windows 10 New PC - strange Windows freezes (probable cause: NZXT CAM)

[mo44]

I was able to run HWMonitor without getting freezes on an older BIOS version, currently testing newer BIOS with re-sizeable BAR disabled..

[g3_angold]

Got this answer today from NZXT Support

[Generic626]

22 minutes ago, g3_angold said:

Got this answer today from NZXT Support

I wouldn't get your hopes up if i were you, it's been almost a year since this threads creation, and yet nothing has changed.  

[4saif6]

On 6/21/2021 at 10:17 AM, Einulfr said:

C-States also did nothing for me.

 

Strangely, I just got a very similar freeze within seconds of booting up despite CAM not running at all. Mouse moves around and I can open the start menu and system tray, but nothing responds to clicks and I can't bring up task manager. It's usually always taken at least an hour or so when CAM was running and everything has been perfectly fine for a couple of weeks now.

 

The only other thing I can think of is a Windows update being the culprit, possibly something in the 21H1 release. But not being able to find anything line up with the time occurrence in event logs and having zero crash dump to analyze has made this an absolute nightmare to try to track down.

I think we may have a similar issue. After disabling Global C State, the first boot experiences a similar freeze where the task bar is not responsive however, applications start up fine. What's strange is that all I have to do is restart my computer directly after and it works perfectly with no freezes. To be honest its better than before but still kind of annoying. I still do think that CAM has something to do with this even though it wasn't running.

[are512]

Im surprised gamers nexus or LTT hasnt even done a video about it

[g3_angold]

11 minutes ago, are512 said:

Im surprised gamers nexus or LTT hasnt even done a video about it

+1. I only sew NZXT in their recent video as a built-in ad.

[mo44]

On 6/22/2021 at 12:17 AM, Einulfr said:

C-States also did nothing for me.

 

Strangely, I just got a very similar freeze within seconds of booting up despite CAM not running at all. Mouse moves around and I can open the start menu and system tray, but nothing responds to clicks and I can't bring up task manager. It's usually always taken at least an hour or so when CAM was running and everything has been perfectly fine for a couple of weeks now.

 

The only other thing I can think of is a Windows update being the culprit, possibly something in the 21H1 release. But not being able to find anything line up with the time occurrence in event logs and having zero crash dump to analyze has made this an absolute nightmare to try to track down.

Changing C-state Global Control didn't work for me either.

 

After getting the issue with a new BIOS I went back to an old BIOS and continued to get the issue until I triggered an update to some low-level drivers so it looks to me like this is the main culprit, still testing with this "fix" but so far my PC has been running 2 and a half days without a freeze.

If I can go a whole week without a freeze I'll try a few more things like changing graphics drivers and take screenshots of the driver update that happens for me but I have taken note of the drivers that do get updated and one was the Direct Memory Access Controller driver which could explain the specific way in which it freezes for me where it seems to not affect elements such as Windows Explorer instances that are still in memory as long as I don't try to change anything..

[phoenixEffekt]

Hello, I have the same problem.))

spec-ryzen 3600 / strix b550-i gaming

[Grundy]

Had to create an account to add to this thread. I am encountering the exact same PC freezing issues with CAM while running the version 4.25.0. So far, it only freezes while I am browsing the internet (using Firefox, same issue with other internet browsers). My freezing frequency is at 2 - 3 time over 2 days (~5 hr/day runtime).

 

I also created a ticket. My build is not even 2 months old. I have done all of the testing everyone else has tried to no avail.

 

Like everyone else has stated when CAM is disabled or uninstalled my PC has not froze (at 5 days without freezing). It is unfortunate because I do like CAM and use it for monitoring all my components and RGB lighting (love the Kracken Z3 gifs).

 

Any advice on anything including my build below would be greatly appreciated. This was my first PC build.

