Is something wrong with me computer?

Just recently, my computer froze (which is rare for me on this thing) and I had to physically turn off my computer. And then one night, the desktop, and everything on it except for the start bar below, was frozen for 1-2 minutes. Then later on, it was everything but the start bar that was frozen. I've done my virus scans, and so far nothing. It's happened 2-3 each day, sometimes it feels like a few seconds, other times it can be a few minutes, maybe inbetween. Is it my IE? Is it my graphics? OMG, could it be my hard drive about to go? I hope not on the latter. Is there a way to know?

If you have a Restore Point from before the issues started, you can try restoring it.
Better yet would be restoring a backup image from before the problems started.

Here are a couple of tutorials you can work through:

Troubleshoot Application Conflicts by Performing a Clean Startup by Brink

Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7 by Gregrocker

Note: The tutorial by Gregrocker has steps for hardware testing if you think you have a HD problem.

I'll look at those. I checked my system restore, and I do have one made before an Windows Update on 12/29/12. I scanned for affected programs (on the button below) and it found nothing. Is that normal after an update?

But let me reveal one other tidbit: the startbar started to freeze up again, then I did the CTRL>ALT>DELETE which leads to the Star Task screen (which the freeze affects too), but after I click on the background only, it quickly got back to normal. See how weird that is?

I checked my system restore, and I do have one made before an Windows Update on 12/29/12.

What update did you get on 12/29/12 that caused a Restore Point to be created?

I scanned for affected programs (on the button below) and it found nothing. Is that normal after an update?

I believe Windows will create some Restore Points where nothing will be listed in the changes for "Programs and Drivers".
I think a weekly Restore Point is created by default, even if nothing changed.
If you use MS Security Essentials, and Definition updates are delivered via Windows Update that would probably create a Restore Point (daily), and maybe that isn't listed in changes?

Did you click on "Show more restore points" and check what changes are listed, assuming you have more Restore Points.

But let me reveal one other tidbit: the startbar started to freeze up again, then I did the CTRL>ALT>DELETE which leads to the Star Task screen (which the freeze affects too), but after I click on the background only, it quickly got back to normal. See how weird that is?

I agree that sounds weird (something I never have seen).
The best advice I can offer is to work through the tutorials I posted.
Maybe someone else will see this, and knows for sure what would cause this.


I prefer using System Backup Images, because they are a FULL OS backup.
Restore Points are NOT a full backup.
I've also been using backup images for a long time, so I trust them...

Sorry I can't help more
Happy New Year!

BinkerNate said:

However, I have three more: 12/21st at 12:39am EST; 12/21 at 3:00am EST; and 12/25 at 12:54 EST; all of them concerning Malwarebytes.

I'll add this to what Greg recommends.

Check your Malwarebytes logs, and look in the Quarantine tab to see if any malware is being detected on your system.

I use MBAM Pro (real-time) with scheduled scans and updates.
I don't see restore points created for this, but no malware is detected or quarantined.

Sorry for the long wait. After a while, the freezes started to happen very little, and I was thinking it could've been either my graphics, IE, or VLC.

Checking the link above, I looked at performance logs, and the thing that has kept on repeating that seems to be what I'm experiencing is the following:

The Desktop Window Manager is experiencing heavy resource contention.
Scenario: Video memory resources are over-utilized and there is thrashing happening as a result. Reducing number of running programs and open windows may help resolve this condition.

I guess that's it, but I wouldn't know what to do when it seems like I don't have anything else open when it happens.
As for the Clean Boot: I was told to go to msconfig>Startup and uncheck everything except AV: Startup Programs - Change; I can't find AV: Startup Programs - Change, I may not have it.

I do want to go into safe mode and run my virus scans, just in case. And the RAM test; I need things, don't I?

Also, I checked malwarebytes and I do have one thing quarantined: a Rogue Link file from a favorites link that isn't there anymore. Should I delete it, or is it fine where it is?

gregrocker said:

You don't now if you have an anti-virus protection? Install Microsoft Security Essentials.

What other malware scans do you have? I'd use Malwarebytes and Super Anti Spyware.

Check your Browser's add-ons to disable anything but Flashplayer, Shockwave, Silverlight, WMP or Quicktime plug-ins. Only use others if a webpage prompts that it must have them to display correctly. Then run SuperAntSpyware again which finds spyware.

I made a mistake: I do have MSE, but AV is not listed there. I also did SUPERAnti and it always finds adware, which it removes. My browsers: I have shockwave, Adobe PDF link helper, XML DOM Document, and Norton Safe Web Lite enabled.