Windows 7: System freezes causing boot order to magically change?

First off, my computer:
Windows 7 64 bit
8gb ram
128gb SSD with OS on it (boot 1) + 1 tb HDD with backup OS on it (boot 2) Nvidia GeForce 560 Ti
Intel i5 2500k 3.3 ghz

Now, for the problem. I will explain this as best as I can. Yesterday, my computer was working completely fine. I woke up today, and the first thing I see is my computer telling me that my copy of Windows is not genuine. Confused, I rebooted, and everything went back to normal.

Following this, a few hours later, my computer froze. I rebooted, and the same error popped up. This happened once more. After this, I realized that my computer magically decided to switch my boot order and boot to my 1tb HDD with the OS on it, which apparently isn't genuine. When I hit cancel and logged in, my SSD wasn't showing in my computer.

This just happened once more, after coming home from work. I thought my computer was fine, but I tried to minimize Chrome, and the entire system froze, again. Restarting, the boot order was switched twice this time, leaving me super confused.



The only thing that I think could have caused this, is a repairman at my house who cut the power which messed up my computer somehow. I don't have a backup and I don't have a restore point. Aside from that, I have no idea what is causing this. I just cleaned the dust out of my computer last week and I have never had any overheating problems. I have never seen anything like this before, so, any help would be appreciated.

A few more random things: I have had 3 system freezes while playing BF3. When I restart my computer, my SSD is not detected. When I turn it off, and then on. My SSD is recognized.

Now today, I reinstalled windows on my SSD and have a completely clean install. I decide to play TF2 for a bit and get a BSOD, which restarts my computer, which boots to my secondary HDD despite my SSD working fine. I have no idea why his is happening from a clean windows install.

I uploaded the reports from the SF Diag app below.

Okay, I am experiencing the exact same problem with a very similar system.

Windows 7 Home Premium x64
ASRock P67 Extreme4 Gen3
Intel i5-2500k @ stock 3.3 GHz
Nvidia GeForce GTX 570
8GB RAM
128GB Crucial M4 SSD



The CPU had been OC'd to 4.7GHz for about 1 year with no problems, however I put it back to stock while trying to figure out this problem.

So my apartment has crappy wiring and semi-frequent power flickers (Yeah, I know I need a UPS). I believe one occurred overnight less than a week ago because the LED lighting on my router which I normally turn off had been turned back on and my computer had reset to a boot device not found black screen. So I looked at my BIOS and my boot order had been reset. I fixed it and started up my computer.

Here's the problems I encountered (similar to OP):
While playing games, using Skype, Chrome, or Windows Explorer, or probably anything else the computer would randomly freeze up. I hadn't yet noticed this occur while it is sitting idle. The freezes appear to be more of an application not responding situation, but instead of being able to force quit, the computer just fails to execute any operation. So sometimes I can refocus on a different window, but I'm still forced to hard reset because the computer is completely locked up.

Occasionally when I restart the boot order gets reset again. I've only had this happen one more time beyond the initial occurrence.

Windows Update keeps updating and installing the same two .NET updates again and again and again, even though they're listed as being successfully installed in the programs list.

What I have done so far:
Wiped SSD and did a clean reinstall of Windows
Updated BIOS
Clocked CPU back to stock
Ran Windows Memory Diagnostic - OK

Initial impressions tell me the problem still persists. I've had a couple more freezes within the last hour similar to those experienced before. However, the Windows Update issue seems to be resolved now and I have yet to see the boot order reset again.

*UPDATE*
Freeze up happened again while refreshing browser page. Seems like all active applications sort of stop responding. Instead of hard restarting this time, I managed to get an "End Process" popup (I've had them before on these freezes, but it didn't seem to work). I mashed End Process about 100 times until the computer tried to do a system restart. It got partway though the process, locked up, and then proceeded to a BSOD (attached). It then restarted itself to having my boot order reset again and SSD not showing up as an option until I restarted again. Fixed boot order, and here I am again.
So no changes thus far.
//UPDATE

Anyone have a clue as to what is going on here?

Attached is my diag report.

Another update. I replaced the PSU in hopes voltage levels were unstable. Problem persists with a new PSU.

I see the two of you are not getting any help here. You might get some responses if you post in Crashes and Debugging - Windows 7 Forums.

Meanwhile I would try to narrow the problem down to hardware or software. Mystikal should run his second OS, and Cyths could boot an Ubuntu Live disc. Boot from these instead of your SSD's to see if your hardware is OK.

You will get a lot more help if one computer and OP in one thread at a time. Cyths if you could start your own new thread it would help. That way those that are helping can keep things straight.

Well I seem to have resolved my own problem. I'm not sure which did it, but I swapped my RAM into the other two bays and did a firmware update on my SSD.

3 hours and no crashes.

mystikal, if you're still having this problem and checking this thread, it might be worthwhile to attempt the same since we seem to be suffering the same symptoms.

@Cyths

Glad to see you have the problem fixed!

Hi mystikal,

I have very similar system with exactly the same problem, but I don't get any BSOD.

Did you try what Cyths suggested? If so can you let me know if it fixed it please?