 

NZXT H710 Build

• NZXT H710 (White)

• NZXT Kraken Z63 with LCD display

• NZXT Aer RGB 2 140mm Fan (RGB) (3)

• MSI MPG Z390 GAMING EDGE AC

• NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX™ 3070 - PNY UPRISING DUAL FAN

• Intel Core i9-9900K 8-Core 3.6 GHz

• NZXT C650 Gold

• Team T-FORCE Delta RGB 3200MHz 3200 MHz (max speed) 32GB (4 X 8 GB) More Info

• Intel 665p (1.0 TB)

• NZXT RGB and Fan Controller

• NZXT RGB LED Strips

• NZXT Internal USB Expansion

• Standard

• Windows 10 Home

[g3_angold]

16 hours ago, Grundy said:

Had to create an account to add to this thread. I am encountering the exact same PC freezing issues with CAM while running the version 4.25.0. So far, it only freezes while I am browsing the internet (using Firefox, same issue with other internet browsers). My freezing frequency is at 2 - 3 time over 2 days (~5 hr/day runtime).

 

I also created a ticket. My build is not even 2 months old. I have done all of the testing everyone else has tried to no avail.

 

Like everyone else has stated when CAM is disabled or uninstalled my PC has not froze (at 5 days without freezing). It is unfortunate because I do like CAM and use it for monitoring all my components and RGB lighting (love the Kracken Z3 gifs).

 

Any advice on anything including my build below would be greatly appreciated. This was my first PC build.

 

NZXT H710 Build

• NZXT H710 (White)

• NZXT Kraken Z63 with LCD display

• NZXT Aer RGB 2 140mm Fan (RGB) (3)

• MSI MPG Z390 GAMING EDGE AC

• NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX™ 3070 - PNY UPRISING DUAL FAN

• Intel Core i9-9900K 8-Core 3.6 GHz

• NZXT C650 Gold

• Team T-FORCE Delta RGB 3200MHz 3200 MHz (max speed) 32GB (4 X 8 GB) More Info

• Intel 665p (1.0 TB)

• NZXT RGB and Fan Controller

• NZXT RGB LED Strips

• NZXT Internal USB Expansion

• Standard

• Windows 10 Home

I don’t have freezes if I turn off any other software like Steelseries Engine, HWiNFO

[Grundy]

Here is my response from NZXT:

 

"Hi there,

I am sorry to hear you are having problems with our CAM software. As a potential fix, I would recommend closing the CAM software and ending all instances of NZXT CAM and cam_helper.exe in your Task Manager, then deleting the CAM local cache directory, which can be found at the following path: C:\Users\YOUR USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\NZXT CAMAlternatively, you can access this folder by typing %appdata% into your windows search bar and press enter.

After this, if that doesn't resolve the issue, please remove CAM with this software called Revo Uninstaller, as this software allows users to delete all residual files from CAM. https://www.revouninstaller.com/products/revo-uninstaller-free/

Then you can do a fresh install of the CAM software.

If you are still having issues, please reply to this email and your ticket will be sent to the next available technical support agent for further assistance.

CAM by NZXT
camwebapp.com

Thanks,

Your friends at NZXT"

 

I have done this already. Bummer, bottom line they don't have a resolution.

[passedpawn]

2 hours ago, Grundy said:

Here is my response from NZXT:

 

"Hi there,

I am sorry to hear you are having problems with our CAM software. As a potential fix, I would recommend closing the CAM software and ending all instances of NZXT CAM and cam_helper.exe in your Task Manager, then deleting the CAM local cache directory, which can be found at the following path: C:\Users\YOUR USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\NZXT CAMAlternatively, you can access this folder by typing %appdata% into your windows search bar and press enter.

After this, if that doesn't resolve the issue, please remove CAM with this software called Revo Uninstaller, as this software allows users to delete all residual files from CAM. https://www.revouninstaller.com/products/revo-uninstaller-free/

Then you can do a fresh install of the CAM software.

If you are still having issues, please reply to this email and your ticket will be sent to the next available technical support agent for further assistance.

CAM by NZXT
camwebapp.com

Thanks,

Your friends at NZXT"

 

I have done this already. Bummer, bottom line they don't have a resolution.

 

haha.  They KNOW that will not do ANYTHING.  "Your friends at NZXT" is just a monkey copy/pasting from a script.  I got the same exact message a LONG time ago.  

 

I suspect that we in this thread are outliers.  I doubt that any significant percentage of users are having this problem.  I also doubt the problem will ever be fixed explicitly, but it'll just disappear some day when rando coder updates some part of the code.  In the meantime, I'm 100% freeze-free using liquidctl.  

