Solved Partial PC Hang - Programs won't Load

[BES76]

I have 2 PCs exhibiting the same problem, W7 Home (XPS 8700) and W7 Prof (Inspiron 580). After 24-48 hrs, any/all programs fail to load. They show up in Task Manager 'Processes' but fail to load. A program already running continues to run (e.g. IE or Chrome), but nothing new. The 'Services' window in Task Manager is kibosh'd ... the window is blank. The system will not shutdown properly (hangs on 'Logging Off') and I have to hard boot both. They both use Norton NIS, and that is my suspicion. Below is a partial list from the Events log, but I'm not sure that's it. Anybody seen this, and point me where to go ... I can't find anything specific on the web.

PS - how does MS Essentials compare to NIS for W7. Thanks.

Warning 10/8/2014 6:07:14 PM acvpnagent 2 Engineering Debug Details
Error 10/8/2014 6:07:14 PM acvpnagent 2 Engineering Debug Details
Error 10/8/2014 6:07:14 PM acvpnagent 2 Engineering Debug Details
Error 10/8/2014 6:07:00 PM WMI 10 None
Error 10/8/2014 6:06:36 PM acvpnagent 2 Engineering Debug Details
Error 10/8/2014 6:06:36 PM acvpnagent 2 Engineering Debug Details
Warning 10/8/2014 6:06:36 PM acvpnagent 2 Engineering Debug Details
Error 10/8/2014 6:06:36 PM acvpnagent 2 Engineering Debug Details
Error 10/8/2014 6:06:36 PM acvpnagent 2 Engineering Debug Details
Error 10/8/2014 6:06:08 PM acvpnagent 2 Engineering Debug Details
Error 10/8/2014 6:06:08 PM acvpnagent 2 Engineering Debug Details
Error 10/8/2014 6:06:08 PM acvpnagent 2 Engineering Debug Details
Warning 10/8/2014 6:06:08 PM acvpnagent 2 Engineering Debug Details
Error 10/8/2014 6:06:08 PM acvpnagent 2 Engineering Debug Details
Error 10/8/2014 6:06:08 PM acvpnagent 2 Engineering Debug Details
Error 10/8/2014 6:05:56 PM acvpnui 1 Engineering Debug Details
Warning 10/8/2014 6:05:55 PM acvpnui 1 Engineering Debug Details
Error 10/8/2014 6:05:51 PM acvpnui 2 Engineering Debug Details
Warning 10/8/2014 6:05:51 PM acvpnui 2 Engineering Debug Details

 

[gregrocker]

Good hunch. We've seen enough problems with Norton here over the years that are solved by uninstalling it that I would do that using the Norton Removal Tool, then replace it with MSE to test the difference: https://www-secure.symantec.com/nor...34EN&lg=en&product=home&pvid=f-home&version=1
http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/

Then continue working through the other http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/220165-troubleshooting-steps-windows-7-a.html

 

[BES76]

Thanks. Both PC started exhibiting this behavior in the last month, and I suspected NIS updates. I uninstalled/re-installed NIS, no effect, still hung up after time. I'm now trying MSE. Will post in a day or two whether it worked (I have been dismayed how minor little bugs NIS has had in the last few years).

 

[BES76]

First PC has not locked up since changing to MSE, second PC has locked up twice. Won't be waiting for NIS updates this time.