Recently, my computer has been crashing a lot - sometimes multiple times a day, sometimes it goes a week or more without crashing. The strange part is it isn't bluescreening - it freezes up, then after a few seconds, the monitor goes blank and begins cycling through its display modes trying to find an input. At that point, if I press the power button, the computer will turn off immediately instead of going through any kind of "hold button to shut down" process. If I try to reboot immediately, it will just go back to that monitor-cycling thing, but if I wait a minute or two and then reboot, it will come back on (with some trouble, usually hanging on empty black screens a few times for a few seconds each before continuing). I'm running Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. I really don't have the money to have it looked at or replace it right now...can someone please help me try to find the cause, so that I can at least minimize, if not eliminate, how much I need to spend (assuming it's hardware)?

1. Is it new or old computer? 2. Are there any traces (errors and warnings) in event logs? 3. In any case you should do test of memory and hard disk. Memtest is videly used for testing memory. For testing hard drive use diagnostic tool fro disk vendor. 4. Lend video card from your friend to exclude faulting video card. Do the same test with monitor. This forum is for IT professionals. Perhaps the better platform for solving problems like this one is Microsoft Answers http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us Regards Milos

1. Umm...about 2 years old. 2. I'm not really sure what to look for in there. <_< 3. Ok, I'll do that for sure. 4. I'll try, but I don't really know many people. Sorry about the wrong forum - I'll go ask there instead. I got to this one from Google, someone had asked a similar question and I just clicked the "ask a question" button. Sorry!

Hi, Could you upload *.dump file on SkyDrive and let us analyze for you. The log file will be %systemroot%\Minidump which is normally C:\windows\Minidump How to read the small memory dump files that Windows creates for debugging http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315263 In the meantime, you may check the event logs that will be helpful. Please update the drivers to the latest. Meanwhile, you may boot the system to clean boot environment and then try again: How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows Vista or in Windows 7 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135Ivan-Liu TechNet Community Support

I'd be happy to - it was apparently set to kernel dump, though, so I set that to small memory dump and will upload it next time it does that. I tried to upload the kernel dump files but SkyDrive wouldn't let me...apparently it thinks the they're empty files. I did check my drivers - my display driver is current, and I updated the audio driver to current too. I'm not sure about the other ones though (I tried to do hard drive, but I couldn't find what model HDD I have -_-)

Huh...that's weird...it just did it again, but there's nothing in the Minidump folder except the old files it won't let me upload to SkyDrive. I have it configured like that linked article said to now, but it didn't actually create a file...

How large is your C partition and how much free disk space does it have?Hope this helps, Gerry

1.81 TB, and 758 GB is free at the moment.

How much RAM does your computer have? How large is your pagefile and where is it located? http://support.microsoft.com/kb/254649Hope this helps, Gerry

6 GB RAM, and...6135 MB, with the box to automatically manage paging file checked - it looks like it's just on C:\, not in any folder, if I'm reading it right.

I would change to a fixed minimum = maximum 12 gb page file on C. A fixed pagefile reduces free disk space fragmentation. Set your computer to produce a kernel dumpfile. You may need to change your settings in Windows to be able to see the file. To show hidden files type Folder Options in the search box above the Start button and select View, Advanced Settings and verify that the box before "Show hidden files and folders" is checked and "Hide protected operating system files" is unchecked. You may need to scroll down to see the second item. You should also make certain that the box before "Hide extensions for known file types" is not checked. What is your computer make and model? If not a branded computer what is your motherboard make and model? Type System information in the Search Box above the start Button and press the ENTER key. What is your BIOS version and date?Hope this helps, Gerry

Ok...paging file changed to 12000 MB min and max, dumpfile set back to kernel. The settings were mostly that way already, but I disabled "Hide protected operating system files". The computer isn't a branded one - motherboard is MSI X58 Pro-E. BIOS is...American Megatrends Inc. V8.5, 7/22/2009.

Select Start, Control Panel. Action Center, Click on the Arrow down to the right of Maintenance and then on View reliability history. In the graph you will see red orbs, Click on one and it gives details and to the right is another link saying View technical details. Can you copy and paste the description in a further message. Repeating reports are more relevant than one off problems. When a BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) system failure occurs for most users there is insufficient time to note down in full what it says; the exact text is important to anyone trying to diagnose what is wrong. You can gain the time needed when the error next occurs by following the procedure described below. If you haven't done so already disable automatic restart on system failure. This should help by allowing time to write down the Stop Error code and related information properly. Select Start, right click on Computer select Properties, Advanced System Settings, Start-Up and Recovery, System Failure and uncheck the box before Automatically Restart. Do not re-enable automatic restart on system failure after getting this information as this setting is best left to not to allow Automatic Restart.Hope this helps, Gerry

