Win7 64-bit Pro. FREQUENTLY freezes and stops responding

Hello everyone! Please let me tell you about the problem I've been having with my new PC.

Most tasks / applications eventually begin to “hang” or not respond. This usually begins happening less than ten minutes after booting. Sometimes, if I wait for awhile, the system will “catch up” when running lite-weight tasks such as Google Chrome, but for a more resource-intensive task such as running a Windows backup session, the task will hang indefinitely. Ctrl + Alt + Delete will usually not bring up the option to enable Task Manager, but if it does, Task Manager will generally not work to end the unstable processes.

It seems like this system is too powerful for these kind of problems, but I don’t know what to do to fix it. This is the first time that I’ve assembled a PC by myself, and I’m a novice at best when it comes to tuning / tweaking a Windows OS, adjusting BIOS settings, and general problem-solving on a powerful PC system. I need detailed help to isolate and diagnose the problem.

System Notes:
OS: Windows 7 Professional 64-bit SP1 OEM
Update status: All updates & patches installed as of 5/26/2013
Windows 7 settings:
-Turned off Hibernation to free up disk space on OS boot disk equal to the size of RAM
-Static pagefile of at least 1 GB, but no more than 16 GB
-I turned off certain Windows Features: (see attached screenshot)
-I turned off certain Windows Services: (see attached screenshot)
Virus protection: Norton Internet Security 2013
Update status: Latest version installed and all virus definitions are up-to-date.
CPU: Intel Core i7-3930K Sandy Bridge-E 3.2GHz
RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws Z Series 64GB 2133 (PC3 17000)
MOBO: ASUS Sabertooth X79 LGA 2011 Intel X79
Graphics card: EVGA GEFORCE GTX 680 (4GB GDDR5 1084MHz)
OS Hard Drive: 120GB SSD Corsair Neutron Series GTX / SATA III

• Drive has had one install of Windows 7 previously. One day it started “hanging” indefinitely at the login screen
• I was not able to recover from the install disc. I used a HD disc docking station and a laptop running Windows XP 32-bit (Professional Ver 5.1 SP3) to run Disk Management to write “all 0s” to the SSD.
• I then re-installed Windows 7 to the SSD, and installed all patches and updates.

I would change your paging to system manage and then try another Virus protection other than Norton.

In addition to Gary's suggestions I'd work through the Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7 to establish a Clean Boot, check the logs to resolve repeat errors, use the System Resources to find clues and solutions, test the hardware. You should have it resolved after working through the list.

Gary- thanks for the advice. I wonder if you are willing to recommend a good but free/inexpensive AntiVirus program.. I already paid for a year's worth of Norton Internet Security, but if I have to ditch it I will- I'd just rather nto shell out too much this time!

Greg- I will begin working through the list you linked to. I changed my Pagefile to "System Manage" but it hasn't yet stopped the freezes. Right now all I can do is boot into Safe Mode w/ networking.

Let us know how the steps go as there may be others based on results.

The AV we recommend is in Step 2.

Troubleshooting Log created 05.30.2013

05.29.2013
-In Safe Mode, changed pagefile management from Custom to System Managed & uninstalled Norton Internet Security, including preferences, installed Malwarebytes
-In Safe Mode With Networking, downloaded Microsoft Security Essentials
-In regular boot, installed and updated Microsoft Security Essentials

05.30.2013
8:37 PM
Attempt first boot of the night- Chose “Safe Mode w/ Networking.”

8:45 PM
Began working through the list of steps here: Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7

-In SFW/N, ran an up-to-date version of Malwarebytes. Performed “Full Scan” on drive “C:/”
-Application froze at the following point:
Objects scanned: 21406
Time elapsed: 7 second(s)
-Mouse cursor is responsive, but clicked buttons do nothing. Start menu does not open. Windows do not minimize.

8:52 PM
Hard reset. Chose “Safe Mode.” Waited for login screen to load, then shut down system from login page. Restarted system. Booted into regular mode. Brought up Start Menu to load Malwarebytes, clicked Malwarebytes, but nothing happened. Start Menu hangs in place for 15 seconds. A Window pops up:

“APC PBE Server”

Failed to start APC PBE Server service. Time out 90 seconds. Service start operation canceled.

I click OK, and the Start Menu drops. I open Start Menu again, click on Malwarebytes, but nothing happens. I click on empty desktop, and Start Menu drops. I click on a random .JPEG file icon on my desktop, and it becomes selected. I click back on the empty desktop, and the cursor becomes a spinning wheel. I click the desktop again, and the entire desktop turns a lighter shade. A Window pops up:

“Microsoft Windows”
This application is not responding. The program may respond again if you wait.

Do you want to end this process?

End Process Cancel

I click on End Process. The button stays depressed, but the window does not disappear.

9:05 PM
Hard reset. Booted into Safe Mode, then got a beverage. Shut down. Restarted

9:10 PM
Booted into regular mode. Waited for APC PBE window to pop up, then click OK. Open Malwarebytes. Begin Full Scan on drive C:/. Application froze at the following point:
Objects scanned: 1253
Time elapsed: 14 second(s)

Mouse cursor is responsive, but clicked buttons do nothing. (Not Responding) appears next to the application title. Ctrl + Alt + Delete does not bring up anything. Start Menu will not come up.
Window pops up:

“Microsoft Windows”
This application is not responding. The program may respond again if you wait.

Do you want to end this process?

End Process Cancel

I click “End Process.” The button stays depressed, but the window does not disappear.

9:20 PM
Hard reset. Chose Safe Mode. Cursor appears, but no login window. Just black screen and cursor. Cursor responds to mouse.

