Win 7 keeps freezing, increases memory usage then reboots itself

Philip,

Update your SevenForums System Specs
User CP (located on the top menu bar) |
Your Profile | Edit System Spec (left-hand column)

To gather info, use Speccy (my favorite) or SIW or System Info

In the System Manufacturer Block, enter:
Manufacturer and Model and
ADD the word laptop, desktop, netbook or tablet.
For example:
Toshiba Satellite L305D notebook.

Provide full windows version info, for example:
MS Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-bit

Use the “Other Info” block for Optical Reader,
Mouse, touchpad, wifi adapter, speakers, monitor, etc

Scroll down and click on SAVE CHANGES.

You will find that in Speccy, you can select info from the display
using your mouse/touchpad and then paste that info into your specs.

SIW is a marvelous program, but the free version does not offer
this capability.

===================================================
===================================================
Install CCleaner:
CCleaner - PC Optimization and Cleaning - Free Download

list of STARTUP PROGRAMS

CCleaner | Tools icon | Startup button | Windows tab |
click on Save to text file button (bottom right side) |
accept Startup.txt as file name | SAVE button

list of SCHEDULED TASKS

CCleaner | Tools icon | Startup button | Scheduled Tasks tab |
click on Save to text file button (bottom right side) |
enter Scheduled Tasks as File name | Save button

List of INSTALLED PROGRAMS

CCleaner | Tools icon | Uninstall button |
click on Save to text file button (bottom right side) |
accept install.txt as File name | Save button


UPLOAD, as an attachment, the startup.txt file
UPLOAD, as an attachment, the Scheduled Tasks.txt file
UPLOAD, as an attachment, the install.txt file.

HOW TO UPLOAD
Post a File or Screenshot in Seven Forums
==============================================

will await the updated specs and the three files,
karl

Or simply let the custom SevenForums SystemSpec Tool, fill it in for you:
System Info - See Your System Specs

Welcome Phillip.

golden,
I provide a link to the SF aid, however, that aid does not supply some key info which is why I recommend the other tools.

karl

Ahh, apologies Karl. I didn't see it amongst the other text.

thanks,
Specs show all of the essential info. You do nice work.

Will now look at the files and get back to you.

philip,

UNINSTALL

Script:

 BitTorrent        15/07/2011        7.2.1
BitTorrentBar Toolbar    BitTorrentBar    30/03/2012 


REBOOT


REMOVAL OF P2P PROGRAMS

There are signs of one or more P2P (Peer to Peer) File Sharing Programs on your computer.

As long as you are using any form of P2P networking to download files, you can anticipate malware infestations.

References citing the risk of using P2P programs:
How cyber criminals infect victims via P2P with pirated software on Vimeo
Malware: Help prevent the Infection
Perils of P2P File Sharing
How to Prevent the Online Invasion of Spyware and Adware
The Hidden Security Risks of P2P Traffic


I strongly recommend that you uninstall:
µTorrent
BitTorrent
Vuze

=============================================

I'm not even going further until you get an opportunity to carry out following since you have been using p2p software and your install list shows some cracked software.

I have many other programs to be uninstalled, but first i need you to carry out following procedures. Then and only then will I be able to continue.

HOW TO USE WINDOWS DEFENDER OFFLINE ON A USB STICK
Windows Defender Offline
· is a free standalone, bootable malware and virus remover from Microsoft.
· performs an offline scan of an infected PC to remove viruses, rootkits and other advanced malware.

Download Windows Defender Offline (about 764 kB)

You will have the choice of downloading the 32bit version (x86) or the 64 bit version (x64).
The link will help you determine whether you are running a 32 bit version or 64 bit version of Windows

NOTE!! You can download and prepare a 32 bit version using a 64 bit version of Windows
NOTE!! You can download and prepare a 64 bit version using a 32bit version of Windows.

You run the 32 bit version on a 32 bit version of Windows.
You run the 64 bit version on a 64 bit version of Windows.

The 32 bit download file name is: mssstool32.exe
The 64 bit download file name is: mssstool64.exe

For the curious, this program was originally name Microsoft Standalone System Sweeper.


INSTALLATION:
You will need an Internet Connection.
Insert 512 mB (Microsoft’s 256 mB is no longer accurate) or larger USB stick into a usb port.
Run the downloaded program--mssstool64.exe or mssstool32.exe
NEXT button
Choose the option On a USB flash drive that is not password protected
NEXT button
NEXT button
.
The install program will format the usb stick using the NTFS format.
The install program will download about 210 mB.
The install program will name the USB stick WDO_Media32 or WDO_Media64
The WDO_Media32 usb stick will have used space of 255 mB (268,140,544 bytes)
The WDO_Media64 usb stick will have used space of 282 mB (296,165,376 bytes)
You can expect the number of mB to increase as more malware appears.

UPDATE Windows Defender Offline USB stick:
· reinsert the usb stick
· run the installation program, mssstool64.exe or mssstool32.exe, again.
· the update will download about 66 mB (mssstool32.exe) and 68 mB (mssstool64.exe).

Since the malware database is sometimes updated several times in a day, always update before running.

