A Method To Avoid Forced Restarts?

[seekermeister]

lately, I have had more than my share of instances requiring a forced restart, because of one thing or another locking up the system, so that none of the usual methods of restarting are available. I think that I already know the answer, but nevertheless, I will ask...is there any hardware/software that can perform a NORMAL restart on a frozen system?

 

[FliGi7]

If a system is frozen to the point of not being able to interact with system clicks or commands, then nothing can help you other than your index finger on the power button.

If you are having forced restarts because of things you're testing, have you considered doing so in a VM instead?

Otherwise, it might be time for a clean re-install.

 

[seekermeister]

It may be time for a clean install, but not the time that I'm willing to do it. I'm not positive that the problem is with the OS, because these occurences happen when trying to work with a number of 3rd party programs. VM is not something that I know anything about, and am not really wanting to learn. In the past, I did clean installs only when forced to, but w7 has never gotten to that point yet.

The reason for my question is that there was a time when I could restart the PC, using the remote for my Audigy sound card. But even then it was hit or miss as to whether that would work. Yet, even if it only works part of the time, that seems to mean that it is possible to devise something more reliable.

 

[FliGi7]

Well, if you do decide to check out how to run a VM, it's super easy and you're a perfect candidate for using them by the sounds of your third party software use and the instabilities that sometimes come with them.

I wasn't aware you could do such a restart from a remote, but if it's been possible in the past, perhaps someone else with that experience can chime in and help.

 

[Dwarf]

What 3rd party programs?

 

[seekermeister]

What 3rd party programs?

Kyodai Mahjong, XMedia Converter, Movie Collector, and a bunch of others that I can't remember at the moment. I fixed the problem with Movie Collector, as far as it freezing up things on opening, but it still sometimes freezes itself doing certain functions.

With the exception of Kyodai, I think that the freezes are somewhat typical of a lot of programs, but with the game, it is while initiating DirectX.

In the end, it really doesn't matter which programs or why, I would just like having an alternative to the main restart button, so that I don't feel that I'm risking some kind of corruption to the system.

 

[FliGi7]

Well, you are risking corruption to the system with the constant freezes and forced reboots. Those can easily corrupt an essential Windows file in use at the point of freezing that gets corrupted and forces you to have to reinstall the OS. I would really address that sooner rather than later.

 

[seekermeister]

I agree, except that to describe it as "constant" freezes and reboots isn't quite accurate. I have learned how to avoid these sometimes, but there is always exceptions. I do not believe that any computer is totally immune to the problem, it is a matter of degree, and the urgency of the situation can only be determined by the user. In my case, it is urgent enough to ask questions, but not enough for taking drastic action. I do have my keyboard mapped to both a restart and shutdown shortcuts, but naturally they are useless if the system is not accepting any keyboard input. I'm just hoping that there is a way to access those same shortcuts when the keyboard and mouse are not functioning.

 

[FliGi7]

No computer is totally immune to freezes. However, freezes that are major enough to freeze the whole system rather than just their own process are indicative of more serious problems. Such freezes are never an expected or sustainable action of a healthy operating system. I know you have been conditioned to be used to it, but it's not normal and you really should at least be backing up important data on the system and figured out a possibly safer and better solution to your program installs and testing. Just my opinion, though, as I'd rather help fix this now than a couple months from now when we're trying to figure out how to recover your system from a total failure or you're spending wasted hours or days doing it.

 

[alphanumeric]

One lockup can potentially lead to another. The more lockups you have the better the odds get that you will have yet another one. The other program problems may be the result of the first glitch and not an actual fault with that program. The more you have the more unstable your system will become. At the very least I think I would do a sfc/scannow, if you haven't already.

 

[seekermeister]

No computer is totally immune to freezes. However, freezes that are major enough to freeze the whole system rather than just their own process are indicative of more serious problems. Such freezes are never an expected or sustainable action of a healthy operating system. I know you have been conditioned to be used to it, but it's not normal and you really should at least be backing up important data on the system and figured out a possibly safer and better solution to your program installs and testing. Just my opinion, though, as I'd rather help fix this now than a couple months from now when we're trying to figure out how to recover your system from a total failure or you're spending wasted hours or days doing it.

I do run regular backups, but that doesn't address the question. The problem programs are not necessarily a matter of the method of install, because some have worked without problems for quite some time, before issues appear. In some cases, reinstalling them fixes the problem, but in others not.

 

[seekermeister]

One lockup can potentially lead to another. The more lockups you have the better the odds get that you will have yet another one. The other program problems may be the result of the first glitch and not an actual fault with that program. The more you have the more unstable your system will become. At the very least I think I would do a sfc/scannow, if you haven't already.

I ran that just a couple of days ago, and I fixed the only issue that it pointed out, and it has not improved these other problems.

 

[FliGi7]

No computer is totally immune to freezes. However, freezes that are major enough to freeze the whole system rather than just their own process are indicative of more serious problems. Such freezes are never an expected or sustainable action of a healthy operating system. I know you have been conditioned to be used to it, but it's not normal and you really should at least be backing up important data on the system and figured out a possibly safer and better solution to your program installs and testing. Just my opinion, though, as I'd rather help fix this now than a couple months from now when we're trying to figure out how to recover your system from a total failure or you're spending wasted hours or days doing it.

I do run regular backups, but that doesn't address the question. The problem programs are not necessarily a matter of the method of install, because some have worked without problems for quite some time, before issues appear. In some cases, reinstalling them fixes the problem, but in others not.

I mean this in a very literal and absolutely non-sarcastic way, but so what? The bottom line here is that there is such a history of 3rd party programs freezing your system that you consider it to be normal. I just hope nothing more serious happens. I've suffered due to problems I've postponed or downplayed in the past so I can only hope to steer others away before that happens to them.

 

[seekermeister]

I appreciate your concern, but the gravity of the situation and how to deal with it is something that I must decide for myself. If I err in how I decide, it is I that will have to suffer the consequences. I understand that your comments are intended to be helpful, but they do not address the question that I posted.

 

[Tepid]

Well, you are risking corruption to the system with the constant freezes and forced reboots. Those can easily corrupt an essential Windows file in use at the point of freezing that gets corrupted and forces you to have to reinstall the OS. I would really address that sooner rather than later.

I will second this advice.

No, there is no app that can help you recover the system and do a proper shutdown, once it is locked up and frozen, and you are unable to get to Task Manager by hitting CTRL+ALT+DELETE

If you had an app that remained unaffected working in the background, then that was out of shear luck, which is why it did not work all the time.

If there were such an application that would work to do a proper clean shutdown on full system lockup 100% of the time, then it would be well known, or in Windows itself already.

 

[Layback Bear]

Well said Tepid!! Most of us at one time or another have had this problem. IMHO most of us find what is causing the problem and repair it. To the best of my knowledge there is no magic program or button that can do this on a 100% freeze.