SOLVED Windows 7 intermittent freezing after fresh installation

[juxtapose]

Hello,

I recently tried to upgrade my computer from Windows XP (32-bit) to Windows 7 Ultimate (64-bit). I had to do a clean install, obviously. The installation seems to have worked fine, however, my computer always freezes after a little while of use. It typically freezes within 1-30 minutes of activity. It seems to freeze sooner when I am browsing the Internet, but it also freezes if I simply leave the computer on. It is a complete freeze, whereby I cannot move my mouse or hit ctrl-alt-del to bring up Task Manager. I have to manually restart my computer.

I have completed all Windows 7 Updates, including the optional updates. I have also updated all drivers for each of my components, taking them directly from the manufacturers site. I have also tried to change my HDD settings so that it doesn't turn to standby after inactivity. I also unplugged any hardware that is not necessary, but that doesn't seem to help either. I ran Windows XP flawlessly up til the day I installed W7, so I don't think I have a hardware issue.

I am now out of ideas. Does anyone have suggestions on how I can fix this problem? Do you think my computer is somehow incompatible with 64-bit?

One last note: When I was installing W7, it took a LONG time to recognize my disc and get everything up and running. I know it took extra time, because I attempted to install W7 from a bootable-USB at one point to a different computer, and it was noticeably faster.

Specs:
OS: Windows 7 Ultimate - 64 Bit
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo Processor E8500 (2x 3.16GHz/6MB L2 Cache/1333FSB) )
Motherboard: [CrossFire] Asus P5Q Pro Intel P45 Chipset w/7.1 Sound, Gb LAN, S-ATA Raid, USB 2.0, IEEE-1394, Dual PCI-E MB
RAM: 2 GB [1 GB X2] DDR2-800 PC6400 Memory Module Corsair (Corsair vs1gb800d2)
Video Card: BFG NVIDIA GeForce GTX 275
Hard Drive: Western Digital 500 GB HARD DRIVE [Serial-ATA-II, 3Gb, 7200 RPM, 16M Cache] ) - Not Raid
Hard Drive 2: Western Digital 1TB (Black Caviar) - Not Raid
CD-RW/DVD-RW Drive: LG 20X Dual Format/Double Layer DVD±R/±RW + CD-R/RW
Sound Card: 3D Premium Surround Sound Onboard
Mouse: Razer DeathAdder
Keyboard: PS2 standard

 

[Rudo]

Yes, I have the same problem with my PC(OS Wind 7 64-bit). Windows 7 32- bit and second OC on my PC Linux Ubuntu 64-bit works very good. How to test my PC for compatible with Wind7 64-bit?

 

[Kougar]

Juxtapose, that is interesting that XP worked fine... and you have already disabled all power-saving features? If the computer wasn't compatible with 64bit then it would not have installed. That hardware you listed is fully 64bit capable.

Is there any error messages showing up in your Event Viewer that are showing up with the freezes? I agree that it does not sound like the hardware, but I would still recommend checking the RAM by running two passes of this program: http://www.memtest.org/ Unfortunately if you already installed your chipset and LAN drivers then I'm low on ideas, given that you mentioned you already updated all your drivers from the sources. You might make sure that HPET is set to 64 in your BIOS though, too while you're at it.

 

[mattweed9]

This might not be the best way to fix the problem, as I don't know what the issue is exactly, but another install might help. I do a lot of testing on one of my PC's, and I tend to reinstall windows on it almost once a week, I have had the same problem with Vista 64 bit and Windows 7 64 bit. I don't know exactly what the problem is, something missing, installed wrong, or whatever, but another clean install always seems to fix it.

From installing Windows over a thousand times, seems like 1 out of 5 is just a bad install. Only other time I had a problem like this, it was a mouse issue, but my screen would go black right after freezing.

 

[catilley1092]

This might not be the best way to fix the problem, as I don't know what the issue is exactly, but another install might help. I do a lot of testing on one of my PC's, and I tend to reinstall windows on it almost once a week, I have had the same problem with Vista 64 bit and Windows 7 64 bit. I don't know exactly what the problem is, something missing, installed wrong, or whatever, but another clean install always seems to fix it.

From installing Windows over a thousand times, seems like 1 out of 5 is just a bad install. Only other time I had a problem like this, it was a mouse issue, but my screen would go black right after freezing.

I agree with mattweed9 100% on this, as I've done hundreds of installs, and they don't go right every time, regardless of the OS being installed. I would try another install attempt, this time doing a full format.

 

[juxtapose]

Thank you for the leads, guys. I tried to edit my HPET settings first, but it appears that my mobo doesn't have an easy way to change that. Apparently, that's a general complaint with this Asus mobo, in my little research.

I will try a fresh reformat and re-install of Windows 7 again and let you know how it goes. (Fingers crossed).