PERFORM AN OFFLINE SCAN
Bootup your computer from the USB stick
Windows Defender Offline will automatically perform a quick scan.
After the quick scan finishes, Choose Full Scan
Select all of your drives

The initial, full scan can easily take several hours, but
Remember, your computer is being very thoroughly checked for all types of malware.


RESULTS OF THE SCAN
The results will be in 4 log files on your computer's disk in:
\Windows\Microsoft Antimalware\Support
===========================================
===========================================

I will await the following .ZIP file.

Script:

# ************************************************************
# Zips up your log files from Windows Defender Offline
#  and extended info about the log files
# Places WDOlogs.ZIP on your Desktop
#
# **********************INSTRUCTIONS**************************
# STEP 1 *****************************************************
# RUN PowerShell as administrator
# START ORB | type POWERSHELL | CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER key combo | ALT+Y keycombo
# ************************************************************
# STEP 2 *****************************************************
# COPY, using CTRL+C, every line down thru both EXIT statements 
# PASTE into Powershell == Right-Click at the PowerShell Prompt
#  (Ctrl+V does not work)
# Start copying with first line without a # at start of the line
# Note: Actually, you can paste the entire file if you rather
#       Lines starting with a # are ignored by PowerShell
# ************************************************************
#functions

function New-Zip {
    param([Parameter(Mandatory=$true, Position=0, ValueFromPipeline=$true)]
    [String] $Path, [Switch] $PassThru, [Switch] $Force )
    Process { if (Test-Path $path) {if (-not $Force) { return } }
    Set-Content $path ("PK" + [char]5 + [char]6 + ("$([char]0)" * 18))
    $item = Get-Item $path; $item.IsReadOnly = $false;if ($passThru) { $item } } }
function Copy-ToZip {param(
  [Parameter(Mandatory=$true,Position=0,ValueFromPipelineByPropertyName=$true)] [Alias('FullName')] 
  [String]$File, [Parameter(Mandatory=$true,Position=1)] [String]$ZipFile,[Switch]$HideProgress,[Switch]$Force )
  Begin {$ShellApplication = New-Object -ComObject Shell.Application
  if (-not (Test-Path $ZipFile)) {New-Zip $ZipFile};$Path = Resolve-Path $ZipFile
  $ZipPackage =$ShellApplication.Namespace("$Path")}
  Process {$RealFile = Get-Item $File; if (-not $RealFile) { return }        
  if (-not $hideProgress) {$perc +=5; if ($perc -gt 100) { $perc = 0 } 
    Write-Progress "Copying to $ZipFile" $RealFile.FullName -PercentComplete $perc}
  $Flags = 0; if ($force) {$flags = 16 -bor 1024 -bor 64 -bor 512};Write-Verbose $realFile.Fullname
   $ZipPackage.CopyHere($realFile.Fullname, $flags);Start-Sleep -Milliseconds 500}}

$fileinfo = join-path $env:TEMP \wdofileinfo.txt
IF (test-path $fileinfo) {del $fileinfo -ea:silentlycontinue -force:$true}
$dir = $env:windir + '\Microsoft Antimalware\Support'
$a = dir $dir  -rec -force -ea:silentlycontinue | sort-object -property lastwritetime 
$b = $a | where {$_.extension -eq '.log'} |Select  mode, fullname, name, creationtime, lastwritetime,  lastaccesstime, length, extension
$b | out-file -append $fileinfo
$b | foreach ($_.fullname) {get-content -path $_.fullname} | out-file -append $fileinfo 
$ziploc = $env:userprofile + '\desktop\WDOlogs.ZIP'
new-zip $ziploc -verbose:$false -ea:silentlycontinue -force:$true
copy-tozip  $fileinfo $ziploc -verbose:$false -hideprogress:$true
del $fileinfo

EXIT
EXIT

# ***************** NOTE - POWERSHELL VERSION*****************
# if you receive this error msg:
#  Get-WinEvent: The system can not find the path specified
# you need to update your PowerShell
# you must be using Powershell 2.0 or later.
#
# To determine your Powershell version:
#   Run PowerShell
#   enter $host.version
#   you should see at least:
# Major  Minor  Build  Revision
# -----  -----  -----  --------
# 2      0      -1     -1
#
# If you do not see the above, update your Vista/Win 7.
# ************************************************************
# *************** NOTE - EXECUTION POLICY*********************
# If you haven't set the execution policy, you may need to:
#   Run PowerShell
#   enter Set-ExecutionPolicy -executionpolicy remotesigned
#
# ************************************************************ 


====================================
karl

Hi Karl

Firstly, this is turning into a nightmare! My computer is now hanging up for around a minute or so every 2 or 3 minutes. It has frozen twice already even in this brief message. Anyway, I have uninstalled BitTorrent, I do not have the other 2 as far as I am aware (cannot find them), and rebooted. As for Defender Offline, I have downloaded the .exe file but when I try to install, on USB, DVD even ISO file (as suggested on the MS website) it hangs at 190.12Mb of 190.82Mb and after a couple of minutes returns an error. I have been trying every option and hitting retry, rebooted my computer twice, used 2 USB sticks and 3 DVDs, same error each time. I even tried another laptop, same error on there too (with both USB and DVD).

Any ideas please?

PS I tried a cold restart, the d/l was then 221.82MB, reached 220.12MB and hung, on retry it reverted to 190.82MB and hung at 190.12MB