Windows 7 Freeze

I have reinstalled windows 7 for probably 5 times in the last few months and every time it is because windows 7 freezes at start up or randomly and I can't do anything except turn off the laptop and do a fresh re-install.


I thought it was firefox or comodo firewall but I am not sure. It could be some display driver glitch or incompatibility but every time I download and install the latest video drivers from dell's website.


I have this dell laptop since 2014 but it is in good condition. But is it too old or something because I haven't had this problem but since the firefox quantum started and I am suspecting comodo firewall too but not sure. This is a super annoying problem and does anyone know how to know for sure what causes it?


Btw every time I go to safe mood with networking or without to save some files and then sometimes even safe mood the windows freezes. An annoying problem. So does anyone know how to know for sure what causes it if it happens again since I just reinstalled windows 7 a couple days ago.

Sounds like there is a problem with your hard disk. Perhaps you can replace the HDD or run CHKDSK c: /f to see if windows can detect any faults. However clean install to a new HDD is a good idea.

Paul Black said:

Hi dfs4,



Some questions!

[1] What media did you use to install Win 7 [DVD, USB or Recovery Partition - Reset to Factory]?
[2] This may sound like a silly question, but does the clock and date show the correct time and date?
[3] Have you checked if it is something getting loaded at startup [msconfig => Startup tab] that is causing the problem?
[4] Have you tried running Startup Repair from the media used in [1].
[5] Have you tried running chkdsk - Check Disk?
[6] Have you tried running SFC - System File Checker?
[7] Are there any yellow triangles in Device Manager [Start => Control Panel => Device Manager => Expand ALL nodes]?



See number [7] above!



Was the OS running OK before you installed them though?



See number [4] above!

I hope this helps!

1 - I used DVD drive to install.


2 - Yes the clock shows the correct date and time.


3 - I went to safe mode the last time and disabled everything in msconfig and start up. Didn't fix the problem.


4 - I tried startup repair from the windows dvd not last time, the time before that and I don't think it solved anything.


5 - I haven't done chkdsk and I am gonna try it just now even though I just reinstalled and there has been no freeze ups but I am gonna try it to see it if finds anything.


6 - I tried SFC I think and it didn't help anything.


7 -




Also everything was running smooth but firefox quantum came and then these freeze ups started happening. I am not totally sure if it is firefox. Could be comodo firewall too. And I haven't installed comodo this time. But I like comodo firewall cuz I like its security and instead I am stuck with windows firewall now.

It's very important that you do a check disk
Open a CMD window as admin and type chkdsk c: /f
It will say that the disk is in use and if you want to schedule to next boot = Yes

Another thing is the missing drivers. You must find and install all those with a yellow mark, specially:
- PCI simple communications controller.
- SM bus controller.

Paul Black said:

Hi dfs4,



So are you saying that your computer is running smoothly now without Comodo installed?

Not really. I installed comodo every time I reinstalled windows 7 except this time and it would run smoothly for a month or so and then start freezing up. So only a few days running smoothly without comodo is not telling much but I am gonna run the chkdsk and see, other than that not sure.

Oh one thing more. When I would start into safe mode and disable everything from msconfig the comodo firewall still would start up and show in tray. So that was weird. But even in safe mode it would freeze up or I would uninstall comodo in safe mode but it would start up again in normal mode. There was some messed up weird stuff going on. But not sure cuz I can't remember 100% correctly. All I did was save the files to another partition and then do a reinstall from dvd.