 

[juxtapose]

Hello again. I reinstalled Windows 7 again (and reformatted) and updated the drivers, yet I ran into the same problem of my computer freezing within 30 minutes of use.

However, it took 3 (!!) attempts to get Windows 7 installed again. The computer froze on two attempts to install W7. Once it froze while Windows 7 was working on the second step of the install process (I think it was something like "expanding Windows files"). Another time it froze before it reached the "Windows is starting for the first time" screen.

The install process seems to be very slow, hanging on every step for an abnormal amount of time. For example, when I boot from the disc, it sticks on a blank Windows 7 screen for a few minutes before the startup occurs. Nearly every step hangs longer than expected.

I am at a loss as to what I should do next. Do we have any alternate ideas? Should I flash my BIOS to a more updated version (of available)? Should I try Windows 7 32-bit? Any other ideas? Thanks in advance for all your help.

 

[Nibiru2012]

Unplug the extra hard temporarily, the one you're not installing Windows 7 on.

You may have a dirty DVD laser lens. Find a DVD lens cleaning disc or borrow one and thoroughly clean the lens.

Be sure the install DVD has no fingerprints or scratches on it.

Double-check ALL your connections from the hard drive and DVD drive. Make sure they are seated fully. SATA connections can sometimes wiggle loose rather easily.

 

[catilley1092]

I agree with Nibiru2012 on that. A dirty DVD/CD lens can and will screw you up when trying to install an OS. So can a wore out one. I had one that wobbled so bad that you couldn't even burn an ISO file, let alone doing an install. It was a CD ROM, so I upgraded it to a new Dell DVD ROM, and my problem was solved.

 

[juxtapose]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the additional advice. I will unplug my second HDD and will make sure my SATA cords are secure.

I do not think the DVD lense will be the problem, because I have 2 different drives. On the next install, I'll try the other disc drive. I will definitely check the disc to make sure it's pristine. As a note, this is a burned disc that I had to create, so it's not going to be as reliable as a factory-disc, if that's a problem.

I'll keep you posted on my 5th attempt. It may be a couple days before I can pull this off. Thanks in advance.

 

[mattweed9]

No, I've used a copy of my upgrade disc and it installs fine. Make sure the disc it's self is clean/no marks. Some how something got on my disc the other day and it would freeze during the install.

 

[Nibiru2012]

this is a burned disc that I had to create, so it's not going to be as reliable as a factory-disc, if that's a problem.

I have had no problems with burned DVD discs from ISO files. The key is to burn them at a slow burn speed, somewhere between 4x and 12x, then verify the burn against the ISO image file you burned it from. ImgBurn does a good job of both and it's free.

I know this sounds strange, but I can burn a movie at 16 - 20x speed with no problems, but with the installation ISO image files I have had a few bad burns at those speeds. I am assuming that ISO file burning is not quite as forgiving as video files. Sometimes jitter will occur, usually at faster burn speeds.

One time I was installing XP Pro on a friend's computer and it just wouldn't install at all. Kept locking up and getting error messages. He had used an old CD-RW drive from 2000 in his new build. We took out the old drive and put a new one in and zoom the install went perfect.

 

[juxtapose]

Hey everyone,

After the 6th attempt, I still failed to get a working copy of W7 . I made sure that all cables were connected, I unplugged my secondary HDD, I made sure that my install-disc was in pristine condition, I used a different DVD-drive to install W7, I fully-reformatted my HDD and completed a fresh install, and I updated my drivers, Unfortunately, I still get freezing within 30 minutes of use.

Thank you for all your guidance so far, I appreciate it. Do you have any other ideas as to the potential culprit? I have one guess, but it's a long-shot. I noticed that my specific RAM was not listed on my Mobo's compatibility list. While it worked without a hitch while running XP, I'm wondering if it could flare up in W7?

Also, I tend to notice freezing whenever I am pretty active on the computer. My computer will still freeze within 30 minutes, but it seems like activity speeds up the freezing. I can either leave my computer still for 30 minutes or I can use Chrome for 5 minutes before freezing. Does that lead us to any other ideas?

Thanks again for all your efforts, I'll get Windows 7 working yet!

 

[Nibiru2012]

Just because the RAM is not listed on the motherboard compatibility list does not mean it won't work. As long as it meets the specs such as PC8500 1066MHz etc there should be no problems.

It is very hard for the mobo maker to test all the RAM that is out there.

Double check you BIOS settings for the RAM and stuff like that. My motherboard has a setting for boosting the RAM separate from the clock speed timing. It's a hyperboost or something like that. It was causing me problems so I set it to normal settings and now no issues at all.

Have you upgraded to the latest firmware for the BIOS? I also noticed that at Newegg you Asus P5Q mobo has 11% bad reviews, freezing and random restarts.

It seems this motherboard is not that reliable. How old is it?

