Windows 7 Lock Up and Reboot (No Blue Screen)

[Mattx86]

Hi all,

Preamble
So I have a few issues in W7 this being my most serious and confusing and I feel that this is most likely hardware related but it in all honesty could be anything. I am running W7 x64 on the following platform:

• Intel desktop Board (DG31PR)
• Intel Core 2 duo 2.33MHz
• 3GB ram (2 modules 1gb & 2Gb running dual channel)
• 500GB Western Digital (new)
• 2 DVD optical drives one of which is SATA the other IDE
• NVIDIA 8500GT PCI express
• PCI Wireless Network Card
• A number of external USB things (Printer, HDD backup, Ipod... etc)

I installed W7 on 15/06/2009 it is build 7100 and yes it has run and completed all updates available. All drivers are up to date accordingly with the latest the most up to date being the NVIDIA(06/09) and Intel Chipset(06/09). I had a issue installing W7 where it blue screened on me but after reviewing my MB information I identified a bios update which fixed the blue screen issue which has something to do with post xp versions of windows and memory above 2GB.


Problem
I was running 3 programs the first time I noticed this problem; Itunes, Firefox and windows explorer. I connected my ext HDD and attempted to run a movie off the the external when:
The Computer locked up (no mouse function and no window movement)
Approximately 3 seconds later the computer screen when blank and then the pc rebooted.

I was prompted on reboot whether I would like to enter safe mode... etc but what would I do in safe mode, so I said start normally. On re-entry there was no dialog box stating windows recovered from a serious fault it just seemed to be happy.

This has happened a further 2 times the second time a 2 days later occurred after installing AutoCAD 64bit. I restarted the pc after the installation, opened Autocad and began setting up the settings within a 2minutes of the program running the problem occurred, no other windows applications or external drives connected.

The 3rd time (Sat 20/06/2009) I had 4 four windows open, firefox, itunes, photoshop and explorer. I inserted the installation disk for Nero to run an install it ran the CD's autoplay and began running the install shield. The program prompted me to set the install location and upon clicking “nextâ€Â￾ the problem occurred again.


My Conclusions (which may and probably are absurd)
There is some low level code problem with either a driver or the way in which this driver interacts with the kernel. I think it may relate to the blue screen problem which I already resolved from the bios update, but as this problem is more acute and less identifiable it hasn't quite been resolved by the update. I maybe posting this in the wrong forum maybe this should instead be in an Intel forum. Yet it seems that the most pertinent denominator within this problem is the new version of windows as I was previously running XP 32bit sp3 without the reboot issue and without the bios update.

I want to ultimately resolve this problem instead of down grading back to a Stable XP


All suggestions are very welcome and very requested [FONT=&quot]



[/FONT]

 

[Tepid]

If it is a genuine BSOD, check event viewer
Also set windows to not reboot on a BSOD, same setup as in XP.

Post stop code

 

[Mattx86]

Didn't even know you could do that, suppose you learn something new everyday!

So I set the HKEY… to not reboot on a BSOD, and then reviewed the event log.

It shows all 3 crashes with the same text but with a different time stamp I have include the log form all 3 might be over kill but hey it might just show a correlation.


1st Event
Log Name: System
Source: Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power
Date: 2009/06/15 10:44:02 PM
Event ID: 41
Task Category: (63)
Level: Critical
Keywords: (2)
User: SYSTEM
Computer: Moss-PC
Description:
The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first. This error could be caused if the system stopped responding, crashed, or lost power unexpectedly.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power" Guid="{331C3B3A-2005-44C2-AC5E-77220C37D6B4}" />
<EventID>41</EventID>
<Version>2</Version>
<Level>1</Level>
<Task>63</Task>
<Opcode>0</Opcode>
<Keywords>0x8000000000000002</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2009-06-15T20:44:02.738412700Z" />
<EventRecordID>972</EventRecordID>
<Correlation />
<Execution ProcessID="4" ThreadID="8" />
<Channel>System</Channel>
<Computer>Moss-PC</Computer>
<Security UserID="S-1-5-18" />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data Name="BugcheckCode">0</Data>
<Data Name="BugcheckParameter1">0x0</Data>
<Data Name="BugcheckParameter2">0x0</Data>
<Data Name="BugcheckParameter3">0x0</Data>
<Data Name="BugcheckParameter4">0x0</Data>
<Data Name="SleepInProgress">false</Data>
<Data Name="PowerButtonTimestamp">0</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>

2nd Event
Log Name: System
Source: Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power
Date: 2009/06/18 02:03:05 PM
Event ID: 41
Task Category: (63)
Level: Critical
Keywords: (2)
User: SYSTEM
Computer: Moss-PC
Description:
The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first. This error could be caused if the system stopped responding, crashed, or lost power unexpectedly.

Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power" Guid="{331C3B3A-2005-44C2-AC5E-77220C37D6B4}" />
<EventID>41</EventID>
<Version>2</Version>
<Level>1</Level>
<Task>63</Task>
<Opcode>0</Opcode>
<Keywords>0x8000000000000002</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2009-06-18T12:03:05.410812200Z" />
<EventRecordID>2711</EventRecordID>
<Correlation />
<Execution ProcessID="4" ThreadID="8" />
<Channel>System</Channel>
<Computer>Moss-PC</Computer>
<Security UserID="S-1-5-18" />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data Name="BugcheckCode">0</Data>
<Data Name="BugcheckParameter1">0x0</Data>
<Data Name="BugcheckParameter2">0x0</Data>
<Data Name="BugcheckParameter3">0x0</Data>
<Data Name="BugcheckParameter4">0x0</Data>
<Data Name="SleepInProgress">false</Data>
<Data Name="PowerButtonTimestamp">0</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>

3rd Event
Log Name: System
Source: Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power
Date: 2009/06/21 11:33:47 AM
Event ID: 41
Task Category: (63)
Level: Critical
Keywords: (2)
User: SYSTEM
Computer: Moss-PC
Description:
The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first. This error could be caused if the system stopped responding, crashed, or lost power unexpectedly.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power" Guid="{331C3B3A-2005-44C2-AC5E-77220C37D6B4}" />
<EventID>41</EventID>
<Version>2</Version>
<Level>1</Level>
<Task>63</Task>
<Opcode>0</Opcode>
<Keywords>0x8000000000000002</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2009-06-21T09:33:47.457612300Z" />
<EventRecordID>3187</EventRecordID>
<Correlation />
<Execution ProcessID="4" ThreadID="8" />
<Channel>System</Channel>
<Computer>Moss-PC</Computer>
<Security UserID="S-1-5-18" />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data Name="BugcheckCode">0</Data>
<Data Name="BugcheckParameter1">0x0</Data>
<Data Name="BugcheckParameter2">0x0</Data>
<Data Name="BugcheckParameter3">0x0</Data>
<Data Name="BugcheckParameter4">0x0</Data>
<Data Name="SleepInProgress">false</Data>
<Data Name="PowerButtonTimestamp">0</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>

 

[shwells]

Stevew

You cannot use duel channel unless you have a matching pair of ram modules, so that may be your problem

 

[Mattx86]

Though someone might mention this... well both memory modules are DDR2 800MHZ with the same clock speed etc except they have different gross sizes 1Gb and 2Gb respectively. The motherboard only has 2 memory slots and the bios auto detects whether the 2 memory modules can run dual channel or single channel and then runs them accordingly. This option is not a settable option otherwise I would disable this.

I do have another 2Gb module which I purchased at the same time as the other 2Gb module. Unfortunately and for some odd reason it wont run on the motherboard at all but will run on my other PC so that’s where sits right now and that’s where the other 1Gb module has come from.

 

[shwells]

Stevew

Though someone might mention this... well both memory modules are DDR2 800MHZ with the same clock speed etc except they have different gross sizes 1Gb and 2Gb respectively. The motherboard only has 2 memory slots and the bios auto detects whether the 2 memory modules can run dual channel or single channel and then runs them accordingly. This option is not a settable option otherwise I would disable this.

I do have another 2Gb module which I purchased at the same time as the other 2Gb module. Unfortunately and for some odd reason it wont run on the motherboard at all but will run on my other PC so that’s where sits right now and that’s where the other 1Gb module has come from.

If it only has two slots it will not be running as duel channel, you have to buy a matching pair that states duel channel for it to run that way. your problem does sound memory related, I would try using just one module (largest one is in first slot) if you use two

 

[Mattx86]

To quote one out many sources but this specific one Link Removed - Invalid URL "You may notice that memory comes in standard, one memory modules, and also Dual Channel Kits. What’s the difference? There is really no difference other then Dual Channel Kits are two modules instead of one. These are meant to be run in dual channel. You can still get two single modules and run them in dual channel. The kits are sold as tested to work in dual channel. If the memory stick of any kind of memory is compatible to be run at stock speed with stock latency, it will work in dual channel mode."

My Motheboard reports that it is running the memory in dual channel mode as it is an intel board I am reluctant to disbelive it. I dont think the problem is related to the memory running at dual channel.

 

[shwells]

It may be trying to run as duel channel but it cannot be as it has to be matching pair, and that is crittical that is why they sell them in kits, timing has to be spot on. You cannot have a matching pair if one is 1gb and the other is 2gb it's just not possible. I have tried many times to get what may seem the same to work in duel channel but all you get is problems.

 

[Tepid]

The size of the sticks have to be the same..... 2 x ?G it doesn't matter the size.
That is why you will never ever find a matching set pair in odd sizes.

Believe me, if they could, we would have 1G + 2G sets as a norm for 32Bit systems running as dual channel.
I don't care who tells you they can do it, they are not. The board itself is switching to single channel on it's own without matching pairs, (Gig size, bus speed, timings, brand) all matter when it comes to dual channel.