Programs hang and cannot be ended or restarted

iamdave · 03 Apr 2013

Hey there, I've been having some issues with my computer for about a month now. At least once a day programs will crash/freeze and I cannot end them in task manager. I've tried to use task kill and i've also used programs such as procexp to no avail. The main culprits tend to be Skype, Explorer.exe, and itunes. I have no idea why this is happening. What happens is they'll end up freezing, I'll end the process (nothing happens), kill task the program (nothing happens), then I'll try to use procexp (nothing happens). The unresponsive programs hang and cannot be restarted or ended. I'm also not able to open the programs again while this is happening, so I'm forced to restart. The problem with that is, when this happens I cannot restart. My computer will stick to either the logging off or shutting down screen indefinitely. So I'm forced to manually shut down the computer with the power button. If there are no programs that are hanging in task manager my computer restarts just fine.

If anyone could help me out with this, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks for your time!

ICIT2LOL · 04 Apr 2013

Hello Dave and welcome mate you seem to be running programs that I personally would n't touch try some of this stuff
https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/220165-troubleshooting-steps-windows-7-a.html

don't worry re the MSE but point 15 and a chdsk would be well in order

do some scans if you haven't already first.

http://www.superantispyware.com/

http://www.malwarebytes.org/products/malwarebytes_free/

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/adwcleaner/
download ADW from bleeping comp

MLStrand56 · 04 Apr 2013

To get the computer to reboot, Cycle the OffOn button.

I'd also suggest you check the Registry for broken links. The offending programs may be calling for a file that the Registry can't find.

MLStrand56

iamdave · 04 Apr 2013

ICit2lol said:

Hello Dave and welcome mate you seem to be running programs that I personally would n't touch try some of this stuff
https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/220165-troubleshooting-steps-windows-7-a.html

don't worry re the MSE but point 15 and a chdsk would be well in order

do some scans if you haven't already first.

http://www.superantispyware.com/

http://www.malwarebytes.org/products/malwarebytes_free/

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/adwcleaner/
download ADW from bleeping comp

I did find both a trojan and some malware with superantispyware and adwcleaner that malwarebytes didn't pick up! Not sure if that would be the cause though. System seems to have speeded up, but I'm still getting those hangs in task manager, just not as frequently. I've also uninstalled avast and installed microsoft security essentials, as that guide suggested. Also ran a chdsk, but nothing seems to have been wrong there. Thanks a bunch for the tips though! They have helped out some and speeded up the computer at the very least.

MLStrand56 said:

To get the computer to reboot, Cycle the OffOn button.

I'd also suggest you check the Registry for broken links. The offending programs may be calling for a file that the Registry can't find.

MLStrand56

How would I go about doing this? I'd say that I'm pretty decent with computers, but not an advanced user in any way, haha.

MLStrand56 · 05 Apr 2013

Re: Checking your Registry for errors. I use Glary Registry repair:
Registry Repair - Best Free Registry Cleaner to Scan, Clean and Repair Windows Registry | Glarysoft
It's a FREE program & works very well.

Other here may recommend other registry repair programs.

After I UNinstall any program I repair the registry to repair broken links, that the UNinstall causes.

MLStrand56

ICIT2LOL · 05 Apr 2013

Well don't want to be the party killer here but I don't touch the registry with anything except the CCleaner one .

T be honest I wouldn't use a anything else and I think the general consensus in here and I am not rubbishing Glary ML - is that those add on power cleaner fixers except for the one I mentioned are really more trouble than worht.

Dave if you haven't got CCleaner get it and run the cleaner first just remember any site which you use that needs a password you need to keep the cookie. So run it > Options > highlight the cookie you want to keep click the arrow to the right list it will go there nd be saved the rest on the left hand side will be cleaned. Go back to the brush Run and then go to Registry > Scan for issues > Fix selected issues > Save to to documents (automatic) the > fix issues and close to app.

CCleaner - Download < download from piriform and watch out for add on offers and I subscribe to them letting you know of updates to the app - but your choice.