Computer crashes after a few minutes use. Needs reboot

[KanMan]

Computer crashes. HP Notebook 64 bit Windows 7 Home Premium, while browsing at times but definitely while looking at video clips, after a few minutes crashes, needing a reboot. Skype dies after a minute or so.
I have checked for viruses
Cleaned the disk
Cleaned Registry
Defragmented
Removed Junk
Windows Repair at the start done
I'm sure the problem is simple but I could not solve it. All suggestions are welcome. Thanks

 

[Layback Bear]

Cleaned the disk with what program?
Cleaned the registry with what program?

Your specs show your are using two (2) anti virus programs. Avast and McAfee
That is definitely a NO NO.
I would recommend removing McAfee using their own online removal tool.

Find one that meets your needs.
Their are many sites here is one.

McAfee Removal Tool - McAfee Uninstaller

 

[KanMan]

Layback Bear Cleaned the disk with what program?
Cleaned the registry with what program?

Your specs show your are using two (2) anti virus programs. Avast and McAfee
That is definitely a NO NO.
I would recommend removing McAfee using their own online removal tool.

Find one that meets your needs.
Their are many sites here is one.

Thanks for the quick response.
Earlier I have had two anti virus programs without them causing any conflict thus concluded that that can't be the reason for it.
I surely would try to remove McAfee as you suggested expecting the right result. Shall return.

 

[Layback Bear]

Keep this in mind also. McAfee might of damaged Avast. After removing McAfee I would remove Avast and then install Avast again with a fresh copy and update it.
This might not fix all your problems but is the first step.

Could you answer my first two questions in post #2?

 

[KanMan]

Keep this in mind also. McAfee might of damaged Avast. After removing McAfee I would remove Avast and then install Avast again with a fresh copy and update it.
This might not fix all your problems but is the first step.

Could you answer my first two questions in post #2?

McAfee removed as you said.
Avast reinstalled.

Answers to previously unanswered questions, post #2:
Wise Disk Cleaner
Wise Registry Cleaner
Sorry for having overlooked.

So the first step is taken, now I have to keep my fingers crossed till it crashes or never does. Is there any
improvement that can be done now.

 

[indianacarnie]

First, get rid of the Wise registry cleaner! No telling what havoc its caused your system. If you absolutely feel that you MUST use a "registry cleaner", and they are all snake oil imho, use Ccleaners and LOOK at what you're "cleaning"/deleteing. We see more problems related to this...... practice...... than I care to even think about. AFTER you've done that try running a sfc/scannow to see if you can repair the damage done to your system. Heres a tutorial on how to do that, just click on the blue link : http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html

Actually, I'd get rid of the Disk cleaner too. Anything it does , you can do with a couple of mouse clicks, but thats me. Its imperative you get rid of the registry "cleaner" though.

 

[Layback Bear]

That is exactly why I asked the questions.

As indianacarnie has suggested I recommend getting rid of both programs.

These work well and are built into Windows 7.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/818-disk-cleanup-open-use.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/76383-disk-cleanup-extended.html

Ccleaner is a great program but like any thing that fools with the registry you must be careful and know what you are allowing to be changed. It also does a great job cleaning up things.

CCleaner - Download

I would suggest never think that just one problem exist. There can be a combination of things causing several problems.

sfc /scannow is a great little tool built into Windows 7. I use it once a week or so even if I don't have problems. I have never known it to hurt anything.
Windows 7 doesn't like to hurt Windows 7.

As you can see their many tools built into Windows 7. Windows 7 doesn't need all those 3rd party programs like the older operating system did.

 

[gregrocker]

If all of the steps suggested as well as these other Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7
dont help then I would strongly consider doing a Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7
to get rid of the HP bloatware which corrupts and throttle's Win7's native performance. We can help you get a perfect install.

 

[KanMan]

If all of the steps suggested as well as these other Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7
dont help then I would strongly consider doing a Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7
to get rid of the HP bloatware which corrupts and throttle's Win7's native performance. We can help you get a perfect install.

I followed your recommendations and ended up with a doing a Clean Reinstall. Everything
was fine and dandy till now, when calamity struck again, even before I could thank you all.

Regarding HP's bloatware, I have no serious grip on that. What are they? Which of these
can be safely deleted?

 

[gregrocker]

If you did a Clean Reinstall and followed the steps carefully then you should not have any HP bloatware, just the Win7 OS and whatever programs you reinstall.

What calamity are you referring to?

Did you follow the steps exactly to do the reinstall?

If so then your problem may be hardware-related, so test your hardware from Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7.

If your PC is still crashing then post up the crash info in our Crashes forum: Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Posting Instructions - Windows 7 Forums

 

[KanMan]

If you did a Clean Reinstall and followed the steps carefully then you should not have any HP bloatware, just the Win7 OS and whatever programs you reinstall.

What calamity are you referring to?

Did you follow the steps exactly to do the reinstall?

If so then your problem may be hardware-related, so test your hardware from Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7.

If your PC is still crashing then post up the crash info in our Crashes forum: Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Posting Instructions - Windows 7 Forums

By calamity I meant the usual crash. So after a Clean Reinstall of Windows 7,
an hour back, I have reverted to the so-called factory condition.
Hopefully this spring cleaning was what was needed. Once again I am keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[Arc]

How far you went with the clean reinstall before it crashed? Was it a vanilla install just, or you installed some drivers and programs?

