Windows 7 Fatally Freezing Because of Applications

[ZycroNeXuS]

Hello,
This is my first Tom's Hardware post, hoping someone replies soon. Anyways, to the problem: When certain applications are run, that were first seemingly random, Skype, Fallout 3, Borderlands 2, etc. would crash the computer and it would not unfreeze until I hard reset the computer. I know it isn't an overheating issue because me and a friend dusted everything out, from heatsinks to power supplies, and it still froze. It even used to do it when we logged in, but the afore-mentioned friend fixed it. I think I might have nailed down the pattern, but there's some ungrounding evidence against it too. I think the pattern is if it launches the CPU up high really quickly, but the evidence against it is the original Borderlands works with no hitches. It's hard to predict which applications will freeze the computer, so I need help. It is an eMachines ET1331G-03w with all the stuff it came with, so Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, AMD Athlon X2 processor, nVidia GEForce 6150SE Integrated graphics card. I know I need a new graphics card, don't bother telling me. Help?

 

[ZycroNeXuS]

Bump...please it's a very big problem, it is a real daykiller.

 

[blakwidowrsa]

Just know simply dusting your box out doesn't mean it won't overheat. The thermal compound between the CPU and heatsink can be old and dry...and worst is the heatsink will not even feel hot.

If you are sure it is overheating, add new themal paste after cleaning the old away, leave the case open and let a desktop fan blow into the side panel and test again.

If it does not make a difference, it is probably not overheating and something else is failing or windows might need attention too.

Check the windows event viewer for software issues by matching a possible logged error during the crash time...that should point you into the right direction.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

1. As above, run a temperature monitoring program while loading up the puter to determine whether it's overheating.

http://www.ocbase.com/index.php/download

2. Uninstalling "all the stuff it came with" can go a long way to making the system run better. When one arrives on my workbench, 1st think I do is reinstall Windows off a plain Windows CD and then use the Windows key from the original machine. Free trial stuff that expires after x number of days is oft problematic.

3. What AV, firewall, malware scanner are you using ? Suggest using one of the 30-day free trial packages to find something on ta system. Bitrdefender and ZoneAlarm Internet suites were my favs but the Bitdefender one recently started including ads which customers were screaming about.....dunno if they have abandoned that plan as yet.

http://www.zonealarm.com/security/en-us/trial-download-zass.htm

There's also a new free version

http://www.zonealarm.com/security/en-us/zonealarm-free-antivirus-firewall.htm

$13 each for 3 PC's = $39

http://www.zonealarm.com/security/en-us/zonealarm-computer-security-suite.htm

4. What does Event Viewer say after the crashes ? Find out and them yahoo search the Errors and Warnings.

5. Analyzed the dmp files ?

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/179397-dump-files-upload-sevenforums.html

6. use some tools

http://www.resplendence.com/whocrashed

 

[ZycroNeXuS]

@BlakWidow I know windows doesn't need attention, I used System File Checker and came up blank. I'm sure it isn't overheating, computer is only 3 years old so thermal pas shouldn't be dry. I'll edit in the results of the Event Viewer later.

Also, you have a creepy picture. I'm sure you meant for that, then it's working.

 

[ZycroNeXuS]

@JackNaylorPE
I'm using Norton 360. I'll edit in results of all this later, I'm using an older tower it's so bad.

 

[ss202sl]

It's strange how you haven't checked temps. but know it's not overheating. Several here are suggesting that you may have a heat issue and are asking you to check your temps, and you still haven't.

 

[blakwidowrsa]

Glad you like the pic. ^^


You came to the forum to ask for a second opinion, right?
So why do you ask a question and reject help given ?

You need to understand that many people post here and every post is somewhat unique. So the best solution is to start with basics and in the process of eliminating faults you are likely to get clues to the real problem.

If you feel I am challenging your intellect, remember I do not know you, nor you me.
Lets have respect for each other as you are coming forth with a quite hostile attitude. There are forum rules, attack the problem, not the person...

 

[blakwidowrsa]

It's strange how you haven't checked temps. but know it's not overheating. Several here are suggesting that you may have a heat issue and are asking you to check your temps, and you still haven't.

+1

 

[ZycroNeXuS]

@BlakWidow Sorry, I didn't intend to be hostile. I still do have respect for everyone here. And while I do understand that every person, and therefore their posts, are different, I just didn't check the temperature yet because I only just now plugged the offending computer in...Sorry for coming off so hostile, I'm not normally like that.

 

[ZycroNeXuS]

At any rate, I checked the event viewer, found one error that kept occuring over and over again, and only aftr it started crashing, so I'm assuming it's the crash itself. Since I seem to be unable to copy from Event Viewer, I'll type it here.


Event filter with query "SELECT * FROM _InstanceModificationEvent WITHIN 60 WHERE TargetInstanceISA "Win32_Processor" AND TargetInstance.LoadPercentage > 99" could not be reactivated in namespace "//./root/CIMV2" because of eror 0x800041003. Events cannot be delivered through this filter until this problem is corrected.


The source varies between application and WMI.

I apologize in advance if I mispelled anything.
EDIT: Whoops, after some research figured out the entire problem was just I had missed a Windows update :lol: .....no, I'm just kidding. But I did figure out the above error is not related to the problem at all, probably.

 

[blakwidowrsa]

That event ID 10 error you see is not a missing update but rather an issue that arose from Windows 7 Service pack 1 DVD/ISO's. Lol it was a fault at Microsoft.... Mwha ha haa !

Here is an extract from the MS support site :

This originated in the Windows 7 SP1 DVD/ISO creation process. There was an issue in the creation process that caused a WMI registration to remain in the DVD/ISO. Since the registration is designed to work only during the DVD/ISO creation process, it fails to run on a live system and causes these events. These events are not indicative of any issue in the system and can be safely ignored.

