Sudden computer freeze...and barely reboots!

[waterinthefuel]

This is bad. All of a sudden after installing the newest beta drivers for my video card, the computer will totally freeze during a particular game, even if that game is just minimized. The first time, it rebooted the first time no problem. This time, it first froze on the MSI splash screen, then it froze on the Win XP page where the blue line goes left to right.....finally it prompted me to reboot using the last known good configuration and I selected that, and it worked.

I'm saying it was after the beta drivers were installed, but that could have nothing to do with it as the game itself plays with much less CTD errors than before.

It could be the hard drive going out, but it works fine when it finally boots up. The CD drives will stop mid-travel if you try to operate them during one of these funky reboots.

What do you guys think it is? Oh yes, this machine is a brand new, custom built machine that has worked flawlessly for a month.

I'm running superantispyware and spybot didn't catch it, but SAW caught at least 3 trojan horse viruses on my machine so far. Would THEY be responsible for this?

 

[i386]

Re: Sudden computer freeze...and barely reboots!

This time, it first froze on the MSI splash screen

Is this right when you turn the computer on? I'm assuming you have an MSI motherboard and this is during POST (Power On Self Test).

If so...
During the POST stage of the boot process, any drivers you may have installed don't matter. The OS hasn't even been loaded yet.

Rather than showing the logo during POST there should be a way to display more details about what's going on. Some brands will have a keystroke that you hit when you see the logo. Other brands have options in the BIOS to set this.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Sudden computer freeze...and barely reboots!

Boot into safe mode.....remove the video driver and reboot....then use this utility http://www.afterdawn.com/software/desktop_software/other_tools/driver_cleaner_pro.cfm
Follow the intructions closely no short cuts..

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Sudden computer freeze...and barely reboots!

Thanks a lot, but driver detective requires registration to actually do anything other than just a scan.

 

[Xcusme]

Re: Sudden computer freeze...and barely reboots!

Boy, this is sounding like a heat problem or power supply problem. If it's halting at the MSI boot screen , it's a problem that's happening well before the OS loads. Boot into the bios and look for PC health....look at the rail voltages and CPU temps...
BTW, are you using the MB video or a separate video card? Using a bootable RAM checking utility isn't a bad idea either. Using onboard video uses system ram, hence the Ram check.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Sudden computer freeze...and barely reboots!

Thanks a lot, but driver detective requires registration to actually do anything other than just a scan.

Driver cleaner pro is not a detective it is a cleaner....kinda like seafoam..but it is not snake oil. It actually clean out your reg from fragmented old file's which will slow down your vid card..small amounts but they do.

When you say your comp gets by the bios and starts loading the OS that is where it freezes....indicating you have a corrupt file or OS.....if you load the OS in safe mode you are bypassing almost all if not all of the driver's and if it loads that is a indication that you do indeed have a courrupt driver...A beta driver is just that not ready for prime time....there are thousands of implications as to why they could crash your system.

 

[i386]

Re: Sudden computer freeze...and barely reboots!

I'm with Xcuseme.

 

[Summer Fun]

Re: Sudden computer freeze...and barely reboots!

Why would you download a beta drivers in the first place?? . You might as well put a gun to your head. Beta testing is to get the bugs out of it before it hit the market.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Sudden computer freeze...and barely reboots!

I'm with Xcuseme.

Id agree also but:

finally it prompted me to reboot using the last known good configuration and I selected that, and it worked.

He rolled back the driver and poof

 

[j_martin]

Re: Sudden computer freeze...and barely reboots!

I used to train computer field engineers. (IBM system/38) The hardest thing to get them to understand was this:

If you walk up to a running machine, do something to it, and it now doesn't run, it's what you did.

They would install a feature (parts), maybe plug a cable into the wrong hole, or bend a pin, start the machine, get a check, and go right into diagnostics trying to find the problem.

The diagnostics assumes the machine was running, and one fault is stopping it. They can't deal with wrong cables, bad (beta) drivers, and the like.

Glad you got it fixed, Glad Microsoft's rollback worked for a change.

John

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Sudden computer freeze...and barely reboots!

Unfortunately it's not over. I am still getting the sudden freeze. I uninstalled and reinstalled the old driver that it did used to work fine on, and it still freezes randomly. It only SOMETIMES will freeze at the MSI splashscreen, it hasn't been doing that lately. But it will freeze at random. I've downloaded and installed speedfan and its showing CPU temp at 42' and a big green checkmark. I would say it's heat related except that it will play intense graphics games just fine and freeze during the game, after the game, or today, after having had the CPU off for 3 days, it freezing after only a few minutes and I didn't have anything open but firefox. It doesn't appear heat related. I can take a screenie of the temps its showing though, because its showing something at 112'C but I don't know what it is.

The only thing I can see that I changed was the beta drivers, but rolling BACK the drivers to the old good ones didn't change anything. The reason I downloaded the beta drivers is because the old ones while they worked well most of the time, in the game I was playing I was getting CTD errors left and right and someone told me to try the new drivers and see what happens. The game no longer crashes, but now the computer freezes at random. There is no warning, no error message, no nothing. The mouse will just stop working. No keyboard commands bring it back, nothing. Only rebooting will bring it back so it is a very high-risk machine to lose your work on if you don't save CONSTANTLY.

 

[Xcusme]

Re: Sudden computer freeze...and barely reboots!

112 degree Celsius = 233.6 degree Fahrenheit

Post a screen dump of the PC health stats.....

 

[beerfilter]

Re: Sudden computer freeze...and barely reboots!

112 degree Celsius = 233.6 degree Fahrenheit

Post a screen dump of the PC health stats.....

HOLY CRAP ! Check your CPU fan and heatsink , before you toast your CPU !
My guess is that it is very dusty , and/or you have a bad fan .
A can of air will clean it , new fans are cheap .

Let us know what you find ...

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Sudden computer freeze...and barely reboots!

Here you go:

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Sudden computer freeze...and barely reboots!

Here you go:

Somethings amiss...Notice you memory voltage running at .53v......I dont believe ram can run @ less than 1.66v...Are you sure you have speed fan configured to your exact model MB.....

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Sudden computer freeze...and barely reboots!

Dude, I ain't sure of sheet with this machine. That's why I need help! I was told BIOS default voltage is 1.8 for this mobo.

After that, I'm beggin' at ya feet fa' help.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Sudden computer freeze...and barely reboots!

http://majorgeeks.com/EVEREST_Free_Edition_d4181.html


That utility will accurately give you a true picture of your hardware and temps..

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Sudden computer freeze...and barely reboots!

Thanks dude.

I wanted to tell that other fellah who sent me the link to the driver cleaner software....I downloaded it and when I went to use it it said I had to register it. I would love to make sure the drivers are good and clean but the program won't let me do that. Maybe you linked me to the wrong program, but I tried it and it asked me for a registration code before it would do anything.

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Sudden computer freeze...and barely reboots!

I went to that driver cleaner website again and this time it linked me to the right program. I downloaded and installed and cleaned my drivers. I rebooted the machine, installed the known good ones and rebooted again.

We shall see how this goes.

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Sudden computer freeze...and barely reboots!

Ok, update. It froze within minutes of the new drivers and it took me about 8-10 reboots to where it would finally fully boot into windows. Ok I have another idea...

This video card I have is a super mack daddy monster. It requires to power plugs, one from the mobo and the other from the power supply. Is there any chance that it's the video card freezing up due to not enough power? I just don't know what to do!