HELP, finished my build but screen will freeze at random times!
 

My Build:

Processor: i7 3770k
Case: Zalman Z9 Plus ATX Mid Tower Case Black 3X5.25 1X3.5 5X3.5INT No PS W/ Fan Controller & Temp Display
Video Card: XFX Radeon HD 7870 Core Ed. 1000MHZ 2GB 4.8GHZ GDDR5 DVI HDMI 2XMINIDP PCI-E Video Card
Power Supply: Corsair CX Series CX750 750W ATX 12V 80 Plus Bronze Power Supply Active PFC Fan 120mm Fan
RAM: Kingston HyperX Blu Black Series 8GB 2X4GB DDR3-1600 CL9 DIMM Dual Channel Memory Kit
SSD Drive: SAMSUNG 840 Series MZ-7TD120BW 2.5" 120GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
Motherboard: ASRock Z77 Extreme3 LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

When I play games such as CS:GO sometimes, it will work and everything will be fine. However, I have already had a LOT of occasions where if I alt tabbed out and clicked to go back in then my screen will be frozen. It will be either frozen at what I was doing or it will be a black screen. My mouse and keyboard would not do anything, but the computer sounds like it is running normally. I can't do anything when that happens and I am forced to hard shutdown/reset. Sometimes it will happen when I am in the game and am loading into the actual match as well. I've also had this occur when I am watching a video or alt tab from what seems to some something that is not graphics intensive, to something that is more graphics intensive (i.e. Google homepage to an HD Youtube video, or a game etc.)

Some thing's I have tried:

I took out my video card and routed my VGA into my mother board, and this actually caused a freeze as well, except, this freeze didn't cause my screen to be at a stand still at what I was doing, it went to some light blue color screen (not BSOD) and it froze there.

I took both my ram out and used one at a time to see if it was an issue but the problem still occurred with each RAM stick. I am currently doing a Memtest86 on it right now - > Did it and no errors.

I have checked my event viewer and it doesn't say anything and only shows the hard shutdown/resets that I have to do after it has occurred.

I have installed the up to date AMD catalyst driver and it appears as though my drivers are up to date.

I just updated my BIOS from 1.10 to 1.40. When I finished and restarted my computer, it froze during the windows loading screen. It has already froze on that screen 4-5 times. Specifically, it is at the part where the 4 orbs combine together to make the windows logo. Every time it hits that spot it freezes and when you wait it out then it will shut down the computer. It even froze when I went from google.com to facebook.com and it froze as well during windows startup. A new find is that when it froze, I tried to wait it out and my computer just shut down.

I cannot diagnose what is happening and I hope someone here can help!!!!

Some things people have suggested:

- I have a 1,65V ram there while intel favors 1,5V ram

Hmm when you install the os. Did you set your hard drive mode in the bios from IDE to ACHI?

Not sure what you mean, but I installed Windows off of a USB onto my SSD, now my SSD is the first boot option.

I also realized my Windows 7 32-bit caps RAM at 4GB but I have two 4GB sticks in right now. Do you think that would cause the problem?

when you set your ram voltage/speed.. go with the manufactures suggested specs... they will tell what is min/max.. I would just follow those

Did you update all your drivers including your chipset?
Try a different SSD/HDD...

I am using the same ssd and Z9 case as you.

Have you tried formatting the ssd and reinstalling win7

I was actually getting similar problems with the samshit ssd. Formatted and reinstall solved the problem of random crashes. Also, uninstall and delete MS defender/MS security essentials.

re:Session "Microsoft Security Essentials OOBE" stopped due to the following error: 0xC000000D using win 7 64bit over and over BSOD

Are you having trouble starting the computer? The problem I'm having is my mobo wouldn't boot into bios, I have to press the reset switch before I can get into bios and windows.

@Ferrari Enzo: I didn't set any ram voltage/speed, I am really kinda new at this stuff, I just let everything go at default. I updated all my drivers including my chipset. My current thoughts is that either there is something wrong with my Windows, which I will be re-installing today after work, or my Motherboard is faulty. I really can't think of any other issue...

@yray: First off, your avatar is disgusting and under FerrariEnzo's avatar it is kind of hilarious. I will be secure wiping my SSD and re-installing win7 onto it today after work. I haven't received a BSOD yet though. I have no problems getting into my BIOS, it is pretty good at that. I do have problems when it goes to that "Starting Windows" screen where it has those 4 orbs rotating since right before the 4 balls combine into the Windows logo it will freeze. When I hard reset, instead of asking if I want to start in safe mode, it will ask me if I want to check if my parts are faulty or something but it will never find anything. I've read that I should look into IDE and AHCI or something? I really have no idea. Sometimes when I select shut down, the screen will complete the windows shut down thing, but my computer will still be running and I have to hard-shut down.

I also used a Dell Windows 7 Re-Installation Disc to load Windows onto my computer. Do you think that fucked shit up?

at least first install a fresh copy of 64bit windows

Currently downloading 64bit win7. Hopefully that fixes it...