Here is the full story :
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-US;2545227



But when used well, the Event Viewer is gold. Just browse through the "Summary of administrative events" in Critical and/or Error columns. Serious issues are listed there. I go through logs almost everyday on MS servers, and really valuable information can be tracked down in there. Just take note that some errors are only discovered after following a Warning log that pointed to another process that Error'ed. So take time and carefully read what windows is trying to tell you.

If no critical error is logged there, it might mean that windows does not even have a chance to log it (rare, but I have seen cases like these)

Can I just ask when you post a error log could you do it with these please:
As they help with troubleshooting, thanks.
Log Name - ...
Source - ...
EventID - ...
Level - ...
User - ...
OpCode - ...
Task Cat - ...
Keywords - ...
Details - ...

 

[ZycroNeXuS]

Thanks for the help BlakWidow: Pinned down the crashing event. It's a critical.
System Rebooted without shutting down cleanly first. (I'm guessing this is the crash, I wouldn't hard reset unless it was)
Log Name: System
Source: Kernel-Power
Event ID: 41
Level: Critical
User: SYSTEM
OpCode: Info
Task Cat: (63)
Keywords: (2)
Details: - System

- Provider

[ Name] Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power
[ Guid] {331C3B3A-2005-44C2-AC5E-77220C37D6B4}

EventID 41

Version 2

Level 1

Task 63

Opcode 0

Keywords 0x8000000000000002

- TimeCreated

[ SystemTime] 2012-09-20T19:09:22.993200000Z

EventRecordID 70043

Correlation

- Execution

[ ProcessID] 4
[ ThreadID] 8

Channel System

Computer owner-PC

- Security

[ UserID] S-1-5-18


- EventData

BugcheckCode 0
BugcheckParameter1 0x0
BugcheckParameter2 0x0
BugcheckParameter3 0x0
BugcheckParameter4 0x0
SleepInProgress false
PowerButtonTimestamp 0


EDIT: Also, nooby question. How do I use OCCT to check for overheating?

 

[ZycroNeXuS]

Update on status: Now the computer will run the programs, however they will only run for an hour until it crashes again, examples being Dustforce and S.P.A.Z....Just got the Humble Bundle 6 so breaking in my new games =)

This is beginning to look more and more like an overheating problem.

 

[gamerk316]

EventID: 41. Not shocked in the least.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2028504

In this case:

Scenario 3: The system randomly restarts and no Stop error BugcheckCode is listed, or the computer is completely unresponsive (hard hang)

The Stop error code and the PowerButtonTimestamp are listed as zero. For example, consider the following scenarios:

The Stop error BugcheckCode value is listed as zero. Circumstances can prevent writing the Stop error BugcheckCode information before the computer restarts or shuts down. In this case, a BugcheckCode value of zero is logged. Also, perhaps no Stop error occurred, and the shutdown resulted from a power loss. For example, on a portable computer, this could mean that the battery is removed or completely drained. Or, on a desktop computer, this could mean that the computer was unplugged, or a power outage occurred.

The PowerButtonTimestamp is listed as zero. Circumstances can prevent writing the PowerButtonTimestamp information before the computer restarts or shuts down. In this case, a value of zero is logged. This can occur if the power button is pressed and held for at least four seconds when Windows has an operation running that prevents writing the event to disk. You might also see this scenario if the computer is “hard-locked” and therefore unresponsive to any input, and the computer has to be powered off. To determine whether the computer is unresponsive, try pressing the CAPS LOCK key to toggle the CAPS light on the keyboard.

To check whether this scenario is occurring, press the CAPS LOCK key on the keyboard. When you do this, if the CAPS LOCK light on the keyboard does not change when you press the CAPS LOCK key, the computer may be completely unresponsive (hard hang).

This scenario usually indicates a problem with the hardware. Or, the driver can cause this problem. To help isolate the problem, check the following items:

Overclocking: Disable overclocking to see whether the issue occurs when the system is run at the correct speed.

Check the memory: Verify the memory by using a memory checker. Verify that each memory chip is the same speed and that it is configured correctly in the system.

Power supply: Make sure that the power supply has enough wattage to appropriately handle the installed devices. If you added memory, installed a newer processor, installed additional drives, or added external devices, such devices can require more energy than the current power supply can provide consistently.

Overheating: Check whether the system is overheating by examining the internal
temperature of the hardware.

Defaults: Use system defaults, and run the system.

This is sadly one of the hardest issues in Windows to properly debug. I've seen everything from the PSU, motherboard, VERY shoddy drivers, and so on. I'd *suspect* overheating, followed by the PSU and motherboard in that order though.

I recommend running Prime95's blend test to test both temps (if that won't overheat, nothing will) and stability.

 

[ZycroNeXuS]

Uh...I'm probably not using it right, but my computer isn't overheating from a Prime95 Blend Test. It actually feels cool. We can check off overclocking, Defaults, and Power Supply, I've used system defaults, I've never overclocked, and I didn't install any new hardware, and if I did not enough to make the power supply crash.

 

[gamerk316]

So, no errors running the test?

My suspicion is unstable voltage regulation then (PSU/motherboard), eventually leading to RAM problems. (I had similar experiences with my old 790i based motherboard).

Again, this is a hard issue to debug.

 

[ZycroNeXuS]

No errors, no.
The voltage thing is possible, I might have to look into it. Also, you got my problem dead in the face, that was good, to have a breakthrough. I still need to check the memory though. Can you recommend a good memory checker? I'm not certain I can get my computer to do Startup Repair. Also, Norton found, like, 7 viruses, but that might not be relevant seeing as you've already pinned it down to a Windows problem.