Windows 7 problems?

[Venari]

Figured I'd post here since I know some of you are quite savvy.

I find every now and then, the Windows Explorer of my Windows 7 Home Edition gets buggy, and will freeze sometimes. I notice it tends to happen much more often when I have Chrome open.

When this occurs, I have problems with whatever game I happen to be playing (recently, Ark Survival) causing short freezes (not something you want in Ark or Fallout!). Skype seems to function normally, as the people I voice chat with have no issues with my calls during these freezes. Lately I find the only cure is to restart the computer (difficult during Ark Survival, since your body stays right there even after you log out, free food for wild dinosaurs!)


I have not been selected as one of the people for a free upgrade to windows 10, and I'm not sure I'm willing to spend that kind of money for a paid copy. I've heard stories about people having their computers disabled during windows updates with pirated copies, so I'm unsure if that's the best route to go.

For now I'm going to see if I get these freezeups during times I have Firefox open instead.


Does anybody have any suggestions on how to fix frequent freezes of windows explorer?

 

[TechyDork]

Chrome can be a bit of a memory hog, but what are the specs of your computer?

Do you have a lot of stuff running when the system freezes up? If you have multiple Chrome tabs open, Ark or Fallout, and Skype that could really slow down a machine.

 

[Homercidal]

Your symptoms seem to match a couple of different possibilities.

1) Overheating. Open the case and check for dust buildup. When heatsinks start to get clogged with dust, running a game can cause the CPU or Chipset chips to run too hot, causing errors and freezing.

2) Power Supply problems. A borderline PSU might not be able to provide enough current to the various devices while running a game, especially if it gets too warm from gaming. Even a small disruption in current supply can make an OS seem flaky as certain parts are unreliable.

3) Malware. Malware is everywhere. During the installation process of most free software, even well-known, legitimate software, other things can get loaded. Software like Java, Acrobat Reader, etc. will usually ask you to install things like Google Chrome, or Toolbars for popular software. Lesser known software like free games or apps, generally come with more unsavory sideloads like search engine changes, home page replacements, "phone-home" crap, etc. Prevent this by CAREFULLY paying attention to each step of the install process and preventing those kinds of things from being installed during the installation of the software you really want.

4) Viruses and/or Roots. Besides sideloading unwanted apps through the installation of "Semi-legit" software, pirating applications and games can be risky as they can also contain viruses with NO warning that it's happening. Viruses and roots are actually kind of rare these days. Most people pirating games and apps can get a good idea if the install is going to be a problem or not by the reviews others give on the downloaded files, and by scanning the download with a decent antivirus software.


I highly recommend a combination of a few things:

Decent Antivirus - I use Avast for most home users. It's free and does a good job with only slightly annoying pop ups now and again. AVG is another good free one. I don't recommend McAfee or Norton's. IMO they are almost as bad at interfering with your system as some of the malware! If I were to pay for AV, I'd go with Avast and get rid of the pop-up recommendations.

Malwarebytes - One of my favorite malware scanners. It's free for home use, is easy to configure and run. The free version doesn't stay resident, so you have to manually run it, but that's what I prefer anyway. There are a few other good scanners out there like Spybot, but I've become used to Malwarebytes.

Ccleaner - A cleanup tool. With a few boxes checked or unchecked you can quickly remove unnecessary files and registry entries. You can also remove things you may want to keep, so use with care.

Adblock Plus - Helps your browser not display items on web pages that might cause you to accidentally infect your system. And it tends to make browsing faster and cleaner as it prevents certain items from loading in the first place. It can also cause issues with a few pages, but you can easily disable it on the pages you don't want to use it on.

I'd start with the dust cleanup and then go through your Add/Remove Programs to see if you see anything in there you don't want. Then run a Malwarebytes and an antivirus program a couple of times to help clean up the extra software.

As far as the PSU goes, you may have to either swap the PSU with a bigger, more powerful one, or have it tested for quality. There are TONS of PSUs out there that claim to have a certain wattage rating, but in reality fall far short under even modest load. A well-reviewed brand/model is highly recommended. IMO the PSU is the cornerstone of a decent computer.

 

[Venari]

Chrome can be a bit of a memory hog, but what are the specs of your computer?

Do you have a lot of stuff running when the system freezes up? If you have multiple Chrome tabs open, Ark or Fallout, and Skype that could really slow down a machine.