I disabled automatic restart like you said, but the weird thing is that this has never bluescreened. I've had them in the past, but this particular issue doesn't even get to that - the screen just freezes and then it dies without an error message or anything. Ok, descriptions of the critical errors is below (there's a link that says "save reliability history" too if you want me to do that and attach it or something): The previous system shutdown at 2:21:44 PM on 6/25/2012 was unexpected. The previous system shutdown at 2:30:15 PM on 6/25/2012 was unexpected. Faulting application name: DriveBoosterSetup.exe, version: 0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x4a531e7e Faulting module name: DriveBoosterSetup.exe, version: 0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x4a531e7e Exception code: 0xc0000005 Fault offset: 0x00174b9a Faulting process id: 0x538 Faulting application start time: 0x01cd5312223e967a Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\DriveBooster\DriveBoosterSetup.exe Faulting module path: C:\Program Files (x86)\DriveBooster\DriveBoosterSetup.exe Report Id: 7655de8a-bf05-11e1-b46e-002421e0019a The previous system shutdown at 2:52:57 PM on 6/25/2012 was unexpected. Faulting application name: DriveBoosterSetup.exe, version: 0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x4a531e7e Faulting module name: DriveBoosterSetup.exe, version: 0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x4a531e7e Exception code: 0xc0000005 Fault offset: 0x00174b9a Faulting process id: 0x4b4 Faulting application start time: 0x01cd533938b5a1e2 Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\DriveBooster\DriveBoosterSetup.exe Faulting module path: C:\Program Files (x86)\DriveBooster\DriveBoosterSetup.exe Report Id: 87023f91-bf2c-11e1-800e-002421e0019a Unspecified changes to system configuration might have caused the problem. The previous system shutdown at 4:35:36 PM on 6/24/2012 was unexpected. Faulting application name: DriveBoosterSetup.exe, version: 0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x4a531e7e Faulting module name: DriveBoosterSetup.exe, version: 0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x4a531e7e Exception code: 0xc0000005 Fault offset: 0x00174b9a Faulting process id: 0x398 Faulting application start time: 0x01cd525a1161fd82 Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\DriveBooster\DriveBoosterSetup.exe Faulting module path: C:\Program Files (x86)\DriveBooster\DriveBoosterSetup.exe Report Id: 6a8ca72c-be4d-11e1-bb5b-002421e0019a The previous system shutdown at 2:39:29 PM on 6/23/2012 was unexpected. The previous system shutdown at 2:45:51 PM on 6/23/2012 was unexpected. Faulting application name: DriveBoosterSetup.exe, version: 0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x4a531e7e Faulting module name: DriveBoosterSetup.exe, version: 0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x4a531e7e Exception code: 0xc0000005 Fault offset: 0x00174b9a Faulting process id: 0x7e0 Faulting application start time: 0x01cd518837429548 Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\DriveBooster\DriveBoosterSetup.exe Faulting module path: C:\Program Files (x86)\DriveBooster\DriveBoosterSetup.exe Report Id: 864b6697-bd7b-11e1-a872-002421e0019a The previous system shutdown at 7:07:01 PM on 6/23/2012 was unexpected. Faulting application name: DriveBoosterSetup.exe, version: 0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x4a531e7e Faulting module name: DriveBoosterSetup.exe, version: 0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x4a531e7e Exception code: 0xc0000005 Fault offset: 0x00174b9a Faulting process id: 0x4d0 Faulting application start time: 0x01cd51a64930ce6e Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\DriveBooster\DriveBoosterSetup.exe Faulting module path: C:\Program Files (x86)\DriveBooster\DriveBoosterSetup.exe Report Id: 9c5021ee-bd99-11e1-bf29-002421e0019a The computer has rebooted from a bugcheck. The bugcheck was: 0x00000117 (0xfffffa8005e71010, 0xfffff88004a08768, 0x0000000000000000, 0x0000000000000000). A dump was saved in: C:\Windows\Minidump\062212-75921-01.dmp. Report Id: 062212-75921-01. The previous system shutdown at 10:01:50 PM on 6/22/2012 was unexpected. That's the past 4 days worth of critical events.

Update the MSI Live Update 5 to version 5.0.084 dated 5 June 2012 http://www.msi.com/product/mb/X58-Pro-E.html#/?div=Utility&os=Win7%2064 This may enable you to automatically update your BIOS, motherboard drivers and utilities. You can update your BIOS to version 8 F dated 19 March 2011: http://www.msi.com/product/mb/X58-Pro-E.html#/?div=BIOS Your Action Center reports are indicating a problem with Drive Booster which I think has come with your MSI driver package. Update your Intel Turbo Boost Monitor to version 2.1.23.0 dated 21 March 2012. You probably can update some of the drivers listed here: http://www.msi.com/product/mb/X58-Pro-E.html#/?div=Driver&os=Win7%2064Hope this helps, Gerry

Ok, doing that now - I found Intel Turbo Boost 2.6 on their website (Intel's, I mean), but I don't want to break anything more by installing that if 2.1.23.0 is the right one, so looking for that one now.

Alright, I installed the motherboard driver and Turbo Boost Monitor, and flashed the BIOS to 8.F (scared myself half to death doing it when it didn't want to boot, but all I needed to do was change the RAID setting to recognize it). Fingers crossed that it'll stay working now...