Weird freezing problem--please help!

[Eichhorn18]

Hello!

Thanks for taking a look at this thread. I've gotten very little help so far and have had to take this computer to the store where I bought it three times to have them look at it.

The system:

Motherboard: Asus P5Q3 Deluxe WiFI-n
Processor: Intel Quad Core Q9450 2.6gHz
Ram: 4Gb Patriot (2x 2gb) DDR3 1333Mhz 9-9-9-20
Graphics: Sapphire Radeon HD4870
Audio: Creative Soundblaster Fatal1ty Platinum
PSU: Corsair TH750W
Storage: 2x 150Gb Raptor 10000RPM in Raid0

The neverending problem:

I bought this computer in the summer and have posted here before about this issue but it has not been resolved. I had problems with the computer crashing all the time on games and even when running things like firefox. The screen would freeze with whatever picture was being displayed and the keyboard and mouse would be non responsive. The speakers I have attached to this system would start screeching as though I was playing audio but someone stopped the playback in the middle of a high pitch sound and kept playing that. The only way to get the system running again was to restart.

I ran some stability tests and had varying results. I tested the 3 rails on my psu and all were running within normal parameters. Stress tests on my ram (Memtest86+) and cpu (Prime95) gave weird results. In the end I took my computer into the store where I bought the parts and asked them to fix the problem. They did the same tests I did and concluded the motherboard was flawed and had a manufactures defect. So I got a brand new motherboard of the same brand and model.

The system was running fine until one day it started freezing again. The original ram I had in this computer was OCZ ram of the same speed and amount as the new Patriot ram. I took it to the store a second time and asked for new ram because I thought that that could be the problem. (memtest86 was failing)

They replaced OCZ with Patriot. I got the computer back and it still kept freezing so I untinstalled Vista and formatted. I now have a clean copy of Vista Home Premium 64bit and I am still freezing occasionally. The times when it freezes are random but I have had more freezes when I run video from a cd or a streaming video on the internet. But thats not to say the system wont crash just sitting idle not running anything.


I welcome any and all opinions as well as advice for fixing this bugger.

Thanks to all who post.

Eichhorn18

 

[ou_phidelt]

Have you memtested the Patriot sticks?

 

[grndragon57]

First thing I'd check is to make sure the RAM is at the proper voltage.

I take Newegg reviews with a grain of salt, but for what its worth there are a lot of reviews that list freezing problems and memory problems for that board. Maybe contact ASUS and see what they say.

 

[Eichhorn18]

Have you memtested the Patriot sticks?

The stock voltage says it should be 1.5V. I turned it up to 1.6 and it seemed to be more stable. I ran memtest86+ on the 1.6V for 24+ hours with no errors.

Edit: I should say, more crashing was occuring at 1.5V.. but its still happening at 1.6V but like I said, memtest86+ passed.

 

[RollingThunder]

The stock voltage says it should be 1.5V. I turned it up to 1.6 and it seemed to be more stable. I ran memtest86+ on the 1.6V for 24+ hours with no errors.

Edit: I should say, more crashing was occuring at 1.5V.. but its still happening at 1.6V but like I said, memtest86+ passed.

Eichhorn,

Try running just two RAM sticks for a while if you are sure each stick is good.

 

[Eichhorn18]

Eichhorn,

Try running just two RAM sticks for a while if you are sure each stick is good.

I am running just the two Patriot sticks. I returned the OCZ sticks.

Do you mean just one stick at a time?

Sorry I didn't answer an earlier question. Yes I've tested the patriot sticks. They pass with no errors for 24+ hours.

 

[RollingThunder]

I am running just the two Patriot sticks. I returned the OCZ sticks.

Do you mean just one stick at a time?

Sorry I didn't answer an earlier question. Yes I've tested the patriot sticks. They pass with no errors for 24+ hours.

Eichhorn,

Sorry, thought you had 4 x 1gb RAMs.

 

[redduc900]

The speakers I have attached to this system would start screeching as though I was playing audio but someone stopped the playback in the middle of a high pitch sound and kept playing that. The only way to get the system running again was to restart.

This is normally caused by insufficient Vcc (Vcore). Check the VID of your quad using CoreTemp...

http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/

The Vcc (Vcore) as read by a program like CPU-Z while under a load, should match or be slightly higher than the VID of your chip. For example if the VID is 1.300v, and the CPU is under a load like when running Prime, the current Vcc should not drop below the VID. You would need to increase the Vcore in the BIOS to compensate for things like Vdroop or Vdrop, which would cause the current 1.3v Vcore (default VID as read by the BIOS) to be lower than what's required to be stable in Windows. The VID as read by CoreTemp will be lower if you have SpeedStep (EIST) / C1E enabled in the BIOS, so in order to get an accurate reading either disable those options, or put a load on the CPU w/ a program like Prime or SuperPI.

