Constant Freeze Up

My Windows 8.1 comp has recently after 2 years of trouble free operation decided to constantly Freeze. Sometimes even before windows has a chance to load, also in Safe Mode, even when trying to look in BIOS.
It makes it impossible to do any diagnostics.
So it has to be hardware in my opinion, no changes to the system had been made whats so ever, came out of the blue.
I am suspecting the Samsung SSD 840 EVO 250 GB

Thinking of buying a new SSD.
Any better ideas anyone
hawk22

 

Thanks Evan, I will do that and get back with the results, as it is the SSD is still under warranty Samsung 3 year warranty, the comp is just under 2 years old.
hawk22

 

I don't see how this could be a drive issue. Understand you access the BIOS Setup Menu before any drive is even touched in the boot process. Plus SSDs tend to be very reliable.

It sounds like a power issue to me so you need to verify this is not a power supply issue before replacing any parts. I recommend you swap out your power supply with a known good spare first as EVERYTHING else in your computer relies on good, clean power.

 

Hi Bill, I would agree with Bill's suggestion. I wouldn't suspect that brand of SSD just yet. OCZ had major problems about 12 months ago with a batch of their SSD's. Cheers Neil.

 

Thanks guys, I didn't actually suspect the PSU, but it does make sense.
I have a PSU tester and will give that a go, after I have given it a blow out.
hawk22

 

These are nice and I keep this one in my tool bag for house calls. I like this type because it has an actual voltage readout instead simple LEDs that merely indicate the presence of the voltage. But note even the best PSU tester is not conclusive (unless it reports a PSU voltage is missing or out of tolerance). The problem with these testers is they only place a single, tiny load on the supply. But a computer puts a variety of loads from next to nothing at idle, to potentially several 100 watts at full utilization. Also, those testers don't test for excessive ripple and other anomalies that affect computer stability. To conclusively test a PSU, it takes a qualified technician using an oscilloscope or power supply "analyzer" - sophisticated (and expensive) electronic test equipment requiring special training to operate, and a basic knowledge of electronics theory to understand the results. Therefore, conclusively testing a power supply is typically only done in properly equipped electronics repair facilities. That leaves for the "normal" user, swapping in a known good supply as the only conclusive test.

 

Wow it is dirtier inside that I had thought. Have to get some more air.
Also did a test with the LED PSU tester and the -5V is not lighting up, normally on a good PSU all the LED's light up.
So it looks like a new PSU, I had a look at the "EVGA Super NovaG1 Gold 650W "
Anyone here with a bad experience with that PSU it comes with a 10 year warranty, that gave me confidence, never had a EVGA before only used a EVGA Graphics card before.
hawk22

Has anyone had any experience with one of them Air blowers.

https://www.pccasegear.com/products/31698/o2-hurricane-320-canless-air-system

 

No! Don't worry about the -5V (or any negative voltages). They are not used on modern PCs, only positive voltages. Note the tolerances allowed by the ATX Form Factor standard are ±5%.

+12VDC ±5% = +11.40 to +12.60 Volts
+5VDC ±5% = +4.75 to +5.25 Volts
+3.3VDC ±5% = +3.14 to +3.47 Volts​

My most recent builds have been with EVGA Supernova PSUs and I highly recommend them. I note that 650W is likely way more than you need unless you are running with two power hungry graphics cards. I use the EVGA G2 550W Supernova on this computer (i5-6600, 16GB RAM, R7 370 OC 2GB graphics, and 2 SSDs). Very happy with it.

That O2 Hurricane air blower seems like a handy tool to carry around in my truck for house calls. But frankly, I think it is very over priced.

I think for that kind of money, it would be better to "invest" in a real air compressor. I prefer an upright like this because they take up less floor space in my garage. For the money, a real air compressor is much more versatile. With a nail gun, you can put up fence, replace your roof, (or build a house!). With a valve attachment, you can fill up your flat tire so you can drive to the tire shop instead of changing the tire - and I promise, the first time you do this, you will be glad you invested in a real compressor. You can use a paint sprayer and paint your house (or that fence). There are all sorts of things you can do with a real compressor.

And you never have to worry about the battery running down either, as you do with that hurricane thing.

The only ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL accessory you need for blasting out electronics (or air brushing faces or birthday cakes) with an air compressor is a suitable inline moisture and particulate filter. The compression process WILL cause moisture to condense inside the tank. Plus dirt, oils and other contaminants will get drawn in to the tank too. And the moisture can cause rust to form inside the tank and that all collects in the bottom of the tank and can be drawn up and spewed out the nozzle. You don't want to spew oily, rusty water all over your electronics (or kid's face or birthday cake).

