Solved Laptop completely freezes, no error message, no BSoD

[torninja]

I have a laptop that worked fine for years, then it started freezing randomly. The computer completely locks up. The screen freezes, the mouse doesn't move, and the keyboard does nothing. No BSoD, no error message. I am forced to reboot using the power button.

The time it takes from booting to freeze is quite random, sometimes after a minute, sometimes after over an hour. The laptop is an Acer Aspire 5551G.

Important clues:

• Full-screen operations are much more likely to cause a freeze (Youtube, Media Player Classic, Games etc.)
• Removing the battery substantially increases the time it takes before it freezes (from 1-10 minutes to 10-90 minutes)
• It will eventually freeze even if the computer is completely idle
• No changes in hardware or software was done before the first freeze (to my knowledge)
• The event log does not have any records indicating an error or failure.

Things I have tried:

• Formatting HDD and reinstalling Windows
• Updating all possible drives
• Trying older drives for the GPU
• Running virus programs (malwarebytes and ad-aware)
• Running memtest86 (no errors)
• Running furmark (over an hour windowed, one minute full-screen)

Additional information:

• There is virtually no dust in the computer
• HWMonitor and furmark shows normal temperatures, idle and load

 

[matts6887]

from my knowledge; it sounds to me either its a hardware issue with your system board possibly; or possibly a issue with something such as RAM. If you can get access to windows; i would download; install to a usb flash drive or other external drive a program called memtest86+; and run it from where you downloaded it to and run several passes with it to test your ram for possible bad ram because while your ram may be good for awhile; it is possible for ram to go bad after awhile. Here is the link to the memtest program:

Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool

however; if you cant access windows at all or even get it to start to load windows; I would take all your sticks of ram out; then one at a time test your system by putting each stick back in one at a time and see if you can get it to reproduce the freezing, etc. try this out and see what happens. post back if issues are still present.

 

[cluberti]

If you have a keyboard with a CTRL key on the right-hand side, can you cause it to crash manually?

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/ff545499(v=vs.85).aspx

(note in the article that the key combinations can be modified somewhat if you don't have a right-hand CTRL key)

 

[gregrocker]

In addition check for malware, run System File Checker, establish a Clean Boot, change out your AV for one of the recommended lightweight ones, test HD and the other Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7

 

[torninja]

@mattsI have had no luck thus far, memtest shows no errors in ram. The freezes occur with either one of the memory sticks running individually.

Weirdly, I discovered that windows safe mode futher extended the time from boot to freeze by a couple of hours.

I'm going to take it back to the store, because my warranty hasn't expired yet.

 

[torninja]

The shop changed its motherboard, which solved the problem. Thank you guys for your input and help!