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Author Topic: Windows 7 hangs/freezes at random  (Read 6386 times)

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West1ey

    Topic Starter


    Greenhorn

    Windows 7 hangs/freezes at random
    « on: July 07, 2010, 03:16:02 AM »
    Hi All
    I have an Acer Aspire Laptop 5920G with Windows 7 Enterprise (32-bit / HDD = 100GB NTFS partition with 50 GB free space) installed. More specs follow:
    HARDWARE = Intel Core 2 Duo T7500 (2.2 Ghz; 800MHz FSB; 4 MB L2 Cache); 512 MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GS TurboCache; 2 GB DDR2; 320 GB HDD.
    SOFTWARE = Nero 7 Ultra; MS Office 2007 (updated); Symantec Endpoint Protection AntiVirus (updated daily); Malware Bytes AntiMalware scanner; up to date Windows 7 updates; WinRar/WinZip; Adobe Reader; Terminal emulation programs (used to manage Cisco devices); latest computer drivers/utils form Acer PanAm website.

    PROBLEM DESCRIPTION= I've had this problem for about six months now and it is extremely irritating (I'm not sure if I have a H/W or S/W problem - I've conducted searches but to no avail). Windows boot normally and I can perform my tasks but from time to time the entire OS hangs for several seconds (during which nothing responds except mouse - cannot even open Start Menu or access Task Manager via Cntl-Alt-Del). After less than a minute the machine responds again as if nothing happened. This happens moreso when I surf the Web but at times this occurs also when I'm not part of a network.
    I've had some Malware infections (cleaned since) but this problem have crept up before then. HELP PLEASE...

    grandpa_simpson

    • Guest
    Re: Windows 7 hangs/freezes at random
    « Reply #1 on: July 07, 2010, 03:34:13 AM »
    Try disabling "startup" programs and non-microsoft services, for starters...  Too many unused programs/services running can cause what you described.

    Type "run" into the search box in Win7, click on it to run it and type MSCONFIG.. Click on the "startup" tab, click "disable all", click "apply"...Then click on the "services" tab, tick the box that says "hide all microsoft services", click "disable all", click "apply", then finally click "OK", restart the computer and take your computer for a test spin to see if the problem is corrected...  If you see correction you'll know most likely that either a startup program, service, or combination of them are the problem and you'll have to pick/choose which programs you want running at boot time.  Some of your apps. may need a service it has installed, so keep that in mind when you disable these things...

    In the long run, you should use a third party program for managing start up programs, such as "Startup CPL", and use the "services.msc" utility in Windows to manage services.. The MSCONFIG utility should only be used for troubleshooting..  Vista and 7 have a built in program for managing startup programs but I've never used it so I can't offer any advice on it..

    Allan

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    Re: Windows 7 hangs/freezes at random
    « Reply #2 on: July 07, 2010, 05:49:15 AM »
    1) Open task manager to the Processes tab and sort the cpu column with highest usage on top. Leave it open. Next time the system freezes see if there is a process at the top that is hogging the cpu.

    2) Go to the following link and follow all instructions to make sure you system is indeed malware free: http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,46313.0.html

    West1ey

      Topic Starter


      Greenhorn

      Re: Windows 7 hangs/freezes at random
      « Reply #3 on: July 21, 2010, 08:44:18 AM »
      Hi All
      Unfortunately I am unable to identify any specific programs - everytime the system hangs I am unable to view Task Manager (when I eventually gain access to Task Manager - everything looks normal - nothing is hogging the CPU). I have also followed the steps outlined in the virus/malware section and I can confirm that my machine is clean.
      Any other ideas?
      Thanks

      killerb255



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        • OS: Windows 7
        Re: Windows 7 hangs/freezes at random
        « Reply #4 on: July 21, 2010, 09:03:10 AM »
        It sounds like this is a case of the hard freeze (aka: Num Lock won't even turn on or off on the keyboard, aka: the computer wants to Blue Screen, but it can't even do that).

        Start checking for hardware issues:

        1) RAM. 

        Download Memtest 86+ from http://www.memtest.org.  Burn .iso to a CD.  Boot your computer from the CD and let 'er rip.  If there's ANY red on the screen after a pass or so, then you've got bad RAM.

        2) Hard drive.

        Run CHKDSK against the drive.  Since Windows 7 doesn't have a recovery console, you can do one of the following to get to a command prompt and run CHKDSK:

        - Run CHKDSK from the command prompt while in Windows.  You'll be asked to have it run upon next reboot.  The problem with this is that you won't be able to keep the results on the screen if you're not watching it at the very end.

        - Run CHKDSK from a recovery disc.  To create one, go to Start -> All Programs -> Maintenance -> Create a System Repair Disc.  After burning this, boot from it, go to the command prompt, and type in the following, pressing Enter afterward:

        chkdsk c: /r

        After it's done, check the number of bad sectors.  If that number is NOT zero (0), then you've got a dying hard drive.  Back up your data and get a new drive before it's too late!

        3) Expansion cards:

        Start removing them from your PC, one at a time, to see which one is the culprit. 
        Quote from: talontromper
        Part of the problem is most people don't generally deal with computer problems. So for most they think that close enough is good enough.

        West1ey

          Topic Starter


          Greenhorn

          Re: Windows 7 hangs/freezes at random
          « Reply #5 on: July 23, 2010, 04:27:25 AM »
          This makes things even stranger. CheckDisk reports no bad sectors and also the MemTest results report no errors (phew...).
          I have disabled all services that I do not use/need via the msconfig util but still my machine freezes at random intervals (freezes at least once a day). I've now reactivated my services.
          Event Viewer spits out some errors about SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) but I cannot see how this could impact what I'm experiencing.
          Any other ideas?
          Thanks a mil.

          Allan

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          Re: Windows 7 hangs/freezes at random
          « Reply #6 on: July 23, 2010, 05:32:09 AM »
          What happens in safe mode?

          killerb255



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            • OS: Windows 7
            Re: Windows 7 hangs/freezes at random
            « Reply #7 on: July 23, 2010, 08:58:49 AM »
            Another suspect would be your video drivers and CPU temperature.  Update your video drivers and/or check your CPU temp to make sure they check out.
            Quote from: talontromper
            Part of the problem is most people don't generally deal with computer problems. So for most they think that close enough is good enough.

            West1ey

              Topic Starter


              Greenhorn

              Re: Windows 7 hangs/freezes at random
              « Reply #8 on: July 26, 2010, 07:47:46 AM »
              Safe mode does load successfully and everything seems OK, for now - It'll take me some time to test machine this way as I will have to try and perform day-to-day tasks and see what happens in Safe Mode. Will let you know.

              I know that with Intel boards there's a util (board specific) that allows you to monitor CPU/board temp (within Windows) as well as fan speed. These do not work on my machine - is/are there any third party package/s that you guys know of that would allow one to monitor this? I'm still looking around - will then monitor this and get back to you.

              I've just updated my video driver - I last updated this last round middle last year. Thx


              killerb255



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                Re: Windows 7 hangs/freezes at random
                « Reply #9 on: July 26, 2010, 02:10:34 PM »
                Quote from: talontromper
                Part of the problem is most people don't generally deal with computer problems. So for most they think that close enough is good enough.