Periodical PC Freezing

[layne81]

Hello all,

I am getting some freezes from time to time. When it freezes...it is either temporary or permanent and requires a power down and power on.

Scenario 1:
When playing a game.... the game freezes yet the pc is still responsive... If I hit CTRL+ALT+DEL it will become unfrozen shortly afterwards...the picture blinks and the game is responsive.

Scenario 2:
Right after a restart if I begin to activate a program or access file explorer...The PC freezes permanently requiring a power off/on.

Please help...So annoying to have these little instabilities....

Thanks,
Layne

[Boggin]

Do you clean out the temp file cache regularly ?

I run the free version of CCleaner after each session. https://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download

If you don't get the freezes in Safe Mode with Networking then it may be worth looking for a graphics driver update and Event Viewer may have something recorded - just look for the time stamps that correspond to the freezes.

I don't think it will be a memory problem but you could run a memory test or if you have more than one RAM module installed, try it with just each stick.

[layne81]

I use CC Cleaner regulary and I also use the cleaner with Tweaking.com Windows Repair Pro.

Still having freezes...=-(

[Boggin]

What about the rest of my post ?

[layne81]

event viewer shows nothing and i have latest nvidia drivers.

I can run memtest86 overnight tonight to see if its a memory issue.

[Boggin]

Remember that Memtest86+ should only be run on one stick at a time for accuracy.

I've seen where Memtest86+ was run with both sticks fitted and it came up clean, but when the machine was run with just each stick it was found that one of the sticks was bad.

Is this a desktop or laptop as with a desktop there can be PSU issues.

[layne81]

This is a desktop. How on earth do you test a PSU?

[Boggin]

This is a desktop. How on earth do you test a PSU?

Usually with another one but HWMonitor will show your rail voltages, but you may have to keep it running to see if the voltages drop when you do anything that had been causing the freezes.

 http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/hwmonitor.html

[layne81]

Ok so I am having major issues with freezing and instability.

I know you had mentioned power supply and memory.

I am going to have to do a thorough check on all of my components to see what the cause is.

Basically... I am new to this... If possible, can you please give me a step by step on what you would do if one were to bring you their pc and say its having serious freezing issues.

It is on your bench.... What steps do you go through to minimize the issue.

Here is what I BELIEVE to be.... Please add your own...

CPU has ran intel burn test, Prime95, etc. for hours on end and is stable. The issue has to be another component.

#1. Perform a clean boot.
#2. Run Memtest +86 on individual sticks of ram (completing entire lengthy test)
#3. Test power supply (have no idea how to do this other than checking wattage in HWMonitor)
#4. Test Motherboard (no clue how to do this)
#5. Test GPU for instability (no clue how to do this)

My problem is if it is a program.... How do you know it is the one causing the freezes? I get nothing in event viewer...

Is there a program out there that basically checks for freezing and tells you the cause?

Sorry for all of the questions.... kind of a noob.

Thanks,
Layne

[layne81]

BTW sfc /scannow found errors it could not repair... SFCFix could not repair or DISM /Restorehealth could not repair...

I am wondering if this is ALL Windows 10 causing this....

[Boggin]

It could very well be a compatibility problem with Win 10 because my first thought was your graphics drivers, but because you said the computer was still responsive even when the game freezes and not knowing you had upgraded, I discarded that.

Problems had been reported with Nvidia and Win 10 but MS had issued an update that was supposed to have fixed that, but because quite often Nvidia graphics are OEM modified, I couldn't see how that update could have been a one size fits all.

I've had to revert to Win 7 from Win 10 because of problems which may have stemmed from a slight graphics compatibility problem and rolling back may be your best bet to see if that resolves the problems.

[Boggin]

Just a thought - using IE in Win 10 can you play any YT videos ?

Try any of these https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrEnWoR732-BHrPp_Pm8_VleD68f9s14-

[layne81]

I am away from my home PC right now but I will definitely give it a shot once I am home.

I am going to run some test on the memory tonight.

[layne81]

I kinda want to stick with windows 10 because I know I will eventually end up here...

How big of a pain was it to revert back?

[Boggin]

From what I've seen on other forums it seems painless when done from within Win 10 which you can only do for 30 days and then that path is destroyed.

It was a lot more painful for me because as I had no intention initially to revert, I used Disk Cleanup to  remove the Windows.old folder and because Win 10 blocked other methods, I ended up factory resetting with Recovery disks and then restored with the system image I'd created before upgrading.

If the YT videos don't play or not very well, that would point to a problem with the Nvidia graphics.

There is a means of getting into Safe Mode from within Win 10 but I don't know if you can get it with Networking.

Do not use msconfig as I did because you don't get Networking with Safe Mode when done like that and for me, when I tried to go back into msconfig to change back to a normal boot - nothing came up when I typed msconfig and I had to use the Cmd Prompt (Admin) to enter c:\Windows\System32\msconfig.exe to get back.

If the YT videos or your games work okay in Safe Mode with Networking using the on board VGA, then that would be a clincher.

If the YT videos don't play in normal mode, go into IE - Tools - Internet options and under the Advanced tab check the box for the first item which is Use software rendering instead of GPU rendering.

I think it requires a reboot to effect and then retry the YTs.

Do you have the games installed on your computer or do you have to access them via the 'net ?

[layne81]

I have tons of games on my pc....

I played borderlands 2 the other night.... it froze for a second a few times.... diablo 3 did not freeze at all when i played it

[Boggin]

That's what I hate - an indeterminate fault

Why is it playing one game okay but not others.

Have you tried the YT videos yet  and then any of the other games in Safe Mode ?

[layne81]

no i am going to try that this evening once i am back home.

[Boggin]

Is Diablo 3 any more or less memory demanding than Borderlands would you say ?

[layne81]

I think Diablo 3 is more dependent on your ram/cpu as to where Borderlands 2 is more dependent on your GPU.

[Boggin]

You aren't helping

Come back when you've checked out the YTs etc.

[layne81]

youtube videos play fine....hmm

[layne81]

Testing 1st stick of ram tonight.  I will post back with results....

Video card seems to be fine.

Thanks again for the help.

[Boggin]

A quicker test is to run the machine on just each stick and see if the freezes still occur, but at least it doesn't seem to be the Nvidia.

Here is a list of other free tools to check out your hardware. http://www.thewindowsclub.com/pc-stress-test-free-software

[layne81]

I ran memtest86 on each stick of ram with no issues or errors.

I am noticing crashes with nvidia drivers (dll files & dx11)

I am on 353.62.... Games crash such as Bioshock infinite, Crysis 3, Dying Light...

Go for about 2-3 mins crash....

A lot of stuff in event viewer... Is there a way for me to share with u guys?

So maybe someone out there could help me fix these horrific issues.... If that is even possible...

Thanks,
Layne