I currently have just had someone build me a computer with these specs:

PSU: 850watts
GPU: XFX GTX 280
MOBO: Asus Striker II NSE
CASE: Antec Gaming Case

Now i'm not an idiot at computers but i just suck at this "building a computer thing". So please help me...

Everytime i play a game or 3d application, my computer suddenly locks up/freezes/crashes. There's a video on youtube showing you but i cant find the link. The audio/sound loops over and over fast. There's nothing i can do including ALT CRT DEL, or switch to desktop or QUIT. The computer totally freezes.

It first started on assassins creed my first game on here, but it only happened every like 1hr or so. Now it has become frustrating more with me playing bioshock and it happening every 5 - 30mins. Its got damn annoying.

I have all updates for VISTA, i also have updated BIOS, GRAPHIC CARD, and MOTHERBOARD and AUDIO.

I also have a program on here called: AI SUITE
I know its for overclocking and stuff (im not one that knows much about overclocking, but when something says it makes the computer faster i press it), but whenever i choose a option of 3-in-1 Overclocking it does it, and then when im doing something 30 secs later it locks up/freezes the computer.

My graphic card does not have an amber colour LED on the back (its green) when this happens aswell (ingame/out of game).

Also another thing my system doesnt seem hot either, the temperatures of the computer are fine.

And i have 4 x 1gb RAM. running on Windows VISTA 64bit.

Any help would be appreciated. There's many instances of this on the web, but mine is a bit different. Please someone help.

First off remove AI suite. You have heating/instability issues and AI suite is making it worse. UNINSTALL IT.

You do not need it. If you want to OC just do so from the BIOS.

Next DL RealTemp and CPU-Z. They are easy to use free little utilities to gather some info. Run them both and post screenshots or tell us what they say.

We also need full specs.

PSU brand
model number for the case.

Cheers. I uninstalled it when i got it, because i didnt want to touch any of it and stuff it up. and then these problems occured and then i reinstalled it. but since you've said that, its removed again (AI SUITE)

the freezing still occurs, and that was pretty quick, that happened within 5 mins.

HELP ME!

After you get real temp monitoring abilities and we see where you are at, we can go further.

I've had a quick look to see, and sorry i dont have a screen capture program ( i hate them, spyware).

It reads something like this:

Core Temperature: 23 22 32 24
Distance To TJ MAX: 70 74 63 72
Maximum Temperature: 35 32 44 38

Hope this helps...


CASE: Antec Nine Hundred Case
MOBO: Asus Striker II NSE / Asus Striker II Extreme
PSU: ToughPower 850w
GPU: xFx GTX 280 (nvidia)
CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q9550 @ 2.83GHz
Memory (RAM): 4gb (4 x 1gb)
System: Windows Vista Ultimate 64bit, Service Pack 1

i had something similiar... and it was because i had a "too recent" driver?!??! ?! wtf indeed! 7900gt

so.... try an older driver for your video card... and check it out...

That does help thanks.

If you can get a few seconds of a game in and then grab the max temp readings, that would help.

I would like to know what CPU-Z says.
-on the CPU tab where it says Bus Speed.
-on the memory tab, all the timings settings.

You can also get Riva Tuner, which should give a good acurate GPU temp.

If those are all fine the next step would be to run Memtest, booting from a CD. this would error pretty quickly if it was the problem, so no need to run it more than an hour...

http://www.memtest.org/

download a bootable ISO and burn to CD.

Hey guys,

Now with CPU-Z here is:

CPU-Z 1.45 report file

Processor(s)

Number of processors 1
Number of cores 4 per processor
Number of threads 4 per processor
Name Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550
Code Name Yorkfield
Specification Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q9550 @ 2.83GHz
Package Socket 775 LGA
Family/Model/Stepping 6.7.7
Extended Family/Model 6.17
Core Stepping C1
Technology 45 nm
Core Speed 2833.4 MHz
Multiplier x Bus speed 8.5 x 333.3 MHz
Rated Bus speed 1333.4 MHz
Stock frequency 2833 MHz
Instruction sets MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4.1, EM64T
L1 Data cache (per processor) 4 x 32 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64-byte line size
L1 Instruction cache (per processor) 4 x 32 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64-byte line size
L2 cache (per processor) 2 x 6144 KBytes, 24-way set associative, 64-byte line size

