Solved Random PC freezes

[writhziden]

Alright, we are barking up the wrong tree. My fault. http://www.sevenforums.com/crashes-debugging/212342-consistent-bsod-after-boot.html#post1778174 provides this:

If you are using a USB keyboard, it's safe to ignore the message about the PS2 keyboard.

Have you tried each memory module to see if one provides stability?

 

[Tolis21]

hey there again. today i have some free time and i decided to start checking the rams and slots. i found out that i have 3 rams. 1 ram of 2gb( in which A Data is written on it) and a set of 2 rams of 1 gb( in which Team Elite is written on them). i also have 4 slots in my motherboard. i am attaching a picture of them.

so how am i going to test the combinations now? i also noticed that the set of 1gb rams are placed in the ''yellow'' slots, and the 2gb ram is placed in the ''black'' slot between them. does this affect anything or not?

 

[writhziden]

The yellow and black slots operate in dual channel mode, meaning they work together. All RAM kits should be kept in the same color slots, much as it is currently configured.

Try removing the RAM in the black slot and see if the system operates any more stable. Make sure to Avoid Static Damage to Your PC when removing or replacing modules in slots.

 

[Tolis21]

ok i will remove it now and see how it goes. by the way in the last days after i restarted my pc after a freeze this message(see photo) came out. it happened two times, one yestarday and one today. i pressed F2 both times. does this have any connection with the rams?

 

[writhziden]

It could indicate a bad CMOS battery. I would suggest clearing the CMOS by loading setup defaults through the BIOS Exit options instead of hitting F2 as in that picture. Further reading: Three ways to clear the CMOS

Also, use a hard reset to resolve hardware and software issues (works for all computers, not just HP, minus the HP updates step), and see if it helps.

 

[Tolis21]

does this cmos problem have any connection with the freezes?

 

[writhziden]

If your CMOS battery is bad or the CMOS memory is corrupted, yes, it could cause freezes and/or crashes.

 

[Tolis21]

oh ok. i will remove the 2gb ram later tonight, and tommorow i will try fix the cmos problem. in case a freeze happens after the 2gb ram is removed, what should i try? moving the 2 other rams in the black slots or removing them and use only the 2gb one?

 

[ReviverSoft]

Well, I would suggest checking the stability of your system by using one RAM module at a time.

 

[writhziden]

Well, I would suggest checking the stability of your system by using one RAM module at a time.

While that is normally a good troubleshooting step, in this case it may cause other problems. The Windows version running on that machine is 64 bit, so it needs at least 2 GB to run properly. Having only one 1 GB module in can cause crashes due to low resources.

I recommended starting with the two modules to see if one of those is possibly bad so the whole kit can be RMA'd. Then the 2 GB module can be run by itself to see if it provides stability. One step at a time, so start with the two 1 GB modules in the yellow slots. Test to see if the system is stable by doing your normal routine for a few days. Then try them in the black slots and test for a few days again. This is to rule out a bad set of slots on the motherboard, as well.

 

[Tolis21]

i had a freeze while i had the two 1gb rams in the yellow slots. on the restart that cmos message appeared again. now i will do the steps you told me for the cmos problem and the hard reset. in case another freeze appears i will check the 2 rams in the black slots, and then the 2gb one on each slot.

 

[writhziden]

Sounds good. Keep us updated as you progress.

 

[Tolis21]

i reseted the bios so the cmos is cleared and did the hard reset on the devices. now i am using all my rams in the slots they used to be. in case of a freeze, i will first check the 2 1gb rams in the black slots and then the 2gb ram in every slot.

 

[Tolis21]

hey there again. i had a freeze today. although i reseted the bios so the cmos is cleared, that message about the cmos came up when i restarted my pc after the freeze. what should i do know?

 

[writhziden]

Have you moved the RAM around?

 

[Tolis21]

no, i checked my pc with all my rams placed in the slots they used to be, so i can se if it was a ram problem. now i will test the set of 1gb rams in the black slots, and then the 2gb ram in all 4 slots. i will inform you when i do this

 

[Tolis21]

hey there. yestarday i had a freeze while the two 1gb rams were placed in the black slots, and today i started checking the 2gb ram and i had a freeze on the first slot. now i am checking it in the second slot

 

[writhziden]

I am doubting it is the RAM at this point. More likely it is a motherboard, CMOS, graphics card, or PSU issue. I suspect the first two given the CMOS error you get. You could try replacing the CMOS battery first since that is a very small expense.

 

[Tolis21]

ok i will do that. how can i find the type of my cmos battery and where can i buy it? from stores with electronic stuff or stores that sell pc's?

 

[writhziden]

If you open up the system, you should be able to find the CMOS battery type by removing the battery from the motherboard. Just get the battery model number and visit a local PC store or electronics store. They should have one in stock that suits your needs.