BSODs and freezing - Windows 7 x64

After a pointless phone call of them telling to fill out the RMA form I managed to get it filled out.
I'm awaiting further information from them.

It just decided to freeze when I was on the desktop, upon restart I heard the disk spinning up quite loudly which was strange, even though it passed Seatools.

As usual there's nothing in the event log that helps idenitify the cause.
 
A quick update, I've just received a reply via email which says the following.

Dear Valued Customer,

Thank you for contacting ASUS Customer Service.
My name is john and it is my pleasure to help you with your problem.

BSOD usually caused by hdd or ram failure, I suggest you pay more attention on these parts, and could you help providing me the error message or code while the BSOD occuried.
Click to expand...

I'm still very suspicious about the motherboard but I have a feeling the HDD is failing.
As stated before I heard it spin up really loudly before, I also remember the drive completely disappearing so I couldn't boot into Windows.
When it has frozen on the BIOS splash screen on boot up the drive will stop working, I can tell because the HDD light would stop flashing.
It's the same with freezing etc.

Now I'm thinking of buying a cheap low memory HDD, install Windows on it and see how things go.
If it stops crashing, then we've found our answer, if it continues then that's one hardware piece narrowed down and the motherboard is even more likely the cause.
I wouldn't have lost much money in the process, it would cost up to that much for shipping if it's far away.

Worth a try?
 
Sigh... Asus customer support. Evidently it's true they really have you jump through a hundred hoops nowadays before they'll send you a replacement.

I would give a cheapo (but working) drive a try. If it fails, talk with them and see if you can avoid running a hundred diagnostics you've already ran.

Regards,

Patrick
 
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Do you use ASUS?
I'm thinking of giving Gigabyte a try next time anyway.
When I get some money which should be very soon I'll buy one and give it a try, I'm hoping it is the hard disk as it's much less hassle.
I guess we'll see, I do remember a long time ago, a few months after buying my PC I recall this one time where a very loud clicking/spinning noise would come from the computer, in a panic I turned it off and back on. Nothing happened after that but I'm sure a clicking noise is normally caused by a bad disk.
Very strange, I intend on finally getting to the bottom of this as it's really getting too far, I Gould have solved this within the first month, when I first got this computer I knew less absolutely nothing about them. Seriously...
Right, thanks anyway Patrick.
 
I do (or did as I won't be buying a motherboard from them again). Asus had great CS but back in late 2012 it shifted completely. I had the first revision of P8P67 Pro boards so I had the really buggy SATA controller and the newer 3.1 revision had an entirely different SATA controller because their 3.0 revision board controllers kept dying. Well, sure enough, one night my SATA controller decided to randomly die. I called up Asus support and spoke with a representative who had a brand new revision 3.1 sent out to me right then and there, and I got it within 48 hours. I didn't have to pay a cent, and all I had to of course do was send in my broken 3.0 board.

Now though, I read horror stories left and right about Asus CS. They send back broken motherboards, they send broken motherboards, etc. My friend's Asus motherboard very recently started having problems and it was practically pulling teeth trying to get it replaced. They were having him do a thousand different things and a bit of bartering before they sent a replacement as they were very adamant on not sending a replacement.

Regards,

Patrick
 
Do you know any good motherboard brands to recommend?
I replied to the email this morning and they've still not contacted me, I'll try again in the morning...
 
Well I finally got an email back, not really helpful...

Thus I suggest you RMA to solve it.
In this situation, could you find your retailer? If yes, first try to have a further check with your vendor.
As the local RMA chain is:
Customer – Retailer – Distributor -Asus
Usually, the retailer would provide the RMA for you, if they refuse, you can call the local legal number 08454 04 05 06 for further assistance.
By the way, if you send the motherboard back for RMA service, please do not send any accessories together, as they will be destroyed upon arrival in RMA center.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
Click to expand...

My new drive got dispatched, I'm just waiting for it to be delivered.
 
An interesting story...
I removed the old drive and inserted the new one.
It first came up with a strange picture with some HP computer specs on.

Second time it came up with CPU fan error and beeped a few times, there were no cables blocking it or anything.

I tried to boot into Windows with it and it just blue screens straight away.

I put the old drive back in and it worked fine except for the rear case fan rattling as it does due to the position the computer was in, it's difficult but I'm getting a new desk soon.

I've also noticed and it's done it before, I'm unsure why but the fans spin up loudly for a few seconds like a revving noise (I believe it's the PSU), it seems to happen when I reboot too many times quickly.
It does it normally on boot then it can happen again up to two times even when in Windows straight after each other.
It doesn't affect anything it just revs up quickly for some reason.

And here we are, back to square one.
I'll attach the picture.

View attachment 8816
 
Either you got a bad drive or this is just another sign of your motherboard not cooperating : )

Do you have another board to test the drive on?
 
No, we have one other computer but it's an all in one flat screen which will not be compatible.
 
Luckily it was only about £9 which isn't much so I haven't lost much.
 
Nothing apart from that email.
They want me to go to my retailed who will charge me a lot and 'test' it even though it's the motherboard.
 
Unless you're up for arguing it's probably more cost effective to just buy a new board because they'll have you go back and forth.
 
That's what I was thinking...
He'll charge me and I'll have to pay for shipping then if they decide to not replace it as it isn't broken then that's more money wasted.

I'm not great with hardware though, I could probably do it but I'm always scared of breaking any components.
I never seem to be able to get a good working computer as every single one I use BSODs or crashes etc...
My bad hands.
 
Well... Another very interesting note to add.

As I just mentioned in this thread here, I had a problem with SDM to download an ISO image for Virtualbox.

Okay, I mentioned a while ago in this thread that I got a 0x7A where nothing would work, I recall that happening when installing Virtualbox and not being able to select anything followed by the BSOD where no dump file was made.
I have tried to install Virtualbox again where the same thing happens, how strange...

Everything stops work where it goes slow, only the mouse then works.
Then the BSOD occurs which is a 0x7A only this time I took a screenshot as there is no dump file.

Here's the actual screen if you want to see it.

View attachment 9241

The 2nd parameter is a 0xc000000E indicating STATUS_NO_SUCH_DEVICE so in other words my drive suddenly disappears...
Then I use the restart button and I am then granted with this screen:

View attachment 9240

The only way to boot into Windows again is the actually turn off the computer with the power button rather than the reset button otherwsie the screen repeats.
I thought the BIOS froze but I decided to leave it, it eventually boots into the screen I showed so when I said the BIOS would freeze I think I'm wrong about that.

I don't think it's the drive dying at all given it only ever happens when I install Virtualbox, I suspect it's something to do with the actual disk controller...
 
I've said it once and I'll say it again... bad motherboard.

I will say it over and over again : )
 
Haha! I suppose when it comes down to my computer something in the back of my mind will always try and come up with an excuse to say it's not hardware but it's quite obvious it is.
I can't see how Virtualbox can cause Windows and the HDD to disappear :p

This one looks like a decent replacement rather than going through that gruelling process which is the ASUS tech support.

Gigabyte Z77-DS3H Intel Z77 (Socket 1155) DDR3 Motherboard [GA-Z77-DS3H]

God damn it... It's out of stock now... I added it like a month ago and there were loads...

I'll have to search elsewhere but it seems pretty good.

Besides, when I install a different motherboard I can try Windows 8.
 

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