If that doesn't fix it, check the RAM model again and see if they are on this list:

ASRock > Products > Z77 Extreme3 > Memory Support List

Just installed win7 64bit, everything seems fine for now. Currently installing CSGO so that I can test it. Hopefully it works! Cross your fingers!

Edit: I just checked, my memory is not on that list. :badpokerface:

Just an update:

I just fresh installed on 64bit, every driver is up to date, got all the drivers that I need off of the mobo on my computer ( took out the random stuff that I don't need). I just played a good 2 hours of counter strike, alt tabbing in and out, and no problems. Then, suddenly out of no where it froze when I was just browsing the web. Hopefully this is a one time occurrence? Event Viewer does not show any errors or anything.

Is your RAM timing correct?

Also, check the RAM compatibility list as well.

I checked my RAM packaging and it does not match any on the list provided by ASRock. Do you think that is the issue? What do you mean by RAM timing?

Also found this after putting in my PC part picker build: Kingston Black 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory operating voltage of 1.65V exceeds the Intel Ivy Bridge CPU recommended maximum of 1.5V+5% (1.575V). This memory module may run at a reduced clock rate to meet the 1.5V voltage recommendation, or may require running at a voltage greater than the Intel recommended maximum.

I did some research on this and got this: "The memory is downclocked by the processor in order to be able to work with it; this means that the memory is working using a not correct voltage for it or simply it started to fail for the same reason."

Gamed and browsed around 7 hours yesterday, and only had 1 freeze. =/ Can I rule out the motherboard and assume that its my RAM and it's voltage issue?

do you have a different set of ram sticks to try out?
maybe try to set your voltage and ram speed manually in your bios so it doesnt downclock it automatically

try disabling vsync and update your directx and graphics card driver

Running your RAM at 1.5v won't cause any problems.

Just manually set your RAM to 1.5v, 1333, 9-9-9-24.

I'm sure you won't see any problems afterwards.

Run memory benchmarks to be safe.

ssd issue?

or exchange for another brand's motherboard.

I don't have another set of RAM to test out. But from what it seems like, it shouldn't be the problem?

I will try to update my directX and I think my graphics card driver is up to date.

I thought it was an SSD issue... But it shouldn't be causing that much problem on 32bit then this less on 64bit. I will be doing some gaming today just to see if it freezes again.

Another issue I realized is that when I tell Windows to Shut Down, it will go to the shutdown screen etc etc and my screen will turn off as if it just shut down but my computer will still be running. I think that's just an options setting that I have set incorrectly or something right?


Also: Thank you all for your help and suggestions! I greatly appreciate it!

Are you using a extra HDD for storage?

If you have extra SATA cables from other brands, try swamping them with the asrock ones that you're using.

If you installed the samsung ssd software, it may mess up your shut down settings. Also, upgrade the firmware on the ssd.

I am not using an extra HDD. I just have one SSD for everything. This is strictly for gaming and nothing else. I have another computer for office/work etc use.

I didn't install any samsung ssd software, I just plugged it in to the motherboard, then booted windows from USB onto the ssd.



Edit: A reply from ASrock in regards to my RAM compatibility.

You have a couple options here,

1. Try your onboard graphics card, see if that would also cause the problem [ to see if its a lemon graphics card]
2. install windows on another SSD or HDD to see if its caused by SSD [ to see if your SSD is the culprit]
3. Get another set of RAM to try that out. [ to see if ram is the culprit? ]

Your other components will most likely not cause your issue.

Sometimes building your own computer is all trial and error. Testing which part is compatible and which is not.

Try one of the few options above and see how that goes.

It's been a few days since he updated this thread. I'm going to assume he fixed it by now, lol.

Here is what happened:

I installed a fresh new copy of Windows 7 64-bit onto my computer. Everything was working fine for the first few days, but then it started to freeze once a day. It wouldn't be freezing during a game, or anything related to any of the games I am playing, but usually when I am browsing the internet. With it freezing once a day, I don't even care to diagnose that shit cause its so annoying to test every single part. There is a computer store where I live (Alberta) that charges like $50 to diagnose and test every part to see what the problem is that I am contemplating on going.

To answer some questions, I do not have another HDD or SSD or another set of RAM to test out. I have done a memtest on the RAM and completed it with no problems. I have tried my onboard graphics card and it also froze before but when it did freeze, it turned my screen into a blank screen that was a light shade of blue (not BSOD). I have updated all my drivers properly etc etc.

As for that shut down issue, I am pretty sure my wiring inside from my power supply to my fans and stuff is wrong but it doesn't seem to pose a problem so I just shut down normally. So this problem is 'solved' I guess.

A part of me thinks its the SSD but I really don't know how to test it, nor do I know how to know if thats the part that is causing the problem.

Thanks for all your help!

This kind of problem. Mostly from SSD/HDD, Ram, or Mother Board.

It is very time consuming to filter out all these. Also you might not have another working parts sit aside for tests too.

I would totally just send the system into one of the PC store, let them do all the trouble shooting.
It might cost just a little over 50~60 bux. But its better than costing you TIME.