Windows 7 x64 - Randomly crashing/freezing...

[AdambotLive]

I hope you can help me with this (in my opinion) serious problem.

I use my computer, with windows 7 64-bit regularly for gaming and general use, but recently, I have found that opening games, and sometimes even opening an internet browser, can cause the computer to freeze/crash, making me not do anything but to restart it forcibly.

Can anyone help me? (additional details are available if needed)

 

[TheComedown]

Loads of different things could be causing it, no where near enough information here. Start with listing your system specs, and EXACTLY what your doing when it crashes.

 

[AdambotLive]

Loads of different things could be causing it, no where near enough information here. Start with listing your system specs, and EXACTLY what your doing when it crashes.

Here's to start off with:

Installed Memory: 4.00GB
Processer: Intel Core 2 Duo CPU E7400 @ 2.80GHz 2.80GHz
Graphics card: Nvidia 8800GTS

And when I open a game, for example, GMod, sometimes the computer freezes whilst loading the game, sometimes it freezes whilst playing the game. I don't know why, I have more than the reccomended specifications to play the game normally.

 

[cainx10a]

How's your CPU temperature? Any background tasks running while you are playing games? Up-to-date GFX drivers? Can you tell us more please

 

[TheComedown]

Have you run a virus scan, disk defrag/cleanup etc?

 

[Zacharine]

Check your CPU temperatures, as that are most likely to cause crashes.

Or a faulty power unit, delivering not enough power/power input to components fluctuates too much while under stress. What brand, how old is it, what wattage and what power-rail distribution does your PSU have?

 

[Keava]

Start with virus, memory and disk scans. Sounds like something is just clogging your PC. Eventually drivers issues in case of games.

 

[TheComedown]

Check your CPU temperatures, as that are most likely to cause crashes.

How's your CPU temperature?

It is highly unlikely it would be a temperature problem as I wouldn't have thought internet explorer would have been enough of a strain on the CPU to cause a crash due to over heating.

More likely to be a virus or some buggy files hidden away somewhere.

 

[cainx10a]

Then if I may suggest, AVG free. I have despite being a "download" addict, never encountered any issue be it virus or adware thanks to it.

Also, did you recently install Windows? If not, defragment your HDD that might help.

And oh, even running a single app can cause a system slowdown with a fragmented disk (or one running low of capacity), I have experienced that countless times.

http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/
-- Just a little app I use to check my CPU temp, you never know when you are going to it.

 

[SimuLord]

My computer's got slower hardware than yours and never hitches, hiccups, or offers a word of complaint to me while using it. Win7 x64 as well.

Sounds like a software problem. Or a cooked hardware problem.

 

[Jack_Uzi]

When your computer does things you don't really understand, check your event viewer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Event_Viewer. Remember the time that the crash took place and look in the system and application folder. There will probably be a log of the error.
See the page of microsoft or look on the internet for a possible fix of the error.
Good luck.

 

[Zacharine]

Check your CPU temperatures, as that are most likely to cause crashes.

How's your CPU temperature?

It is highly unlikely it would be a temperature problem as I wouldn't have thought internet explorer would have been enough of a strain on the CPU to cause a crash due to over heating.

More likely to be a virus or some buggy files hidden away somewhere.

Depends on the load: lots of video files and 30+tabs can easily bring one core to full use and with poor ventilation and few hours of strain behind it, temperatures can spike somewhat dangerously.

But I still think its quite likely a power-supply problem. Unless of course the OP has forgotten the most basic viral checks.

 

[TheComedown]

Check your CPU temperatures, as that are most likely to cause crashes.

How's your CPU temperature?

It is highly unlikely it would be a temperature problem as I wouldn't have thought internet explorer would have been enough of a strain on the CPU to cause a crash due to over heating.

More likely to be a virus or some buggy files hidden away somewhere.

Depends on the load: lots of video files and 30+tabs can easily bring one core to full use and with poor ventilation and few hours of strain behind it, temperatures can spike somewhat dangerously.

