Comp started freezing, but not crashing. No error message.

[gregrocker]

You referred to BSO* crashes in earlier post but that may have been anticipating Verifier.

How about freezes?

Turn off Driver Verifier. Then determine if performance has changed.

 

[Vort]

I turned it off prior to my previous post. Performance hasn't returned.

 

[Vort]

Performance still hasn't returned. Any recommendations for next step? I've rerun most of the system scans like SFC /SCANNOW, SUPERAntiSpyWare, MalwareBytes, and MSE, but they haven't come up with anything. I periodically recheck the MSConfig but nothing new is writing to startup. There are still a few processes in startup that appear to be AVG related even after using the tool, but they aren't active.

 

[gregrocker]

Did you try another AV temporarily using the AVG removal tool, as well as all other http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/220165-troubleshooting-steps-windows-7-a.html

 

[Vort]

Ugh... I just spent like a half hour writing a post and when I tried to submit it, it evaporated into the aether. This one probably won't be as thorough. I didn't use any other AVs, only AVG and MSE. I have been through all of the Troubleshooting steps except for recoveries/repairs/reinstalls.

I used ProcMon but don't really know what I'm looking for. Some things that may or may not be useful... there's a lot of activity from wmiprvse.exe (which I assume is normal?) most of which is Success, but a few read File Locked With Only Readers or Buffer Too Small. Also Taskhost.exe has a lot of activity, again mostly Success but some Name Not Found as well. I'm just too inexperienced with the tool to really know what normal is so I don't know when I'm seeing aberrations.

Same with Event Viewer. There are some errors, but I've looked them up and Google says they aren't anything special.

I'm stymied.

 

[Layback Bear]

I found this. Please read.

What is WmiPrvSE.exe and why is it causing high CPU usage?

 

[Vort]

I used the Restart Windows Management Instrumentation tip that they had on there and it seems to help temporarily, but the problem returns, which has been it's nature all along. Comp will work and then slow down to nearly frozen. I think it's gotten better since the onset, but it's hard to say for sure due to it's intermittent nature. Also, even though that fix may be helping, since it's temporary, it doesn't seem to get at the root of the problem.

 

[Vort]

Computer is still not working properly... About to resort to getting out the Reinstallation DVD. Just wanted to get guidance from you guys if you think it's time for that and what degree I should go for, be it a Repair Install, a Reinstallation, or Formatting and Reinstall.

 

[gregrocker]

You can try a http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html?ltr=R if you think that might help and have confidence the install you have is the best possible.

These same steps for ahttp://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html#post1839164 compile everything that works best in tens of thousands of installs we've directly helped with here since beta.

To get it cleanest I'd wipe the hard drive first from the disk's http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/668-system-recovery-options.html Command Line with Diskpart Clean Command so nothing can interfere. Unplug all other drives first.

I'd test performance after each phase: Immediately after install, then after installing each round of Important and Optional Updates except Bing, then after importing any drivers still missing in Device Manager that Win7 didn't provide, then after installing each program, after making any settings changes. This can help pinpoint what's causing the problem. If it shows up right after install and doesn't correct itself after all steps are done, then it's likely hardware.

 

[Vort]

After reading the repair install page and looking at what disks I have from the factory, mine was a reinstall disk. I ended up just backing up files to my 2nd HDD and doing a reinstall thinking it was an OEM disk that'd take it back to factory settings. Instead it took it to windows fresh install, but none of the extras from the manufacturer, which may be good, but it's also missing drivers now. I don't even have a network adapter driver to go online to check for other missing drivers. I thought I'd get a nice clean slate, but I'm just stuck in a different hole.

 

[Vort]

Muddled through getting a Network Driver off a friends computer, reinstalled Video Driver and may have found the offending Driver. When I reinstalled Intel HD Graphics 4000 the computer bogged right down. I uninstalled the driver and have a generic VGA driver in there and they are gone. This gives a few possibilities that I'll bounce off you guys.
1. The driver is at fault, the card works fine, nothing else... Seems too good to be true.
2. There is something wrong with the card, and the Intel driver doesn't fully function because of it, but the generic VGA driver doesn't use that function so it doesn't get the error... Seems a bit convoluted but, possible?
3. Just a coincidence, something else is the real cause.
4. ????
Honestly I am again stumped. Gonna continue reinstalling drivers and see if anything else goes wrong with the generic VGA in place. What do you guys think?

 

[gregrocker]

This is all dealt with in the tutorial I referred you to days ago which has helped a million consumers get a perfect intall. Pay close attention to the parts in red which deal with how drivers are handled best in the first driver-complete OS which delivers most all drivers via Windows Update.

The absolute best way to approach this is to use it as the opportunity to do the one great http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html#post1839164 (same for retail) following the steps which compile everything that works best in tens of thousands of installs we've helped with here, then capture a backup image so you never have to do it again.

 

[Vort]

What would you say regarding the Intel HD Graphics 4000? It seems likely that is the culprit, I just don't know how to test to see if the card is faulty. A few points/questions of note: it hasn't BSoDd, installing drivers for it instantly causes lag, uninstalling driver removes lag, I have an NVIDIA graphics card in the laptop as well so is there any way to take the Intel completely out of the equation if it is faulty and causing the problems, is there any test to actually determine if the Intel can be saved, if it can't will I need to replace the processor? I'll do the clean reinstall that you recommend, but what are your thoughts on these?

 

[gregrocker]

I see it all the time getting a driver from Windows Update. So the problem could be you didn't get those drivers first, or forced drivers that Win7 doesn't want like it's XP.

Try enabling Automatically deliver drivers via Windows Update (Step 3),
then uninstall the driver in Control Panel>Programs and Device Manager>Display including software.

Now Check for Updates and install all important and Optional Updates. There may be a patch for that GPU too.

 

[Vort]

Just an update (some is recap). Reinstalled Windows. Reinstalled some drivers from Computer Manufacturer. Allowed Windows to go through updates. Reinstalled Intel HD driver and problem recurred. Tried different versions of it and still had the problem. Did something, not exactly sure what, and computer was working fine for several days. Was afraid to even restart it. Shut it down last night, and this morning on startup problem is back. Gonna try the Clean Install since I did most of the steps but I didn't follow it perfectly.

 

[gregrocker]

Over a million happy users have followed http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html#post1839164 without a single complaint. I'm still waiting for someone to get a bad driver. There should be at least one by now?

 

[Vort]

Strictly followed the clean reinstall you recommended. After doing so yesterday, computer was again working well. Today it is back to barely working.

 

[gregrocker]

Can you pinpoint when this occurred exactly? Then System REstore backwards until you get before it. Anything missing should be installed in slow motion with plenty of time to see if it is the culprit causing the problem.

 

[Vort]

After doing my reinstall the problem didn't immediately manifest. It wasn't until the following day. The only thing I did was install all drivers (windows update and computer website for those that WU didn't privide), install Malwarebytes, MSE, CCleaner, OpenOffice, Guild Wars 2, and League of Legends. This setup lasted around a full day, then the problems returned after a Windows Update that wasn't available the first day and a restart. On rolling back to before those the problem stayed, and on loading my clean reinstall image the problem stayed. I still don't know if it's driver or hardware and I don't know what diagnostic tests would show. There still hasn't been any BSoD.

 

[gregrocker]

Try installing Driver View by Irfan, on View tab Hide all MS Drivers, then work your way through the list ignoring those preceded by dump. to check each one's Support Downloads webpage for a newer driver.