[dotmak]

I made an account just to reply in this thread. 

To get in deeper detail i've had a fresh build and i only reused my GPU while waiting for the prices to get in an afforable zone. When i rebuilt my PC i noticed these freezes and guessed it could be my GPU giving it's last breath sooner later.

Fast forward i've had those freezes for a while and decided to do a fresh install of Windows just cause i replaced the SSD to an M2.

Since the format i didn't have much time to properly install various Software like NZXT but today i wanted to check out the CPU temps due to the hot weather outisde, so while working i had this freeze happen 2 times in 3 hours and was bummed that the problem returned. Now after some time i got a flashback that these freezes didn't occur till today that i installed NZXT cam, and to my surpise i google it and find this thread. 

 

Gonna uninstall this piece of garbage software since as it seems there's no solution to it.

 

 

[Einulfr]

On 7/6/2021 at 3:35 AM, mo44 said:

Changing C-state Global Control didn't work for me either.

 

After getting the issue with a new BIOS I went back to an old BIOS and continued to get the issue until I triggered an update to some low-level drivers so it looks to me like this is the main culprit, still testing with this "fix" but so far my PC has been running 2 and a half days without a freeze.

If I can go a whole week without a freeze I'll try a few more things like changing graphics drivers and take screenshots of the driver update that happens for me but I have taken note of the drivers that do get updated and one was the Direct Memory Access Controller driver which could explain the specific way in which it freezes for me where it seems to not affect elements such as Windows Explorer instances that are still in memory as long as I don't try to change anything..

I retract my previous statement. I went back in to change Global C-States to 'disabled' (I may have had changed it from Enabled to Default before?) and I haven't had a freeze in about a week, even with some 12+ hour uptime sessions. Either it was the C-States, or installing Win10 update KB5004945.

[mo44]

1 hour ago, Einulfr said:

I retract my previous statement. I went back in to change Global C-States to 'disabled' (I may have had changed it from Enabled to Default before?) and I haven't had a freeze in about a week, even with some 12+ hour uptime sessions. Either it was the C-States, or installing Win10 update KB5004945.

I will try disabling it again, something might have changed in Windows as the configuration of BIOS and graphics drivers that were working for me previously are now getting the freezes as well

 

BTW while I sometimes get the freeze within a few hours this sometimes takes multiday uptime to get a freeze.

[BurntToasters]

On 7/2/2021 at 4:51 AM, Generic626 said:

I wouldn't get your hopes up if i were you, it's been almost a year since this threads creation, and yet nothing has changed.  

Its been almost a year since the thread but this issue has been a thing ever since May of 2020. I believe I was one of the first to get this problem because this NZXT CAM but only happens on windows 10 2004 and above. Windows 10 2004 came out in may of 2020 and I updated to try out GPU scheduling which was a new feature and instantly got these freezing problems. For almost a whole year every day or so my system would lock up and I tried everything even replaced everything expect my GPU in my system and the issue still happened until finally I came across this thread in march of 2021. I havent been able to use cam in well over a year now and its really frustrating because I actually bought an NZXT X73 AIO and I cant software control it unless I want to try something out like LiquidCTL which looks promising and cool but I havent gotten around to it. Its really annoying when a piece of software you were using, you now cant and havent been able to for over a year.

[Generic626]

5 hours ago, BurntToasters said:

Its been almost a year since the thread but this issue has been a thing ever since May of 2020. I believe I was one of the first to get this problem because this NZXT CAM but only happens on windows 10 2004 and above. Windows 10 2004 came out in may of 2020 and I updated to try out GPU scheduling which was a new feature and instantly got these freezing problems. For almost a whole year every day or so my system would lock up and I tried everything even replaced everything expect my GPU in my system and the issue still happened until finally I came across this thread in march of 2021. I havent been able to use cam in well over a year now and its really frustrating because I actually bought an NZXT X73 AIO and I cant software control it unless I want to try something out like LiquidCTL which looks promising and cool but I havent gotten around to it. Its really annoying when a piece of software you were using, you now cant and havent been able to for over a year.

So I've been using Ivan's suggestion (which is to disable Global C-State Control) for roughly a month now, and I only came across 1 freeze so for, which I still haven't found the cause for it. So if you don't want to use liquiidCTL (which seems to be best solution so far), you can try disabling C-State control in BIOS and download CAM back again. 

P.S this will definitely be my last purchase on NZXT products 

[bunkermagnus]

 

So even though it's been several months since I got rid of my NZXT Z73, I'm still following this thread.

the only reason I still care is that I find it extremely fascinating that such a large company like NZXT STILL have NOT fixed this issue and I just want to see where this is going, there are appearantly quite a lot of people out there with the exact same problem.

 

I can only assume that NZXT simply ignores the people that have bought their products and are having these issues, and it's incredible that they get away with it.

[CER06]

Guys, I got the same problem with Corsair iCUE, similar software ..

[bunkermagnus]

2 hours ago, CER06 said:

Guys, I got the same problem with Corsair iCUE, similar software ..

What are your system specs?

 

I’ve used corsair icue or their older version since 2010 on various plattforms, intel and AMD, there has been an occasional hanging of the software but never as severe as NZXT crashing the whole system. 

[BurntToasters]

16 hours ago, Generic626 said:

So I've been using Ivan's suggestion (which is to disable Global C-State Control) for roughly a month now, and I only came across 1 freeze so for, which I still haven't found the cause for it. So if you don't want to use liquiidCTL (which seems to be best solution so far), you can try disabling C-State control in BIOS and download CAM back again. 

P.S this will definitely be my last purchase on NZXT products 

Yeah right now what I have done is just install cam for a second to program my AIO pump speed (isnt it insane you have to get software to control an AIO pump?!) and then uninstall it. The AIO pump speed will stay fixed which is usually always what I do for AIO pumps anyway until the computer fully loses power. My AIO lighting and pump speed stuff will stay until I turn off my PSU. 100% going to look into liquiidCTL. I think my next AIO will be an Arctic liquid freezer ii. I would love to toy around with C-state control and I've heard from numerous people here and on the nzxt discord that it has worked for them, but I probably wont try it out (or I might who knows) just because of the numerous amounts of work ive lost because of the cam issue and dont really want to deal with possible crashes once again but thank you for the info!!

[mo44]

On 7/14/2021 at 5:10 AM, Einulfr said:

I retract my previous statement. I went back in to change Global C-States to 'disabled' (I may have had changed it from Enabled to Default before?) and I haven't had a freeze in about a week, even with some 12+ hour uptime sessions. Either it was the C-States, or installing Win10 update KB5004945.

Still freezes for me with Global C State Control disabled after about 30 hours uptime.

[passedpawn]

8 hours ago, BurntToasters said:

Yeah right now what I have done is just install cam for a second to program my AIO pump speed (isnt it insane you have to get software to control an AIO pump?!) and then uninstall it. The AIO pump speed will stay fixed which is usually always what I do for AIO pumps anyway until the computer fully loses power. My AIO lighting and pump speed stuff will stay until I turn off my PSU. 100% going to look into liquiidCTL. I think my next AIO will be an Arctic liquid freezer ii. I would love to toy around with C-state control and I've heard from numerous people here and on the nzxt discord that it has worked for them, but I probably wont try it out (or I might who knows) just because of the numerous amounts of work ive lost because of the cam issue and dont really want to deal with possible crashes once again but thank you for the info!!

PM me if you have any issues getting liquidctl up and running.  I put it off for months, and now that's it's on-the-job I wonder why I waited.  Well, I do know, it's because I assumed it'd be some sort of weird techy install that I'd have to fiddle with.  But turns out it was easy as dirt.  

[dotmak]

8 hours ago, passedpawn said:

PM me if you have any issues getting liquidctl up and running.  I put it off for months, and now that's it's on-the-job I wonder why I waited.  Well, I do know, it's because I assumed it'd be some sort of weird techy install that I'd have to fiddle with.  But turns out it was easy as dirt.  

Tried it few days ago but couldn't get it up and running, does it require Python install ? Didn't have the time to dedicate....

[passedpawn]

1 hour ago, dotmak said:

Tried it few days ago but couldn't get it up and running, does it require Python install ? Didn't have the time to dedicate....

 

Nope.  Did you follow my instructions? (above, somewhere).