Hello people,
I'm new here, so apology if I've posted this to the wrong place. My friend recommended this forum to me.
I have this problem for a year now, but just recently reached my anger limit to finally do something. My pc randomly freezes no matter what I'm doing, The last rendered picture freezes on the screens, and the content of the sound buffer starts looping (a few ms in my case). The computer totally 100% hangs, not responding to anything, all I can do is hard restart.
First time it happened my Pc was still shiny new, just recently got a new SSD and an used GFX card.
The Specs:
The specs back when I've first experienced this problem:
- CPU: Intel core i7-3770 (not k) overclocked to 4.1Ghz (by Asus Auto-tune in extreme mode) (+ Aftermarket Cooler)
- RAM: Kingston HyperX Beast 8gb (kit of 2x4gigs) 1600Mhz
- GPU: Nvidia GT 630 (Unknown brand, there's a big red "G" on it but it's not Gigabyte or Geinward either) No overclock of any kind
- Storage: Kingston HyperX Fury 240GB (Firmware SAFM00.r - N/A) + WD Blue 1TB both on SATAIII port
- MoBo: Asus P8 Z77-V LX Firmware: ver. 2204 08/14/2013
- PSU: Corsair VS650 650W
- OS: Windows 7 Home Premium HU 64bit (original OEM whatever... I bought it)
Only one screen were attached (LG Flatron L1918S) through the D-Sub port of the 630, the igp were turned off. The internal Audio were used headphone and microphone were plugged to the back of the case (As I recall) it was connected to the internet, and usb wireless mouse and keyboard were used. Plus an external ADATA HD710 1TB HDD (It has a TOSHIBA HDD In it). It also have 3+1 fans on the case 3 of them were controlled by the MoBo and one of them is connected directly to the PSU (No actual reason for that, I'm just very afraid of overheating). No optical drives attached of any kind... (I hate optical drives) I have an Xbox 360 receiver attached to it, but it wasn't atteched at the time it's first freezed.
The specs now:
- CPU: (same but not overclocked)
- RAM: Kingston HyperX Beast 24Gb (bought a 16gb kit2 of the very same ram (event the color of the pcbs' are the same; both two ram channels (that 3770 offers) have now 12Gb) 1600Mhz
- GPU: the same GT 630 + the igp is turned on to handle two more additional displays (Intel HD 4000)
- Storage: Same + a 320gb 2,5" laptop HDD I've salvaged from an used laptop on SATAII
- MoBo: same
- PSU: same
- OS: Windows 7 Professional HU 64bit (Bought from PirateBay; using Win7 loader)
It have 4 displays attached now 3 monitors of the very same kind (LG Flatron L1918S I know that they are old and square but at least they were cheap) plus a TV (LG MEZ42771066(REV00))
The Monitors all use D-Subs two are connected to the 630 and one to the Intel, the TV also attached to the Intel through HDMI and also uses it's sound device thingy But it's usually turned off (However the desktop still exists for it until I turn it on and turn it off again). The internal Audio controller is now disabled and it's drivers are not installed, I have an USB headphone now (Trust GXT 340) plus a Creative E-MU 0202|USB. The keyboard is changed but the mouse is the same (except that I've plugged it's receiver to the hub on the new keyboard (Genius Manticore). I've also got a Toshiba 500gb external hard drive of some sort, but it's rarely attached. And an USB Floppy drive always attached. I also have a Genius G-pen F350 drawing tablet, and a Trust HD webcam of some sort, but those are also rarely attached.
I know it's a bit odd that I'm writing down all this detials, But I'm really hopeless with this problem, so I don't want to miss any little information that may lead to a clue.
This weird freeze happens no matter what I'm doing on my pc, sometimes it's not happening for weeks and sometimes it happens ten times in one day.
I have checked Windows Event Log but all it says it Kernel-Power which means system wasn't shutdown properly.
I'm hardly gaming but freezing tend to be happening more often when I'm playing, especially with Source games (gmod, cs:go) but also happened when I was playing something like fallout 3. and also happens when I'm just browsing the web, recording via OBS(using Quick Sync), editing video, and such.
I've also observed that like 25-50% of the time when the freeze happens the screens driven by Intel goes black... but sometimes they don't (one time I was watching animu on the tv with kodi, and the image was freezed to the tv)
What I have tried:
I've run stress tests on CPU, to see maybe it's because of overclocking or heat. I'm 100% sure it have nothing to do with the CPU temperature I had temperature monitors on my task bar, and checked them when the freeze happened, they were around 60-70°C for CPU core 37-45°C for CPU case, and even less for the ambient. I have just removed the oc because of that, and it's still happening. (can not be dust either, I clean it regularly)
Reset all BIOS settings to default, with and without these 3 settings: VT-x enabled, igp as secondary display enabled, and WoL enabled. (Currently I only have these 3 turned on everything else is default)
Reinstalled Windows
Ran virus scan
I've even hit poor thing (the good old Russian technique) After that I've run chkdsk on all drives, everything seemed to be ok.
Tried to update firmwares' SSD: Latest, no update, MoBo: can not connect to the server.
Updated windows
What I'm willing to try:
Run various test programs (including memtest)
Any kind of software hack ( no matter what)
Run antivirus scan (I don't have antivirus constantly installed... They making pcs running slow, costs much and forbid the good things... I'm pretty good at avoiding viruses by myself I've also turned off WinDefender)
Change any kind of settings in the BIOS except the 3 I've described above, they are important for me...
Remove external devices (external HDD, receiver and stuff, or at least make them not constantly plugged in)
Install win10 or upgrade to another version of win7 (like ultimate or enterprise)
Bake parts in oven (But this is only for last chance)
What I really don't want to:
Buy or replace any of the internal parts (I'm short of money at the moment), except for the video card, I want to upgrade that in the future.
Turn off Aero desktop
I'm suspecting the problem may be caused by the videocard... when I get it it was tested and had 0 problems (it was used in another PC in the household) But the first freeze happened after a few days I had it installed, it also have an unknown brand, and the whole card looks like a cheap Chinese thing... Like a GPU attached to a cardboard; before that I had a GeForce 210 also got used from my prev PC, and it doesn't seemed like to had any problems. But the problem occurs when I'm not even running any OpenGL or DirectX app (maybe dwm (Aero) can cause it too ???) I'm updating my GPU drivers regularly, usually at the moment when GeForce Experience offers them. The thing I wrote down the case with the animu and Kodi, because it also runs OpenGL but uses the igp instead of the nvidia. The SSD and the Videocard were installed at the very same time.
But I'm usure if this can be caused by the GPU. Any other idea? Please help me :'(
Edit: I have also checked some other topics in this forum and some other forums, no success.