Chipset & Memory

Northbridge NVIDIA nForce 790i SLI SPP rev. B1
Southbridge NVIDIA nForce 790i SLI MCP rev. A3
Graphic Interface PCI-Express
PCI-E Link Width x16
PCI-E Max Link Width x16
Memory Type DDR3
Memory Size 4096 MBytes
Memory Frequency 666.7 MHz (1:2)
CAS# Latency (tCL) 9.0 clocks
RAS# to CAS# (tRCD) 9 clocks
RAS# Precharge (tRP) 9 clocks
Cycle Time (tRAS) 24 clocks
Bank Cycle Time (tRC) 34 clocks
Command Rate (CR) 1T

System

System Manufacturer System manufacturer
System Name System Product Name
System S/N System Serial Number
Mainboard Vendor ASUSTeK Computer INC.
Mainboard Model STRIKER II NSE
BIOS Vendor Phoenix Technologies, LTD
BIOS Version ASUS STRIKER II NSE ACPI BIOS Revision 0601
BIOS Date 06/30/2008

Memory SPD

Module 1 DDR3, PC3-10700H (667 MHz), 1024 MBytes, Corsair
Module 2 DDR3, PC3-10700H (667 MHz), 1024 MBytes, Corsair
Module 3 DDR3, PC3-10700H (667 MHz), 1024 MBytes, Corsair
Module 4 DDR3, PC3-10700H (667 MHz), 1024 MBytes, Corsair

Software

Windows Version Microsoft Windows Vista (6.0) Ultimate Edition Service Pack 1 (Build 6001)
DirectX Version 10.0


Now whenever i run Riva Tuner (to get GPU temperature which is on 38 celius idle) and then a game (eg. Bioshock) it freezes up and does the crash, when im on the main menu (flipping between programs).

WHAT DO I DO?

my best guess thats its definatlety got to do with RAM?

but then when i did a MEMTEST through a bootable CD, it ran the memory test, NO ERRORS!

Whats going on, what does this bring it down to then?

just another thing:

reading the MEMORY SPD on the CPU-z read.

Is that right? Because on the corsair website for the XMS3 Ram's (http://www.corsairmemory.com/products/xms3.aspx) it says PC3-10666 not PC3-107000H as mine says.

Or am i reading to much into it.

Please some help

Your description sure makes it seem like a heat issue.

-You have updated everything.
-The condition worsened over time, and you cannot play any 3D game at this point.
-memtest shows no errors

You could grab Prime95 or a similar CPU stress program. Run it in conjunction with RealTemp and note the temps. If there are no problems and temps are fine, we have ruled out the CPU.

I would guess the MB would be unlikely at this point as well. Possibly the PSU is having issues under load... more likely it's the GPU.

hey thank you so much for helping us btw. i really do appreciate how you are tryin to help me.

Now ive downloaded Prime95. and i dont know what the hell it does but i run the normal test it asks me at the start.

it runs, now i open up real temp and my core temperatures have raised double nearly. i dont know if this is normal or not.

the temperatures are:

CORE 1: 56
CORE 2: 51
CORE 3: 60
CORE 4: 55

what does this break it down to?

Those temps are fine Prime95 just stresses out your CPU, running it at 100%. We just ruled out your CPU as the problem, yay.

I think we are down to the GPU or PSU.

My bet is on the GPU. You are pretty much down to swapping out parts to test any further. You could swap out the MB, PSU, and GPU if you had spares.

ok, well this is my first desktop that i've kinda "custom" built.
i dont have any extra parts to test it with.
So I'm sending the computer into the place that i had it built and let them have a look at it.
Would the computer/PSU/GPU be affected if the computer's A/C cord is hooked up to a Power/Surge-Protector Board (With 6 sockets)?
Is there any advice you could give to an amatuer like myself, as to what i should know before sending it in, so they can't scam me?
Cheers

No a power strip should not affect it, although I do recall a story about a defective power strip that somehow hindered power... never seen that myself, could just be myth.

Just tell them all the tests you have run, and explain that you do not have a spare GPU to test with.

i dont have any graphic cards, all our previous computers are laptops.

I've run all the tests that we've discussed.

Its getting sent in today, so i'lll msg you guys to find out what the problem is.

I hope its not something stupid.

Keep ya posted.

Thanks for your help...

Dont go yet

I have had this same problem, and its pretty much down to the RAM.