It's an alienware that I had purchased as a graduation gift to myself a long time ago. I'm sure everything inside is out of date by now. I can't recall the exact specs, but I"ll see what comes up in the control panel:


RAM 6 Gb
i7 CPU [email protected] gHz 2.80 gHz (pretty sure there are 8 chips at 2.8? I'll include a screenshot)


64 bit OS (win 7 home service pack 1)
GeForce GT640 (due for an upgrade. Sad part is, this IS the upgrade from what was originally in there)
4 TB SSD (can only use 2 Tb atm)

Your symptoms seem to match a couple of different possibilities.

1) Overheating. Open the case and check for dust buildup. When heatsinks start to get clogged with dust, running a game can cause the CPU or Chipset chips to run too hot, causing errors and freezing.

2) Power Supply problems. A borderline PSU might not be able to provide enough current to the various devices while running a game, especially if it gets too warm from gaming. Even a small disruption in current supply can make an OS seem flaky as certain parts are unreliable.

3) Malware. Malware is everywhere. During the installation process of most free software, even well-known, legitimate software, other things can get loaded. Software like Java, Acrobat Reader, etc. will usually ask you to install things like Google Chrome, or Toolbars for popular software. Lesser known software like free games or apps, generally come with more unsavory sideloads like search engine changes, home page replacements, "phone-home" crap, etc. Prevent this by CAREFULLY paying attention to each step of the install process and preventing those kinds of things from being installed during the installation of the software you really want.

4) Viruses and/or Roots. Besides sideloading unwanted apps through the installation of "Semi-legit" software, pirating applications and games can be risky as they can also contain viruses with NO warning that it's happening. Viruses and roots are actually kind of rare these days. Most people pirating games and apps can get a good idea if the install is going to be a problem or not by the reviews others give on the downloaded files, and by scanning the download with a decent antivirus software.


I highly recommend a combination of a few things:

Decent Antivirus - I use Avast for most home users. It's free and does a good job with only slightly annoying pop ups now and again. AVG is another good free one. I don't recommend McAfee or Norton's. IMO they are almost as bad at interfering with your system as some of the malware! If I were to pay for AV, I'd go with Avast and get rid of the pop-up recommendations.

Malwarebytes - One of my favorite malware scanners. It's free for home use, is easy to configure and run. The free version doesn't stay resident, so you have to manually run it, but that's what I prefer anyway. There are a few other good scanners out there like Spybot, but I've become used to Malwarebytes.

Ccleaner - A cleanup tool. With a few boxes checked or unchecked you can quickly remove unnecessary files and registry entries. You can also remove things you may want to keep, so use with care.

Adblock Plus - Helps your browser not display items on web pages that might cause you to accidentally infect your system. And it tends to make browsing faster and cleaner as it prevents certain items from loading in the first place. It can also cause issues with a few pages, but you can easily disable it on the pages you don't want to use it on.

I'd start with the dust cleanup and then go through your Add/Remove Programs to see if you see anything in there you don't want. Then run a Malwarebytes and an antivirus program a couple of times to help clean up the extra software.

As far as the PSU goes, you may have to either swap the PSU with a bigger, more powerful one, or have it tested for quality. There are TONS of PSUs out there that claim to have a certain wattage rating, but in reality fall far short under even modest load. A well-reviewed brand/model is highly recommended. IMO the PSU is the cornerstone of a decent computer.

1. While it's not a regular thing for me, I do clean the dust out occassionally. Cleaned it out last month, and it wasn't so bad because I now live in a different house, so there was minimal buildup on it.

2. Not sure which PSU is in my computer. I suppose I'll have to open up the tower to see if there's a name on it, then google it for performance issues.

3. It's been a while since I've checked for malware. I suppose I'll try out malwarebytes and see if that helps.

4. I use VipreVirus as my AV, but since the subscription is expiring soon, I'll see about switching to Avast.

I recently used CCleaner when I migrated my OS to my SSD (wonder if that could be part of the issue?), and it seems to clean up a lot of space on a regular basis. Only thing I didn't like was that I had to manually enter my passwords on sites I frequent (like facebook, hotmail, homebrewtalk...).

I ALWAYS make sure there are no toolbars or other small unneccassary options enabled during installs. So unless it's being installed without my permission, there shouldn't be anything. I'll take a gander at my Add/Remove Programs list to make sure, however. I do use AdBlock on Chrome, and I love it. No ads on youtube videos are a GREAT bonus.

 

[mcspanner]

You mentioned concerns about a pirated copy of Windows 10 freezing and not wanting to pay out for the upgrade. You don't have to if your copy of 7 is legit. Windows 10 is a free upgrade from 7 for a limited time and for life if upgrading from Windows 8 AFAIK - at least it is here in European market. Whether that will fix anything is debatable but think of the hours of fun trying to relocate all your programs and docs! I upgraded to 10 a few weeks ago and still can't figure some of the changes out!

