release preview Annoying Freezing Issue

[Xab]

I had to install drivers to get these options, but the fix does work here, haven't had a crash in a day now

I went and installed the Intel drivers for my NIC, Energey Efficient Ethernet appeared and I set it to "off". I will report back here if it seems like the crashing has stopped.

[Xab]

I can confirm "energy efficient ethernet" does not fix the crashing..just happened to me hours after I disabled that :\

[+KibosJ Subscriber²]

If you have no disable C-States option in the BIOS (most laptops don't) you can workaround by creating a new Custom Power Plan and set - as an advanced option - in the Processor Power Management Tab the minimum processor rate at 50-70% ( i set myself at 50%) and the maximum processor rate at the very same value! (50%-50% or 70%-70%).

No crashes since then! Yes it takes from the processing power, but at least the system is stable.

As i noticed here and on other forums, this is an Intel only problem.

P.S. I joined 8Forums only to post this solution. If you are regulars on other forums, post it there also, it would help others too.

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It seems to be an Sandy Bridge i3/i5/i7 problem only.

I think this may be the cause of it, I had mine set to 25% min and 100% Max.

I changed it to 99% & 99% and my PC froze instantly, in the way that it does.

[Guest]

I have the same problem as well, it happens on my mid 2009 core 2 duo MacBook Pro and on both my pcs (Core 2 Duo and I3 systems). It completely freezes at random while it doesn't happen on some computers that i've tested with AMD chipsets and ATI cards although it doesn't seem to be related to Nvidia at all. It happened since DP and CP and so on with Release Preview.

[Xab]

I have the same problem as well, it happens on my mid 2009 core 2 duo MacBook Pro and on both my pcs (Core 2 Duo and I3 systems). It completely freezes at random while it doesn't happen on some computers that i've tested with AMD chipsets and ATI cards although it doesn't seem to be related to Nvidia at all. It happened since DP and CP and so on with Release Preview.

This may be a different issue, since this one is new and exclusive to the Release Preview. Even the first developer preview never froze up and crashed like this.

[x-byte]

Same problem here.

i7 Sandy Bridge 2700K

Nvidia GTX 570

Haven't tested any "solutions" yet. Opera 11.64 works mostly, but the PC will freeze eventually. Opera 12 does it almost instantly. Rarely takes longer than 5 minutes.

[+KibosJ Subscriber²]

Same problem here.

i7 Sandy Bridge 2700K

Nvidia GTX 570

Haven't tested any "solutions" yet. Opera 11.64 works mostly, but the PC will freeze eventually. Opera 12 does it almost instantly. Rarely takes longer than 5 minutes.

I've turned C3/C6 States and EIST Function off in BIOS and haven't had a crash in hours now :)

[x-byte]

Yea, I disabled C3 and C6 in BIOS a few hours ago. No crashes so far.

Any news on what is the source? Chipset drivers?

[+KibosJ Subscriber²]

Yea, I disabled C3 and C6 in BIOS a few hours ago. No crashes so far.

Any news on what is the source? Chipset drivers?

Could be, I will have a play after the weekend with different chipset drivers. I had issues in Windows 7 with the newer chipset drivers.

[Xab]

Yea, I disabled C3 and C6 in BIOS a few hours ago. No crashes so far.

Any news on what is the source? Chipset drivers?

Probably going to take several days of testing to confirm that, preferably without turning the machine off. Right now I can go hours at a time without the crash, or sometimes 5 minutes.

Mods, any chance we can get a sticky for this thread?

[x-byte]

Probably going to take several days of testing to confirm that, preferably without turning the machine off. Right now I can go hours at a time without the crash, or sometimes 5 minutes.

Mods, any chance we can get a sticky for this thread?

Always always happen after a minute or two. Never gone longer than 5 minutes. Been using Opera 12 for about 8 hours now without crash.

[rseiler]

This may be a different issue, since this one is new and exclusive to the Release Preview. Even the first developer preview never froze up and crashed like this.

He may well be having a different issue, since not many Core 2 Duo systems are going to have both EIST and C States (C3/C6) enabled (he can check with ThrottleStop)--and if someone doesn't have both those enabled, it's a different problem--but I can assure you that this problem is not new to RP. Opera 12 also causes this problem, and has been for a couple months now (I've been testing this problem with all Opera betas right along, but today's released version also causes it).

It takes down CP or RP with aplomb, and in exactly the same way. The workaround is disabling one of the above BIOS settings.

To be sure, since almost no one uses Opera, the problem has flown under the radar. Also, it started happening with other browsers as of RP, so it's gained notoriety now.