 

[Eichhorn18]

This is normally caused by insufficient Vcc (Vcore). Check the VID of your quad using CoreTemp...

http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/

The Vcc (Vcore) as read by a program like CPU-Z while under a load, should match or be slightly higher than the VID of your chip. For example if the VID is 1.300v, and the CPU is under a load like when running Prime, the current Vcc should not drop below the VID. You would need to increase the Vcore in the BIOS to compensate for things like Vdroop or Vdrop, which would cause the current 1.3v Vcore (default VID as read by the BIOS) to be lower than what's required to be stable in Windows. The VID as read by CoreTemp will be lower if you have SpeedStep (EIST) / C1E enabled in the BIOS, so in order to get an accurate reading either disable those options, or put a load on the CPU w/ a program like Prime or SuperPI.

So if I find that I have insufficient Vcc then is that a flaw in the cpu or is this a normal function and is why it can be compensated for in the bios?

I will try this when I get home tonight.

You quoted my thing about screeching sound. Does this insufficient Vcc cause freezing associated with the screeching sounds as well?

 

[Eichhorn18]

Ok. I turned off SpeedStep (EIST) / C1E in the bios and rebooted. I had to reboot 5 times before windows would load...it kept freezing while loading. Eventually I got Core Temp and the VID reads at 1.2375V.

Is this good/bad and what should I do to compensate?

 

[redduc900]

Like I mentioned in my last post, you could have left those enabled and just loaded the CPU w/ Prime or SuperPI. Irregardless, the VID of your chip is 1.2375v, which means that the Vcore as shown in CPU-Z, HWMonitor, etc. needs to match this voltage (or be slightly higher). So for example if the current Vcore in CPU-Z is 1.2v (taking into account Vdroop and Vdrop), then you would need to compensate for the lower voltage by raising the CPU VID Control (Vcore / Vcc) in the BIOS .0375v

You quoted my thing about screeching sound. Does this insufficient Vcc cause freezing associated with the screeching sounds as well?

Most definitely, insufficient Vcore / Vcc not only causes problems w/ Windows, but also affects the sound (in most cases a screeching sound).

 

[Eichhorn18]

Like I mentioned in my last post, you could have left those enabled and just loaded the CPU w/ Prime or SuperPI. Irregardless, the VID of your chip is 1.2375v, which means that the Vcore as shown in CPU-Z, HWMonitor, etc. needs to match this voltage (or be slightly higher). So for example if the current Vcore in CPU-Z is 1.2v (taking into account Vdroop and Vdrop), then you would need to compensate for the lower voltage by raising the CPU VID Control (Vcore / Vcc) in the BIOS .0375v

Most definitely, insufficient Vcore / Vcc not only causes problems w/ Windows, but also affects the sound (in most cases a screeching sound).

If I raise the Vcore do I need to adjust the NB voltage or any other processor/ram settings in the bios to compensate or compliment this change in voltage?

Is there anything else in the bios with regard to cpu/ram settings that could be causing this?

 

[Eichhorn18]

Update:

So I ran Prime95 and the Vcore dropped to 1.1V in cpuz. I tried raising the Vcore in the bios to 1.3V.

The system crashed more with this new voltage...

 

[redduc900]

The Vcc in Windows needs to be at least equal to the VID of your chip (1.2375v). 1.1 Vcc as read by CPU-Z under a load is way too low a voltage for the CPU at stock clock. Use the following template for the P5Q3- D to post all of your current BIOS settings...

Ratio CMOS Setting :
C1E Support [Disabled]
CPU TM Function [Enabled]
Vanderpool Technology [Enabled]
Execute Disable Bit [Enabled]
Max CPUID Value Limit: [Disabled]
Intel Speedstep EIST [Disabled]

Ai OVerclocking Tuner : [Manual]
CPU Ration Control : [Auto]
Ratio CMOS Setting :
FSB Strap to North Bridge: [Auto]
FSB Frequency : 333
PCIE Frequency : [Auto]
DRAM Frequency : [DDR3-1333Mhz]
Dram TIming COntrol : [Auto]

CAS# Latency :
RAS# to CAS #Delay :
RAS# Precharge :
RAS# Active Time :
RAS# to RAS# Delay :
Row Refresh Cycle Time:
Write Recovery Time :
Read to Precharge Time :

