Fresh Windows 7 installation freezing randomly

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  1. Posts : 6
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
       #1

    Fresh Windows 7 installation freezing randomly


    Hi,

    I recently bought this Mini PC and installed Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit on it. The installation went through without problems, I did all the Windows Updates necessary and even though it was a fresh installation it started to freeze periodically. Sometimes the cursor would spin as if the system is working on something, sometimes nothing would happen at all. These freezes can last between half a minute to a few minutes.

    I think the Mini PC itself should be strong enough to run Windows 7, so I'm excluding this from my list of possible reasons. The problem now is that I don't know where to start looking. Are there any logs maybe where I could see what is causing those freezes? I know this is very general for a start but maybe I can get there step by step.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
       #2

    Hi and welcome onboard.

    Didn't your ZOTAC ZBOX CA320 nano Plus come with Windows 8.1 installed?

    Well, I am not going to put my finger into this thread - I am just kickstarting it :) - but if you perhaps give a full history on how you uninstalled Windows 8.1 and then installed Windows 7, someone else may perhaps pick up scent and help you.

    Also give full specifications. My search says it has a 64GB SSD.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 6
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #3

    I don't think any of those come with Windows pre-installed. If you check the specs you will see that it says 'Windows: User installed'. I got the Plus version instead of the standard one because it already came with an SSD and RAM which I didn't want to bother with separately. So the specifications are exactly as written on the official Zotac site, nothing changed.

    I installed Windows 7 by first creating a bootable Windows 7 USB device with the official Windows USB Download Tool. There were no problems during the installation, I just followed the on-screen instructions. The freezes started shortly after booting Windows for the first time once the installation was done but at that time I thought it was simply because I was setting up all the necessary software and installing drivers so the CPU had to work a lot.

    Usually I would check the task manager first to see what program is causing high CPU usage but of course that's not possible because the whole PC freezes. I put the All CPU Meter Gadget on the Desktop but it doesn't show any spikes in CPU usage once such a freeze is over.
    Could it maybe be the RAM or even the SSD itself? Any ideas where to start looking and how to check it would be helpful.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 4,751
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32-Bit - Build 7600 SP1
       #4

    How long have you had it and at what point did the problems start? Have you activated the Win 7 as of yet? == Please fill in your complete System Specs. We need to know what the PC has.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 25,847
    Windows 10 Pro. 64/ version 1709 Windows 7 Pro/64
       #5

    Have you use Windows Update yet and installed the updates. Their will be over a 100 of them. Some of them could be updates for drivers.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 6
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #6

    I filled out my system specs now but I'm not sure about a few things such as motherboard. If something is missing please check the link I posted in the first post, it contains the exact specs.

    The problem started pretty much from the beginning (about two months ago), so it could also be a defective hardware but I don't know how to check that.

    I have installed all Windows Updates. The only ones I am missing are the optional ones. If you recommend me to install them I will try that tomorrow and report back.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 25,847
    Windows 10 Pro. 64/ version 1709 Windows 7 Pro/64
       #7

    At this time I don't know what to recommend with Windows Updates. Microsoft is having a rough time with the last big batch of updates.

    No I and most other don't go chasing through threads looking for specs. Please just install them in the same place you have the rest of your specs. Your power supply and security system you use would also be nice to have in your system specs.

    Lets start at the beginning.

    **Where did you get your Windows 7?

    **Do you have a temp monitoring program you can use. I'm under the understanding that you have a passive cooling system. Is that correct?
    This computer came pre-built without Windows correct?

    This little program has many good uses. I do recommend it.

    https://www.piriform.com/speccy

    **Do you get any BSOD?

    **Have you installed any Tuneup, Speedup, registry clean up programs? If so which ones.

    Bigmck asked if you have activate Windows. Yes or No.
    Last edited by Layback Bear; 28 Aug 2014 at 17:46. Reason: corrected recommend program.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 6
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit
    Thread Starter
       #8

    I'd really like to fill out the other stuff but I simply don't know some of them. It's a mini PC so the motherboard is probably very small and seems not to be listed separately in the specs on the website. Same goes for the PSU. I can try to see if some info is written on the PSU itself if you tell me which kind of information you need about it.

    Windows 7 is from my own Windows 7 DVD from my old computer. I just created a bootable USB device with it through the official tool provided by Microsoft. Yes, Windows is already activated.

    The mini PC (it's really not bigger than a box of chocolates) came pre-built without Windows and it has passive cooling.

    There are no BSOD.

    I also have not installed any kind of tuneup software.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 25,847
    Windows 10 Pro. 64/ version 1709 Windows 7 Pro/64
       #9

    I made and mistake in my previous post that I corrected. The program I meant to post was this. I will give you lots of information including temps and motherboard but will not give you power supply.
    I looked at the website for specs and it doesn't tell a lot.

    Where did you get the activation COA key for activation?
    Was it a retail or a OEM?

    Try this program. Speccy.

    https://www.piriform.com/speccy


    You must get a anti virus program installed.
    I use this MSE.

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...tials-download

      My Computer

  10.    #10

    Work through the Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7 to go over your install thoroughly which should turn up the problem.

    If not compare it to the Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 as you may wish to reinstall if yours varied by much. Those steps are based on what's worked best for tens of thousands of installs we've helped with here since Win7 Beta.
    Last edited by gregrocker; 29 Aug 2014 at 10:02.
      My Computer


 
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