HWiNFO64 locking itself up, unable to force close

[Johndill]

Hi, I have an Alienware M17x R4 and HWiNFO64 is the only program that allows me to control the fans plus gives me an OSD for my Logitech display, Awesome! but unfortunately ever since I started using it I've had issues with it:

After a random amount of time, whether on the desktop or playing a game, HWiNFO64 will lockup and can not be opened and the fans will remain stuck running on the last speed they were on before HWiNFO64 locked up, if I try to force close HWiNFO64 in task manager it tells me "Access Denied" and if left in this way then Windows will start to lock up as well, if I try and shutdown or restart, my laptop will just hang on shutdown or restart and the only thing I can do is hold the power button to hard shutdown, I can tell if it's locked up when the OSD sensors freeze.

Issue happens on both hw64_538 and hw64_542.

It is a similar issue to this thread: https://www.hwinfo.com/forum/Thread...elf-up-unable-to-close-and-100-one-core-usage
I wanted to try the threads solution but can't find hw64_411_1827 and this issue shouldn't still exist on a newer version so I'm creating this thread.

I was unable to get the Debug files from all the other lockups but managed to get one (attached), however I'm not sure if it was from one of the lockups or not.

Also, when the above issue is fixed, how do I get HWiNFO64 to control both of my fans individually?
I turned off "EC Support" and I get the option to control 2x fans but they still run together, I know they can as stock fan control runs them individually.

Thanks in advance, HWiNFO64 is a nice program... when it works. :blush:

 

[Martin]

This is most probably a problem when HWiNFO communicates with the firmware (EC) and someone else does too. Unfortunately there's probably no 100% fix for this due to the nature how those things are designed. I'd propose to try the following:
- Disable monitoring of the Compal EC sensor in HWiNFO sensors (hit Del key over the sensor heading) if you don't need to see those values. This should significantly reduce the communication with firmware and thus the likelihood of a system freeze.
- Remove the battery from notebook. This should almost eliminate the collision problem as battery status monitoring is probably the most heavy agent colliding with HWiNFO.

If HWiNFO is unable to control fans independent then it's a firmware limitation - the firmware can internally control each fan, but doesn't allow the same level to other applications like HWiNFO. AFAIK independent fan control should be available only in later Alienware models (around 2015).

 

[kkthebeast]

Hello sirs, 

Great program! works great for hours until it freezes and can't be force closed. 

I am also on an Alienware product (with Compac EC sesnor monitoring disabled). a M18X R2 with 980m SLI, running windows 7. As this is the ONLY program that can control the fans and successfully and keep the non stock (unsupported) GFX cards temp down to usable levels... I was curious if you guys might be able to take a 2nd look at the issue. Perhaps. At least make the program intercept the issue to where we could force close the app when it hangs would be a great improvement. 

When the program freezes the fans rev up to max and stay there until reboot, I haven't be able to tell what exactly causes this, it is while playing games DX9 + DX11, and i do have the habit of using ALT+TAB frequently during Mod development for Fallout 4. Not sure if that triggers it in anyway.

 

[Martin]

I have already spent a lot of time on this and came to the conclusion that it's not possible to avoid this problem as it's by design.
The only solution that seemed to work for lots of users was to remove the main battery.