PC freezing up intermittently

[martinlest]

Hi,

I have been having problems with my Win7 x64 PC freezing up and would appreciate some input...

The problem is that every so often (not at all consistent - sometimes twice a day, sometimes all is OK for a day or so), all the open applications start to freeze up, until pretty soon I can't even open Task manager with Ctrl+Alt+Delete (or it takes several minutes to appear). I can move the mouse cursor on the screen as normal - it doesn't 'stick' as with an Explorer crash, but that's it - apart from the little blue 'circle' rotating. None of the desktop icons react when I hover the mouse over them and eventually the Intel CPU Usage app on the desktop stops responding too. (Before it does, it shows CPU usage - an i7-4790 @ 4GHz (not overclocked) - has dropped to 0% on all cores). If I manage to get to Ctrl+Alt+Del quickly enough and get the red icon to close down the PC, that works, but it is up to 10 minutes before the PC does shut down.

Nothing at all shows in Event Viewer that I can see, only references to the forced shutdown I made.

I thought initially that it was something to do with MS Flight Simulator, (the PC is used almost exclusively for that and has little software that is not connected with that programme installed on it), but yesterday the PC froze as I booted - just as the desktop was loading: the icons all remained white and I eventually had to push and hold the restart button.

The thing is, this is very intermittent. It's been happening for some weeks though, so I can't link it now to anything I may have done to cause the problem. System Restore points that pre-date the issue are long gone. I do have a C drive image made a month or so ago, but that's a last resort. The problem may not be software-related anyway.

So far I have:

1. Run SFC - no issues reported.
2. Checked core temps - all pretty low (about 30 degs at idle, 65 degs under CPU testing, all cores running at 100% for several minutes)
2. Run IntelProcessor Diagnostic Tool - all tests passed, max temp was 25 degs below max
3. RunMemTest86 - three cycles. All pass, no issues reported. (16GBs of RAM installed).
4. Benchmarked the GPU - GeForce GTX970. Score = 69 / 2875. (Min fps = 33, max = 153). Not sure if that proves much though?
5. Run Samsung Magician - the PC has 2 x Samsung Evo SSDs, 500GBs each. No HDDs. But am not sure how this gives a 'health check'. The results don't seem to be anywhere near those I find when Googling - they are up to 10 x higher! I guess I am misreading them?
Disc 1 Seq. Read = 5,241 MB/s, Seq Write = 616 MB/s, Random Read (IOPS) = 278,118, Random Write = 10,032
Disc 2 Seq. Read = 5,397 MB/s, Seq Write = 427 MB/s, Random Read (IOPS) = 279,377, Random Write = 10,021
What do those figures mean?

Still to do:

Check for latest Windows Updates

Run Checkdisk
Delete and recreate the Page File (relevant here??)
Try different graphics drivers (?)

.. do those last three seem reasonable in the circumstances (could they possibly be linked to this specific issue?)

In the meantime, if there are any suggestions, thanks!

Martin

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Ok Martin mate for starters you did not run the memtest for enough passes it has to be run for at least 8 passes anything less and you may as well not bother and use this as I do not know what memtest you actually used it could be the same as in the tutorial if so still run it for that number of passes please.

We can then go from there RAM - Test with Memtest86+

Oh and just as an after thought uninstall the Samsung Magician software fro the time being it can be a source of problems.

 

[martinlest]

I'll run MemTest86 overnight then.. it took about 3 hours last time.

I only installed the Samsung Magician yesterday to test the drives. I'll probably uninstall it now anyway.

Also ran Windows Update - it hung for 3 hours, looking for updates, but managed to fix that problem after much Googling, so I now have all the latest installed (it had last been done back in July, it seems).

I'll do these too..

Run Checkdisk
Delete and recreate the Page File
Try different graphics drivers

Thanks.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Ok mate that sounds like a go mind you it may show errors before 8 passes then you can stop it and start checking the sticks individually keeping in mind that it could also possibly be a slot that is at fault but unlikely.

The chkdsk I would run with the /f and /r switches too.

The Magician I only mentioned because it caused my main desktop to lose the USB ports some time back and another member saw my posts and had come across that before so uninstalling it cured the problem

 

[martinlest]

Did Samsung Magician not install other stuff in order to run, C++ 2013/2015?. I can't recall now, but I think so. Maybe I just uninstall the programme (I wouldn't use it except for troubleshooting) and leave everything else alone, whatever?

I think, having done the Windows updates (which included GPU drivers), I should just use the PC a while now and see if I still get the same intermittent lock ups, before I go ahead with more troubleshooting?

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Well Martin that is what I would do - uninstall because I found it to be of very limited use to me and the other Samsung stuff I don't know much about that at all so cannot comment apart from something to do with it creating more problems than it was worth - I could be thinking of some Sony stuff on reflection.

Using it for a while is probably what I would do also if the issues reappear then it will be heads down tails up again eh?

 

[martinlest]

Yes! I'll post back at some stage soon.. Thanks

 

[martinlest]

No problems since I did the updates... hope I am not jinxing things by saying so!

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Ok mate but keep in mind the Magician software if anything does go south again it is too easy to uninstall and reinstall in any case

 

[martinlest]

I did uninstall it - though as I say, it can't be the cause of the problems I was having.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

No I meant that to keep it in mind more than say yes definitely uninstall it - it might well not be the cause but I am thinking down the track if you come across an issue that is difficult to solve.

 

[martinlest]

it might well not be the cause

... we're at crossed purposes. Definitely not the cause, as I didn't install it until the other day, simply as a tool to troubleshoot the freezing PC problem. Well, whatever...

 

[ICIT2LOL]

No worries mate I do get a tad muddled at times

 

[martinlest]

hehe..

Will post back here if the problem resurfaces - but so far, so good! Happy Christmas to you in the meanwhile..

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Yep to you and yours from me and mine