Vista 64 unexplained freeze/crashes - could this be memory related?

MordanteUK · 18 Oct 2008 at 01:44

Vista 64 unexplained freeze/crashes - could this be memory related? (Resolved)

Hey there,

I just put together a new computer today and having installed Vista 64 am noticing it tends to freeze/crash (ie everything stops working with the mouse pointer locked in place, screen still displaying, and numberlock inoperable etc etc - basically needing a reboot.)

My computer build is:

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650 LGA775 'Yorkfield' 3.0GHz
Asus Rampage Extreme Intel X48 (Socket 775)
OCZ 4GB DDR3 PC3-10666C7 1333MHz Platinum (2x2GB) Dual Channel DDR3 x2 (8 gigs of memory in the system)
ATI Radeon 4870x2
Seagate Hard-drive etc etc.
The Asus motherboard comes with a sound max soundcard that I've connected and am using.

Anyway, windows vista 64 installs fine, update all drivers - check for latest versions with DriverMax. I've done the updates for vista, installed office and a couple of test games/apps etc. And everything appeared fine.

However, after an hour or so the computer locked up (crash as described above) - I checked the memory settings (was set to auto in the bios - checked everything else to auto) ran windows again - seemed fine..

30mins later it crashed again (same symptoms).

I check through the events log - shows nothing useful at the time of the crash.

30 mins later another crash (same symptoms).

I go back to the bios and try setting manual memory timings for the OCZ 4GB DDR3 PC3-10666C7 1333MHz Platinum stuff (10666) and try again.

This time I try to stress the memory a bit by loading multiple copies of programs and putting the cpu through the grinder and it does pretty well - I force it up to 6-7 gigs of 8 used and 100% cpu activity and it seems pretty good - functioning (although suffering a bit) for 10-15 mins then crashes again (same symptoms) ....

So now I'm a bit lost:

Is this a Vista 64 problem?
Potential dud memory problem?
Do I need to set some custom memory timings?

Any thoughts or advise gradly received.

(I'm currently using the machine to type this and its been 30 mins or so since the last crash but obviously I'm very keen to get to the bottom of the issue).

All the best,

FatRakoon · 18 Oct 2008 at 02:46

What PSU do you have?

Im wondering what you are saying with the RAM?

you say its 4GB and also 2x2GB and then add that its 8GB in there?

Anyway, try with only 4GB ( ONLY? LOL ) and if you still get the same issues, then try the other 4GB.

If you get no errors with each set and you do get errors with all 8GB then again, the PSU might not be stable enough or there may very well be a problem with that much RAM in that board, or indeed, it simply might not like that RAM.

First thoughts anyway.

MordanteUK · 18 Oct 2008 at 02:59

FatRakoon said:
What PSU do you have?

power supply unit is 1000w (Coolermaster Real Power 1000w Modular Power Supply)

Im wondering what you are saying with the RAM?
you say its 4GB and also 2x2GB and then add that its 8GB in there?

Sorry for the confusion - its basicallly 4x2 ddr memory units.

Anyway, try with only 4GB ( ONLY? LOL ) and if you still get the same issues, then try the other 4GB. If you get no errors with each set and you do get errors with all 8GB then again, the PSU might not be stable enough or there may very well be a problem with that much RAM in that board, or indeed, it simply might not like that RAM.

Yeah its not so much an error as a straight freeze/crash - everything stops working but the screen displays the last frame and the computer needs a hard reboot with the reset button.

That said - its been about 2 hours since the last crash while I've been browsing the net looking for answers for this - and it does seem that this kind of freeze/crash is depresssingly common for windows vista 64 - lots of people saying they have seen this but no definitive answers.

I'll certainly try with the 4GB tests and see what happens - but have to admit my gut instinct is coming round to blaming vista 64 itself.

Thanks for the suggestions though.

FatRakoon · 18 Oct 2008 at 12:32

I too have issues about Vista64 as I have been using XP64 for over 3 years and I have never had so much asa shiccup but it so much as looks at vista64 and the PC tries to top itself!!!!

But, keep at it. There is nothign wrong with Vista... Im sure you will sort it out.

EDIT

Sorry, thats a crap reply... I was struggling earlier on with a headache... Not much better but will give a better reply.

Right, the PSU is clearly powerful enough

Still try swapping the RAM in and out to see what gives.

