Help with Freezing Screen

DattaGRoover

Hi,

I have a brand-new system, i7 12-core, 32 gigs DDR3, Intel board, EVGA/GeForce GTX 580 running 2 monitors. It is consistently freezing. More graphic applications, like Premier Pro CS6 freeze faster, but it has frozen on the simplest apps- even Windows control panel.

All my temps are normal: 62 deg GPU, 32 Deg CPU, all other temps normal range.

It hasn't blue-screened, but freezes a lot.

Any ideas?

Many thanks.

Pill Monster · 05-28-2012, 19:15 | posts: 20,851 | Location: NZ

Quote:

Originally Posted by DattaGRoover

Hi,

I have a brand-new system, i7 12-core, 32 gigs DDR3, Intel board, EVGA/GeForce GTX 580 running 2 monitors. It is consistently freezing. More graphic applications, like Premier Pro CS6 freeze faster, but it has frozen on the simplest apps- even Windows control panel.

All my temps are normal: 62 deg GPU, 32 Deg CPU, all other temps normal range.

It hasn't blue-screened, but freezes a lot.

Any ideas?

Many thanks.

Try a memory test and HDD test...

DattaGRoover · 05-28-2012, 19:27 | posts: 9 | Location: Ft. Collins, CO

I suspect it's in the graphic card, as it seems to freeze only when I'm dragging (sorry, forgot to mention that). I have the latest drivers installed in the vid card, and all Windows updates are in place.

I always thought memory issues would cause bluescreening, not freezing, but that's just my conception. I will test the SDDs, & HDDs & memory if you think I should eliminate those potential issues.

Any specific test programs for both Mem & HDD/SSD you think are good?

Pill Monster · 05-28-2012, 19:33 | posts: 20,851 | Location: NZ

when you drag windows around check Task Manager for any excessive CPU spikes, if you have Aero enabled see if disabling it helps....GPU load can be checked with GPU-Z.

for memory testing, Memtest86+ is good, or HyperPi......HDD I normally use Seatools.

Is it only when moving desktop around? What about when opening up directories does it freeze then? That could indicate HDD fault.

DattaGRoover · 05-28-2012, 20:07 | posts: 9 | Location: Ft. Collins, CO

Thanks for those tools, I'll load them up and try them. I haven't seen any problem when opening directories.

What I may do if the tests come back clear is to swap out that Graphics card (which I think is a 3 GB card) with a less-impressive but reliable 1 GB card that's in my other system.

The freezing mainly happens when I'm in Premier (which is a very complex GUI from a programming/graphics code point of view) or Photoshop (less so). I think the only time it happened on the desktop I was dragging the scrollbar. Generally just being on the desktop won't freeze it. Same with MS Word. It will freeze my system but not nearly as easily or as fast as the Adobe programs.

DattaGRoover · 05-28-2012, 20:45 | posts: 9 | Location: Ft. Collins, CO

SeaTools says it is only for Seagate, Maxtor-brand, and Quantum-brand ATA drives.

I'll try one of the others out there - I heard the Hitachi one is pretty good.

DattaGRoover · 05-29-2012, 01:05 | posts: 9 | Location: Ft. Collins, CO

All memory tests out okay, all drives are okay. If anyone has any ideas, I'm listening.

Thanks!

---TK--- · 05-29-2012, 01:16 | posts: 14,931 | Location: New Jersey, USA

which cpu do you have exactly? is your 580 overclocked? even if its not overclocked you can try upping the voltage 1 step in evga precision x. you can also try looping heaven 3.0 for a couple hours to check for stability

DattaGRoover · 05-29-2012, 04:59 | posts: 9 | Location: Ft. Collins, CO

Quote:

Originally Posted by ---TK---

which cpu do you have exactly? is your 580 overclocked? even if its not overclocked you can try upping the voltage 1 step in evga precision x. you can also try looping heaven 3.0 for a couple hours to check for stability

It is an i7 Intel 3930 (12 cores) @ 3.2 Ghz

The 580 is not now overclocked. I will try the voltage trick and the looping heaven to test it - but it has worked for many hours without a problem (background tasks, etc.). The more complex the GUI (Premier, Photoshop, etc.) the sooner it freezes, and always when I drag something. I can't go more than a minute or two in Premier.

I don't know if that's a helpful clue or not.

anticupidon · 05-29-2012, 06:34 | posts: 1,711 | Location: far,far from home

Page file is disabled?

DattaGRoover · 05-29-2012, 18:47 | posts: 9 | Location: Ft. Collins, CO

It (Pagefile) wasn't disabled, but I disabled it, and still freezes.

TK, I did stress tests on both the CPU and GPU and they both passed with no errors.

Pill: In GPU-Z everything looks normal. No spikes when dragging.

New possible clue: In Photoshop (CS6) it freezes the instant I switch to 3D space. I am too dumb to know what that means in terms of the freeze, but I'm hoping one of you do.

Thanks!

Pill Monster · 05-29-2012, 19:19 | posts: 20,851 | Location: NZ

Well I reckon it may be voltage, reason I say that is I just had the same issue with my PC, however it was due to heavy overclocking.

Raising the Memory Controller volts, and also my ram/cpu fixed it, now all I have to do is figure out which of the 3 is the culprit.

It's possible your memory controller may need some extra volts with 32GB ram installed...?

Main point is it was a low volts issue for me - made the screen freeze up playing Mass Effect 2.

Not very familiar with PhotoShop (3D space) but it's quite memory intensive isn't it? Although 3D space sounds gfx card related?

Pill Monster · 05-29-2012, 19:27 | posts: 20,851 | Location: NZ

Hey mate did u try out HyperPi?

DattaGRoover · 05-29-2012, 19:44 | posts: 9 | Location: Ft. Collins, CO

Thanks for the help -
I tried Memtest86+, and that seemed to give a full evaluation over a couple of hours time (no errors). I tried raising the voltage on the GPU slightly- that didn't matter - still freezing. My (Intel) board is built for 64 Gig Ram (8 slots) so I kind of doubt it's the mem voltage- but since I've tried everything else I may as well give it a go.

OR I may just swap out the vid card with my other system. That will at least tell me definitely its the card.

clawhamer · 05-29-2012, 21:54 | posts: 1,585 | Location: eastcoast.ca

Quote:

Originally Posted by DattaGRoover

OR I may just swap out the vid card with my other system. That will at least tell me definitely its the card.

That’s a good idea.

If you have an un-used HD lying around you could replace your current HD and put a fresh install of Windows with only PhotoShop on it (for testing purposes).

Also, is PhotoShop updated?

DattaGRoover · 05-30-2012, 03:33 | posts: 9 | Location: Ft. Collins, CO

Yes, PS is completely updated.
Now I have a whole new problem - apparently far more sinister. The EVGA tech said to update my bios (on the MB). I checked and there is a new bios available, that has an "install from Windows" function. How convenient! When I ran the bios update program, it said my computer will reboot, but instead it just turned off. Now it won't turn back on. Some lights are on, but no fans.

Doesn't look good to me! I cleared the CMOS, but that didn't do anything. I spoke to Intel, and they said I had to take it in for warranty repair.

Damn!