Lastly, with any type of compressed air, resist the urge to see how fast you can make the fans spin. Overspinning a fan motor can create excessive wear on the bearings. I use wooden Popsicle/glue sticks to hold the blades stationary while blasting.

 

That DataVac (which is not a vac!) pushes out 70cfm which is pretty decent.

I was a bit disappointed that hurricane blower rated its capacity in such weird (to me anyway) units as km/h. At any rate, 320km/h = 17498 ft/m. The cube root of 17498 = 25.961481 cubic feet. So, if I did it right, 320km/h = ~26CFM. Not a lot. I don't believe that could blast out months (if not years) of dust, hair, dander, microscopic critters that eat dander and the stuff they leave behind very efficiently from the innards of a neglected PC, notebook, or PSU.

 

Thanks Evan, and Bill.
Unfortunately, yes I agree that blower is overpriced but that is the norm here in Australia imported gear carry a 500% mark up.
I like that Data Vac but unfortunately it is only available in 110V and we have 240V and a 500W 240 to 110V converter is another $50.-
I had been looking at Air Compressors for quite some time as I regularly check my tire pressures on my 4x4 to get good wear out of my tires.
So I would say this is the way I will eventually go, but for the moment I will just have to buy a couple more air pressure cans.
(Mothers day here today so computer talk is taboo, shopping has to wait)
hawk22

 

I agree but I feel compelled to stress these cans do NOT contain "air ". Rather, they contain hazardous gases, typically difluoroethane or something similar that can irritate mucus membranes in the nose, sinuses and throat and in extreme cases cause central nervous system damage!

I note in some jurisdictions, you have to buy these cans from "behind the counter" in the same way spray paint and model glue is sold because some idiots use it to get high by "huffing ".

So if using cans of compressed dusting "gas ", be sure to do so in well ventilated areas.

 

Well I have done the clean up, looks like spanking new. It was actually mainly the filters, and that's how it should be with a good case. The Motherboard was still shining like new, little bit of muck in the fans.

I have ordered a new PSU, as it seems to me after a few more tests that that is the problem. I tested with a spare video card, just booting to the desktop and it would freeze up after 3 -4 minutes, taken out all ram modules except 1 same thing, freeze with either video cards.
So after booting up several times, then as had happened before only black screen nothing at all when I then connected the PSU tester both +3 and +5 V would not light up at all.
So hopefully that will fix the freezes.
The Motherboard ASUS -M5A99FX Pro R2.0 is showing request for update, but until it will run for more than 3 or 4 minutes I cant do that.

hawk22

I should also mention that in Events Manager it never showed up anything.

 

That's true. Even with a good filtered case, dust will eventually build up inside as there typically are other unfiltered vents, and dust is pulled in by the fans through and around the various ports, optical drives, side panel and drive bay covers.

For those testers that only have LED indicators instead of LCD readouts of the voltages, when the LEDs don't light up at all (assuming the tester is functioning properly) that generally means there is no voltage on that rail, or the voltage out of the tolerance range allowed. I suspect you have some voltage there or I don't believe the computer would boot at all.

Let's hope a new PSU does it. Keep us posted.

 

Thanks Bill, as I did say after starting several times just displaying the desktop no programs, it would then just be a black screen, it would not boot into showing the desktop. At that stage then there was no +3 or +5 V LED indicator.
hawk22

 

That is a really odd symptom. If you didn't already try a different graphics card, I sure would suspect that - or your monitor not accepting the command to change resolutions. But the missing (or out of tolerance) +3.3 and +5V indications on your tester would not have anything to do with the monitor.

 

Firstly, well what a change to the BBS.
No, I had known that my Monitor and Graphics card where good, I did though swap out the graphics card at one stage, but that didn't change anything, the Monitor I use with 3 other computers that I use while the 8.1 machine is down.
I have replaced the PSU, that has made a bit of a difference the comp will now run for between half hr. and 1.5 hr. depending on how much activity there is. It freezes up mainly when idle, whereas before I changed the PSU it froze even while accessing the BIOS.
So I still do have a problem somewhere, drivers video, sound, network, are all up to date.
I have printed out Aries and Evan Omo's Windows 8 Repair guide and might give that a try.
hawk22