Question Random partial Windows freeze, one year of troubleshooting?
Question Random partial Windows freeze, one year of troubleshooting?
Hello everyone, Thank you for clicking on my problem.
I have been having issues with my computer for over a year now, and its a really weird Windows freeze that doesn't occur often.
What exactly happens is that when I’m working or playing, Windows partially freezes. I can usually tell something has gone wrong because the clock stops updating, and some apps become unresponsive and can't be interacted with. On the occasions when I manage to open Task Manager and check CPU performance, I notice that the "UpTime" timer has stopped. Interestingly, sometimes the applications I’m using continue working normally 2-5 minutes after the issue or clock freeze occurs.
Well clearly thats issue with windows, Yeh i have reinstalled Windows 10 about 2 times, Moved to windows 11, same reinstall did 2 times.(all installations come from official windows as i have Keys). For some time i had suspicion that it was my GPU, and removing the Nvidia Experience app helped for few weeks but then it came back.
At this moment i just decided it's time for some upgrades to my computer and get some important stuff upgraded.
- New MB. Gigabyte B550 AORUS Elite v2 rev1.2
- Got new kit of ram. 2x8 GB
- Newish GPU. RTX 3080
- New PSU. 750W Gold rated PSU
The new hardware that i got is paired with:
- Ryzen 7 5600G
- 250GB NVME m.2 aData drive
To point out some of the really obvious stuff that i did try to resolve this.
- When messing with GPU drivers i always used DDU in safe mode
- On both old and new MB i always kept the bios updated
- Tested about 2-3 older drivers for each GPU
- Safe boot tested, no changes with it on or off
Troubleshooting is taking long as there are no logs created when system freezes.
Nothing in Event viewer, no BSOD (not even once)
Windows is always up to date
Recently upgraded my ram and got the same 2x8gb kit
Issue dosen't occur often and it's really random. Like i would go for a month without issues and then have 2 instances in the same week.
any remaining old hardware?
try memtest
verify ssds using manufacturer's tool
use dism commands to inspect windows
clarify the exact installation method for windows
ensure the motherboard isn't physically touching the case
confirm the CPU cooler is properly installed and not overly tight on the CPU
Also review the reliability history or monitor settings.
Verify where the system obtains its time—incorrect date and time formats may cause issues. (Right-click the date and time in the lower right corner and choose "Adjust date and time").
Add a fresh CMOS battery. This is strongly recommended.
Follow the instructions in the motherboard's User Guide/Manual for proper steps.
From previous parts of my system I only retain the SSD and a few extra HDDs used for media and game storage.
Windows was always installed through USB, the ISO was generated using both Microsoft’s tool and Rufus.
I just finished a memtest, everything went smoothly with no errors. However, I had to pause it because I wasn’t sure it would take that long (it stopped after about an hour of testing, and ended up at 2 out of 50%). I plan to run another test overnight but for now it completed successfully without any problems.
CrystalDisk and Adata tools indicate the main disk is in good condition, with 59% of its lifespan remaining.
Dsim was executed frequently; sometimes issues arose and in other cases everything worked fine.
I recently reinstalled the motherboard while installing a new PSU. I can confirm there are no contact problems beyond the mounting screws.
I’ll need to inspect the CPU cooler, as I don’t remember any difficulties during installation.
I’ll finish the recommended test later today after work and will also follow up on Your and Ralston18’s suggestions.
Thank you!!
search for instructions on generating a Windows memory dump via keyboard input.
adjust registry configurations to facilitate kernel memory capture.
when your system becomes unresponsive, utilize keyboard commands to create a memory dump.
upload the resulting memory.dmp file to a server and share a link.
a debugger can analyze the file to identify the issue.
past experiences indicate frequent causes include outdated Realtek sound drivers that triggered GPU audio buffer overflows, leading to driver hangs.
updates to the Realtek motherboard driver resolved this problem.
alternatively, disable non-essential HD audio devices through Device Manager or BIOS settings.
other less common issues were also observed but are rare.
Hello,
I followed up on this matter.
I performed the full RAM test as recommended and it succeeded well.
The process took around 4 hours and 20 minutes using 32 GB of RAM, with no errors reported.
The system time remains updated through the internet, which is normal.
I ordered a new SSD to replace the Windows boot drive.
As advised, I activated the Karnel Dump to retrieve data; so far it hasn’t frozen.
I also turned off all unused devices under Sound and Microphone, even those that are disconnected.
Although I suspect this might not be the SSD (it’s an ADATA NVMe), I’m confident a simple SSD swap will resolve the issue.
I’m curious though—my CPU temperature isn’t showing up in Task Manager. Is the sensor included with a cooler or is it installed elsewhere?