9:23 PM
Hard reset. Chose Safe Mode. Logged in, then shut down. Restarted. Logged into regular mode. System freezes after 2 minute or so.

9:30 PM
Hard reset. Chose SMW/N. Start> Search> ‘msconfig’ >’Run msconfig as Administrator’> Startup> Disable All> Apply> OK. Restarted system.

Booted into regular mode. Waited for APC PBE window. Held ‘Start’ button down + R. Typed in ‘msconfig’, hit Enter. Window disappears. ‘Start’ key> Search> ‘msconfig > ‘Run msconfig’ as Administrator > FREEZES!!
Window pops up:

“Microsoft Windows”
This application is not responding. The program may respond again if you wait.

Do you want to end this process?

End Process Cancel

I click “End Process.” The button stays depressed, but the window does not disappear.

9:45 PM
Hard reset. Chose Safe Mode. Ran msconfig > Services> Hide all Microsoft services >Disable All > Apply > OK > Restart

Booted into regular mode. Got several pop-ups, did not transcribe any of them. No APC PBE message this time. Ran msconfig, checked to see that all non-MS services were still stopped. Restarted system from Start Menu.

Booted into regular mode. Decided to transcribe pop-ups:

“AI Suite II”

AI Suite II has stopped working.

Windows can check online for a solution to the problem.

-->Check online for a solution and close the program
-->Close the program
\/ View Problem details

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: AI Suite II.exe
Application Version: 2.0.0.0
Application Timestamp: 00000000
Fault Module Name: KERNELBASE.dll
Fault Module Version: 6.1.7601.18015
Fault Module Timestamp: 50b83c8a
Exception Code: 0eedfade
Exception Offset: 0000c41f
OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.48
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Information 1: 0a9e
Additional Information 2: 0a9e372d3b4ad19135b953a78882e789
Additional Information 3: 0a9e
Additional Information 4: 0a9e372d3b4ad19135b953a78882e789

“TurboVHelp”

TurboVHelp has stopped working.

Windows can check online for a solution to the problem.

-->Check online for a solution and close the program
-->Close the program
\/ View Problem details

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: TurboVHelp.exe
Application Version: 1.0.1.36
Application Timestamp: 00000000
Fault Module Name: KERNELBASE.dll
Fault Module Version: 6.1.7601.18015
Fault Module Timestamp: 50b83c8a
Exception Code: 0eedfade
Exception Offset: 0000c41f
OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.48
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Information 1: 0a9e
Additional Information 2: 0a9e372d3b4ad19135b953a78882e789
Additional Information 3: 0a9e
Additional Information 4: 0a9e372d3b4ad19135b953a78882e789

“Digi+ Power Control Help”

Digi+ Power Control Help has stopped working.

Windows can check online for a solution to the problem.

-->Check online for a solution and close the program
-->Close the program
\/ View Problem details

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: PowerControlHelp.exe
Application Version: 1.0.0.10
Application Timestamp: 00000000
Fault Module Name: KERNELBASE.dll
Fault Module Version: 6.1.7601.18015
Fault Module Timestamp: 50b83c8a
Exception Code: 0eedfade
Exception Offset: 0000c41f
OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.48
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Information 1: 0a9e
Additional Information 2: 0a9e372d3b4ad19135b953a78882e789
Additional Information 3: 0a9e
Additional Information 4: 0a9e372d3b4ad19135b953a78882e789

During the period of time in which I figured out how to copy/paste the contents of these crash logs, I had to Hard Reset several more times.

System freezes persist in regular boot mode. This was posted from SMW/N.

Thoughts? Ideas?

Unplug all other HD"s and peripherals. If you installed from XP it might be interfering or even hold the boot files so if it won't start after unplugging XP HD plug it back in and post back a screenshot of Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image - Windows 7 Help Forums. If necessary to do this from XP use Screenshot with Paint attached in your reply.

Check for firmware update for SSD, and check the SSD Alignment - Windows 7 Forums

It could be malware which can only be removed using a boot disk scan with Windows Defender or another bootable AV from Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start.

It could also be RAM or HD problems best tested using the steps in the forenote of the above tutorial.

If you can't maintain it stable enough to run the steps I gave you for Troubleshooting within the OS then use the steps done from boot in the above tutorial.

You can get a better idea of whether the problem is hardware related by how it performs from a boot disk where the OS isn't booted. You can even run a Linux Live disk to do ordinary tasks to see if it is stable which would mean it isn't hardware so you can proceed to troubleshoot the OS from boot, or rescue your files to get a perfect baseline Clean Reinstall.

Just wanted to update this thread on my progress. I was having such trouble running my computer in normal boot mode that I decided it was ultimately easier for me just to start from scratch and reinstall Windows according to the process outlined here: How to Clean Reinstall a Factory OEM Windows 7

I ran all the Windows Updates, installed and updated Windows Security Essentials, ran a Malwarebytes full scan on on the boot disk, installed choice essential software, then used CCleaner to clean up the registry and msconfig--> Startup to control the first boot applications. I confirmed the system is stable, then ran a Windows Backup session.

So far, so good. No more freezing, although I am still in the process of double-checking that all devices have current firmware. Thanks for your help and advice. Do you have any recommendations of proactive steps I can take with my new install of Windows to help prevent this sort of situation developing again? Do you have recommendations of ways I can check and verify that my memory, GPU, and other hardware is installed and tuned properly?

If you stick only with the tools and methods in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7
then you'll get and keep a perfect install.

If you have need for them or want to go over your hardware or Win7 here are basic Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7.

Sounds like you did good work. Let us know how it goes.