[+KibosJ Subscriber²]

The fact that this happens with Firefox, Chrome and Opera (I have confirmed on all) means this bug has to be something to do with Microsoft/Intel.

It would be really nice to see someone from Microsoft come forward and at least confirm there is a bug. We are running "Preview" software, bugs are expected, but at least confirm that it is there and they are working to fix it.

I have a feeling this may have something to do with Intel's chipset software, as I said previously I did have problems in Windows 7 with the newer chipset software and it appears that some chipset related drivers were already installed on my Windows 8.

After the weekend I have a week off so I will have a play with different settings and different chipset software to see if I can pinpoint the exact problem and hopefully be able to turn C3/C6 and EIST states back on, my CPU fan seems to be a little noisier now and I shouldn't have to turn features off to use a Microsoft Operating System which apparently supports these features.

Maybe someone else will get to the root of the problem before I do :)

These are the latest intel Chipset drivers http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=20775〈=eng&OSVersion=%0A&DownloadType (of which I have installed)

These are the intel chipset drivers I used on Windows 7 to help with the freezing issues http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=20019&keyword=%22Intel+Z68+Express+Chipset%22&DownloadType=Utilities%2c+Tools+and+Examples〈=eng

[WizardCM]

So an update for me. I had this issue a couple days more frequently than normal (10-30 seconds from boot, 5+ boots in a row) when I opened Google Chrome. So I've started using Firefox, and haven't had the issue since. Kind of annoying, because I use Chrome for everything.

[revanmj]

If you have no disable C-States option in the BIOS (most laptops don't) you can workaround by creating a new Custom Power Plan and set - as an advanced option - in the Processor Power Management Tab the minimum processor rate at 50-70% ( i set myself at 50%) and the maximum processor rate at the very same value! (50%-50% or 70%-70%).

No crashes since then! Yes it takes from the processing power, but at least the system is stable.

As i noticed here and on other forums, this is an Intel only problem.

P.S. I joined 8Forums only to post this solution. If you are regulars on other forums, post it there also, it would help others too.

-----------------

It seems to be an Sandy Bridge i3/i5/i7 problem only.

I set those values to 70 % and got freeze after something around 20 minutes (MacBook Pro 13" with Intel Core 2 Duo).

[Jygoro]

So an update for me. I had this issue a couple days more frequently than normal (10-30 seconds from boot, 5+ boots in a row) when I opened Google Chrome. So I've started using Firefox, and haven't had the issue since. Kind of annoying, because I use Chrome for everything.

Try disabling gpu acceleration in Chrome

Command line switch: --disable-accelerated-2d-canvas

Add that at the end of Chrome shortcut

[WizardCM]

Try disabling gpu acceleration in Chrome

Command line switch: --disable-accelerated-2d-canvas

Add that at the end of Chrome shortcut

Tried it, no change. Still froze after about ~10 minutes usage. :(

[x-byte]

Arg, this also happen on my laptop :(

And I cannot change the power state on this BIOS. Get this on both Opera 12 and latest Chrome. Firefox seems ok. I disabled HWA on Firefox. Not done that to Chrome. Could try that later so see if that makes any changes.

[DM1]

Clean install:

http://downloadcente...Y&DwnldID=21180

And latest nvidia verde driver, if you have discrete nvidia card.

Edit: latest video drivers (yes, the beta from intel and the nvidia one) + the processor kept at 50% using a custom power scheme + avoid Chrome = no freezes in several days.

[Chris123NT]

I went almost a week with no freezing and now it seems like the ****ing thing freezes every couple of hours. This is really getting tiring. Never had this problem with the consumer preview.

[Subhadip]

I used to have this issue while using Firefox or Chrome. Ever since switching to Metro IE10 full-time, it has stopped completely.

However, since then I have tried something, removing Flash. Of course this means that Flash would not work in Firefox/Chrome/etc (but will in IE10) but it seems like the freezing issues have disappeared completely.

So, that would be the issue, Flash with non-IE10 browsers. Not necessarily an issue with Flash, but maybe something Flash communicates with, e.g. graphics drivers.

[Yvesoft]

I have been following this thread for a while, and I would like to point out a couple of things. Although the freezing is triggered faster by using Chrome and Flash, removing them do not eliminate the issue. Streaming video (even if it is HTML5 on IE10) will eventually freeze the system. I tried everything! Even a fresh installed system froze after 10~12 hours, without anything installed. I also remember having this issue with the Consumer Preview, but it only happened two or three times in a couple of months, so I never bothered. I gave up and re-installed Windows 7, since I have some work to do. I believe it's a hardware compatibility issue, since most threads indicates it happens mostly on 2nd and 3rd generation Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 builds, although some Core 2 Duos and Quads also have misbehaved.

