Random Freeze, sometimes when I run things

I'm getting the notorious Windows 7 freeze.

Sometimes this was happening when I opened my Chrome browser but usually out of nowhere.

I'm wondering if this is not the operating system tho and if it is just the USB ports that control the keyboard and mouse

Anyway the past month hasn't been great

a month ago I was getting sudden BSODs. This started when I tried running NEverwinter Nights 2 for the first time. The screen went multiblocky and the game froze. After 3 attempts to play the game I stopped trying but the crash caused a reboot, then when it cycled up, my screen had vertical stripes in front of the normal screens and when the splash screen and windows screen came up, it had extra ascii characters in front of it. then it would BSOD with a display timeout error. It would take many recucles in safe mode for this to fix itself.

I constantly checked the display drivers and they seemed up to date. Then one time I tried disabling the display driver, the checked for updates again. What happened then was windows switched the device driver from Radeon HD 4650 to Radeon 550v. I don't know how I can check exactly which vidcard I have.
Well since this happened I haven't gotten that blocky BSOD.

But I have been getting freezes. The freezes weren't happening before this.

However a year ago I was getting freezes when I tried to play certain videos. (mpegs? mp4s? I can't remember) I can't remember what I did to fix it. I've been uninstalling things and removing things from startup lately. (like delldock)

I cleaned my registry with ccleaner.
used malwarebytes

But the freeszes keep happening in normal mode. Not every day.

And usually once they happen I have to let the PC sit for it to not do it?

Altho I just started it up after overnight sit and it froze very quickly.


Okay gurus, is this a challenge enough for you?

There may be a couple issues going on here.

Oh yes one more thing.
The infamous Windows update (KB3004934 or whatever) was indeed installed on my PC on Dec 10. However, it is NOT listed in the installed updates list when I open the control panel-> Programs and Features -> View Updates

It IS however listed in the updates history (Control Panel->Windows Updates). So I have no idea how to uninstall it.

Please ask questions and I will try to answer.

Do you still have the factory install? This is the worst possible install of Win7 one can have, larded with bloatware and duplicate utilties which conflict with better versions built into Win7. That's why no tech enthusiast will run the factory install but instead choose to Clean Reinstall Windows 7.

The blue link provides everything needed and has been used by over a million consumers without a single complaint or return with problems if one sticks with the tools/methods given.

Until then you can Clean Up Factory Bloatware to relieve and optimize the bloated factory install.

If problems persist test your hardware and work through the other Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7

a clean install is a step I'm not willing to take at present.
I have taken some efforts to remove as much from startup as I can. If you have specific things in mind that I should be looking for let me know.
I could go through the processes and look them up to see if they are needed.
Let me know if there is a good reliable site that lists and describes necessary and unnecessary processes.

As for the freeze, it seems to have stopped. Ever since I fixed the issue with my video card. It was pointing to the wrong driver so I uninstalled the driver, then had it download the correct one. Things have been peachy since (knock on wood, cross fingers, rub rabbit foot, pray, summon cthulhu...)

I've regularly been asked to make this list, but really there is no need.

Nothing is needed at Startup except AV, any sync. The rest are freeloaders, often posing as Updaters which I don't allow - except Flash player since web browing is so dependent upon it being current.

On some factory installs there is a wireless manager which always impacts performance for the worse, so some users panic when they turn it off since it requires reconnecting to Win7's superior built-in wireless in the System tray. Do not be daunted. If it gives problems, uninstall it.