Random computer freeze requiring hard reset

Hi all,

I've been having this problem for quite some time now (I would say a year or more) where my computer completely freezes up without any prompting. It's quite frustrating to diagnose since it happens on such a random basis -there seems to be no trend as to what kind of programs I have running, what kind of things I am using it for, etc. Sometimes it happens when I'm just browsing the net, other times it happens when I just have some files up (ie. not memory intensive tasks) -today it even happened when I put a USB stick in!

I am at a complete loss as to what might be the cause. I have already deleted some old programs that I'm not using, but that hasn't seemed to have done anything. I've done a disk cleanup and run a scan for viruses. The freeze can only be resolved with a hard restart, which I know is not good for the computer. I've already had to do this some 20 or so times already.

I've attached the event viewer, taken about 30-40 minutes after the last freeze I had (the one when it froze after I put my USB stick in). Any help or advice at all would be much appreciated!!

Hi Chipley,

Thank you for the direction, but my problem isn't with BSoD -my computer simply freezes in the middle of whatever it's doing (thus, configuring windows to give a dump file upon BSoD will not be very useful in this case). I'm sorry if this is the wrong place for this issue, but I noticed other people posting about similar issues on this forum so I thought I would give it a try. Please feel free to move this thread if necessary.

Thank you nonetheless,

Tact

In addition work through Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7 starting with establishing a Clean Boot, testing the hardware, reporting back results as you go.

If necessary after all steps and other help is exhausted I'd do the perfect Clean Reinstall provided, but first wipe the HD of all boot code using Diskpart Clean Command, then after install supply only the LAN driver if needed to get online, install all rounds of Important and Optional Windows Updates. Then hold off for awhile before installing programs to see if the problem returns. If not install programs slowly over time to gauge which one is causing the problem. This requires patience but you end up solving the problem AND having an install better than 99% of all others.