Resolution for random freezes and crashes on my system
Hi All,
If, like me, you have SLI working but get random desktop freezes and Windows startup freezes, I found a solution which works consistently for me; reasoning and inferences follow after:
1) When I switch the PC off, provided I do NOT disconnect/switch off the mains, I never ever get the desktop/startup freeze. Basically there needs to be power to the system all the time, even when off - strange
2) Whenever I switch it on, usually the first cold boot fails to initialise both cards. Usually one will fail to start. A second (and vary rarely third) reboot always cures this for me.
After (1) and (2) I have completely seemless uninterrupted SLI gaming with no issues whatsoever. Nor does it make any difference what version of the drivers (258 - 265) or SLI patch (0.90 - 1.0) I use. I believe that there is a significant probability that, for those experiencing the same freeze/crash issues I was, that the issue is nothing to do with drivers/SLI patch problems/Windows:
After experiencing numerous crashes and freezes last year, I got fed up with rebuilds so after a clean rebuild and getting SLI running again I installed Acronis and took a drive image. The next time I had a crash, I just recovered the drive image and carried on no problem.
After awhile I stopped playing with the gaming rig so I shut it down and powered it off at the mains. Some weeks later I switched it back on and got the freeze/crash problems. Odd because the last time I shut it down it had been fine, nevertheless I just restored the disc image and got the same problem again - weird. The restore was a disc image of the working clean SLI build so there couldn't be any file corruption. So I restored again and again, each time getting the same desktop or startup freeze. After awhile I gave up and switched the whole thing off but forgot to turn off the mains. Next day I booted up and everything was fine. Ran a few rounds of Vantage, got P34595 score - everything seemed fine. Left it looping that for a few hours and still fine. Played FSX for hours and still fine... Ok so switched it off (not at the mains) and came back to it a few days later. Took a couple of reboots to get both cards to start up but still fine. Repeated the whole exercise every few days and the system seemed to be bomb proof. Then I powered off and switched off the mains. A few days later it freezes on windows start up. Reboot and the same. Reboot again and a freeze on the desktop. Recover the drive image again and it still freezes - WTF?!
The only thing which had changed was that, after the PC was shutdown, the mains were switched off. Ok, so I switched the mains back on and left it for a few days. Next power-on, and a couple of reboots to get both cards to start, it was fine again. No freezes or crashes and has stayed that way ever since provided that, when I shutdown there's still mains power and that a do a couple of warm reboots to get both cards starting happily in Win7. After that everything is fine. Ok so it's a quirky startup routine but compared to the random niggles I had with my old pair of 4870X2s in the same system - this is a dream.
It could be useful to know if this approach works for others. Only thing I would say is, "patience" if you've been powering off at the mains. It took my PC a few days to be 'happy' again after I stopped doing this.
Obviously if you don't switch off at the mains after a shutdown and you have freezes/crashes then the above is going to be useless for you.
(I had posted this on xtremeys but meant to put it here - doh!) Teach me for not watching the forums recently....
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