System sometimes hangs when accessing motherboard info

[joel_spencer]

Hey guys,

Basically I've had this problem since I reinstalled windows, if I try to load programs that access system information like fan speeds, temperatures and so forth then windows crashes (not blue screen it just hangs) and I have to do a hard reset. The programs affected included Hardware Monitor, Cpu-z, ntune, etc.

Additionally in the last couple of days the system has done the same thing upon bootup. I've checked all cabling and otherwise the system works perfectly, and the crashes are random as to when they happen. I could have a dozen instances of hardware monitor loaded but then just one will crash the pc at other times.

I've tried testing stability with Prime and GPU tests (I did have a couple of crashes and artefacts due to an overheating gpu but that's taken care of now with a good clean and compressed air use), which part do you think is most likely to blame.

Specs are:

GA-MA-770 DS3 1.0
x2 6000
2gb (2x1gb) corsair cl4 ddr 2 800
nec and lg dvd-+r drives 1 ide, 1 sata
1 500gb wd and 1 300 gb maxtor
jeantech arctic 600w psu
1 80 mm by 15 mm fan
2 x 120 mm fans
1 x 60 mm exhaust slot blower
sound blaster audigy 2

I don't believe it to be a heating issue and the ram was tested when I got it for bad sectors, etc. So my thinking is either motherboard or psu.

[joel_spencer]

Well I updated the Bios to the latest version (Needed to be done to support future Phenom II 940 anyway) and AMD finally released new chipset drivers and so far things have been good. One unrelated crash (poor drivers for my card reader), still waiting to hear back from Gigabyte as I'm a little cheesed that there will be no AM3 chips on my board, despite a press release promising it (it promised AM2+/AM3 for all boards in the list, so I guess the / gives them a get of out jail but pretty sneaky marketing if so).
Little tip on flashing bios: CD-rw can be made bootable using nero's burn menu. Also do load the default settings on first boot for the bios as mine had a stupid setting that I'd forgotten about (one of the ram settings didn't work right in the previous bios) and it crashed my pc when I entered that menu. Luckily no harm done but worth doing, just remember any settings you want.
Also tried the Sleep to Ram setting which is eerily like shutting off the PC, only disadvantage from it seems to be you have to use the power button not the keyboard.

[watercooled]

I similar thing was happening to me on Windows 7 when I used CPU-Z etc - it would occasionally run OK but other times it would crash the system, forcing me to reset. I'm not sure how to sort it but you're not the only one.

[joel_spencer]

I was also having a crash at boot which continued to happen after installing new motherboard so have reinstalled windows and so far no issues. So maybe try a reinstall if anybody is having these issues.