System freezes after performing an upgrade.
System freezes after performing an upgrade.
Hello, I recently upgraded my motherboard, CPU, and power supply. Since then, my PC has occasionally frozen. Chrome freezes, games freeze, Spotify loops the last second of a song. I can restart via Windows Start menu, but it just stays on a restart screen without progressing. Task Manager opens but doesn’t work well. I’ve noticed the issue is more consistent during video calls with Facebook Messenger—usually takes a few minutes, microphone stops working first, then everything freezes except the video feed. Restarting with the power button seems to resolve it temporarily. I’ve also used MSI Afterburner for minor overclocking, but the problem continues. PC specs: Intel i5-11600k (new), 850mm PSU (new), 3070 SSD and HDD (new).
If you didn’t reinstall Windows during the upgrade, that would be my first step to fix these problems.
A new Windows setup means you can’t simply use an SSD that previously ran Windows; it needs to be erased. A fresh installation clears all data, so you must wipe the drive before using it again.
You can repurpose old disks. A fresh install clears all existing data from the disk you're trying to use for Windows, wiping everything out—this covers files on Desktop, Documents, and appdata as well. Edited March 26, 2023 by podkall edit
Also verify BIOS updates. 500 series boards often require patches to ensure system compatibility and resolve stability problems.
Moving files with important data is simpler than handling regular user files. You won’t waste time sifting through them—just focus on keeping what matters.
The BIOS remains distinct from your storage devices. The motherboard includes its own compact space for the BIOS.