BIOS Update might help with the RAM if that shows up to be an issue, might help in any case.

Mobo not liking the RAM is a very plausable possibility yes... I have a DS3 and it hates 4 sticks of GEIL, but is fine with 2... I found that if I kept on wiggling the sticks eventually it would indeed start up and work just fine, which pointed to the sticks not being seated properly more than any other compatibility.

Of course, even on AUTO, the Mobo might not be giving the parts the right volts... Make sure that the volts are set, especially the RAM... Thats another thing that can cause your headaches

---

I can see where you are coming from in blaming Vista... Too many people are having too many issues over silly things for it to be down to user issues for everything ( Although user issues are a big chuck TBH )

MordanteUK · 19 Oct 2008 at 12:30

Okay after a weekend of forum checking and memtesting - I've nailed it down to the incompatibility of my motherboard and OCZ memory - reason I bought the OCZ stuff was not doing another research / the price / good reviews / the fact its actually marketed as being "optimized for asus boards"

Heh,

Basically my freeze screen crash can be replicated 100% in memtest running the memory on the auto detect settings (or any frequency above 10666) - the computer is completely stable (as is Vista 64) at the 10666 memory freq setting (I've had 12 hours worth of memtest cycles and 16 hours worth of vista activity / copying process with zero crashes/freezes since i manually set the OCZ mem frequency to 10666).

Since this is memory that is apparently rated to 18000 I think I'm going to be returning it to swap for some alternative confirmed compatible brand this week.

But its very useful to know that on this occassion the problem was nothing to do with Vista 64 and all to do with memory timings/hardware incompatibility.

I've learned a couple of important things!

1. Actually read the forum thread for the spanky new motherboard you buy!
2. Its worth running a cycle of memcheck to ensure memory functionaliy/compatibility before getting to far into operating system installation and testing.

Anyways - thanks for the help guys - much appreciated.

FatRakoon · 19 Oct 2008 at 12:43

Cool.
My install of Vista64 is also running fairly well too.
My issues seem ( I say seem ) to be down to me running 4 clients of FAH... Perhaps pushing things over the edge, I dont know, but I run 4 on XP64 24/7 for the last year and never had an issue.
At leasy knocking it to 1 or 2 has cured it. ( Seemingly )

IAmATeaf · 19 Oct 2008 at 16:36

My system which has been stable for a few months has also started randomly blue screening with a SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION (?) message. No real pattern, sometimes it will be fine for hours but today it crashed twice shortly after switching on. Read up about the above and it seems it might be vid card drivers related so have updated to Cat 8.10 and also upped my RAM to 1.9v to see if it helps.

FatRakoon · 19 Oct 2008 at 17:24

Also, doesnt the SBLive! have some issues too?

I was under the impression that the SBLIVE was even more problematic than the Audigy ?

Not that Id know cos for some annoying reason, I have a few SBLives and they all seem to be dead??? All died at about the same time, and all from different PCs too??!??!?

What does get me though, is that there was ( dont know if its still ) an issue where Vista64 didnt like the 4GB RAM + NVIDIA GFX + CREATIVE AUDIO...Anything else was fine but those 3 were problematic for many...

Well, thats what I have, however I also had the same issues with the ATI Cards too!

IAmATeaf · 19 Oct 2008 at 17:46

FatRakoon said:
Also, doesnt the SBLive! have some issues too?

I was under the impression that the SBLIVE was even more problematic than the Audigy ?

Not that Id know cos for some annoying reason, I have a few SBLives and they all seem to be dead??? All died at about the same time, and all from different PCs too??!??!?

What does get me though, is that there was ( dont know if its still ) an issue where Vista64 didnt like the 4GB RAM + NVIDIA GFX + CREATIVE AUDIO...Anything else was fine but those 3 were problematic for many...

Well, thats what I have, however I also had the same issues with the ATI Cards too!

Sorry forgot to update my sig, no longer use the SBLive! as I couldn't get it to work with any drivers except the MS supplied ones but the sound was rubbish. Am using the onboard for the time being.

That does remind me that even after doing an Add/Remove to get rid of the Creative stuff it still left loads of files just lying around and being auto-started in the Run section in the registry, a real pig to get it all cleared out.

comeradealexi · 19 Oct 2008 at 17:50

From my experience it has always been the RAM - have had to send back about 4 times and about 8gb in total i think - i was always getting random bsods until Crucial sent me a revised version which seems fine. But that just me...

