Desktop windows lock up

rkmullins · 17 Jul 2013

Windows 7 Ultimate -
The computer boots normally. Everything seems ok until I open a program. The program windows lock up. I cannot click a "yes" or "no" or an "ok" button. It does nothing. Cannot minimize the window or X out of it. This happens with all windows. After opening multiple windows of various programs the PC locks and i cant do anything. I can open task manager, but when the window opens, it too is locked and i cannot end task or stop processes of anything. What is really weird is that before opening any windows, I can hover my mouse over my desktop icon and they get highlighted, but once I open one...

I performed a system restore to a date before this started happening to no avail.

Any ideas?
Thank you

VistaKing · 17 Jul 2013

Can you log into SafeMode ?

rkmullins · 17 Jul 2013

Thank you for replying.
Yes I can boot into safe mode and I had the same results.
After seeing your reply I booted into safe mode again. At first everything seemed to work ok. Then there was a hesitation between each mouse click where nothing would happen except the mouse point moving around.
Now, with the exception of the mouse pointer, all windows are locked up and wont close or allow navigation and the taskbar icons & start buttons cant be depressed. After I just typed the previous sentences I was able to open explorer and IE... Now it is locked up again.

lehnerus2000 · 17 Jul 2013

Does there seem to be a large amount of HDD activity (i.e. is the HDD indicator on constantly)?

VistaKing · 17 Jul 2013

Try a virus live cd .

http://rescuedisk.kaspersky-labs.com..._rescue_10.iso

Burn the .iso file to a disc and boot off from it .

rkmullins · 17 Jul 2013

lehnerus2000 said:

Does there seem to be a large amount of HDD activity (i.e. is the HDD indicator on constantly)?

Indicator blinks every second then lights constantly for 10 seconds or so then goes back to its blink every second or less then back to constant then flashing a few times a second then solid on and so forth.

brightspark · 17 Jul 2013

Sounds like something might be chewing up system resources, maybe malware, maybe a software conflict. I had a similar experience once, turned out to be a misbehaving process associated with Windows Defender.

What security programs do you have installed? Have you installed anything new of late, securitywise?

Do you ever have enough time where the machine is responsive enough to open Task Manager>Processes and click on the "CPU" column header to check and see if anything is showing exceptionally high numbers?

rkmullins · 18 Jul 2013

I have Norton Security.
Looking at processes I see nothing unusual. That is really frustrating because i cant see what is hitting my hard drive.

VistaKing · 18 Jul 2013

Inside SafeMode with Networking download the tool below

RogueKiller for 32bit <==== Download Link

RogueKiller for 64bit <==== Download Link

Click on one of the links above that goes with your Windows 7 bit versions

Save to the Desktop.

Close all windows and browsers

Right click on

and choose

Press: SCAN

provide the RKreport.txt (Mode: Scan) in your reply.

gregrocker · 18 Jul 2013

Norton is bloatware. I'd uninstall it using the special tool which is required to remove AV's that are so bloated they're like the worst viruses. Then try Microsoft Security Essentials
with the Win7 firewall.

Work through the other Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7 to establish a Clean Boot, trace rogue processes, scan with Malwarebytes and SFC, check the logs and other System Resources, test hardware, assure a perfect install.

If Win7 isn't stable enough to work through those steps then change to the steps for Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start