I've been having this terrible problem for a little while and just managed to get a picture of 'dead screen' for the first time and I am posting it to seek help.
Randomly, at irregular intervals (typically once a week), while working on something (it's been different things every time) my computer will just suddenly go dead - the screen turns to exactly the picture below (the lines flicker a little bit), it hangs there for a few seconds and then restarts.
Obviously this is extremely frustrating and I want to try to stop it.
I've searched numerous postings with similar keywords but nothing exactly the same as mine.
Does anyone have any idea what might be the cause of this?
I would post all my system settings and installed programs but the list is long and I don't know how much relevance each item would be. If you'd like to know something specific, please comment and I'll let you know whatever you need.
SPECS
C:\Users\Imray>systeminfo
Host Name: Imray
OS Name: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional
OS Version: 6.1.7600 N/A Build 7600
OS Manufacturer: Microsoft Corporation
OS Configuration: Standalone Workstation
OS Build Type: Multiprocessor Free
Registered Owner: Imray - Owner
Registered Organization:
Product ID: 00371-152-9333854-85895
Original Install Date: 06/09/1999, 5:45:21 PM
System Boot Time: 22/03/2013, 8:58:18 AM
System Manufacturer: Gateway
System Model: DX4840
System Type: x64-based PC
Processor(s): 1 Processor(s) Installed.
[01]: Intel64 Family 6 Model 37 Stepping 2 GenuineIntel ~3201 Mhz
BIOS Version: American Megatrends Inc. P01-A3 , 17/05/2010
Windows Directory: C:\Windows
System Directory: C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device: \Device\HarddiskVolume2
System Locale: en-us;English (United States)
Input Locale: en-us;English (United States)
Time Zone: (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)
Total Physical Memory: 6,135 MB
Available Physical Memory: 3,632 MB
Virtual Memory: Max Size: 12,268 MB
Virtual Memory: Available: 8,114 MB
Virtual Memory: In Use: 4,154 MB
Page File Location(s): C:\pagefile.sys
Domain: WORKGROUP
Logon Server: \\Imray-OWNER
Hotfix(s): 4 Hotfix(s) Installed.
[01]: KB971033
[02]: KB958559
[03]: KB977206
[04]: KB981889
Network Card(s): 2 NIC(s) Installed.
[01]: 802.11n Wireless PCI Express Card LAN Adapter
Connection Name: Wireless Network Connection
DHCP Enabled: Yes
DHCP Server: 192.168.2.1
IP address(es)
[01]: 192.168.2.13
[02]: fe80::1df1:5399:6890:91f6
[02]: Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter
Connection Name: Wireless Network Connection 2
DHCP Enabled: Yes
DHCP Server: N/A
IP address(es)
Graphics Card Specs
Name ATI Radeon HD 5570
PNP Device ID PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_68D9&SUBSYS_E142174B&REV_00\4&18A4B35E&0&0008
Adapter Type ATI display adapter (0x68D9), ATI Technologies Inc. compatible
Adapter Description ATI Radeon HD 5570
Adapter RAM 1.00 GB (1,073,741,824 bytes)
Installed Drivers atiu9p64 aticfx64 aticfx64 atiu9pag aticfx32 aticfx32 atiumd64 atidxx64 atidxx64 atiumdag atidxx32 atidxx32 atiumdva atiumd6a atitmm64
Driver Version 8.700.0.0
INF File oem1.inf (ati2mtag_Evergreen section)
Color Planes Not Available
Color Table Entries 4294967296
Resolution 1920 x 1080 x 59 hertz
Bits/Pixel 32
Memory Address 0xD0000000-0xDFFFFFFF
Memory Address 0xFBDE0000-0xFBDFFFFF
I/O Port 0x0000D000-0x0000DFFF
IRQ Channel IRQ 4294967293
I/O Port 0x000003B0-0x000003BB
I/O Port 0x000003C0-0x000003DF
Memory Address 0xA0000-0xBFFFF
Driver c:\windows\system32\drivers\atikmpag.sys (8.14.1.6095, 181.00 KB (185,344 bytes), 06/09/1999 5:59 PM)