PC that "freezes" after changing SSD
Malmalito
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malik -
malik -
Hello,
I need some light on my problem because I’m drowning in total artistic confusion.
I installed a bigger SSD in my PC: I went from a Kingston V+ 64 GB to a Corsair Force 3 120 GB. I therefore reinstalled Windows 7 and so far no issues. I even plugged this SSD into an Asus USB3/SATA3 PCI-E card...
But as soon as I push the PC a bit, it freezes, and the only way to fix it is to force shut down with the power button. This happens during games, for example Crysis 2 which I finished twice with the old SSD with everything maxed out. The game sometimes freezes for a moment before it locks up completely.
Whether I connect this SSD to the PCI-E SATA3 card or to the motherboard (SATA2) changes nothing.
I’ve even had the “fucking blue screen” once and a reboot within the first minutes of DEUS-EX 3, or the same symptoms. I also had it during the installation of a music software: the PC crashed in the middle of the installation, but not on the second attempt.
Note that I only install Windows 7 and the bare minimum on the SSD and I install large programs on a Western Digital HDD.
It’s the kind of failure that pisses me off: random and no message...
Thanks in advance!
Here’s my config:
Acer Aspire M7720 (modified)
Intel Core i7-920
Sapphire Radeon HD 5870 Vapor-X 1024MB DDR5
12 GB DDR3 1066MHz (3x2048MB Triple Channel)
Corsair Force 3 120GB SSD (system)
Western Digital Enterprise RE3 SATA II 500 GB 7200 rpm
Hitachi 1 TB SATA II 7200 rpm
Asus USB3/SATA3 PCI-E Card
DVD±RW Double Layer DVDRW 16X (Label Flash)
Audio: HD 7.1 - Dolby Home Theater (built-in), Line 6 Pod Studio UX2
Akai MPK25 MIDI Master Keyboard
14-in-1 Card Reader
WiFi
Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
Avermedia TNT HD USB key
Acer 24" x243H Full HD monitor
I need some light on my problem because I’m drowning in total artistic confusion.
I installed a bigger SSD in my PC: I went from a Kingston V+ 64 GB to a Corsair Force 3 120 GB. I therefore reinstalled Windows 7 and so far no issues. I even plugged this SSD into an Asus USB3/SATA3 PCI-E card...
But as soon as I push the PC a bit, it freezes, and the only way to fix it is to force shut down with the power button. This happens during games, for example Crysis 2 which I finished twice with the old SSD with everything maxed out. The game sometimes freezes for a moment before it locks up completely.
Whether I connect this SSD to the PCI-E SATA3 card or to the motherboard (SATA2) changes nothing.
I’ve even had the “fucking blue screen” once and a reboot within the first minutes of DEUS-EX 3, or the same symptoms. I also had it during the installation of a music software: the PC crashed in the middle of the installation, but not on the second attempt.
Note that I only install Windows 7 and the bare minimum on the SSD and I install large programs on a Western Digital HDD.
It’s the kind of failure that pisses me off: random and no message...
Thanks in advance!
Here’s my config:
Acer Aspire M7720 (modified)
Intel Core i7-920
Sapphire Radeon HD 5870 Vapor-X 1024MB DDR5
12 GB DDR3 1066MHz (3x2048MB Triple Channel)
Corsair Force 3 120GB SSD (system)
Western Digital Enterprise RE3 SATA II 500 GB 7200 rpm
Hitachi 1 TB SATA II 7200 rpm
Asus USB3/SATA3 PCI-E Card
DVD±RW Double Layer DVDRW 16X (Label Flash)
Audio: HD 7.1 - Dolby Home Theater (built-in), Line 6 Pod Studio UX2
Akai MPK25 MIDI Master Keyboard
14-in-1 Card Reader
WiFi
Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
Avermedia TNT HD USB key
Acer 24" x243H Full HD monitor
11 answers
No one would have an idea of what’s happening with my machine? I have no message, the PC doesn’t respond but we can reproduce the fault reliably, there must be a trace somewhere or a way to record something, right?
For info, when it crashes during a game, the image freezes and I sometimes keep the music, but it ends up looping...
For info, when it crashes during a game, the image freezes and I sometimes keep the music, but it ends up looping...
I tested the RAM: nothing abnormal detected.
I checked the temperatures in the BIOS: nothing abnormal detected.
My tower is completely open...
I thought it might be a power supply issue, but there’s no reason, I didn’t add anything else and apparently nothing wrong there either.
I took the GPU out, blew it, reassembled... No change.
I still managed to play for 15-20 minutes right after turning on the PC...
Something I didn't specify: when it freezes, I see alternating green and black bars on the screen...
I checked the temperatures in the BIOS: nothing abnormal detected.
My tower is completely open...
I thought it might be a power supply issue, but there’s no reason, I didn’t add anything else and apparently nothing wrong there either.
I took the GPU out, blew it, reassembled... No change.
I still managed to play for 15-20 minutes right after turning on the PC...
Something I didn't specify: when it freezes, I see alternating green and black bars on the screen...
Since your PC originally is an ACER, the power supply isn’t great, something around 350 watts real output, so the power supply is the real problem. You’ll need one that truly provides a minimum of 400 W, like this:
https://www.topachat.com/pages/detail2_cat_est_micro_puis_rubrique_est_w_ali_puis_ref_est_inu338.html
or
https://www.topachat.com/pages/detail2_cat_est_micro_puis_rubrique_est_w_ali_puis_ref_est_in10046679.html
Oh really? I'm a bit doubtful... I did a test by unplugging everything that's not essential, to keep only the mouse, keyboard, monitor, a HDD and an SSD... Same price...
Yet the power supply spec says it can go up to 500W for 17 seconds.
It's been running for a year with also a large external audio card, an extra HDD and other USB peripherals... How can we be sure it's the power supply that's the problem? And then why does the issue occur after a certain time and not as soon as we pull on the PSU?
Yet the power supply spec says it can go up to 500W for 17 seconds.
It's been running for a year with also a large external audio card, an extra HDD and other USB peripherals... How can we be sure it's the power supply that's the problem? And then why does the issue occur after a certain time and not as soon as we pull on the PSU?
I checked the Event Viewer: I have critical "kernel power" errors that were logged... If it helps anyone...
Well, I was skeptical and I was right...
I took it apart, cleaned it, reapplied fresh thermal paste, and nothing changed, I got a freeze for a few seconds, then it returned to gaming, to freeze permanently... I think it was because I had just turned my PC back on.
I was skeptical because if it were the CPU actually overheating, the cooling fan should have ramped up, which it never did... And when it speeds up you can hear it!
So I think I’m going to buy a PSU... But I don’t believe in that either.
I took it apart, cleaned it, reapplied fresh thermal paste, and nothing changed, I got a freeze for a few seconds, then it returned to gaming, to freeze permanently... I think it was because I had just turned my PC back on.
I was skeptical because if it were the CPU actually overheating, the cooling fan should have ramped up, which it never did... And when it speeds up you can hear it!
So I think I’m going to buy a PSU... But I don’t believe in that either.
Hi
I’m very surprised.
The problem is well known and has been the subject of numerous publications.
It’s an issue with the SandForce SF2000 controller; you need to update the firmware or check Corsair or OCZ forums, the more active ones, which address the topic.
https://www.comptoir-hardware.com/actus/stockage/14644-bug-sandforce-sf2000-un-nouveau-firmware-chez-ocz-lundi-ou-mardi.html
ocz ssd forum:
http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?151-Forum-Officiel-de-Support-pour-les-Produits-OCZ
I’m very surprised.
The problem is well known and has been the subject of numerous publications.
It’s an issue with the SandForce SF2000 controller; you need to update the firmware or check Corsair or OCZ forums, the more active ones, which address the topic.
https://www.comptoir-hardware.com/actus/stockage/14644-bug-sandforce-sf2000-un-nouveau-firmware-chez-ocz-lundi-ou-mardi.html
ocz ssd forum:
http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?151-Forum-Officiel-de-Support-pour-les-Produits-OCZ
I flashed the BIOS, reinstalled the chipset, but no effect… What’s killing me is that it worked for a year without any problems! What happened?
A quick question like that: when you activated AHCI in the BIOS, you did it before Windows installation, right? If the answer is no, and you’ve found the cause, you’ll need to format, since Windows is currently treating your SSD as IDE... For it to be treated as AHCI, it must be installed with AHCI from the start, not activated afterwards.
And make sure you have a GENUINE WINDOWS (not a slimmed-down pirated Windows) with updates, so that the correct drivers are installed.
And make sure you have a GENUINE WINDOWS (not a slimmed-down pirated Windows) with updates, so that the correct drivers are installed.
I’ve never activated anything special in the BIOS, it worked for a year as is on a Kingston SSD, but today the same symptoms appear with it as previously described. All my ports are listed as "AHCI" in the BIOS by default and anyway you can’t change them. I don’t have IDE on my motherboard. My Windows is genuine; it came with the machine…
Basically, in the BIOS it’s set to IDE unless it has been mounted and changed by the seller.
Otherwise, another angle would be to check your temperatures, to see if air is circulating well in your case first, and second whether your basic hardware is at a good temperature. Hardware can stop working to protect your components.
But the fact that you can play for 15–20 minutes makes me suspect overheating hardware, and it’s not impossible that it’s your power supply, even if everything was working fine before... This is what we call "CAPACITOR AGING," which weakens over time. Generally, when choosing a power supply, you always pick a bit higher wattage for this reason.
If your PC is a pre-built by HP, ACER, PACKARD BELL, COMPAQ, etc., it’s very likely that the original power supply is very "borderline" without any certification.
I would still be interested to know exactly which model your 650 Watt power supply is.
And otherwise I would also be interested in knowing the exact temperatures your probes read... You can use Speccy (free software) to find out. https://www.ccleaner.com/speccy/download/standard
And otherwise I would also be interested in knowing the exact temperatures your probes read... You can use Speccy (free software) to find out. https://www.ccleaner.com/speccy/download/standard
I changed the graphics card from the slot, reinstalled the driver, still the same.
I’ve read several times on the Internet that this card frequently causes this kind of crash, so my doubts are now leaning toward the GPU...
I’ve read several times on the Internet that this card frequently causes this kind of crash, so my doubts are now leaning toward the GPU...
Well then I'm really in a bind: the only machine I can borrow for the CG test doesn't have a sufficient PSU for it, so I can't even plug it into this tower... Unless I go crazy and swap the PSUs... But that’s getting big for a machine that runs fine and isn’t mine, as a powerful black cat I’ll avoid. If there’s a way to highlight a fault on the card without turning two PCs to pieces, I’m interested... Or I could do the opposite: put the other computer's GPU into mine, can you follow? If the PC crashes again, that means it’s not the card, right?
Well, I did my little trick, and of course nothing happened. I played 45 minutes with an HD 4850 in Crysis with the graphics options maxed out (needless to say it was unplayable!), and not the slightest freeze even for a fraction of a second...
So I’m sending it back to after-sales service, I hope it won’t take too long...
So I’m sending it back to after-sales service, I hope it won’t take too long...
Regarding the airflow, I thought about it, but the problem also occurred with disks that were simply plugged in but detached and outside the case, and even after a prolonged shutdown... And then it ran for almost two years with that cooling...
That being said, I have noticed several times that the HDDs were hot after some time of operation... but it never caused a problem.