Windows 7 keeps freezing at the desktop
- Thread starter MasterBlaster76
- Start date
MasterBlaster76
ICC Chairman
Yes.
I've just thought of something: remember I had two HDDs - one new 500gb one and the other old 120gb one that was making rattling noises? Maybe the 120gb one has finally given up the ghost? The only problem with that theory is Windows 7 is installed on the new HDD - but maybe the old HDD can be having some kind of effect? I know, once again, I'm clutching at straws, but if this can have some kind of effect, is there a way to disable the old HDD without removing it? Also, ChkDsk didn't find errors on the new HDD - it found them on E:\ which is one of the older HDD's partitions.
The thing is AbBh, this has only started happening since installing the new CPU - before that, it was fine - if it crashed, I could retrieve it by using the Task Manager. If there's one thing I've learned about PCs, it's work backwards to the last change if there are any problems - and the last change in this case was the new CPU.
Is there any point updating the BIOS - or could that make things worse?
Anyway, thanks for your help so far.
No harm in updating the BIOS if its a straight forward procedure with your motherboard.
It could be the CPU, but since it works fine during normal use, it doesn't add up. The only way to confirm is to run the PC with a different CPU.
It could be your older HDD. You can try to disable it using the BIOS. What softwares do you have running in the background? Most maintenance software will do their processing when the CPU is idle so that it doesn't slow down your PC during normal use. If its trying to read from the disk constantly and your HDD is faulty, it could be the problem.
If you are getting the BSOD, it would certainly help if you post the minidump file.
It could be the CPU, but since it works fine during normal use, it doesn't add up. The only way to confirm is to run the PC with a different CPU.
It could be your older HDD. You can try to disable it using the BIOS. What softwares do you have running in the background? Most maintenance software will do their processing when the CPU is idle so that it doesn't slow down your PC during normal use. If its trying to read from the disk constantly and your HDD is faulty, it could be the problem.
If you are getting the BSOD, it would certainly help if you post the minidump file.
sohum
Executive member
I don't think he's getting a BSOD. But that certainly seems like a plausible issue (the old hard disk causing the issue). The indexing service, for example, runs in the background. With more cores and threads available with your new CPU, this may have magnified the issue (or possibly create a deadlock that couldn't be reached with your older CPU).
As AbBh said, try disabling your faulty HDD from BIOS startup and running with that setup for a few days. If that doesn't solve the issue, at least you have eliminated one of the potential culprits.
And you should also run memtest86+ at some point just to make sure your memory checks out.
As AbBh said, try disabling your faulty HDD from BIOS startup and running with that setup for a few days. If that doesn't solve the issue, at least you have eliminated one of the potential culprits.
And you should also run memtest86+ at some point just to make sure your memory checks out.
MasterBlaster76
ICC Chairman
No, I'm not getting the BSOD at all - the system just freezes up and that's it. It's only done it once today, but it shouldn't be doing it at all of course.
I'm with you - it doesn't add up that the CPU is the culprit. Even though it was the latest upgrade I made, it's not falling over during normal use as you said, or even heavy use - if anything, it's falling over when everything is idle.
As well as that, how common is it to get a faulty CPU?
I don't think he's getting a BSOD. But that certainly seems like a plausible issue (the old hard disk causing the issue). The indexing service, for example, runs in the background. With more cores and threads available with your new CPU, this may have magnified the issue (or possibly create a deadlock that couldn't be reached with your older CPU).
As AbBh said, try disabling your faulty HDD from BIOS startup and running with that setup for a few days. If that doesn't solve the issue, at least you have eliminated one of the potential culprits.
And you should also run memtest86+ at some point just to make sure your memory checks out.
Thanks for your help. Regarding disabling the old HDD - there's only one thing concerning me. The old HDD's partitions are C & E, with the new HDD's being D & F. If I disable the old HDD and therefore the C:\ partition, is that going to cause issues? Does the system have to find a C:\ partition to work correctly, or doesn't it matter?
MasterBlaster76 added 14 Minutes and 37 Seconds later...
OK - I don't know how to disable an HDD from the BIOS, so I tried changing the HDD boot priority around - that just caused the system not to load at all 'NTLDR is missing' or something like that; it's OK now - I've changed it back. Sounds like the system needs to find a C:\ partition to start properly then. If I'm going to disable the old HDD, I believe I need to find out how to rename the new HDD's partitions to C:\ and D:\.
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MasterBlaster76
ICC Chairman
OK - updated BIOS, let's see how it goes over the next week or two - I think I spoke too soon last time.
MasterBlaster76
ICC Chairman
It just froze up again - so tomorrow, I'm going to go down to the shop and get them to replace this damn CPU! I've printed out the relevant page from the Consumer Information site you linked to, Sureshot: thanks for that. I contacted Intel and described what is going on; they said it's a CPU issue - they checked and my mobo is fully compatible with this CPU.
MasterBlaster76
ICC Chairman
Yes - I was just about to post about that: this CPU was especially ordered in for me. If they have another in stock, I'm sure I can talk them into popping it into my PC and sending the faulty one to Intel who will then send them one they can sell, but there's no way they're going to order another one in especially as that way, they lose money.
Luckily, Intel say that it takes three business days from when they receive the CPU, so worst case scenario shouldn't see me without my system for too long. Good thing I have a PS3 now - that takes care of my gaming at least.
I hope, after all this messing around, the replacement doesn't do the same thing!! While I've got my system there, I'm going to see if I can get them to disable and remove the old HDD and change the new HDD's partitions to C:\ and D:\. I don't think it'll work otherwise, because I've tried disabling the old HDD and that just causes the system not to boot at all. After all, I have more than enough space on the new HDD and the old one might just end up causing problems when it packs it in, if it isn't doing it now!
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sohum
Executive member
It sounds like you're booting from you old HDD which means if you want them to remove it you'll probably have to reinstall Windows on the new HDD.
MasterBlaster76
ICC Chairman
Yes - that must be what's going on. Windows 7 is installed on the new HDD though - dunno why it has to boot from the old one!
I'm going to have to reinstall everything if I want to do that as well; the new HDD needs to have a C:\ partition. I've got a question about that: Windows 7 is on the D:\ partition, whereas everything else is on F:\. Would it be possible just to format D:\ and change it to C:\ ? That way, F:\ can be left as it is - there isn't much on D:\ anyway apart from Windows 7. Reinstalling everything on F:\ will be a gigantic pain in the arse!
MasterBlaster76
ICC Chairman
I tried that - I think I mentioned it above, and it just caused the system not to boot at all. System hasn't frozen so far today, but the fact it has been doing it at least once a day says to me that I should go ahead with the CPU replacement in case things get worse down the line.
Good thing is they said they can just format D:\ , rename it to C:\ and leave F:\ alone. That has spared me a real headache backing stuff up!
Good thing is they said they can just format D:\ , rename it to C:\ and leave F:\ alone. That has spared me a real headache backing stuff up!
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Chewie
BCCI President
The boot loader is on your old hard drive I think.
So you had a vista/xp installed on your old hard drive, then got a new harddrive, and installed windows 7 on that in a dual boot?
I think you'll need to make the windows 7 boot the active partition, or something along those lines
So you had a vista/xp installed on your old hard drive, then got a new harddrive, and installed windows 7 on that in a dual boot?
I think you'll need to make the windows 7 boot the active partition, or something along those lines
MasterBlaster76
ICC Chairman
So the D:\ partition can be the system partition? I thought it had to be C:\.
