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

[MordanteUK]

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,

 

[MordanteUK]

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.

 

[MordanteUK]

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.