Better you follow what Greg suggested you :ar: Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Posting Instructions.

 

[KanMan]

How far you went with the clean reinstall before it crashed? Was it a vanilla install just, or you installed some drivers and programs?

Better you follow what Greg suggested you :ar: Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Posting Instructions.

Well, I went all the way, a complete installation. Some time after the log in, while using Windows
right at the start, it collapsed. I made several attempts but had to reboot again and again,
as it kept on failing that is when I decided to wipe off the whole HD and reinstall as Factory Condition.
Never got any BSOD.

 

[gregrocker]

By calamity I meant the usual crash. So after a Clean Reinstall of Windows 7,
an hour back, I have reverted to the so-called factory condition.
Hopefully this spring cleaning was what was needed. Once again I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Hello? You had a superior Clean Reinstall and you replaced it with Factory Recovery which is the worst possible install of Win7 one can have? And you call this "spring cleaning?"

If you have crashes you only needed to submit the crash dump for expert analysis. But to replace a Clean Reinstall with Factory Recovery is like replacing a Kentucky Derby thoroughbred with a broken-down mule with 500 pounds strapped to its back! :shock:

How did you handle drivers in the Clean Reinstall?

 

[Layback Bear]

The only thing at this time I can think of is after doing a clean install following this Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7
and you had a problem (BSOD) probably the wrong drivers were installed. Possibly a hardware problem. If we could of got one of these at that time it sure would of gave some direction to the problem.
Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Posting Instructions.

KanMan I would suggest never assume their is just one problem causing a BSOD.
If you ever get another BSOD you must post BSOD as instructed or our experts here will once again be working in the blind.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html#post1839164

 

[KanMan]

The only thing at this time I can think of is after doing a clean install following this Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7
and you had a problem (BSOD) probably the wrong drivers were installed. Possibly a hardware problem. If we could of got one of these at that time it sure would of gave some direction to the problem.
Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Posting Instructions.

KanMan I would suggest never assume their is just one problem causing a BSOD.
If you ever get another BSOD you must post BSOD as instructed or our experts here will once again be working in the blind.

Clarification:

I have not been getting any BSOD. Sorry for the confusion.

Whenever using Skype or even looking at embeded video snippets that are part of the news,
windows gets turned off. A cold start/reboot is required for Windows to awaken.
My recent Clean Reinstall helped to a degree but once again was hit by the same problem.
To get rid of the garbage I resorted to Factory Installation mode, worked fine for several hours,
but when using Skype I clicked the Full Screen button Windows died. I have a hunch whenever
the need for graphical usage is heavy, Windows gives up.

For a couple of weeks back I could see a full length (High Resolution) movie without any
hindrance but now after a minute or two, it turns of the computer.

I will gladly take up Greg's offer of a Clean Install.

 

[gregrocker]

Test your hard drive and RAM from the Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7 . Test your CPU temps during video streaming using Speedfan - this would be a main suspect for PC shutting down.

Back up your files, unplug all other HD's and peripherals,

Boot into BIOS setup, reset to defaults, save changes. If an EFI BIOS, enable Legacy BIOS or Compatibility Support Module, set DVD drive first to boot, HD second. Then set SATA controller to AHCI. Save changes and Exit.

Then boot into installer DVD or flash stick burned or written using tool and latest ISO for your licensed OS version here.

At first installer screen Press Shift + F10 to open a Command Box, type:

DISKPART
LIST DISK
SELECT DISK 0 (after confirming Windows 7 target HD #)
CLEAN
CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY SIZE=102400 (for 100gb partition, adjust as desired)
FORMAT FS=NTFS LABEL="WINDOWS 7"
ACTIVE
EXIT
EXIT

Next click Install Now, then Custom install to Clean Install Windows 7 to the partition you created. If it fails then report back at which step and the verbatim error message.

In addition read over these steps to understand the tools and methods which work best to get and maintain a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7. The steps are the same for retail.

After install you can adjust partition size or Create new partitions for data, etc. in Disk Mgmt.You are creating the partition here for the purpose of marking it Active which overcomes certain install failures.

 

[Arc]

You may not get any bsod. But the bsod posting instructions will dig up some other information than the crash dumps which might be helpful there.

At least it will help us to have a closer look to your system.

So, if you follow it, nothing will break but something may come out.

Do it; at least as a test.

 

[nilank]

Graphical load crashes your system, isn't?

Well, update your graphics card drivers BUT remember, updating these graphics drivers can sometimes create serious problems. For example, after I downloaded and installed the latest drivers for my Ati card, I started seeing graphical corruption everywhere. Graphics in games appeared corrupted beyond imagination. Also, new drivers took away my ability to overclock. So I reverted back to an older driver.

So in short, if you recently updated any such driver, you might try reverting back to older drivers as well.

Also monitor your gpu temps and make sure proper cooling is done.

There are 2 possibilities to happen when gpu overheats:

1. Automatic system crash to protect the hardware (as it happens with many older ati cards)
2. Automatic reduction of gpu clock to cool it down.

Clean out the cooling vents and make sure fans are running at optimal rpm.

Hope that helps.
Thanks.

 

[GeneralEclectic]

Notebooks can be pretty fussy about drivers. If I were having this problem, I'd reinstall all drivers from HP's support site and DO NOT LET WINDOWS UPDATE CHANGE THEM. Also you might want to verify that you have the latest BIOS.