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    Non-Fatal Random Computer Crashes - R1 - Hard Drive to blame?

    Discussion in 'Alienware M11x' started by DeeVu, Jan 20, 2011.

  1. DeeVu

    DeeVu That Compsci/Psych Major

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    It's weird. I am doing different things - gaming, word, browsing and suddenly my computer freezes up and I have to force shutdown. I can't get into task manager or anything. It freezes and there is a buzzing out of the speakers. Before I open up my computer again ( I installed a hard drive and wifi card about a month ago ). Could it even possibly be the hard drive? Is it probable that it is bouncing and it causes it to freeze? Wouldnt the computer toss a message or does this seem like a reasonable result of the HDD jumping out for a split second. It has happened twice today so I figured I should probably figure this out.
     
    DeeVu, Jan 20, 2011
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  2. Crazycrossing

    Crazycrossing Notebook Consultant

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    1) First I'd download a error checking utility from your hardware manufacturer. Run it and check to see if there's any errors.

    2) Have you overclocked anything recently? GPU? CPU?

    3) Have you installed any new drivers recently or the new bios update?
     
    Crazycrossing, Jan 20, 2011
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  3. DeeVu

    DeeVu That Compsci/Psych Major

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    Oh my. I overclocked my GPU's memory clock by 10 but forgot to check it. This couldn't it?
     
    DeeVu, Jan 20, 2011
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  4. Crazycrossing

    Crazycrossing Notebook Consultant

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    It definitely could be it. I've been dealing with that recently. My computer locks up when my GPU is not stable overclocked.

    Leave off EVGA Precision (Or whatever program you use) for awhile and see if it solves it.

    Your GPU could also be failing, so I hope you're in warranty. It sounds very similar to a problem I had with my desktop in March of 2010. Nvidia released a driver that would turn off your fan when you played the SC2 beta, I wasn't monitoring fan or temperatures at the time and it messed up my GPU to the point of it randomly locking up whenever I was doing anything. It would lock up faster if I was gaming/watching HD videos.
     
    Crazycrossing, Jan 20, 2011
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  5. DeeVu

    DeeVu That Compsci/Psych Major

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    I certainly hope it is the former. I would hate to see a GPU fail in under 6months.
     
    DeeVu, Jan 20, 2011
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