My motherboard uses a Z68 chipset, and I would like to know if anyone else here is using a 6-series motherboard, just out of curiosity.

Thanks! I really miss Windows 8 and I hope they fix it soon.

[+KibosJ Subscriber²]

I have been following this thread for a while, and I would like to point out a couple of things. Although the freezing is triggered faster by using Chrome and Flash, removing them do not eliminate the issue. Streaming video (even if it is HTML5 on IE10) will eventually freeze the system. I tried everything! Even a fresh installed system froze after 10~12 hours, without anything installed. I also remember having this issue with the Consumer Preview, but it only happened two or three times in a couple of months, so I never bothered. I gave up and re-installed Windows 7, since I have some work to do. I believe it's a hardware compatibility issue, since most threads indicates it happens mostly on 2nd and 3rd generation Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 builds, although some Core 2 Duos and Quads also have misbehaved.

My motherboard uses a Z68 chipset, and I would like to know if anyone else here is using a 6-series motherboard, just out of curiosity.

Thanks! I really miss Windows 8 and I hope they fix it soon.

I am also using a Z68 Chipset board.

I have had C3/C6 and EIST states disabled over the weekend and haven't had my PC freeze a single time, so it has to have something to do with the intel Chipset/Chipset software.

[Depicus]

I have been following this thread for a while, and I would like to point out a couple of things. Although the freezing is triggered faster by using Chrome and Flash, removing them do not eliminate the issue. Streaming video (even if it is HTML5 on IE10) will eventually freeze the system. I tried everything! Even a fresh installed system froze after 10~12 hours, without anything installed. I also remember having this issue with the Consumer Preview, but it only happened two or three times in a couple of months, so I never bothered. I gave up and re-installed Windows 7, since I have some work to do. I believe it's a hardware compatibility issue, since most threads indicates it happens mostly on 2nd and 3rd generation Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 builds, although some Core 2 Duos and Quads also have misbehaved.

My motherboard uses a Z68 chipset, and I would like to know if anyone else here is using a 6-series motherboard, just out of curiosity.

Thanks! I really miss Windows 8 and I hope they fix it soon.

I am going to say some kind of network stack problem. The reason I say this is because on a Core Duo I can get it to freeze if I run the Visual Studio installer which probably uses the IE backend but also when I try installing our LOB software from a network drive. Both will freeze it dead and a cold reboot required yet if I just leave it on the Metro page it's fine. Maybe heavy load on the network stack.

I am liking the new desktop and while I do miss the start button i even don't totally hate the metro stuff but I need more time to adjust. I am worried that any bug can totally lock the system but hope they do an update to fix soon as it's kinda hard trying out a new system when it dies if the wind blows to hard.

I am, so far, liking the leaner and meaner feel.

[Yvesoft]

I am going to say some kind of network stack problem. The reason I say this is because on a Core Duo I can get it to freeze if I run the Visual Studio installer which probably uses the IE backend but also when I try installing our LOB software from a network drive. Both will freeze it dead and a cold reboot required yet if I just leave it on the Metro page it's fine. Maybe heavy load on the network stack.

I am liking the new desktop and while I do miss the start button i even don't totally hate the metro stuff but I need more time to adjust. I am worried that any bug can totally lock the system but hope they do an update to fix soon as it's kinda hard trying out a new system when it dies if the wind blows to hard.

I am, so far, liking the leaner and meaner feel.

The weird thing about it is that it's only triggered by specific kinds of data transfer. I uploaded 12gb of data to SkyDrive while downloading torrents at full speed during the entire night and the system was still running when I woke up. A couple of hours went by and it froze 2 minutes into a Vimeo video. I don't think every installation of Windows 8 is doing that, or more people would be complaining, so I imagine the issue is somewhat hardware related.

By the way, I never really used the Start Menu for anything other than search, so I rather have the extra space in the Taskbar. I also love being able to have Taskbars on both screens and the Ribbons on Windows Explorer. Even though Metro doesn't bother me, I hate to think that it could eventually replace the Desktop =/

I am also using a Z68 Chipset board.

I have had C3/C6 and EIST states disabled over the weekend and haven't had my PC freeze a single time, so it has to have something to do with the intel Chipset/Chipset software.

I tried enabling/disabling every possible power related settings on the BIOS and it didn't help. I would get extremely happy for a couple of hours but eventually the freezing nightmare would come back to haunt me.