Random freezing process
Random freezing process
I'm dealing with an unusual issue, so I recently changed my R5 2600X to a R7 5700 and swapped my GTX 1660 for an RTX 3050. After the installation, I experienced a few BSODs. It seemed to pass without much concern, but a few days later while playing games, it would freeze and then shut down immediately. I reinstalled Windows after some gameplay, but now it freezes during loading. I suspect a RAM problem, though Windows remains functional overall—except for tasks like Task Manager and File Explorer not opening. This happens randomly, usually between 10 to 30 minutes or up to an hour. I checked the Event Viewer and found a red flag: "Windows cannot load the extensible counter DLL" with the error code indicating the module wasn't found. Before reinstalling, I wanted to see what others recommend.
The problem has been lingering for some time, yet it seems to resurface occasionally. My PC has experienced random freezes, sometimes restarting and then getting stuck in a bootloop. When Windows boots, the loading wheel starts stuttering and freezing, occasionally freezing completely while the window remains open but no response is given. The cursor appears unresponsive. It seems my hard drive might be faulty or the power supply is nearing its limit. The motherboard is an Asus B550-F Gaming WiFi II, and the PSU is a FSP 500W, which is around 7-8 years old. I’ve replaced the SSD thinking that was the main issue, but RAM appears fine. I’ve tried different RAM modules; the CPU hasn’t been over a year. Motherboard and PSU seem likely culprits. I’m seeking advice from others before investing more, especially since I haven’t encountered this problem when booting into Ubuntu on an HDD. The issue started around 2-3 hours of use before it began.