 

[juxtapose]

It's fixed!!!! It all boiled down to the fact that I needed to update my BIOS. I've always been afraid to update my BIOS for fear that I'd ruin my motherboard, but I tried it out and it worked, no more freezing!

Thank you everyone for your suggestions and help, it means a lot to me that I was able to get my Windows 7 up and running. Special thanks to Nibiru2012, you were the one who was able to pinpoint the culprit. Windows 7 Forums rules!

For any ASUS P5Q Pro (or similar) motherboard users out there who are experiencing constant freezing in Windows 7, you'll likely need to reflash your BIOS. It was a fairly easy process, following instructions on one of ASUS's forums: http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx...id=1&model=P5B Deluxe/WiFi-AP&page=1&count=70

Preparation:

1. Document all your preferred BIOS settings (i.e. the settings you have changed from the default setting).
2. Download the BIOS file, which normally is compressed (zipped).
3. Unzip the BIOS file to a FAT/FAT32 formatted USB Flash Disk with only one partition (or to a Floppy Disk or a CD-ROM). If the unzipped BIOS file is named like e.g. 'P5B-ASUS-Deluxe-1101.ROM', you can rename it to 'P5BD1101.ROM'. Otherwise a truncated name will appear as 'P5B-AS~1.ROM' due to a limitation to max 8 characters in the filename (8.3).

Update:
1. Reboot.
2. Press (tap) <DEL> during POST (Power-On Self Test) to enter BIOS Setup.
3. Load BIOS Defaults (press <F5>).
4. Insert the USB Flash Disk containing the BIOS file P5BDxxxx.ROM. (Note that the USB Flash Disk has to be inserted before boot to enter BIOS, otherwise it won't be detected).
5. Save and Exit <F10>. (BIOS will now restart).
6. During BIOS restart, press <DEL> to enter BIOS Setup again.
7. Under Tools menu, select ASUS EZ Flash 2. It may take 20 seconds for the drives to show up. Select a drive in the left pane <Tab>. Use <Up> and <Down> arrows and <Enter> to select a drive. If you don't see the BIOS file in the right pane, check the other drives. Note that the drive letters are not the same here as in Windows and that no HDD's (NTFS devices) are shown here.
8. Select the BIOS file (e.g. P5BD1101.ROM) and press <Enter> to start flashing. Supervise the update, which includes the following stages: Erasing - Flashing (writing) - Verification. BIOS will automatically restart when the update is ready.
9. Disconnect the USB Flash Disk before/during the restart.
10. Perform a C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall) which resets the chipset. Power down, remove power cord from the PSU for 2 minutes and then power up.
11. Enter BIOS and load BIOS Defaults <F5> again.
12. Reenter your preferred BIOS settings - if you are using AHCI or RAID mode, don't forget to set 'Configure SATA as' to [AHCI / RAID]. Also remember the settings for the JMicron Controller, Audio and Memory Voltage. Check also that the Boot Device Priority is ok.
13. Save and Exit <F10> (automatic restart).
14. Press <DEL> to enter BIOS Setup and make a final check that all BIOS settings are ok. Save any changes.

 

[Kalario]

Glad you are all set. Nice to hear that someone is now happy with their win7 OS.

 

[Nibiru2012]

Glad it all worked out for you!

Now flashing the BIOS wasn't that difficult now was it?

In the future, you'll be more inclined to do it if you need to.

The first time I flashed a BIOS back in 2001, I was a nervous as a sheep in a pack of wolves!

 

[hglosson]

hglosson

I have had constant freezing problems with two computers running Win 7 64. One is a new HP AMD 4x with 6 Gig Ram, and the other is a new load of Win 7 64 on a Gigabyte MB with an AMD 2x 7750 with 8 Gig of Ram latest Bios Flash. On the Gigabyte system I removed 4 Gig of Ram and the problem disappeared. Now my thought is that the processor is now in control of the Ram. Is it not doing its job? I don't know who dropped the ball where win 7 64 is concerned, but there allot of people having problems. I sure would like to see some people try this fix and post the results. Thanks Joe

 

[juxtapose]

I have had constant freezing problems with two computers running Win 7 64. One is a new HP AMD 4x with 6 Gig Ram, and the other is a new load of Win 7 64 on a Gigabyte MB with an AMD 2x 7750 with 8 Gig of Ram latest Bios Flash. On the Gigabyte system I removed 4 Gig of Ram and the problem disappeared. Now my thought is that the processor is now in control of the Ram. Is it not doing its job? I don't know who dropped the ball where win 7 64 is concerned, but there allot of people having problems. I sure would like to see some people try this fix and post the results. Thanks Joe

Hey Joe,

Sorry to hear that things aren't going well for your W7. I had a rough start, but got it fixed with a little BIOS flashing and a lot of help from these forums. I suggest starting a new thread for your specific issue since this one is marked as 'Solved'. Everybody here is really good at finding out the issue and are quite responsive. Give it a shot!