How to find / generate meaningful info on a hard freeze

diplo · 15 Oct 2013

I'm having an issue where the display / video on my machine basically stutters and then freezes completely. It's usually while browsing the internet or not really doing anything. When gaming it's never done this. Anyway there's no blue screen or anything, just completely frozen screen. Is there a way to find any more information on what could be going on or configure windows to generate some info on this for me? This wasn't happening at all until I re-installed windows as I usually do every couple of years. I've since reinstalled my video card drivers (GTX 460) and that didn't appear to have an effect on things.

Layback Bear · 15 Oct 2013

Some times you can post here even thought you didn't get a BSOD.
Post as per instruction and at times the logs created will help with a freeze.

https://www.sevenforums.com/bsod-help-support/

gregrocker · 15 Oct 2013

Work through the Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7. I'd immediately establish a Clean Boot, check for malware, read the logs at time of hangs for errors, and resolve repeat errors in Admin and Performance logs, use the System Resources to Check for Problems and Generate a System Health Report, test hardware and all other steps given.

Layback Bear was referring to Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Posting Instructions - Windows 7 Forums

Jacee · 15 Oct 2013

You could also download VEW by Vino Rosso http://images.malwareremoval.com/vino/VEW.exe
and save it to your desktop. You will need to right click the file and select Run as administrator and click Continue or Allow at the User Account Control Prompt.

Click the check boxes next to Application and System located under Select log to query on the upper left

Under Select type to list on the right click the boxes next to Error and Warning Note: If running Windows Vista or Windows 7 also click the box next to Critical (not XP).
Under Number or date of events select Number of events and type 20 in the box next to 1 to 20 and click Run

Once it finishes it will display a log file in notepad
Please copy and paste its entire contents into your next reply

diplo · 16 Oct 2013

Thanks for the help. This is not malware. I haven't had time to work on it much but I will post the results. It's been increasingly erratic and now I'm noticing the keyboard not working sometimes. A USB keyboard! It's possible I have some bad drivers installed as I was fooling around with trying to get my front USB 3.0 ports working.

gregrocker · 16 Oct 2013

In addition to the Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7 I gave you which you should already be working through, enable Automatically deliver drivers via Windows Update (Step 3) to Check for Updates and install all Important and Optional (except Bing) with reboots until there are no more when you check again.

If you've messed with your install and swapped out a lot of drivers, I'd consider doing a perfect reinstall same as for the steps for Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7. You only have to get it right once since it can then be preserved in a backup image.

diplo · 04 Nov 2013

Turned out to be a bad Nvidia driver, I had to roll it back to an earlier version. Now everything is working just fine!