Computer freezes randomly, help!

[kramfreak]

I'm new to the forum and hope I am posting in the right section.

I have an issue where my computer freezes randomly. I've done a lot of searches and it seems like problem can be anything from softwares to hardwares.

My problem does not have frequently. Once it happened right after I started windows and just browsing through files (in first 5 min since boot). Other times it happened after 6+ hours of using computer and gaming. More often, it freezes every once in a long time.

What happens is screen freezes and I can't move anything. My computer doesn't make any louder noises and just stops being active.

I have reinstalled the windows, tried using it without any drivers except video card but still happened after hours of gaming.

This is a newly assembled computer and is stressing me out very much.

Here are my computer specs:

CPU: AMD 64 x2 Toledo 4800+
MOBO: K8N SLI ABIT board
RAM: 4 sticks of Corsair valueselect 3200 1Gig (512mb a stick) two dual chan
Graphic Card: Leadtek Winfast 7900GT 256mb
PSU: Antec Truepower 2.0 500 Watts
HDD: WD 7200RPM 250GB SATA

All parts are brand new.

I used to have BSOD problem with this comp (right after assemly) but went after I uninstalled the NFROCE firewall.

I no longer have BSOD problem but comp still freezes once in a while.

Any ideas? I would like to get this solved before my school starts next week.

 

[tifc8lraz]

Is the inside of your computer hot? Download speedfan and check. Computers can get jittery when they are extremely hot.

 

[kramfreak]

O yes, I forgot to mention about the temps.

From speedfan, all the temps are 30's and 40's, my graphic card temp is usually high 40 or low 50. From bios pc health, cpu is usually in 40's. So I don't think it's a tempertauture problem. Although I am using stock heatsink and fans, I've heard good reviews about em, and I have 3 case fans.

Strange thing though, ever since I assembled my computer 4 days ago.. I get the slight burning smell from my PC every time it's on. I can't say it is unfamiliar smell, I thought it would disappear but it isn't. The smell is really faint, and my temps are fine..

If this is a hardware problem, is there a higher chance of it being one part over another?

 

[tifc8lraz]

Are any of the internal components touching each other? That burning smell could be that, along with the fact that when things touch, they can sometimes mess up the computer. Make sure everything is connected tight as well while you're down in the case.

 

[mailpup]

Yes, like the routing of your wires and cables. One or more could be touching something hot like a heatsink.

 

[kramfreak]

my comp is pretty messy inside with all the cables coming from the PSU. Ill try to organize em and try to retighten things. Hopefully this would fix my freezing problem. I'll get back to u guys! And thanks jumping into help me out so fast.

 

[tifc8lraz]

No problem, that's what this site is for :knock:

 

[kramfreak]

Ok, I just opened up my computer to check up on those things.

First of all, there are no wires our of place that's in contact with the heatsink or most of the mobo for that matter.

I sniffed around my computer right after I opened it up, and the source that faint burning smell is directly from the power supply. Do you guys think this might be the cause of random freezing?

Since I opened up the case, I swopped my two sets of dual channel corsair RAM with two singles 1 gig Kingston Hyper X Mem at 3200. Just checking to see if this is RAM problem and I happened to have access to these RAMS at my apartment.

Secondly, I disconnected one of the power connectors from my SATA hard drive. My hard drive is WD SATA and it had SATA connector, SATA power connectors, and normal power connector. I was curious about the normal power connector slot so i had plugged it in originally, but took it out right now to see if that might have been problematic. (why does it have both SATA power and normal power slots neway?)


Ok, now I guess I wait and see. Since my freezings are random and infrequent... I don't know how many hours I have to wait till it freezes again.

But from what I said here.. do you guys think it's the PSU?

 

[mailpup]

I sniffed around my computer right after I opened it up, and the source that faint burning smell is directly from the power supply. Do you guys think this might be the cause of random freezing?

Could be. Do you have another one to check?

why does it have both SATA power and normal power slots neway?

To give you options. WD has an optional proprietary system called Secureconnect. It is a data cable with a large but solid connection to the back of the WD hard drive. The large data connector covers the SATA power connector so when you use Secureconnect you have to use the legacy molex power connector. I happen to have a WD 250GB SATA hard drive and I use the Secureconnect.

 

[kramfreak]

well it seems like my computer is working fine for now... ill start another thread once problem is revisited. I guess solution was either changing the RAM or unplugging that power connector from HD.

 

[anonymous2004]

You know what? I had the same problem. Its like you had posted for me.
It happened to my newly bought PC. But i did not bother changing anything because it did not hang up that frequently. But recently it hanged up a lot since my computer was now runnig all night.
I constantly upgraded my computer though, changed my video card twice, changed my ram, ny cpu cooling fan and new hard disks and even new power supply units all because of this frequent hanging.
The only thing left was CPU and the motherboard. Then i decided to change them at last.
And now i am really really happy with my computer. No hanging at all even if it is running for 5 days continiously.

I think it is the same problem with you. As you are saying that you have assembled it try changing the cpu and the motherboard. That should definately fix the problem.

My computer also had problems after a format.

 

[kramfreak]

yea.. i was down to changing mobo and cpu too, but i got sick of it. building this computer, i went through 3 mobos and 2 cpus because i was checkin on compatibility issue... i got so sick and tired of wiping off the thermal paste and screwing the screws that i kinda gave up.. my system seems to be stable for now though