FatRakoon · 19 Oct 2008 at 23:10

CREATIVE JUNK

Have a look in the
C:\Program Files (x86)\
folder... Then delete the
Creative
folder
That should sort it out...
If not, AUTORUNS is your friend.

RAM ISSUES

I would like to say that I have NEVER had any RAM issues, and until recently I never have... I have always bought CORSAIR or CRUCIAL and I am very happy to say that I have never had a stick of their stuff ever fail on me.

OCZ however, I have just RMA'ed some 2x512MB DDR 3200 stuff and I got a set of 2x1GB PC6400 DDR2 that might or might not need RMAing ( It worked fine but the PC yurned itself off after 20 minutes - I put the GEIL ( 4x512MB Back in and its fine )

So, Im going back to what I know.

It really makes me laugh so much when people insist on a certain brand and yet that brand get so many returns... I will never buy OCZ again now, even though their returns is absolutely brilliant, its just not worth it... Im only happy that I have so many PCs that I can always fall back on another... Had I just the one...

yashiro · 20 Oct 2008 at 00:46

I have always bought CORSAIR or CRUCIAL and I am very happy to say that I have never had a stick of their stuff ever fail on me.

And I have had loads of these modules fail on me. Luck of the draw, like all modern electronics.

FatRakoon · 20 Oct 2008 at 03:00

No, its bad luck of the draw.

Its getting worse too!

Everythign these days is chucked together and made out of shabby poor quality junk components.

My crucial that I have - CAS 2 PC133 ( 3x256 ) in a KT7A-Raid Mobo, and thats now being used at my mums for her Business stuff. I also got the very same stuff ( But single sided ) in my Atari Falcon 060 due to me not trusting any other make.

I have a set of 4x1GB Crucial DDR 3200 in my Opteron system as well.

My main PC I have to admit is using GEIL, and so far, I have only ever had 8 sticks of GEIL ( 4x1 and 4x512 ) but they have proven themselves to be good.

Corsair I have had a few XMS3500x512MB sticks, also had 3200 and more recently XMS4400 and 4400 Platinums... Alll have been to absolutely ridiculous over clocked heights with overclocking the knob off them... ( Socket A and then 939 ) but are all now put out to pasture and none go over their rated speeds... In all I have 14 sticks of Corsair ( that I know of ) in various setups.

The only setup I have running OCZ RAM at this time, is the Q6600 in the DS3 and its fine, however, I have 2 sets of unopened brand new OCZ stuff hanging up, these are 2x512MB that have recently been replacements for another set I RMA'd, and the other set is 2x1GB DDR2 6400 that were opened up this very morning funnily enough, and kept crashing a machine every 20 or 25 minutes and so the 4x512MB Geil went back in to cure it... Enough said about the OCZ then it seems, but then, this might very well be down to simply the Mobo was sticking on the same settings as the GEIL used and perhaps a BIOS reset might have solved it, I am now really sure if I care.

At this time I have 14 PCs... There is not a single PC that I own that wont run perfectly well with Crucial or Corsair, and I have never had a stick of these fail on me, while on the other hand, I have a fairly large number of budget OCZ RAM sticks ( I bought a job lot of 100 sticks of 256MB from OCZ directly 4 years ago ) and it has got to the point where I am changing them over due to various failures, that I have given up and thrown them all into a bag and I really cannot be bothered to sort them out, and the GOLD and Platinum stuff is alkso failing in under half an hour or an RMA replacement.

I just have no luck at all with OCZ

IAmATeaf · 20 Oct 2008 at 18:49

Personally I think it's all pot luck as far as hardware is concerned these days.

I used to have 2 x 1gb Crucial Ballistix 6400 RAM in my rig prior and never had any probs with them even though I read of other having to repeatedly RMA their sticks, these sticks are now happily running in my Citrix VM server.

For my current rig and 4 other systems that I was building I purchased Corsair as I read good things about them, got 8 sets of the 4gb RAM as in my sig. 1 set was faulty as delivered so I had that replaced by the e-tailer but I've now got another set where 1 stick causes problems and the machine will refuse to boot if that stick is installed in any RAM slot, so pot luck as far as I can see.