Computer keeps freezing - Updated with log

olias

Hi, I have a laptop running Vista home. It keeps freezing - cursor can still be moved around, but clicking on anything has no effect, nor does trying ctrl alt del etc etc. The only way of getting it working again is to turn it off by the main power switch and then back on again.

I use avira anti virus (free version). I tried to do a full scan but the computer kept shutting down and restarting half way through the scan. I eventually managed to complete the scan by doing it with the computer in safe mode and it found and got rid of 31 viruses!

I also installed MalwareBytes anti malware software and did the same (computer also shut down whilst doing this scan, so again I completed it in safe mode and it found a 'worm' and an adware virus, and deleted both.

computer is still freezing literally every time I use it, sometimes a few minutes after I start using it, sometimes anything up to an hour after I start using it.

Any ideas anyone? Thanks.

ps. I am not very techie, so please keep any answers simple, ta.

Olias

alexanderea44

Is your PC shutting down by showing any error message like blue screen or any alert message?

Browntoa

download this

http://www.filehippo.com/download_hijackthis/

install and then do a scan to produce a log file and post that in your next reply

Browntoa

you may also find that if you remove the screws from the back of the pc and open it up (while unplugged) that the fans and the heat sink of the processor are clogged up with dust and dirt.




Gently blow it out or use a clean paintbrush to remove it and also do the same on air air intake holes on the back and sides

hethmar

Is it only recently it has started doing this? As mine started freezing after the last MS updates and I understand a number of people complained of the same thing?

alexanderea44

May be because of dust in RAM, it happened to me once and I cleaned up the RAM and then it worked fine.

Hammyman

18 months-osh old and used at home? That'll be the gap between the CPU cooling fan and the heatsink completely blocked with fluff.

dogmaryxx

Run
Internet Explorer freezes or crashes section of Microsoft Fix it Center
on your laptop.

hethmar

That looks interesting.

iamcornholio

Any hardware issue or overheating would freeze the whole screen and not let the cursor be moved.

It's an OS problem, driver or other software conflict

Boot up in safe mode (press f8 at boot time) and see what happens with virus scan. Also see what software you have running all the time and remove stuff from the start-up - type System Configuration in to the start menu and un-check unnecessary stuff from the startup tab

olias

Thanks for your advice so far.

I don't think it can be dust/fluff etc causing overheating as the curser is still able to be moved.

I tried the relevant part of microsoft fix it centre, but its still freezing.

I looked at removing unnecessary stuff from the start up, but I am not sure what programs are needed and what aren't (told you I am not very tech savvie) and so am nervous about messing about with removing any from the start up. I did both virus scans in safe mode and they both removed all viruses they found.

Could be as a result of MS updates (the bl00dy things are always popping up stating updates are available - seems to be an almost daily occurrence! and the problem has only been occurring this last week or two.

So no further on at the moment, sorry.

I will try producing a log file as asked for by Browntoa, but may have to do that later tommorrow or day after as I think it takes an hour or more to do the scan and I haven't the time just at the moment. Will add to thread when it's done.

All though most times it just freezes and I turn it off and back uon to unfreeze it, it has several times come up with a blue screen - It doesn't stay up long enough to read the whole error message, the only words I have caught are 'crash', 'disc' and 'recovery'

Meantime, any other ideas welcome as it's still freezing all the time.

thanks again

Olias