My desktop is freezing all the time

RikuoAmero

As the title says, my computer freezes several times a night. It happens completely at random, I could just be web browsing, moving my mouse cursor, clicking on something. My only option is to press the reset button.
A few times, I've waited a while, and eventually the freeze unfreezes, and I get an error message "The Nvidia display driver has crashed/stopped functioning and recovered" (can't remember the precise wording).
Sometimes, my monitor loses the video feed its getting, as if I'd yanked the DVI cable out.

This is a desktop I built myself last year.
Asus P8Z68 Deluxe (PCI-E Gen 2) mobo
Intel Core i7 2600K (run at stock clocks, no overclock), cooled by Corsair H80
16GB (4x4GB) GSkill RipJaws X RAM
Single Geforce GTX 560 Ti (used to have two, but the second PCI-E 16x slot died a while ago, no card at all could be seen by Windows from it)
Creative sound card in the very last PCI-E slot
4x2TB Hard Drives
120GB SSD for OS (Win 7 Home Premium x64)
Blu-ray burner (rarely use)
OCZ ZX 1250W Power supply (overkill I know)
Antec DF-85 chassis

It has happened one or two times that I get a "Display Driver has crashed" while gaming, but on the whole, I'm really only safe from the crashes while in the middle of gaming. I have also gone into my power settings and made sure that "PCI Express -> Link State Power Management" is disabled.
The case is free from dust, I always make sure to have cans of compressed air handy. Temps are reasonable, as I've said, I could be doing something that's light computation wise, so there's no stress and the freezes still happen.

In the case that this is a result of my motherboard in its death throes, how easy is it to transfer your Windows licence to a new build? Could someone recommend a new mobo that would take a 2600K and my RAM?

lilac_lilac

RikuoAmero wrote: »

As the title says, my computer freezes several times a night. It happens completely at random, I could just be web browsing, moving my mouse cursor, clicking on something.
A few times, I've waited a while, and eventually the freeze unfreezes, and I get an error message "The Nvidia display driver has crashed/stopped functioning and recovered" (can't remember the precise wording).
Sometimes, my monitor loses the video feed its getting, as if I'd yanked the DVI cable out.

This is a desktop I built myself last year.
Asus P8Z68 Deluxe (PCI-E Gen 2) mobo
Intel Core i7 2600K (run at stock clocks, no overclock), cooled by Corsair H80
16GB (4x4GB) GSkill RipJaws X RAM
Single Geforce GTX 560 Ti (used to have two, but the second PCI-E 16x slot died a while ago, no card at all could be seen by Windows from it)
Creative sound card in the very last PCI-E slot
4x2TB Hard Drives
120GB SSD for OS (Win 7 Home Premium x64)
Blu-ray burner (rarely use)
OCZ ZX 1250W Power supply (overkill I know)
Antec DF-85 chassis

It has happened one or two times that I get a "Display Driver has crashed" while gaming, but on the whole, I'm really only safe from the crashes while in the middle of gaming.
The case is free from dust, I always make sure to have cans of compressed air handy.

In the case that this is a result of my motherboard in its death throes, how easy is it to transfer your Windows licence to a new build? Could someone recommend a new mobo that would take a 2600K and my RAM?

Are you using Vista, if so than one of the updates does that to your computer, try and restore your system to the earlier date when this did not happen and next time you're doing an update make sure you check what you're updating. Hope it works.

RikuoAmero

lilac_lilac wrote: »

Are you using Vista, if so than one of the updates does that to your computer, try and restore your system to the earlier date when this did not happen and next time you're doing an update make sure you check what you're updating. Hope it works.

In the list of components, I made mention of using Win 7.

lilac_lilac

RikuoAmero wrote: »

In the list of components, I made mention of using Win 7.

Was trying to find it. Not sure how Win 7 operates, I know I had the same problem with my computer with Vista, the restore worked and I didn't update Nvidia for a while until the next update.

RikuoAmero

lilac_lilac wrote: »

Was trying to find it. Not sure how Win 7 operates, I know I had the same problem with my computer with Vista, the restore worked and I didn't update Nvidia for a while until the next update.

This has been happening for a few weeks now, so I wouldn't know which update to test against.

uncle_sam_ie

Take out the GPU and use the integrated APU. If you still get the problem then you know it's not a faulty GPU.

RikuoAmero

uncle_sam_ie wrote: »

Take out the GPU and use the integrated APU. If you still get the problem then you know it's not a faulty GPU.

Can't. My motherboard doesn't have an onboard video out port of any kind (only figured that out once I got it).

uncle_sam_ie

RikuoAmero wrote: »

Can't. My motherboard doesn't have an onboard video out port of any kind (only figured that out once I got it).

Can you get hold of another video card?

RikuoAmero

uncle_sam_ie wrote: »

Can you get hold of another video card?

