Installed Win7 x64 over preloaded Ubuntu OS on laptop, freezes a lot.

Hi guys, as per title, my Zareason Verix 1656 ( a rebrand Linux model of MSI GT640) freezes without warning when in use. This can happen sometime after a few hours, sometime after just 15 minutes of operation.

Before I start removing and replacing hardware to figure out whats wrong, I wanted to check if running a 64 bit windows 7 pro on a 2009 Linux oem laptop may cause some problems with the factory bios?

I installed windows after the first week of buying the laptop because I found Ubuntu too inconvenient for college, and the freezing had been occurring consistently since then.

The next possible root causes for me is the hard disk, and the power supply. The HD is 98% healthy with only 2 bad sectors according to diagnostic software, and chkdsk found no errors. I still think it may be causing the problem due to my gut feeling, likewise for the power supply.

MEMTEST86 also found no errors.

I can upload my CPU-Z hardware report if that would help in anyway.

Would appreciate any input guys, thank you.



Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

 

Moving to windows forum, this is not a linux question.

 

If the HDD has bad sectors anywhere it can be subject. if it hits a bad sector to write it can freeze the PCI bus and the system is done from there. If the bus freezes the other problem is the bad sector may never get marked causing it to just keep on freeing down the line.

 

Is there anyway to verify if the 2 bad sectors are causing the freeze without using another hard drive?



Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

 

If the two bad sectors are already marked, then more than likely those two are not causing the issue. It is more likely you have other bad sectors that have yet to be marked.

 

Well how do I go about locating those bad sectors? Both Chrystal HDD Info and HD Sentinel found only 2. I don't have a spare drive to test out so I'm stuck with this one for the time being. But if I can be certain that it is faulty I can just go out and buy a new one.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

 

Little you can really do other than a new drive. The problem is the drive will only get worst as time goes by not better. eventually resulting in system instability and/or data loss. Once bad sectors start showing up the drive is on the short list for things to replace ASAP. Not saying this will cure your issue either, but no one worth their salt will tell you to go ahead with that drive.

Just so you know what is up, M$ file systems write from the front of the drive to the rear in an attempt to speed up drive access. ETX/2,3,4 essentially do not and more randomize the sectors written to slow down fragmentation. So while susceptible Linux is more tolerant than M$ of drive errors.

 

I suppose you could have a try at making sure all of your drivers are up to date? The Driveridentifier app will tell you if any drivers are out of date or even missing for some components.

As said, even if this fixes your system, the HDD should be replaced sooner rather than later - It's almost Christmas so perhaps an SSD drive can be justified as an upgrade.

 

Yes it is time for a new drive. Nothing worse than being in the middle of something and it freeses up on you. I would go for a SSD.

 

Cheers guy, I will start looking for good deals for a new hard disk. However, this problem is not new and has been happening ever since the first few months of using the laptop, back in 2010. Because it was too risky for me to continue using it for important college assignments, I had it stored and bought a cheaper Thinkpad.

How likely is it for a drive to malfunction within the first few months? My hard disk is a Fujitsu MHZ 320BH G2.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

 

HDD's are usually pretty reliable, that being said this in turn means if they are going to go bad it then is usually early on as well. You should have gone after a new drive while it was under warranty.

 

I was stupid and spoiled back then. Fortunately getting less spoiled now ever since I needed to work to pay for my gadgets.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk