Computer Freezes

[Canoas]

Lately my computer has been freezing. It happens when F@H is active, so both CPU and GPU are at 100% load, and I'm not sure if it happens when the GPU folding is off. It usually happens when programs are still starting up or when when I open a game, but it just froze right now and I was just browsing the forums. When it freezes I can still hear and speak with my friends on TeamSpeak3, but I can't do anything else. I cannot turn down or mute the sound or use other keyboard features such as macro recording and the screen is completely frozen. Everything I try to do while the screen is frozen will be done as soon as it unfreezes. My CPU is not overclocked and I've ran prime95 for 12h (didn't bother with more since it's not OC'ed)

 

This is my F@H log from when my pc froze this time:

23:05:53:WU00:FS00:0x15:Setting checkpoint frequency: 250000
23:05:53:WU00:FS00:0x15:Completed         3 out of 25000000 steps (0%).
23:10:35:WU00:FS00:0x15:Completed    250000 out of 25000000 steps (1%).
23:15:12:WARNING:WU01:FS01:Detected clock skew (3 mins 45 secs), adjusting time estimates
23:15:12:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Detected clock skew (3 mins 45 secs), adjusting time estimates
23:15:12:WU00:FS00:0x15:Completed    500000 out of 25000000 steps (2%).
23:17:00:WU01:FS01:0xa4:Completed 165000 out of 1500000 steps  (11%)
23:19:53:WU00:FS00:0x15:Completed    750000 out of 25000000 steps (3%).

 

So at least the GPU (0x15) kept on working through the freeze.

 

EDIT:

I just tried to open several programs with the GPU folding off and it didn't freeze. Now I'll try to do the same with the GPU folding on.

 

EDIT2:

When I tried to do open a lot of programs with the GPU folding active it froze again. When I was opening things like photoshop, flash, word, etc. it became slower and the mouse was lagging, but the moment I alt tabbed into Shootmania Storm it actually froze. It froze earlier today when I opened Shootmania Storm with GPU folding active as well. This time it unfroze for a second or so and then froze again. Usually I alt-tab or alt+f4 during the freeze so as soon as it unfreezes it closes or alt-tabs from the program, but this time I didn't so it just froze again.

 

Here's the F@H log, which is very interesting:

23:35:14:WU00:FS00:0x15:Setting checkpoint frequency: 250000
23:35:14:WU00:FS00:0x15:Completed    750001 out of 25000000 steps (3%).
23:39:52:WU00:FS00:0x15:Completed   1000000 out of 25000000 steps (4%).
23:39:52:WARNING:WU01:FS01:Detected clock skew (2 mins 31 secs), adjusting time estimates
23:39:52:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Detected clock skew (2 mins 31 secs), adjusting time estimates
23:43:48:WU01:FS01:0xa4:Completed 195000 out of 1500000 steps  (13%)
23:44:27:WU00:FS00:0x15:Completed   1250000 out of 25000000 steps (5%).
23:44:28:WARNING:WU01:FS01:Detected clock skew (4 mins 34 secs), adjusting time estimates
23:44:28:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Detected clock skew (4 mins 34 secs), adjusting time estimates
23:46:26:FS00:Paused

 

If you notice it indeed unfroze for a second right at the moment of the GPU checkpoint and then froze right away. At the second checkpoint it unfroze again and automatically alt-f4'ed the program and didn't refreeze. So somehow F@H conflicts with other programs and completely steals the GPU until it gets to a checkpoint, at which point it gives the GPU a second to breath and the pc unfreezes. The CPU seems to be working fine and has checkpoints during the freeze that don't affect anything.

 

 

EDIT3:

I've been folding for quite a while now and this only started happening somewhat recently, probably a month ago or so.

[Godlygamer23]

When I do GPU folding, I sometimes get compatibility issues. For example, when running Folding@home on my GPUs, Firefox(specifically Nightly) won't open. Are your GPUs overclocked? 

[TheMissxu]

Is your CPU overclocked? From my experience, it's more common for a lock up to happen when the CPU is unstable compared to a GPU.

[Godlygamer23]

Is your CPU overclocked? From my experience, it's more common for a lock up to happen when the CPU is unstable compared to a GPU.

When my GPUs fold, my system can get some slight freeze ups when doing normal things.

[Canoas]

Is your CPU overclocked? From my experience, it's more common for a lock up to happen when the CPU is unstable compared to a GPU.

No, it is not. I also ran prime95 for 12 hours and it was stable, since it wasn't overclocked I didn't bother running for longer.

 

 

When I tried to do open a lot of programs with the GPU folding active it froze again. When I was opening things like photoshop, flash, word, etc. it became slower and the mouse was lagging, but the moment I alt tabbed into Shootmania Storm it actually froze. It froze earlier today when I opened Shootmania Storm with GPU folding active as well. This time it unfroze for a second or so and then froze again. Usually I alt-tab or alt+f4 during the freeze so as soon as it unfreezes it closes or alt-tabs from the program, but this time I didn't so it just froze again.

 

Here's the F@H log, which is very interesting:

23:35:14:WU00:FS00:0x15:Setting checkpoint frequency: 250000

23:35:14:WU00:FS00:0x15:Completed    750001 out of 25000000 steps (3%).

23:39:52:WU00:FS00:0x15:Completed   1000000 out of 25000000 steps (4%).

23:39:52:WARNING:WU01:FS01:Detected clock skew (2 mins 31 secs), adjusting time estimates

23:39:52:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Detected clock skew (2 mins 31 secs), adjusting time estimates

23:43:48:WU01:FS01:0xa4:Completed 195000 out of 1500000 steps  (13%)

23:44:27:WU00:FS00:0x15:Completed   1250000 out of 25000000 steps (5%).

23:44:28:WARNING:WU01:FS01:Detected clock skew (4 mins 34 secs), adjusting time estimates

23:44:28:WARNING:WU00:FS00:Detected clock skew (4 mins 34 secs), adjusting time estimates

23:46:26:FS00:Paused

 

If you notice it indeed unfroze for a second right at the moment of the GPU checkpoint and then froze right away. At the second checkpoint it unfroze again and automatically alt-f4'ed the program and didn't refreeze. So somehow F@H conflicts with other programs and completely steals the GPU until it gets to a checkpoint, at which point it gives the GPU a second to breath and the pc unfreezes. The CPU seems to be working fine and has checkpoints during the freeze that don't affect anything.

 

 

I'll ask to transfer this to the F@H subforum as it is most likely F@H related.

[Canoas]

Does anyone have any clues as to why this is happening? I really want to fold but if it means randomly getting my pc frozen for 3-4 minutes then obviously I won't.

[flibberdipper]

Do you have the GPU folding on full?

[Canoas]

I have F@H on full so GPU folding is active and at 100%. Is there any way to set up GPU folding so it's not at 100%? That would probably help.

[flibberdipper]

I have F@H on full so GPU folding is active and at 100%. Is there any way to set up GPU folding so it's not at 100%? That would probably help.

Yeah. I will try to find a video on it shortly.

 

EDIT: Found a picture.

 

Under folding slots, you should see something like "gpu:1" under description. Click it and move the slider to medium.

 

[Canoas]

Yeah. I will try to find a video on it shortly.

 

EDIT: Found a picture.

 

Under folding slots, you should see something like "gpu:1" under description. Click it and move the slider to medium.

 

That's not what it does. The folding power slider affects all folding slots, you can't select the folding power for just a single slot. Also, on full it means that the GPU is at 100% and the CPU is at the maximum that you setup in the config (default is 100%), on medium it means that CPU is at the maximum and the GPU only starts when the pc is idle. The slider does not affect the max % of GPU usage.

[flibberdipper]

That's not what it does. The folding power slider affects all folding slots, you can't select the folding power for just a single slot. Also, on full it means that the GPU is at 100% and the CPU is at the maximum that you setup in the config (default is 100%), on medium it means that CPU is at the maximum and the GPU only starts when the pc is idle. The slider does not affect the max % of GPU usage.

Oh. I just started using F@H about a week ago, so I don't know the ins and outs yet. I will now summon the almighty Whaler_99 for this.

[Godlygamer23]

You might be able to adjust GPU usage in the Slots section through modifying the different values. But I'm not 100% sure.

[Canoas]

Last bump. Has this ever happened to anyone? I really don't want to stop folding, but I guess I'll just try boinc until I know how to fix the problem.