New i7 Build locking up!

Hi Guys

I finally got my new build and have been testing it out this weekend, but have encountered a serious freezing issue where everything locks up and the only solution is to press reset.

I get this using a very small session with only 13 audio tracks and using all cubase plugins. I can work for about 15 minutes and then …freeze!

Here are the new builds specs

Chip - Intel® Core i7 3820 Processor - 3.60GHz

Motherboard - INTEL® X79 Siler

RAM - 4096MB 2000hz, DDR3 x 4 = 16gig Ram

Primary HDD - 128GB SSD SATA 2.5"

Secondary HDD - 2.0 TB-7200RPM-Western Digital Caviar Black - Serial ATA III (SATA3)

Graphics Card - Asus gt 520 1 gig fanless

PSU - 750 watt

Windows 7 - Ultimate 64bit

I am currently using the generic asio driver as I’m testing this machine at home before taking it to my studio.

Two problems I’ve narrowed it down to…

1 Graphics card…I battled finding reliable drivers for the card…the latest ones are buggy and cause severe lock ups when watching video. I am using the ones from the Asus site dated July last year. They seem to work well all round , but because of the initial issues experienced with the graphics drivers this is my number one suspect.

2 Ram - even though the ram is 2000 the bios shows it at 1.333. Not sure why the auto bios set up is underclocking and if this could be the cause.

3 SSD drive- not sure why I suspect it, right now I’m super suspicious of everything :slight_smile:

I’m returning it to the guy who built it to me tomorrow, but in the mean time if anyone reads this and has any ideas I’ll be most grateful to hear them…

Looking at the specs of the board, it doesn’t have a setting for 2000 MHz. It’s got settings 1866 and 2133, but not 2000.
From my experiences with motherboards (primarily ASUS), for faster speed RAM, you usually need to overclock the motherboard a little. However, the motherboard won’t automatically set this. I can’t find anything that positively confirms that your MOBO is this way.

Looking at the Technical Product Specification (for the model number DX79SI [it’s what came up when I Googled what you said your motherboard was]), on page 15 it shows that the quad-channel memory bus to and from the processor only goes up to 1600 MHz.

How good is your system (case) cooling?
If you don’t have enough airflow in the case, this card will heat up and may cause a lock.

Hi Thanks for the reply…

after posting I did a little research and noticed just the same thing…funny thing is when originally quoted the ram was specified at 1600, so somewhere in the build process, things have changed. Anyways I’m seeing the guy who built it tomorrow and basically handing the problem over. Thats what I paid for :wink:

As for cooling, the hottest component is running at body temp (35c) at the moment, so I don’t think thats the issue.

again thanks for the reply I appreciate the effort.

Once we figure out the problem I’ll post up the fix…the machine runs like a dream … when not freezing, ha ha

99% its the ram.

doing an X79/3820 is very difficult with concerns to ram.

ram must be 1.35v, must be samsung chips. (or run it @ 1333 or lower often @ 1066)
ram should only be 1600 and never set higher than 1600 ever

often to get DDR3 1600 @ 1.35v higher bined ram chips are used (1866+) but to be done correctly it has to show as 1600 evn under XMP profile.

most manufacturers get the sub-timing wrong… and cant program the Eeprom correctly.
most ram wont work for the 3820.

your so called “builder” should know this…

Js
Thanks for this…

I wish I had seen it earlier… . Its a friend who knows more than me but obviously he missed out on this.

Anyways I’ve given the box back to him and am patiently waiting a solution. Either finding the right Ram ar swapping out for a different processor.
Luckily I’m so busy in studio that even if I had the machine I’d not be using it yet. Got to finish an album before the switch.

Once again to all who helped, a massive thanks.