Solved Windows 8.1 Freezes when using more than 1 Processor Core

mattiemcdoink

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For the past several days now I've been trying to get my computer to work with a fresh install of Windows 8.1. I've clean installed several times but if I try to boot the computer with more than 1 of my i5's cores enabled in the BIOS, the computer will completely freeze usually shortly after login. Though sometimes I don't even get that far before it freezes. I've tried letting it go for as long as an hour and a half with no change and nothing responds when the freeze happens making me have to force the system to power off. Strangely enough, this does not happen when I have only 1 core of my processor enabled. Though this problem never happened in Windows 7, nor in the Ubuntu install that I dual booted with.

I've installed all drivers for my motherboard, my BIOS is at the latest version according to the manufacturer. All available Windows Updates have been installed, as have the latest display drivers for my video card. I've ran chkdsk on my drive which found no errors. I'm at my wit's end about this. I can't think of what this could be for the life of me. Especially not with this only manifesting in Windows 8 and not in either of the other two OSs I was using.

EDIT: Also, I apologize in advance if I don't have the right information for anyone to help me in here. This is one of my first times posting to a forum like this looking for help so I don't really know what would be helpful to include in this post.
 
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My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom PC
    CPU
    Intel Core i5-3450
    Motherboard
    Biostar TZ77B
    Memory
    G-Skill F3-10666CL9D 16GB (2x8GB)
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA Nvidia GeForce GTX 670
    Hard Drives
    Seagate ST1500DL003-9VT16L 1.5 TB
    PSU
    CoolerMaster RS700-PCAAE3-US 700W
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    AVG AntiVirus FREE 2015
Do you have the BIOS tweaked for the other OS's? Do you have the CPU overclocked at all? Your motherboard supports your processor, but I would use the standard BIOS settings first to see if you can get it to run?

Also, I assume you've tried this without the Antivirus running, switching out memory modules placement, etc? All the preliminary troubleshooting techniques. Something else may be causing it, but just manifesting itself during multi-core operations. I didn't check, but if you have a on-board video chipset, removing or disabling the GTX might also be an option. Even though the other OSes run on your current hardware configuration, they may not access the memory (or other stuff) the same as Windows 8.1.

If you do get it to run in a bare-bones or certain memory stick configuration, you can then start putting stuff back. Normally, I would just test and check the logs, but since it locks up, you need to see if you can get to a good physical configuration and start from there.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self Built
    CPU
    Intel I-7 860
    Motherboard
    Asus P7B
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia 580
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer (Primary), Asus (secondary), Sony TV (third)
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Kingston 128GB SSD Windows 8 Boot Drive
    WD Black 1 TB (2 ea)
    WD Red 3 TB
    WD Black 500GB
    Keyboard
    MS 1000
    Mouse
    MS Flip
    Internet Speed
    Verizon FIOS 35/35
    Browser
    IE 11, Google Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari
    Antivirus
    Windows 8 Defender (MS Security Essentials)
I had never touched any of the BIOS settings prior to having these issues and never tried overclocking the CPU. There were a few powersaving settings in the BIOS that I did have to disable in order to stop getting Clock Watchdog Timeout BSODs (I have no idea how that slipped my mind when I was recounting the steps I had already taken.) Up until that point I had been using the BIOS defaults and had even removed and replaced my CMOS battery just to be sure.

I will try to remove the GTX and use the Onboard video along with moving the RAM modules around again and see if that changes anything.

That bit about the logs is pretty much what has me at such a loss about this. If it was actually crashing I'd have something to go on. But it just locks up completely and there's nothing I can really see about it. There's a few things in the event log I tried chasing down as well that didn't seem bear any fruit either. (I'm just amazing at remembering these things today) There was a bit about the dam driver not loading but that seems from what I can see to be irrelevant.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom PC
    CPU
    Intel Core i5-3450
    Motherboard
    Biostar TZ77B
    Memory
    G-Skill F3-10666CL9D 16GB (2x8GB)
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA Nvidia GeForce GTX 670
    Hard Drives
    Seagate ST1500DL003-9VT16L 1.5 TB
    PSU
    CoolerMaster RS700-PCAAE3-US 700W
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    AVG AntiVirus FREE 2015
So, I think I figured it out. In stripping my PC to a barebones configuration I removed the wireless card (that I also completely spaced on putting in my specs) that I had been using for internet. First boot after doing so the PC was fine, not hanging for 20 minutes which was longer than it ever lasted previously. Before I restarted it to change configuration. I proceeded afterwards to reinstall everything but the wireless card and enable all of the previously disabled settings and as of this moment it is still running.

The wireless card is a Rosewill RNX-N250PC2 that I am now in the process of trying to find either Windows 8.1 compatible drivers for or some replacement for internet access.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom PC
    CPU
    Intel Core i5-3450
    Motherboard
    Biostar TZ77B
    Memory
    G-Skill F3-10666CL9D 16GB (2x8GB)
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA Nvidia GeForce GTX 670
    Hard Drives
    Seagate ST1500DL003-9VT16L 1.5 TB
    PSU
    CoolerMaster RS700-PCAAE3-US 700W
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    AVG AntiVirus FREE 2015
Great. Glad that it worked. If you think it's fixed, mark this thread as solved.

OGG
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self Built
    CPU
    Intel I-7 860
    Motherboard
    Asus P7B
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia 580
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer (Primary), Asus (secondary), Sony TV (third)
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Kingston 128GB SSD Windows 8 Boot Drive
    WD Black 1 TB (2 ea)
    WD Red 3 TB
    WD Black 500GB
    Keyboard
    MS 1000
    Mouse
    MS Flip
    Internet Speed
    Verizon FIOS 35/35
    Browser
    IE 11, Google Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari
    Antivirus
    Windows 8 Defender (MS Security Essentials)
I would have done it sooner but I was stuck on mobile and couldn't figure out how to mark the thread as solved there and my phone wouldn't cooperate with the normal site.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom PC
    CPU
    Intel Core i5-3450
    Motherboard
    Biostar TZ77B
    Memory
    G-Skill F3-10666CL9D 16GB (2x8GB)
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA Nvidia GeForce GTX 670
    Hard Drives
    Seagate ST1500DL003-9VT16L 1.5 TB
    PSU
    CoolerMaster RS700-PCAAE3-US 700W
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    AVG AntiVirus FREE 2015
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