Computer Freezes Randomly

XiaoTech

I opened a new thread last month about creating a new computer. I built it and everything was successful, but the past two weeks I've been getting some problems.

My computer will freeze randomly. It doesn't matter if I'm gaming, labbing, or just leave it on for the day...it'll freeze at random times. This is what I've done so far:

Flashed my M5 A88-VEvo's BIOS (latest update was in Feb 2012)
Tested my system with BurnInTest (passed under full load)
Tested with Memtest (left on overnight. zero errors)
Tried moving the RAM around in different slots. Didn't help.

I bought this bundle from Newegg:
Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!
And got an extra 8GB of Kingston RAM DDR 1600 with 9-9-9-27 timing (was 9-9-9-24 by default, but my computer froze under those conditions to).

In even viewer, these show up:

A corrected hardware error has occurred.
System


Reported by component: Processor Core
Error Source: Corrected Machine Check
Error Type: Cache Hierarchy Error
Processor ID: 4 (sometimes 5)


The details view of this entry contains further information.

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Detected unrecognized USB driver (\Driver\usbfilter).


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Event filter with query "SELECT * FROM __InstanceModificationEvent WITHIN 60 WHERE TargetInstance ISA "Win32_Processor" AND TargetInstance.LoadPercentage > 99" could not be reactivated in namespace "//./root/CIMV2" because of error 0x80041003. Events cannot be delivered through this filter until the problem is corrected.

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Activation context generation failed for "C:\Program Files\ATI\CIM\Bin64\SetACL64.exe". Dependent Assembly Microsoft.VC80.MFC,processorArchitecture="amd64",publicKeyToken="1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b",type="win32",version="8.0.50608.0" could not be found. Please use sxstrace.exe for detailed diagnosis.

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If anyone has any ideas on what I should do, please give some suggestions. I'm thinking it's either the processor or the power supply at this time. When the computer freezes, there is no blue screen or anything. Whatever is on the screen stays. crtl alt del doesn't do anything. The restart button does nothing. I have to power it down in order to restart.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Tackle

Swap good known parts for the ones you think are bad, if possible. Easily eliminates hardware issues.

As for the Event ID 10: Event ID 10 is logged in the Application log after you install Windows Vista Service Pack 1 or Windows Server 2008. I use the vbs from Microsoft all the time on Windows 7 machines with the error. The error isn't doing any harm, just annoying.

Check for updates or different USB and graphics drivers.
Give SeaTools a try on the disk. Run all tests.
Create an image of your drive (I use driveimageXML), keep it safe. Re-install Windows.

That's what I would do.

ptilsen

Run chkdsk and SFC to confirm it's not a hard drive or Windows problem. Seatools isn't a bad suggestion either.

Try leaving it running on a LiveCD Linux or something -- even use it like that for a few days. We want to isolate the hard drive and operation system as problems (or not problems). It sounds to me like you've successfully identified it is not a memory, CPU, heat, or power supply problem.

KenC

I'd rule out malware first.

XiaoTech

Thanks for the suggestions. Thus far, I've tried the following and my computer has been up and running for the past 29 hours:

Downloaded and ran AVG to check for viruses. None were found. I normally don't use antivirus since they tend to cause more problems than prevent. According to AVG, nothing.
Read through documentation for my motherboard thoroughly and disabled every setting that is set to "auto" to some sort of solid number.
Turned off any over clocking features that may have been on by default.
Found that there were two different drivers installed and running for my Wacom tablet. Uninstalled and removed both from the registry. Reinstalled Wacom's latest drivers only.
Uninstalled ATI catalyst and ASUS GUI that allows for control from within Windows. If I need to tweak anything, I'll do it the way it's meant to be done: in the BIOS.
Cleaned up the registry.
Ran MSconfig and disabled everything that doesn't need to load at startup.

I still need to try to run LiveCD on this. I will move onto that step after my computer has been running for 72 hours OR it freezes before that. It may have been the first thing I needed to do, but I really want to try to resolve this quickly. I've been wanting to do some serious labing the past two weeks but haven't been able to because of this problem. 29 hours is a good start...I'll see how it goes for the next two days. I have VMware and some torrents running in the background to make sure that it's being tested under mid-level stress.

Thanks for all your input. It gave me a lot of good ideas to continue my troubleshooting!

KenC

Scan for all malware, not just virus scan. Still think you have not fully ruled it out.

demonfurbie

Have you checked the them?

WafflesAndRootbeer

It seems to be a recurring problem with the newer Windows OS and hardware combinations. I can't tell you anything more than that as nobody has been able to figure this out and it has been happening for several years now.

CodeBlox

KenC wrote: »

I'd rule out malware first.

+1 My sister's computer was randomly freezing forcing her to do a hard reboot. I ran "Tdsskiller" and that found a few things which took care of it. No problems since.If you do things in safe mode for a while, does it happen then?

Novalith478

I have this problem too. However I looked in event viewer and there was nothing, no viruses, and the hardware has been the same for 3 years (this problem started recently, therefore I doubt hardware is at fault).

Basically sometimes I'll go away from the computer and leave it on for hours, and when I come back it's completely frozen.

XiaoTech

Okay, last update.

Ran Tdsskiller and nothing came up.

Computer has been running strong since Thursday. No downtime. I think the problem was a combination of bad drivers (my Wacom Tablet) and Asus's "Auto Config" settings that are set by default on the MOBO. I haven't had any issues since I fixed those two things.

I appreciate everyone's help! I just built this computer recently for I can run virtual machines and do some light gaming and media on the side. All I need is a cheap video card for dual screen setup in the future, a second monitor, and some SSDs later on. For now, I got a pretty solid setup to help in my studies.

Asif Dasl

I actually had a similar problem with my PC, tested the memory with MemTest - failed within seconds, unplugged everything but GPU, same - unplugged & put GPU back in, amazingly sorted it... put Win8 on cause my Win7 was knackered it's been fine since...

JoeeoJ

Hi, I have exactly the same problem. I installed the PC 1 /12 years ago and it was running well. Suddenly, around 4 weeks ago, I got a crash. Afterwards I found out that 2 memory sticks (8 of 16GB GSkill) were gone forever. After I removed them, everything seemed to work again. But I got those same messages about an unrecognised USB device and the system started to freeze randomly. I removed all connected USB devices but the wirless Logitech Mous & keyboard ... nada, did not help. And I could not get a hint in the Event viewer of Win7 Pro 64 bit. Now on Thursday the system crashed completly. After this crash the Asus motherboard (M4A89 Pro USB3) was no longer able to detect any USB device and 1 500GB Seagate harddisk is no longer responding. I replaced the motherboard, could not get the same, so I upgraded to a similar Asus board (M5A99X Evo R2.0). I installed everything and started the system from the boot disk, a Vertex 3 SSD and after the installation of the new MoBo drivers everything seeemed to work. Of course with one HD less. But then I looked into the event viewer and ... I got the same messages again ... Unrecognisee USB device ... no crash yet though. I use Avast Internet security and it says everything is fine ... Will test asap a new USB mouse/keyboard and if that does note help, I will have to reinstall Windows. The whole thing is really very very strange. Joe

JoeeoJ

Update: have changed keyboard and mouse ... problem still persists

UnixGuy

run it with minimal RAM and see if it freezes. Change the RAM slot and see. Might be a bad RAM or a bad motherboard.

Krunchi

If your CPU is a Intel disable C-States in the Bios it is a known bug that throws the CPU machine check error.

C-State lets the OS throttle the CPU up and down.