, then shut down the pc, after that put in the usb stick , after that start the pc,go into the bios,find the update tool there (M-Flash) and run it,make sure it recognizes the file on the usb stick. You probably could click "storage" in the bios first and see if the sub stick is recognized.

Do let it (M-Flash) run until complete,so do not interrupt!!

For the bios file,
https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/Z370M-MORTAR
this one came up when googling "MSI MS-7B54", make sure you have that motherboard!

 

[adriankellman]

You download the latest bios "Version 7B54v15", unpack it, then put it on an empty usb stick (just to be sure),that stick needs to be formatted Fat32 but most usually are, then shut down the pc, after that put in the usb stick , after that start the pc,go into the bios,find the update tool there (M-Flash) and run it,make sure it recognizes the file on the usb stick. You probably could click "storage" in the bios first and see if the sub stick is recognized.

Do let it (M-Flash) run until complete,so do not interrupt!!

For the bios file,
https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/Z370M-MORTAR
this one came up when googling "MSI MS-7B54", make sure you have that motherboard!

Thank you for your help so far. Do I install all the BIOS updates I've missed? Or just the most recent one? For example if I were to install a 9th gen Intel CPU in the future would I need to still install that specific update?

 

[Vic 40]

Just instal the latest. If you need a newer bios look for it in the future,but for now just the latest.

 

[adriankellman]

Just instal the latest. If you need a newer bios look for it in the future,but for now just the latest.

I updated the BIOS and did some poking around in the BIOS changing some settings I wanted and set my RAM frequency to 3000MHz. It says it's that in the BIOS now but when I check it with HWiNFO it says it's 1500.

 

[Vic 40]

Just instal the latest. If you need a newer bios look for it in the future,but for now just the latest.

I updated the BIOS and did some poking around in the BIOS changing some settings I wanted and set my RAM frequency to 3000MHz. It says it's that in the BIOS now but when I check it with HWiNFO it says it's 1500.

Times two is 3000. DDR = Double Data Rate. Make sure that timings are set correct as well. You could have just enabled XMP.

Lets see if you still have freezes.

 

[adriankellman]

Just instal the latest. If you need a newer bios look for it in the future,but for now just the latest.

I updated the BIOS and did some poking around in the BIOS changing some settings I wanted and set my RAM frequency to 3000MHz. It says it's that in the BIOS now but when I check it with HWiNFO it says it's 1500.

Times two is 3000. DDR = Double Data Rate. Make sure that timings are set correct as well. You could have just enabled XMP.

Lets see if you still have freezes.

Ohh duh lol. I haven't been having freezes lately, even before I updated the BIOS and changed the RAM frequency so it must have been some weird temporary thing. The stutters in Just Cause 3 have changed to just the music stuttering so it must be unrelated. Thanks for all your help though, it brought to my attention that my RAM wasn't working at its full potential and reminded me to overclock my CPU. Thank you!

 

[Vic 40]

If having stutters try and look at updating drivers as well.

Also look at cpu and gpu performance,how much they are used in game can be checked with MSI Afterburner or like this,

[strike]download hwinfo64,
install and[/strike] open it,
check "sensors-only",
click "run".

you already have the tool,but this keeps an eye on usage and sensor readings like temps as well, it just doesn't provide an overlay.

 

[adriankellman]

If having stutters try and look at updating drivers as well.

Also look at cpu and gpu performance,how much they are used in game can be checked with MSI Afterburner or like this,

[strike]download hwinfo64,
install and[/strike] open it,
check "sensors-only",
click "run".

you already have the tool,but this keeps an eye on usage and sensor readings like temps as well, it just doesn't provide an overlay.

Still having program freezes and in-game stutters. The whole system seems to temporarily freeze while playing since the monitor freezes so I think it's a problem with the SSD.

 

[adriankellman]

If having stutters try and look at updating drivers as well.

Also look at cpu and gpu performance,how much they are used in game can be checked with MSI Afterburner or like this,

[strike]download hwinfo64,
install and[/strike] open it,
check "sensors-only",
click "run".

you already have the tool,but this keeps an eye on usage and sensor readings like temps as well, it just doesn't provide an overlay.

Still having program freezes and in-game stutters. The whole system seems to temporarily freeze while playing since the system monitor freezes so I think it's a problem with the SSD. The programs on the desktop also like to temporarily flash away then back again, but I haven't fully used Windows before so I don't know if that's a normal thing or not

UPDATE:
Checked Task Manager right after a freeze and can confirm that the SSD shot up to 100% use. Wonder if there's something wrong with my SSD or I just got a bad quality model.

 

[adriankellman]

I found the final solution that ended all the freezing and made the computer much faster!

I pinned down that the SSD was the problem. I followed a YouTube tutorial (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HqYxVC_aoU) and downloaded the directory file that added more power settings for my SSD. I set it to "activated," restarted the computer, and voila! The computer was immediately noticeably faster, and the freezes are gone.