Need good advice: reloading Windows

[-ammo-]

I am having very frequent lockups - several times a day sometimes.  I have troubleshot the issue to the extent of my limited knowledge and can't find the culprit.

1. CPU and GPU temps are good
2.  Cleaned up old files and the registry using third party software
3. Ensured I have the latest drivers for everything

I have given up and decided to install a fresh copy of Windows 7 Pro (64bit).

My question is: what is the correct things to do prior to installation.  I have current backup of important files, GPU driver, MB driver disk, and I will backup my AH settings folder.  

What is the correct sequence to install drivers and software?  Should I let windows update itself prior to installing anything?

TIA advance - its been a while since I did this and I want to get it right.  I am pretty frustrated with this machine (pretty new and damn fast when its not locked up)

[Skuzzy]

1)  Install Windows first.
2)  Install the motherboard drivers.
3)  If Windows does not have a driver for your network card/device, then install it now.
4)  Grab the latest drivers for your sound and video card from the respective  manufacturers.
5)  Install the sound card drivers.
6)  Install the video card drivers.
7)  Disable ANY power management.
8)  Do the Windows updates.
9)  Install your applications.

The power management in Windows 7 is not to be relied on.

That is a pretty generic step-by-step installation path.

[Bizman]

Skuzzy, make this a sticky, if you please. 

@ ammo: If your problems don't go away with the fresh install, let us know. I know a bunch of potential culprits and some testing methods to sort them out.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

I am having very frequent lockups - several times a day sometimes.  I have troubleshot the issue to the extent of my limited knowledge and can't find the culprit.

1. CPU and GPU temps are good
2.  Cleaned up old files and the registry using third party software
3. Ensured I have the latest drivers for everything

I have given up and decided to install a fresh copy of Windows 7 Pro (64bit).

My question is: what is the correct things to do prior to installation.  I have current backup of important files, GPU driver, MB driver disk, and I will backup my AH settings folder.  

What is the correct sequence to install drivers and software?  Should I let windows update itself prior to installing anything?

TIA advance - its been a while since I did this and I want to get it right.  I am pretty frustrated with this machine (pretty new and damn fast when its not locked up)

Suspect your power supply. On another thread someone had just bought a brand new Seasonic power supply and wondered why his computer was crashing. Despite its reputation, the Seasonic unit was bad - the crashes were instantly gone when switching supplies. Almost all the cases I've witnessed Windows crashing the main cause has been a hardware failure.

You didn't mention running memtest, trying to take away any extra hardware to see if it stabilizes etc. these are your first steps before reinstalling Windows. For example I once had a Creative sound card that would make my computer crash every time. When the symptoms started I suspected my display card since I just recently bought it. I switched graphics cards but for nothing, crashes continued. Finally it turned out that the Creative card was the cause of crashes - didn't even need to have drivers installed, it was enough to plug the thing in.

[-ammo-]

TY Skuzzy, Bizman, and Ripley. 

Bizman -  will do; TY again.

Ripley, I also suspect my PS.  It is a 750 watt model (can't remember brand) but I cut cost there when I was preparing a build sheet.

MTF, and thanks again

Signed,

Frustrated but optimistic

[Skuzzy]

Pair a cheap power supply with a cheap motherboard and it can frustrate anyone to no end.  There is a reason they are cheap.

Cheap motherboards lack the power filtering and regulation of the higher cost motherboards.
Cheap power supplies lack the power filtering and regulation of the higher end power supplies.

See a trend?

Noisy power causes more failures and stability problems than any other issue with new equipment.

[-ammo-]

This is my MB and processor:

ASRock Z77 Extreme4 LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

Intel Core i7-3820 Sandy Bridge-E 3.6GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 2011 130W Desktop Processor BX80619i73820

This is my PS (cheapo)

RAIDMAX HYBRID 2 RX-730SS 730W ATX12V V2.2/ EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Modular Power Supply, New Version with Build-in LED Fan On/Off Switch

[-ammo-]

Would you guys recommend this PS:

CORSAIR HX Series HX850 850W ATX12V 2.3 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply New 4th Gen CPU Certified Haswell Ready http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139011&ignorebbr=1&cm_re=PPSSZRUVXLWWKZ-_-17-139-011-_-Product

[Bizman]

The 850 is overkill unless you have more than one high end video card in your computer. Something like 650 W should be more than enough for a modern one video card system. Besides, the Corsair HX850 is manufactured by Channel Well whereas the HX650 is made by Seasonic. Too much unnecessary wattage will cause problems very much similar to a cheap PSU.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

The 850 is overkill unless you have more than one high end video card in your computer. Something like 650 W should be more than enough for a modern one video card system. Besides, the Corsair HX850 is manufactured by Channel Well whereas the HX650 is made by Seasonic. Too much unnecessary wattage will cause problems very much similar to a cheap PSU.

Seconded, go for the Seasonic unit. Too large PSU is also not good. Note also that all XFX black series PSU:s are Seasonic built and they're quite competitive in pricing.

[Pudgie]

This is my MB and processor:

ASRock Z77 Extreme4 LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

Intel Core i7-3820 Sandy Bridge-E 3.6GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 2011 130W Desktop Processor BX80619i73820

This is my PS (cheapo)

RAIDMAX HYBRID 2 RX-730SS 730W ATX12V V2.2/ EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Modular Power Supply, New Version with Build-in LED Fan On/Off Switch

Hey Ammo,

You sure you're using this CPU on that MB?
A socket 2011 CPU on a socket 1155 mobo?

Just making observation here......................... ...........................

 

[-ammo-]

Good call!  I bought that CPU and MB by mistake and RMA'd the CPU for the one below.  I cut and paste the data from my Newegg account and used the RMA line..

Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 3000 BX80623I72600K

[Rich46yo]

Could be bad memory is memory not placed in the correct slots in the correct size.

Some MBs need memory installed a special way. Or you might just have a bad memory chip. I'd say memory and/or power are the two most likely culprits. Do you have a crash info file?

[-ammo-]

Could be bad memory is memory not placed in the correct slots in the correct size.

Some MBs need memory installed a special way. Or you might just have a bad memory chip. I'd say memory and/or power are the two most likely culprits. Do you have a crash info file?

Where/how would I find that?

[MrRiplEy[H]]

Where/how would I find that?

First you can run Memtest86 for a couple hours. If it gives a single error your problem was just found.

Your motherboard manufacturer will have qualified hardware lists for ram modules and ram seating instructions that you should follow. Usually the latter is found in the manual (you know the booklet you failed to read lol) and the qualified hardware list is usually found at the motherboards support website, the same place where you downloaded the drivers.