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Newly built PC keeps freezing


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#1
amsteRDamage-420

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PC specs below.

I had all the parts from my old tower merged into a new CoolerMaster Storm Scout ATX case, and added 1GB RAM and a 250GB SATA drive. But as it turned out, my motherboard didnt have any SATA ports, so they installed some card that allowed me to use the SATA drive internally (rather than put it in a cradle) and loaded Windows XP onto it.

The system freezes constantly. A key trigger with the freezing seems to be any data transfer - uTorrent, gaming app patch installers, and Firefox - in that order, from most frequent freezing to least. I've never had a PC that froze alot, so I dunno what to do here.

What diagnostics should I be running to address this problem?


--------[ Summary ]-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Computer:
Operating System Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
OS Service Pack Service Pack 2
DirectX 4.09.00.0904 (DirectX 9.0c)

Motherboard:
CPU Type Intel Pentium 4, 2666 MHz (20 x 133)
Motherboard Name Intel Rexburg D845GRG (3 PCI, 1 AGP, 2 DIMM, Audio, Video)
Motherboard Chipset Intel Brookdale-G i845G
System Memory 1536 MB (PC3200 DDR SDRAM)
BIOS Type AMI (04/01/03)


Display:
Video Adapter ATI Radeon HD 3600 Series (512 MB)
Video Adapter ATI Radeon HD 3600 Series (512 MB)
Monitor LG Flatron L1751S [17" LCD] (151016337)

Multimedia:
Audio Adapter Logitech USB Headset

Storage:
IDE Controller Intel® 82801DB Ultra ATA Storage Controller - 24CB
SCSI/RAID Controller Silicon Image SiI 3512 SATARaid Controller
Disk Drive ST325031 8AS SCSI Disk Device (232 GB SATA)
Disk Drive WDC WD400JB-00ENA0 (37 GB, IDE)
Disk Drive SAMSUNG HD103SI USB Device (931 GB, USB)
Optical Drive HL-DT-ST DVD-RAM GSA-H55N
SMART Hard Disks Status OK

Partitions:
C: (NTFS) 238472 MB (219561 MB free)
D: (NTFS) 38154 MB (38088 MB free)
F: (NTFS) 953867 MB (643195 MB free)
Total Size 1201.7 GB (879.7 GB free)

Network:
Network Adapter Intel® PRO/100 VE Network Connection

Peripherals:
USB1 Controller Intel 82801DB ICH4 - USB Controller [A-1]
USB1 Controller Intel 82801DB ICH4 - USB Controller [A-1]
USB1 Controller Intel 82801DB ICH4 - USB Controller [A-1]
USB2 Controller Intel 82801DB ICH4 - Enhanced USB2 Controller [A-1]
USB Device USB Audio Device
USB Device USB Composite Device
USB Device USB Composite Device
USB Device USB Human Interface Device
USB Device USB Human Interface Device
USB Device USB Human Interface Device
USB Device USB Human Interface Device
USB Device USB Mass Storage Device.
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#2
rshaffer61

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Memory
HD
Chkdsk /r
sfc /scannow

Did you format and install your OS fresh?

First issue to tackle is memory.

If you have more than one RAM module installed, try starting computer with one RAM stick at a time.

NOTE Keep in mind, the manual check listed above is always superior to the software check, listed below. DO NOT proceed with memtest, if you can go with option A

B. If you have only one RAM stick installed...
...run memtest...

1. Download - Pre-Compiled Bootable ISO (.zip)
2. Unzip downloaded memtest86+-2.11.iso.zip file.
3. Inside, you'll find memtest86+-2.11.iso file.
4. Download, and install ImgBurn: http://www.imgburn.com/
5. Insert blank CD into your CD drive.
6. Open ImgBurn, and click on Write image file to disc
7. Click on Browse for a file... icon:

Posted Image

8. Locate memtest86+-2.11.iso file, and click Open button.
9. Click on ImgBurn green arrow to start burning bootable memtest86 CD:

Posted Image

10. Once the CD is created, boot from it, and memtest will automatically start to run. You may have to change the boot sequence in your BIOS to make it work right.

To change Boot Sequence in your BIOS
Reboot the system and at the first post screen (where it is counting up memory) start tapping the DEL button
This will enter you into the Bios\Cmos area.
Find the Advanced area and click Enter
Look for Boot Sequence or Boot Options and highlight that click Enter
Now highlight the first drive and follow the directions on the bottom of the screen on how to modify it and change it to CDrom.
Change the second drive to the C or Main Drive
Once that is done then click F10 to Save and Exit
You will prompted to enter Y to verify Save and Exit. Click Y and the system will now reboot with the new settings.


The running program will look something like this depending on the size and number of ram modules installed:


Posted Image

It's recommended to run 5-6 passes. Each pass contains very same 8 tests.

This will show the progress of the test. It can take a while. Be patient, or leave it running overnight.

Posted Image

The following image is the test results area:

Posted Image

The most important item here is the “errors” line. If you see ANY errors, even one, most likely, you have bad RAM.
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#3
amsteRDamage-420

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When I tried to run sfc /scannow, it asked for a Win XP Professional disc, but the disc I used to install the OS was XP home. Strange.
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#4
rshaffer61

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Push and hold the Windows key on keyboard. This is the one with the Microsft windows logo on it.
While holding Win key down click on the Pause\Break key

This should open the System properties window
On this window it will show
System info:

Microsoft Windows: type and version
Service Pack number

Registered Name
Register Number

Computer:
CPU type
Memory
I need all the above info in your next reply Except for Register name and number.
This is private and we don't need to know this information
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#5
amsteRDamage-420

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System:
Microsoft Windows XP
Home Edition
Version 2002
Service Pack 2

Computer:
Intel
Pentium 4 CPU 2.66GHz
2.67GHz, 1.5GB RAM

I just double checked sfc /scannow, it's still asking for Windows XP Professional.
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#6
rshaffer61

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Have you done the memtest86 instructions?
You have skipped the other tests and have not answered my question about installation of the OS.
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#7
amsteRDamage-420

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Sorry, I was having trouble figuring out how to boot from one RAM stick at a time. Do I need to remove the hardware to do this? As for the OS, it was a fresh install but I later restored a backup file of 'My Documents'

Chkdsk showed no errors.

Edited by amsteRDamage-420, 17 April 2010 - 10:34 PM.

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#8
rshaffer61

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Download and run the memtest program.
Let me know the results.
Then do the following.
Run hard drive diagnostics: http://www.tacktech....ay.cfm?ttid=287
Make sure, you select tool, which is appropriate for the brand of your hard drive.
Depending on the program, it'll create bootable floppy, or bootable CD.
If downloaded file is of .iso type, use ImgBurn: http://www.imgburn.com/ to burn .iso file to a CD (select "Write image file to disc" option), and make the CD bootable.

NOTE. If your hard drive is made by Toshiba, unfortunately, you're out of luck, because Toshiba doesn't provide any diagnostic tool.

Thanks to Broni for the instructions


Restoring My Documents may be part of the problem .
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#9
amsteRDamage-420

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Memtest showed no errors. My PC has started to freeze when installing Windows Updates during the CPU shut down process. Reboot/standby works fine.

Seagate HD diagnostic:

40GB IDE
--------------- SeaTools for Windows v1.2.0.1 ---------------
4/18/2010 1:12:56 PM
Model: ST3250318AS
Serial Number: 9VM8DD93
Firmware Revision: CC38
SMART - Test Unavailable 4/18/2010 1:12:56 PM
Short Generic - Started 4/18/2010 1:14:29 PM
Short Generic - Pass 4/18/2010 1:16:02 PM
Short DST - Test Unavailable 4/18/2010 1:16:56 PM

250GB SATA
--------------- SeaTools for Windows v1.2.0.1 ---------------
4/18/2010 1:13:05 PM
Model: WDC WD400JB-00ENA0
Serial Number: WD-WCAD1A840628
Firmware Revision: 05.03E05
SMART - Pass 4/18/2010 1:13:38 PM
Short Generic - Started 4/18/2010 1:14:26 PM
Short Generic - Pass 4/18/2010 1:16:03 PM
Short DST - Started 4/18/2010 1:16:59 PM
Short DST - Pass 4/18/2010 1:18:30 PM

Edited by amsteRDamage-420, 18 April 2010 - 11:20 AM.

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#10
rshaffer61

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HD and Memory seem to be ok then.
Go to
Start and then to Run
Type in Chkdsk /r Note the space between k and /
Click Enter ...It will probably ask if you want to do this on the next reboot...click Y
If the window doesn't shutdown on its own then reboot the system manually. On reboot the system will start the chkdsk operation
This one will take longer then chkdsk /f

Note... there are 5 stages...
It may appear to hang at a certain percent for a hour or more or even back up and go over the same area...this is normal...
DO NOT SHUT YOUR COMPUTER DOWN WHILE CHKDSK IS RUNNING OR YOU CAN HAVE SEVERE PROBLEMS
This can take several hours to complete.
When completed it will boot the system back into windows.

Let me know if this fixes the problem
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#11
amsteRDamage-420

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Chkdsk /r found no problems.
I have noticed less freezing when downloading files, but it is still happening periodically.
It still freezes every time Windows Update installs files during the shut down process.
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#12
rshaffer61

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When shutting down you mean updates installs before system shuts down?
It is normal for it to take some time to install when shutdown happens.
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#13
amsteRDamage-420

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Yes, it will run the "installing updates # of #, do not turn off your computer" message until it's completed and then the system hangs on the "Windows is now shutting down." message.

After a reboot, it is still prompting me to install the same updates.
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#14
rshaffer61

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how long have you let it sit at that message before restarting?
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#15
amsteRDamage-420

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30 minutes or so.
It's obvious almost immediately when it freezes.
The mouse pointer remains on the Windows shut down blue splash screen, unable to move it at all.

But thank you for your help thusfar. Aside from freezing while shutting down, I have noticed a significant improvement.

Edited by amsteRDamage-420, 18 April 2010 - 09:13 PM.

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