Hero Freezes, Boot and Shutdown Problems

[rogforum]

Mainboard: Hero Rev 1.xx
UEFI Version: 804
CPU: 4770K (no oc)
Ram: G.Skill RipjawsZ 4x8GB DDR3-2133 - F3-2133C9Q-32GZH - @ XMP Profile 2133 9-11-11-31 2T 1.60V
GPU: Geforce 560Ti @ Driver 327.23 (no oc)
HDD System: Samsung 840 256 GB
HDD Storage: WD Black 2000 GB; WD Raptor 600GB
ODD: TSSTcorp SH-S203N DVD Burner
PSU: Seasonic 760W Platinum
USB Devices: Mouse: Logitech G400; Keyboard: Cherry MX-Board 3.0; Microsoft Xbox Controller; Sennheiser Headset
CPU Cooler: Swiftech H320
PC CASE: Bitfenix Shinobi XL
Operating system: Win7 Pro 64bit, critical updates installed, most up to date drivers from Asus installed


Boot problems:
- starting up for a second, then shutting down again, then booting up normally
- happened for every boot up after having unplugged the PSU (only then)
- problem GONE since I deactivated fast-boot, since then I occasionally experience:
Shutdown problems:
- Windows and monitor shut down, system fans and LEDs stay on
- this happened 3x out of 20x shutdowns

Freezing problem:
- during office use (Firefox and Open Office) the mouse starts lagging and eventually freezes
- neither mouse nor keyboard are responsive
- if I unplug mouse (or keyboard) and plug it in again, it doesn't receive any power (all USB ports are dead)
- monitor continues to receive signal
- HDD LED occasionally blinks as if HDD is still operating
- all I can do is press the restart button
- pressing the power button to shut down does NOT work (so I don't think it's only the mouse or USB port)
- after this Windows recognizes that it didn't shut down properly, but I do not get a memory dump (I have it set write a mem dump and to not automatically restart)


These freezes are the worst problem for me right now. I can run my entire Steam library without crash. I can run the following benchmark / test programs (most up to date version) without error / without crash:
- memtest86
- memtest
- Prime95
- OCCT
- AS SSD
- CrystalDiskInfo
- HD Tune

Yet when I'm in Windows the system freezes. Please help!



PS:
The only other issue I encountered was when I rendered a video file from Adobe Premiere CS5.5. It took 12 hours for a 6 minute video, because it never used more than 10-40% of the CPU. However I can't tell if that's an Adobe software issue or a problem related to my system.

[rogforum]

THANK YOU!
My system is stable since I installed 314.22. 🙂


One last question:
Is there a list of incompatible monitoring applications?
If I consider AI Suite a monitoring application then I shouldn't run any other? That's tricky, since I need AI Suite to set up the fan speed and I need another monitoring application to read temps, since AI Suite's temp is way too low.

[HiVizMan]

I would consider HWmonitor as my fist choice still.

[rogforum]

This shutdown problem remains. Yesterday the pc didn't shut down properly. Windows and monitor off, fans and led remain on.
My guess is if I enable fastboot I can replicate the boot bug, too.

[Bodmech]

Just an observation, your CPU vcore is over 1.7v, that is not right surely.
My vcore is only 1.2v with my 4770k overclocked to 4.5.

Flip

PS I was reading it on your CPU-Z

[HiVizMan]

The CPU is an older version and is reading the VCINN and not the vcore. The latest version of CPUz reads the correct value.

[rogforum]

Thanks Bodmech for noticing that! HiVizMan, you're right, the new version of CPU-Z reads Vcore 1.152. Thanks for the tip!

A suggestion from another forum is to use Intel Rapid Storage Technology version 11 instead of 12 to fix the double-boot. Since version 11 isn't supplied on the Asus download page, I'd like to know your input on this.
- Can I even use RST 11?
- Is it possible the RST is causing the double-boot problem?
- Could it fix the shutdown problem as well?
- Can I simply uninstall the RST, reboot and install the older version? Or do I need some kind of software that removes every trace of the driver?
- Should I install only the driver (less than 1mb) or the entire rst package (around 11mb)?

[HiVizMan]

You can with no problems at all. It will or should fix the shut down issue yes, pretty sure this was mentioned as a probably cause of the shut down issue.

The double boot is simply your system being trained and is most common after a hard power down. Most folks never hard power down their systems so it is not even an noticeable event. I doubt you have this behaviour after a wake from sleep and that is how current OS are meant to operate. 🙂

[rogforum]

Unfortunately I am now unable to install RST 11. I tried iata_cd.exe from here https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?lang=eng&ProductID=2101&ProductFamily=Software+Pro...

Installation aborts with the following error:
"this computer does not meet the minimum requirements for installing the software"


I've read this can be related to AHCI being off in the Bios. However, AHCI is still on.

[Chino]

rogforum wrote:
Unfortunately I am now unable to install RST 11. I tried iata_cd.exe from here https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?lang=eng&ProductID=2101&ProductFamily=Software+Pro...

Installation aborts with the following error:
"this computer does not meet the minimum requirements for installing the software"


I've read this can be related to AHCI being off in the Bios. However, AHCI is still on.

Don't bother installing the Intel RST software.

[rogforum]

While I don't need the RST for Raid, isn't it still supposed to give a huge ssd / hdd performance increase?