Solved Windows 7 randomly freezes, sometimes starts up without Desktop

[gregrocker]

So how is performance?

Keep an eye on the logs, Clean Boot and system resources in Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7.

 

[NatX]

Well the system just blacked out while running the internet explorer and checking what the wmi error is in the event logs.

I will later tonight unplug the graphic card and use the onboard chip to see if it's maybe just that. Other than that the system seems okay. some updates didn't install. Like the explorer compatibility check, but as it already updated to ie9 i'm not concerned.

Will also run a sfc to see if something went funky. then check with cccleaner and malware, although I haven't installed any external software yet

 

[NatX]

Hello,
I think I have something working now... I unplugged my graphiccard and use the onBoard graphic Chip. So far I didn't end up with a black screen. (maybe it was really just my graphiccard... my poor Quadro )My event viewer is clear except this one message that I get everytime:

"The server {E10F6C3A-F1AE-4ADC-AA9D-2FE65525666E} did not register with DCOM within the required timeout."

All updates have been installed and windows doesn't offer me any others. I think I need to install a driver for my USB3 device as windows couldn't find an appropriate driver, but I wait a bit, as this is not urgent.

Are there any tests you have, that I should run my system through before continuing and plugging everything back together and or installing software.

The next bit should be antivirus, malwarebytes and cccleaner. Correct?

I attached the resource and Performance Report...

 

[gregrocker]

If you're run all rounds of Important and Optional Updates after enabling Automatically deliver drivers via Windows Update (Step 3) then the drivers still missing in Device manager should have been imported by now as explained in the tutorial. You have a missing USB controller driver which may be in the chipset.

Install Microsoft Security Essentials and run a full scan.

Try uninstalling the Video card, clean the contact and reinstall. Check the cables and contacts condition.

 

[NatX]

If you're run all rounds of Important and Optional Updates after enabling Automatically deliver drivers via Windows Update (Step 3) then the drivers still missing in Device manager should have been imported by now as explained in the tutorial. You have a missing USB controller driver which may be in the chipset.

That's exactly what I have it set to and it coudn't find a driver. Even now opening the device manager and searching for a driver. Windows says it's unable to find a driver. The nVidia drivers, for example, came through the Windows update and "let windows find what's best"

Well minor problem. USB chipset driver is with my motherboard CD and I could try that.
Will continue..

 

[gregrocker]

Better to import the mobo chipset latest version on Support Downloads webpage for your mobo model.

It's normal there are a few drivers that don't come in on Updates.

 

[NatX]

So far so good.
the driver is in. And the Microsoft Security Esentials ran a full scan without any issues.
I'm now debugging my event viewer for that one error.

The server {E10F6C3A-F1AE-4ADC-AA9D-2FE65525666E} did not register with DCOM within the required timeout.

I found a few hints, but not the right one yet on the net.
Once that's done I plan on slowly installing back some of the software that I always use.

Email, FTP, Photoshop and Lightroom

When all is fine after that the more System intensive tools.
When everything is fine I will try the graphic card again.

What do you say.

Thanks for all your help.
Really appreciated.

.. continued...

Just noticed this warning after a longer system run:

WHEA-Logger - Event ID: 21
A corrected hardware error has occurred.
Component: AMD Northbridge
Error Source: Corrected Machine Check
Error Type: 28
Processor ID: 0
The details view of this entry contains further information.

This sounds more serious. What I found so far by internet search was, that it might be related to a defect in the CPU. Hope that's not the case. Didn't find a clear answer yet.

 

[gregrocker]

Watch performance as much as the logs. But you're on the right track.

Read through Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 one more time now as there's a lot to remember and it will refresh your memory about anything you've missed.

 

[NatX]

Hey Greg, just want to follow up.
Things look very good so far. A few error messages here and there, but nothing of concern. Mostly DNS, when a webpage isn't found and stuff like that, but no System errors.

Thanks a lot. I will keep monitoring till everything is installed again.

 

[gregrocker]

Once everything is running as you like you can mark the thread Solved at top.

 

[NatX]

Today I plugged in my external Sata RAID Box, where all my Data is saved. On startup Windows took really long and now in the event viewer I get a bunch of

A timeout (30000 milliseconds) was reached while waiting for a transaction response from the <service> service.

3 times for the ShellHWDetection service and the one time the LanmanServer service.

I checked the forums and some suggest to simply change the timeout period in the registry, I don't think that solves the problem though. I'm running a Malware and Microsoft Security Scan on that drive and so far nothing shows any problems. Do you have other ideas?

 

[gregrocker]

It's good to run a Malwarebytes full scan on the drives. I'd also run Partition Wizard Partition surface test on each and Partition Wizard Check File System to check the condition of the HD's and the file system.

Why is your external HD arrayed in a RAID? I would unRAID them, wipe the Diskpart Clean Command
to clear the boot sector of any code that might be interfering, and copy back on the data to a Logical unRAIDed partition. This often works when an added HD slows down boot or interferes with performance.

 

[NatX]

This is where all my important Data is stored. I use a Startech SAT3540U2E with 4 hard drives in it combined as a RAID10.

Startech SAT3540U2E 3.5-inch 4 Drive eSATA USB Multi Bay External Hard Drive Enclosure: Compare Prices, View Price History and Read Reviews at Nextag

 

[NatX]

Ok, I will mark this now as solved.
It seems after monitoring my system for a few weeks thoroughly that it is running fine. Most of my applications are back installed and I have no problems. My external RAID got formated as well. There might have been indeed a broken MBR.
The biggest issue was the graphic card.

I still get the DCOM errors and wasn't able to fix it so far.
I know it's the "Profile Notification Host" and with component services I should be able to fix it, but I can't change any settings for my DCOM Config. Identity is set to "Launch by user"..

I keep looking. Everything else is fine.

Thanks Greg, you've been a tremendous help.