Experiencing issues? Freezes or crashes are common. Let me assist you.
Experiencing issues? Freezes or crashes are common. Let me assist you.
Hello everyone, over the past couple of months my PC would frequently freeze on the lock screen. I’d leave the machine for a short time and it would remain stuck. The only fix was restarting it. At first I would reset it and it would start again. After about two months it would sometimes display my Asus logo from the motherboard, attempt to boot Windows, and then freeze on that screen, forcing another restart. Sometimes I had to restart multiple times before it finally launched Windows. Near the end it would boot completely after an hour or so of watching YouTube, playing games, or browsing lightly. I thought maybe my Windows was corrupted, so I planned a fresh installation. I created a bootable USB and attempted a clean install. When I reached the Windows setup, I chose the installation drive, deleted that drive, and it froze there. I restarted again but didn’t get to the installation path and it would freeze or restart. I tried several times, but it kept freezing or rebooting before I could select the drive. Throughout this process, I went through many troubleshooting steps: USB installer, ports reset, reconfigured BIOS, disabled Secure Boot, changed storage settings, removed all devices, tested RAM one by one, and even swapped SSDs. Despite these efforts, the freezing issue remained unresolved. I’m considering upgrading my CPU, motherboard, and RAM to hopefully fix it, while keeping my older parts for further testing in a second setup. Thanks for your support!
The recurring freezes suggest issues with power delivery or voltage stability, especially if high voltage was previously reported. Possible causes include VRM problems on the motherboard, an IMC memory controller failing under stress, or a faulty PSU rail leading to resets. If these aren't resolved, consider swapping to a reliable PSU or temporarily removing the board from its case to check for power or short circuits. For certainty, test with another PSU or use a different CPU/board before committing to a hardware upgrade.
Your PSU is already solid, so the CX1000 is more than sufficient. Changing the board, CPU, or RAM will be the simplest method to eliminate platform issues. Before you start rebuilding, try setting up the current configuration outside the case just once—this helps catch any hidden short or grounding problems. It’s a small step, but it can save a lot of confusion. Either way, testing the new setup this weekend should clarify everything.