Hard computer freeze w/ no BSOD, event logs, or dumpfiles

[Acryte]

Windows 8.1 X64
Original OS is Windows 8.1 X64.
Windows 8.1 came preinstalled on prebuilt PC from IBuyPower
Age of System: 4-5 yrs
Age of OS installation: Hasn't ever been reinstalled since purchase.

CPU : I5-6600K @3.50ghz (no overclock)
VideoCard: GTX 960
Motherboard currently: MSI Z170A SLI PLUS (Don't remember original motherboard, it has been replaced due to trying to fix this problem!)
Power Supply: Not sure on brand but 600W
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I've been dealing with a hard freeze for the last 2 years, thinking it was some sort of house electrical problem (due to the house having such problems) but now I've moved and the problem has followed me to (two!) computers from completely different sources trying anything between these two years. I'm trying to diagnose my main computer instead of the side computer I was given to try to get over this problem.

When the freeze occurs, all temperatures are fine in HWMonitor, and it can happen during just simple web browsing. There is no dump files created (although the SysNativetools pulled 3 2016 crashes that I have no idea about nor are they in the timespan I believe) nor is a BSOD displayed. The computer freezes and the audio begins to stutter like you're taking a cartridge out of a video game console while it's on. I'm then forced to hold the button in to restart it. This problem can occur up to once a day, but sometimes twice every 1-3 weeks. I've even taken notes of how long it's gone without freezing and it got up to 30 days at one point.

I've replaced... the motherboard, power supply due to it supposedly failing twice (its possible it didn't, as when I tried a different power outlet it worked again but I replaced it anyway.) keyboard, mouse. I've not replaced anything else. Culprit is possibly the hard drive but I would like to try to verify this with someone who knows more before I go nuclear on it. Thank you for your help :)

 

[cwsink]

Hi Acryte,

Does the folder C:\Windows\LiveKernelReports exist and does it or its subdirectories contain any .dmp files? It's odd both computers are experiencing the same problem unless you're swapping them out and using the same peripherals. If that's the case I'd be wondering if an attached device is causing problems.

 

[Acryte]

Hi Acryte,

Does the folder C:\Windows\LiveKernelReports exist and does it or its subdirectories contain any .dmp files? It's odd both computers are experiencing the same problem unless you're swapping them out and using the same peripherals. If that's the case I'd be wondering if an attached device is causing problems.

Hello!

Nope, there wasn't anything in those folders and I made sure they weren't hidden for some reason as well. I've wondered that too, but I've swapped out every peripheral and tested w/o some and the problem still occurs. (Mic, earbuds, keyboard, mouse) I would have chalked that one up to electrical problems with the old house however. The only thing that was consistent between them was the house & outlets, and the hard-drive from the original PC (but only used as storage until the freeze occurred once, and then it was taken out and the problem still happened a bit later)

 

[cwsink]

The first thing I'd suggest is updating your motherboard UEFI/BIOS to the latest version. It's surprising what that can fix and it allows us to assume the motherboard is in as stable a state as the manufacturer has been able to achieve. That's assuming the computer is stable while in the UEFI/BIOS setup menus.

After updating I'd then go back into the UEFI/BIOS setup menus, load default (or optimized) settings, and then Save & Exit - that should get rid of any bad settings that might survive the update.

 

[Acryte]

The first thing I'd suggest is updating your motherboard UEFI/BIOS to the latest version. It's surprising what that can fix and it allows us to assume the motherboard is in as stable a state as the manufacturer has been able to achieve. That's assuming the computer is stable while in the UEFI/BIOS setup menus.

After updating I'd then go back into the UEFI/BIOS setup menus, load default (or optimized) settings, and then Save & Exit - that should get rid of any bad settings that might survive the update.

I've already done that recently, and the computer is stable completely outside of this issue happening. The problem occurs maybe once or twice a day in every two weeks, or less. It's sporadic/rare at best for description but can happen twice in one day if it wants to - but it's been ongoing last 2 years. Both computers had different motherboards as well and was AMD instead of Intel.

 

[cwsink]

What have you already done recently? Your current BIOS is from April 2017 so I'm guessing you're not referring to updating it.

Are you using the same memory you had when those crash dumps happened? I ask because they suggest faulty memory. None of the current diagnostic tools are sufficient for testing DDR4, in my opinion (memtest86, Windows Memory Diagnostic, etc.) I've seen too many instances of them saying the memory was okay only to find out later a DIMM was bad. The most reliable method with DDR4 is to use the system as you normally would with only 1 DIMM installed to see if the computer becomes unstable with one vs the other(s).

You wrote that you suspect the HDD. Have you run a full diagnostic of the drive? Seagate SeaTools will usually work for testing a Toshiba HDD. It's best run from bootable media so the whole drive can be tested "offline". SeaTools is included in boot discs such as UBCD and Hiren's if you have those or you can use the instructions here to create SeaTools specific media.