Maximus IV Gene Z Gen3 Freezing problem.

[mark123]

Hi there. This sounds like a problem i got with one of my systems.
Here it happens when some parts of the user filesystem in windows are manipulated. For example, connect a vpn network which then maps your C:\Users\<account> folder to a network drive.
What happens in the OS i can't tell, but the effect is that you can still move the mouse, see the desktop and already running applications will continue to work (depending on what the app does). But you can't start new applications, windows wont appear and processes won't start. Not even shutdown will work, the only solution is a hard reset.
If you experience this behavior shortly after logons (windows startup or screensaver login) this might be the same source.

[Spathi]

IRST installed, version 10.6

You need 10.8

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Sear...age+Technology

What I think happens is the bus sleeps too much for the disks, z68 is more advanced and aggressive?... but that is just my VooDoo theory.

Anyway I had slight pauses that were fixed completely with 10.8.

Also turn on HotPlug in the BIOS, just incase.. this will leave some power in the ports when the MB thinks the disks are gone... more VooDoo.

which then maps your C:\Users\<account> folder to a network drive

In your case it might be a third party driver locking up windows filesystem. Check the 10.8 thing, but also think if any third party system utilities might be hooking the filesystem... it is their job to pass the message on to the next program in the system and they may be stuffing it up. Although in this day and age, with Windows 7 you are probably protected somewhat from this.

It could also just be a Network with no local DNS server that resolves local names or something like that. To do it properly you need a Domain Controller/DHCP/DNS or fake Domain Controller like a QNAP with something like dnsmasq installed. In windows you can also turn off NetBIOS, but I forgot how to do it because I get dnsmasq to turn it off on all machines.

dhcp-option=43,01:04:00:00:00:02 #Disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP
^-- the dnsmask option
it is very hard to set all this up, but if your into it is is very fun and rewarding.

You can just tell windows to turn it off, and the host name lookups will fail quickly and windows networking won't pause. There is also the hosts files for faking local name lookups.

[gazorp]

Pull two of the memory sticks for now (pull from slots 1&3), if it helps let me know then I will need screenshots of UEFI from you.

-Raja

Raja - My problem is still exactly the same with the two ram sticks. The problem is most frequent in the morning after being away from the computer overnight. Again, there is no overclocking enabled.

What do we do now?

[gazorp]

I do have hot plug enabled now (from first suggestion), and i did install the IRST update you linked to. There really is nothing left in my system besides the motherboard that can be causing these problems.

Also, these are not glitches, or quick lock ups. When the system freezes, it is frozen for good. And it is frozen in a manner like mark123 describes.

[Spathi]

Sounds like the disk is still asleep.

If it was memory the start menu would have corrupt text, or you would get a total freeze or a blue screen.

Just confirm 10.​8.​0.​1003 as you said 10.6.2.1011?

If the disk is asleep then as each program tries to do a disk op then it will freeze with an hourglass. The taskbar will freeze with explorer at that is in explorer accessing the disk.

Try power profile Balanced.
Turn monitor off after 20 mins
Sleep Never
Turn Hard Disks off: Never

This is best anyway as the SSD will manage its own power and will be free to run its Background Garbage Collection without being rudely powered down.

[mark123]

The system in my case is an HP EliteBook with Intel 6 (C200) SATA controller. I can't adjust the system since it belongs to a customer, but the symptoms sound identical.

My solution on my system is this:
Windows startup, open the taskmanager and wait for all the services (svchost.exe) to load properly. Once the cpu is idle i can connect to the vpn and have the local folders remapped.
If i connect instantly after windows startup and windows components are still in their startup process, the system will become unresponsive. This is reproducible, and must be solved by the windows client support of my customer (they build their own images).

What i'm essentialy trying to say is that this might not be a hardware but a software/os problem.

[gazorp]

Sounds like the disk is still asleep.

If it was memory the start menu would have corrupt text, or you would get a total freeze or a blue screen.

Just confirm 10.​8.​0.​1003 as you said 10.6.2.1011?

If the disk is asleep then as each program tries to do a disk op then it will freeze with an hourglass. The taskbar will freeze with explorer at that is in explorer accessing the disk.

Try power profile Balanced.
Turn monitor off after 20 mins
Sleep Never
Turn Hard Disks off: Never

This is best anyway as the SSD will manage its own power and will be free to run its Background Garbage Collection without being rudely powered down.

I am already using the settings you have suggested. Please feel free to make any more suggestions.

[Spathi]

I'm out of them, lol. Maybe the fix in 10.8 is hardcoded for Gen2 or something. Those 320's have the reported 8MB problem so maybe check the disks are not corrupt if you had to update the firmware after installing an OS on them.

What is the RST OPROM in that BIOS? (although an old one should be OK still... it was a driver fix.)

Yeah mark, I see where you are coming from now, that one is network drivers or the network domain host lookup not being available until it is logged in fully, something like that.

Hey gazorp, one thing some people did was to image the OS onto an old spinner disk... that "rules in" that the SSD or controller is the problem. To do this in a fun way use http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/bootit-bare-metal.htm

free from bootcd

put in old spinner,
boot,
partition work,
cut,
paste,
turn off pc
remove SSD,
boot.

or buy it and install it in the first 6 meg of the disk and you can leave both disk in and choose the boot drive in that process without swapping disks. It is a good buy with the others in a package.

Just note if you let Win7 partition when you installed Win7 you will also have to copy the system partition... (always best to force win7 onto one partition during install by only showing it one existing partition.)

[gazorp]

I do not think our problems are identical. I think the manner is which they freeze is similar. Also, unless it is a problem with the software drivers asus provided, i can assure you it is not a problem with windows or ati drivers, or thousands more people would have this problem. There is nothing else weird or special about my rig. I have not been able to fully customize the software load because it is still unstable. At this point is is little more that a stock windows install with some office and productivity software installed. no games, no tweaks, no hacks. Just clean windows 7 64 bit pro.

The system in my case is an HP EliteBook with Intel 6 (C200) SATA controller. I can't adjust the system since it belongs to a customer, but the symptoms sound identical.

My solution on my system is this:
Windows startup, open the taskmanager and wait for all the services (svchost.exe) to load properly. Once the cpu is idle i can connect to the vpn and have the local folders remapped.
If i connect instantly after windows startup and windows components are still in their startup process, the system will become unresponsive. This is reproducible, and must be solved by the windows client support of my customer (they build their own images).

What i'm essentialy trying to say is that this might not be a hardware but a software/os problem.

[Spathi]

Yeah, but... the Intel 320 with the Gen3 might not be thousands. Might save you some RMA headache to swap the disk and see.

Definitely thousands of people had this problem with some SSD, z68 and ICH10 without new drivers.