This issue with my desktop PC has me completely stumped. I'm by no means a computer expert but usually can diagnose normal problems. This post get's a little long but I wanted to provide all the details I could.
My desktop PC is sort of a "Frankenstein" that has been upgraded over the years. Currently running WIn7 Pro and I haven't done any hardware or software changes for quite a while now. I have a SSD as my primary C drive and a second SATA drive for storage. Intel I5 3570K, ASRock Z77 Extreme6 mobo and 8 GB of CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB DDR3 ram (single stick). It's been reliable for the last 2 years until recently. Computer runs fine when it does run but I can only use it for about 45 mins (give or take). I'm usually just web browsing and then suddenly everything locks up (aka mouse freezes and ctrl,alt,delete doesn't do anything). It will usually sit locked up like this for a min then I get this BSOD:
Two things can happen after this:
1. Once I notice it's locked up but BEFORE I get the BSOD, I'll hold the case power button and let it shut down. Re-boot and hit enter to select "Start Windows Normally" since it wasn't shut down "correctly" and then go on using the computer. After 45 mins or so, it will lockup again. It's not if it will lockup but when. I can prevent this if I just shut down the computer after 30 mins of use (before it locks up). I can use it all day as long as I shut it down and re-start after 30 mins of use. Weird.
2. It's a little different if you just let it sit after lockup. After the BSOD appears the computer will eventually re-start on it's own. Immediately after restarting I'll get this error message.
If I hit enter it will continually repeat the same message. I have to manually re-start the computer and go into the BIOS boot settings. The first time I did this I noticed some boot settings were incorrect. I would normally have "Boot Option #1" set to "AHCI P1: M4CT128M4SSD2" which is my SSD drive that has Win7 on it. What changes after a BSOD forced re-start is this option isn't selected. If you click on "Boot Option #1" my primary SSD drive isn't even listed as a select-able option.
To get my SSD drive back as an option I first have to go into "Hard Drive BBS Priorities"
Once in "Hard Drive BBS Priorities" I select "Boot Option #1" which is currently set to incorrect drive. My primary SSD drive is an option so I change it to that.
Correct drive is now set and I can go back to the Boot Options Priority settings page.
Once back at the Boot Options Priority settings page I can click on "Boot Option #1" and my SSD drive is back as an option. Select my SSD drive and now all boot settings are the way they should be. Save BIOS settings and re-boot. Everything is kosher now and Windows will start.
So here is what I have done so far to try to find the problem:
1. Ran MemTest86+ from a boot-able CD. I used this once before to diagnose a bad stick of RAM on a laptop. Program ran for 8 hours with no errors. Pretty sure RAM is fine.
2. Downloaded a program called "SSDLife Free". No prior experience with this program but it said the health of my SSD was fine.
3. Booted into safe mode. Then ran full system scan through AVG Anti-Virus (free version). Still couldn't finish full system scan. Locks up even in safe mode.
4. Ran AVG boot time scan. This scan does complete itself since it starts before Windows. Nothing found.
5. All recent Windows Updates have been applied.
I've ran out of ideas. This issue appears to be confined to Windows since the PC will run for fine for hours outside of Windows (aka boot-time scan and MemTest program). What throws me off is that fact that I still get this issue in safe mode. If it was a driver issue wouldn't safe mode eliminate this?
Any ideas on what else I could try? I'm not against installing a fresh copy of Windows but would like to try some to solve this problem before resorting to that.
Thanks!
My desktop PC is sort of a "Frankenstein" that has been upgraded over the years. Currently running WIn7 Pro and I haven't done any hardware or software changes for quite a while now. I have a SSD as my primary C drive and a second SATA drive for storage. Intel I5 3570K, ASRock Z77 Extreme6 mobo and 8 GB of CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB DDR3 ram (single stick). It's been reliable for the last 2 years until recently. Computer runs fine when it does run but I can only use it for about 45 mins (give or take). I'm usually just web browsing and then suddenly everything locks up (aka mouse freezes and ctrl,alt,delete doesn't do anything). It will usually sit locked up like this for a min then I get this BSOD:
Two things can happen after this:
1. Once I notice it's locked up but BEFORE I get the BSOD, I'll hold the case power button and let it shut down. Re-boot and hit enter to select "Start Windows Normally" since it wasn't shut down "correctly" and then go on using the computer. After 45 mins or so, it will lockup again. It's not if it will lockup but when. I can prevent this if I just shut down the computer after 30 mins of use (before it locks up). I can use it all day as long as I shut it down and re-start after 30 mins of use. Weird.
2. It's a little different if you just let it sit after lockup. After the BSOD appears the computer will eventually re-start on it's own. Immediately after restarting I'll get this error message.
If I hit enter it will continually repeat the same message. I have to manually re-start the computer and go into the BIOS boot settings. The first time I did this I noticed some boot settings were incorrect. I would normally have "Boot Option #1" set to "AHCI P1: M4CT128M4SSD2" which is my SSD drive that has Win7 on it. What changes after a BSOD forced re-start is this option isn't selected. If you click on "Boot Option #1" my primary SSD drive isn't even listed as a select-able option.
To get my SSD drive back as an option I first have to go into "Hard Drive BBS Priorities"
Once in "Hard Drive BBS Priorities" I select "Boot Option #1" which is currently set to incorrect drive. My primary SSD drive is an option so I change it to that.
Correct drive is now set and I can go back to the Boot Options Priority settings page.
Once back at the Boot Options Priority settings page I can click on "Boot Option #1" and my SSD drive is back as an option. Select my SSD drive and now all boot settings are the way they should be. Save BIOS settings and re-boot. Everything is kosher now and Windows will start.
So here is what I have done so far to try to find the problem:
1. Ran MemTest86+ from a boot-able CD. I used this once before to diagnose a bad stick of RAM on a laptop. Program ran for 8 hours with no errors. Pretty sure RAM is fine.
2. Downloaded a program called "SSDLife Free". No prior experience with this program but it said the health of my SSD was fine.
3. Booted into safe mode. Then ran full system scan through AVG Anti-Virus (free version). Still couldn't finish full system scan. Locks up even in safe mode.
4. Ran AVG boot time scan. This scan does complete itself since it starts before Windows. Nothing found.
5. All recent Windows Updates have been applied.
I've ran out of ideas. This issue appears to be confined to Windows since the PC will run for fine for hours outside of Windows (aka boot-time scan and MemTest program). What throws me off is that fact that I still get this issue in safe mode. If it was a driver issue wouldn't safe mode eliminate this?
Any ideas on what else I could try? I'm not against installing a fresh copy of Windows but would like to try some to solve this problem before resorting to that.
Thanks!