Read to Write Delay (S/D) : [Auto]
Write to Read Delay (S) : [Auto]
Write to Read Delay (D) : [Auto]
Read to Read Delay (S) : [Auto]
Read to Read Delay (D) : [Auto]
Write to Write Delay (S) : [Auto]
Write to Write Delay (D) : [Auto]

DRAM Static Read Control : [Auto]
DRAM Dynamic Write Control: [Auto]

Ai Clock Twister: [Auto]
Ai Clock Skew for Channel A: [Auto]
Ai Clock Skew for Channel B: [Auto]

CPU Voltage: [1.2750]
CPU PLL Voltage: [Auto]
FSB Termination Voltage [Auto]
DRAM Voltage [Auto]
North Bridge Voltage [Auto]
South Bridge Voltage [Auto]
Clock Over-Charging Voltage [Auto]

CPU Voltage Damper [Auto]
CPU Voltage Reference [Auto]
North Bridge Voltage Referemce[Auto]
CPU Spread Spectrum [Disabled]
PCIE Spread Spectrum [Disabled}

 

[Eichhorn18]

redduc900:

I made the changes that you suggested and the computer seemed to start more easily. However about 5 mins into running it, the system freezed up on me.

Advice?

 

[lookitsstobe]

Eichhorn18, I feel your pain. I have been scouring the internet for days trying to find someone with the same issue i have and i think you may be the one.

Allow me to make my case...

My machine freezes up randomly between 2 minutes and 2 hours after booting, there is no pattern to the freezing that i can determine. It happens if i am playing a video game or boot into safe mode with my video card disabled and load nothing. When the system freezes i hear a slightly high pitched two tone droning which can best be described as a stalled playback. To restart I have to manually power off the machine.

My Specs are:

Motherboard: Asus P5E3 Deluxe Wifi-AP
Processor: Intel Q9300 Quad Core @ 2.50GHZ
Ram: GSkill 4GB DDR3 1333GHZ Gaming Extreme Performance RAM
Graphics: XFX Nvidia Geforce 9800 GT 512MB PCIE 16X
PSU: OCZ EvoStream
Storage: Western Digital 500GB 7,200rpm SATA II 3Gb/s Hard Disk Drive
Western Digital 160GB 7,200rpm SATA II 3Gb/s Hard Disk Drive

I'm confident we have the same issue. You may notice, we have similar Motherboards, Processors, DDR3 Ram. Perhaps by concentrating on what we have in common we may be able to narrow our focus.

You have been at this for quite a bit longer than i have, and since it has been a month since your last post you may have even found a solution. I am currently going through thourough system testing but the nature of this issue makes it unbelievably hard to diagnose.

I hope we can work together to find a solution to this crippling problem.


P.S. In my last freeze i noticed one aspect that wasn't frozen it seemed that one of my gadgets that was displaying information about my cores was still working and took several minutes to freeze after the rest of the machine became unresponsive

 

[lookitsstobe]

Eichhorn18, I feel your pain. I have been scouring the internet for days trying to find someone with the same issue i have and i think you may be the one.

Allow me to make my case...

My machine freezes up randomly between 2 minutes and 2 hours after booting, there is no pattern to the freezing that i can determine. It happens if i am playing a video game or boot into safe mode with my video card disabled and load nothing. When the system freezes i hear a slightly high pitched two tone droning which can best be described as a stalled playback. To restart I have to manually power off the machine.

My Specs are:

Motherboard: Asus P5E3 Deluxe Wifi-AP
Processor: Intel Q9300 Quad Core @ 2.50GHZ
Ram: GSkill 4GB DDR3 1333GHZ Gaming Extreme Performance RAM
Graphics: XFX Nvidia Geforce 9800 GT 512MB PCIE 16X
PSU: OCZ EvoStream
Storage: Western Digital 500GB 7,200rpm SATA II 3Gb/s Hard Disk Drive
Western Digital 160GB 7,200rpm SATA II 3Gb/s Hard Disk Drive

I'm confident we have the same issue. You may notice, we have similar Motherboards, Processors, DDR3 Ram. Perhaps by concentrating on what we have in common we may be able to narrow our focus.

You have been at this for quite a bit longer than i have, and since it has been a month since your last post you may have even found a solution. I am currently going through thourough system testing but the nature of this issue makes it unbelievably hard to diagnose.

I hope we can work together to find a solution to this crippling problem.


P.S. In my last freeze i noticed one aspect that wasn't frozen it seemed that one of my gadgets that was displaying information about my cores was still working and took several minutes to freeze after the rest of the machine became unresponsive