windows Computer locking up

[ajnl]

Basically, when starting up certain games my computer completely locks up.

 

Computer set up:

 

RAM: G.SKILL Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1866

 

Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-990FXA-UD3 AM3+ AMD 990FX SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard

 

GPU: EVGA 01G-P3-1556-KR GeForce GTX 550 Ti

 

CPU: AMD FX-8120 8-Core Black Edition Processor Socket AM3+

 

SSD: Crucial 128 GB m4 2.5-Inch Solid State Drive SATA 6Gb/s

 

HD: 1 TB, not sure which manufacturer anymore.

 

Running: Windows 7 Ult 64-bit

 

My operating system is installed on the SSD and the programs/games are installed on my Harddrive.

 

=========================

 

Games that cause it to lock up:

- Starcraft 2

- Cod MW3 (through steam)

 

Games that haven't locked up:

 

- Diablo 3

- Cod4

- Minecraft

- Just Cause 2 (through steam)

- Nuclear Dawn (through steam)

- Assassins Creed Brotherhood (through steam)

- cod Bo (through steam)

=========================

 

I've tried:

-re-installing Starcraft 2

- Used steam: "Verify Integrity of Game Cache"

- Restarting computer

- Updating GPU drivers

- searched online, but couldn't find anything related

- Searched computer using Malwarebytes, Spybot S&D, and ESET, just in case but no threats or problems show up.

 

EDIT

 

- Did a RAM test for about 20 min, got no errors

- Temperatures are normal (GPU 49 C, CPU 31 C, Mainboard 27 C)

 

Yesterday I used this guide to speed up my SSD/system. Not sure if one of those could have caused this?

 

The last thing I can think of doing is re-installing windows 7. Anyone have any other ideas? It seems to be a problem only effecting cod mw3 and sc2. Going to try re-installing those games and take apart/clean out the whole computer.

 

EDIT: also found out it locks up when I press "print screen".

Edited September 6, 2012 by ajnl

[Vanaraud]

Well PC stability could be cause of overclocking, thats one thing that pops into my mind seeing G.Skill and AMD FX in your list.

[ajnl]

Well PC stability could be cause of overclocking, thats one thing that pops into my mind seeing G.Skill and AMD FX in your list.

 

My CPU, GPU, and RAM are not overclocked though.

[rolf]

Can you stresstest the CPU and GPU? I don't remember the names for the programs to do that anymore, but google should help you. Usually, stresstests will break your pc down if it aint stable. EDIT: if both are working independently, try running them both, if it then crashes you might look into your PSU.

 

Alternative: Insert a different hard disk (temporarily, old 80GB disk will do) and insert Windows and Starcraft on it, see if that works. Install as few stuff as possible to make sure that other software isn't one of the problems.

Edited September 6, 2012 by rolf

[ajnl]

Can you stresstest the CPU and GPU? I don't remember the names for the programs to do that anymore, but google should help you. Usually, stresstests will break your pc down if it aint stable. EDIT: if both are working independently, try running them both, if it then crashes you might look into your PSU.

 

Alternative: Insert a different hard disk (temporarily, old 80GB disk will do) and insert Windows and Starcraft on it, see if that works. Install as few stuff as possible to make sure that other software isn't one of the problems.

 

I just did a stresstest on both the CPU and GPU. Had no problems, the GPU only went up to 70 degrees C. Which for going at 98% is not bad at all.

 

I'll try to find a good program to stress both at once.

 

I don't think it is PSU problem, because I've been using this build for a couple months now. Why would the power be a problem now and not before?

 

EDIT ====================

 

I stress tested my GPU, CPU, and RAM all together.

 

CPU at 100%, temp peaked at 43 C

GPU at 98-99%, temp peaked at 70 C

RAM at 97%

 

And it stayed stable. So probably isn't my PSU.

Edited September 6, 2012 by ajnl

[Revenant]

From reading this, am I to understand that the 2 programs weren't causing problems before? (you mentioned your question about the tweaks possibly being a culprit).

[ajnl]

Yeah SC2 was definitely working fine before.

 

EDIT ====================

 

Made some progress. The print screen (prtscn) button works again. Used a fix located here.

 

To fix it, do this:

 

Start, type 'cmd' in search, right click cmd.exe, select 'run as administrator', click yes to the uac prompt if it is on.

 

type:

 

bcdedit -debug off

 

This turns off kernel debug mode. Pressing the Print Screen key with debug mode on causes a kernel break point, so the system appears to be entirely unresponsive:

 

So now my prtscn works again. Going to see if SC2 and CodMw3 work now (once they are installed again).

 

Alright, well I guess that is the fix then. SC2 is working and I am assuming that Cod Mw3 will work as well.

 

Thanks for helping everyone . Including Revenant and Uncasid who messaged on xfire

Edited September 6, 2012 by ajnl