But I still think its quite likely a power-supply problem. Unless of course the OP has forgotten the most basic viral checks.

Yeah but not many people launch explorer with 30 tabs and video files open. Nor was this after hours of strain, it was on launch.

I'd probably say its a virus unless OP has already done some scans, (OP check out Malwarebytes download and run that) If its not a virus, I'd agree and say PSU, the rest of the computer suggests it wouldn't be that new so its probably on its way out.

 

[AdambotLive]

Check your CPU temperatures, as that are most likely to cause crashes.

How's your CPU temperature?

It is highly unlikely it would be a temperature problem as I wouldn't have thought internet explorer would have been enough of a strain on the CPU to cause a crash due to over heating.

More likely to be a virus or some buggy files hidden away somewhere.

Depends on the load: lots of video files and 30+tabs can easily bring one core to full use and with poor ventilation and few hours of strain behind it, temperatures can spike somewhat dangerously.

But I still think its quite likely a power-supply problem. Unless of course the OP has forgotten the most basic viral checks.

Yeah but not many people launch explorer with 30 tabs and video files open. Nor was this after hours of strain, it was on launch.

I'd probably say its a virus unless OP has already done some scans, (OP check out Malwarebytes download and run that) If its not a virus, I'd agree and say PSU, the rest of the computer suggests it wouldn't be that new so its probably on its way out.

Thanks for the support everyone. I have virus scanned with AVG and not found any viruses/trojans/etc. So based on your opinions, it is my PSU. I have a 400W one if that helps. Keep the support coming

 

[TheComedown]

Thanks for the support everyone. I have virus scanned with AVG and not found any viruses/trojans/etc. So based on your opinions, it is my PSU. I have a 400W one if that helps. Keep the support coming

Did you try the Malwarebytes, it often picks up stuff others miss?

400w, how old is the computer all together? have you upgraded any parts separately?

 

[gl1koz3]

Try running in Safe Mode with Networking. See if browser or whatever makes it go crazy then.

EDIT: If it will die in Safe Mode with Networking too, then the thing that it dies mostly while loading something suggests you need to check HDD cables and run some HDD diagnostics, but it could be bad videocard connection, too. Try reseating components.

EDIT2: Could be a dying PSU. When the voltage drops some bit from it, comp could mostly freeze.

EDIT3: Possibilities are limitless. You can try removing/replacing bits of your PC or find the problem in OS, if such exists.

EDIT4: Run Command Prompt as Administrator and type: sfc /scannow
This will check system files. Run a disk check too. You can find a lot of info on Windows 7 troubleshooting regarding this on google.

 

[Private Custard]

Graphics card: Nvidia 8800GTS

And you have a 400w PSU.

From what I can see, this card needs 165w at idle and 255w under load. Add that to other power needs from your PC and you could have the reason right here.

A 650w PSU is nice and cheap, and is an easy install.

 

[Laughing Man]

and here's the answer, or more correctly two of them

- You have a PSU that is no where near enough what you should be running for an 8800GTS, I ran one of those a few years back and wouldn't have touched anything other than a 500W plus. Also the fact that you haven't named the PSU suggests some cheap no brand POS, did it happen to come with the case? Anyway you either have a dodgy Vcore, the one that supplies power to your CPU or you have dodgy memory.

The Vcore is difficult to nail down as monitoring software won't tell you it has dropped to low until your PC locks up. You can test it by diving in to the BIOS and setting the Vcore yourself for the e7 series it should be around 1.2625v. Reboot and see if it crashes then, if it does try increasing the Vcore by whatever the lowest increment at a time your BIOS will allow you, if you have to go above 1.28 and it still crashes then it isn't your PSU.

Memory is easy to test, you can either use memtest (google it) or you can crack the case open and pull all the ram out then stick one stick of ram in at a time and test the system. The system will crash with which ever module is the faulty one.