I'll have to ask around but it's unlikely. Very few of my friends are into computers, and of those who are, practically none of them are into system building or upgrading.

BloodBath

Clean out your graphics drivers using driver sweeper and install the latest version if you haven't already.

Have you got the card overclocked at all?

diwit

have you tried if the same thing happens with a LiveCD of Linux like, let's say, ubuntu?

if it still hangs with Linux, it means it is a hardware issue, if it does not hang, it is a windows/software issue.

lilac_lilac

RikuoAmero wrote: »

This has been happening for a few weeks now, so I wouldn't know which update to test against.

Go to Control Panel > View Installed Updates and see if there was an update around the time you noticed the problem. It should work if it's a software problem.

RikuoAmero

lilac_lilac wrote: »

Go to Control Panel > View Installed Updates and see if there was an update around the time you noticed the problem. It should work if it's a software problem.

I can't remember exactly when I noticed this problem. It has been happening for a few weeks. I'm not going to go testing what must be around 30 updates if we go back as far back as the middle of July. Anyway, I got a cheap graphics card, so I'll be testing that out. If it turns out that the cheap GPU also freezes, that means it's a motherboard problem. Assuming that it is the motherboard, and assuming I can get a LGA1155 socket mobo that supports the CPU and RAM I already have, would that mean I'd have to call up Microsoft to transfer my Windows licence?

yoyo

RikuoAmero wrote: »

I can't remember exactly when I noticed this problem. It has been happening for a few weeks. I'm not going to go testing what must be around 30 updates if we go back as far back as the middle of July. Anyway, I got a cheap graphics card, so I'll be testing that out. If it turns out that the cheap GPU also freezes, that means it's a motherboard problem. Assuming that it is the motherboard, and assuming I can get a LGA1155 socket mobo that supports the CPU and RAM I already have, would that mean I'd have to call up Microsoft to transfer my Windows licence?

If it's a OEM license then it would be tied to the motherboard. Microsoft probably won't let the license be reactivated in this case. Video drivers crashing like that would usually be related to the video card but could also be overheating/dodgy PSU. Make sure the CPU cooler is properly attached and an adequate amount (not too much) thermal compound is being used. I don't think it's a mobo issue although the sudden death of the second PCIe socket isn't a great sign, so it could possibly be

Nick

RikuoAmero

yoyo wrote: »

If it's a OEM license then it would be tied to the motherboard. Microsoft probably won't let the license be reactivated in this case. Video drivers crashing like that would usually be related to the video card but could also be overheating/dodgy PSU. Make sure the CPU cooler is properly attached and an adequate amount (not too much) thermal compound is being used. I don't think it's a mobo issue although the sudden death of the second PCIe socket isn't a great sign, so it could possibly be

Nick

As I stated in the opening post, I built this system myself, I purchased a Win 7 DVD from an online retailer (probably Dabs, I can't remember). I still have the disc and the licence number lying around.

yoyo

RikuoAmero wrote: »

As I stated in the opening post, I built this system myself, I purchased a Win 7 DVD from an online retailer (probably Dabs, I can't remember). I still have the disc and the licence number lying around.

You can buy OEM licenses from Dabs.. You basically have:

• OEM System Builder Licenses: Cheapest, No MS support. Tied to system motherboard.
• Upgrade: More expensive, requires a previously genuine license to proceed. MS support.
• Retail: Can be transferred to a new mainboard if system fails *. Ships with both 32 and 64Bit discs. Most expensive licensing option. Comes with MS support.

* While this was true for previous Windows versions I believe, I am not sure about Windows 8, but this is irrelevant in your case.

Nick

RikuoAmero

yoyo wrote: »

You can buy OEM licenses from Dabs.. You basically have:

• OEM System Builder Licenses: Cheapest, No MS support. Tied to system motherboard.
• Upgrade: More expensive, requires a previously genuine license to proceed. MS support.
• Retail: Can be transferred to a new mainboard if system fails *. Ships with both 32 and 64Bit discs. Most expensive licensing option. Comes with MS support.

* While this was true for previous Windows versions I believe, I am not sure about Windows 8, but this is irrelevant in your case.

Nick

Nuts. I've just checked my disc and it says "OEM software on it", there is only the one disc (64-bit). So if more than likely it is the motherboard, I'll have to get another Win 7 licence. FUUUUUUCK YOU MICRO****!

yoyo

RikuoAmero wrote: »

Nuts. I've just checked my disc and it says "OEM software on it", there is only the one disc (64-bit). So if more than likely it is the motherboard, I'll have to get another Win 7 licence. FUUUUUUCK YOU MICRO****!

Unfortunately yep. You may be able to plead your case with the support reps but reactivating would go against the terms of the license. I would check all other options first though, it may not be the motherboard that is the issue here

Nick