 

[Venari]

You mentioned concerns about a pirated copy of Windows 10 freezing and not wanting to pay out for the upgrade. You don't have to if your copy of 7 is legit. Windows 10 is a free upgrade from 7 for a limited time and for life if upgrading from Windows 8 AFAIK - at least it is here in European market. Whether that will fix anything is debatable but think of the hours of fun trying to relocate all your programs and docs! I upgraded to 10 a few weeks ago and still can't figure some of the changes out!

Eh, what the hell, guess i'll give it a shot.

 

[TechyDork]

Your symptoms seem to match a couple of different possibilities.

1) Overheating. Open the case and check for dust buildup. When heatsinks start to get clogged with dust, running a game can cause the CPU or Chipset chips to run too hot, causing errors and freezing.

2) Power Supply problems. A borderline PSU might not be able to provide enough current to the various devices while running a game, especially if it gets too warm from gaming. Even a small disruption in current supply can make an OS seem flaky as certain parts are unreliable.

3) Malware. Malware is everywhere. During the installation process of most free software, even well-known, legitimate software, other things can get loaded. Software like Java, Acrobat Reader, etc. will usually ask you to install things like Google Chrome, or Toolbars for popular software. Lesser known software like free games or apps, generally come with more unsavory sideloads like search engine changes, home page replacements, "phone-home" crap, etc. Prevent this by CAREFULLY paying attention to each step of the install process and preventing those kinds of things from being installed during the installation of the software you really want.

4) Viruses and/or Roots. Besides sideloading unwanted apps through the installation of "Semi-legit" software, pirating applications and games can be risky as they can also contain viruses with NO warning that it's happening. Viruses and roots are actually kind of rare these days. Most people pirating games and apps can get a good idea if the install is going to be a problem or not by the reviews others give on the downloaded files, and by scanning the download with a decent antivirus software.


I highly recommend a combination of a few things:

Decent Antivirus - I use Avast for most home users. It's free and does a good job with only slightly annoying pop ups now and again. AVG is another good free one. I don't recommend McAfee or Norton's. IMO they are almost as bad at interfering with your system as some of the malware! If I were to pay for AV, I'd go with Avast and get rid of the pop-up recommendations.

Malwarebytes - One of my favorite malware scanners. It's free for home use, is easy to configure and run. The free version doesn't stay resident, so you have to manually run it, but that's what I prefer anyway. There are a few other good scanners out there like Spybot, but I've become used to Malwarebytes.

Ccleaner - A cleanup tool. With a few boxes checked or unchecked you can quickly remove unnecessary files and registry entries. You can also remove things you may want to keep, so use with care.

Adblock Plus - Helps your browser not display items on web pages that might cause you to accidentally infect your system. And it tends to make browsing faster and cleaner as it prevents certain items from loading in the first place. It can also cause issues with a few pages, but you can easily disable it on the pages you don't want to use it on.

I'd start with the dust cleanup and then go through your Add/Remove Programs to see if you see anything in there you don't want. Then run a Malwarebytes and an antivirus program a couple of times to help clean up the extra software.

As far as the PSU goes, you may have to either swap the PSU with a bigger, more powerful one, or have it tested for quality. There are TONS of PSUs out there that claim to have a certain wattage rating, but in reality fall far short under even modest load. A well-reviewed brand/model is highly recommended. IMO the PSU is the cornerstone of a decent computer.

This is where i would start. make sure the software is clean and running as it should, no malware...

Most alienware machiens are built for what you are doing so I would think the PSU would be up to the task of powering what you have in there. However, if it is starting to fail that could cause problems.

when things start to freeze up what kind of memory, CPU and HD usage are you seeing in Task Manager?

 

[Venari]

when things start to freeze up what kind of memory, CPU and HD usage are you seeing in Task Manager?

I haven't been able to open a task manager during freeze ups. I had tried to open it once to see if it was Windows Explorer or Chrome that was "not responding".

 

[TechyDork]

You could run a full system diagnostics from outside of windows. This will help to determine if it is a hardware or software issue.

http://www.dell.com/support/Article/us/en/19/446143/EN

 

[Venari]

No matter how many times I restart or how long I leave it, it won't go past this screen.

Edit: this is now the point at which the computer constantly reboots with no noticeable progress during install. Enter password, click next, and it reboots.

 

[Venari]

Google is unclear on whether or not I can cancel the update and revert back to win7.

I think I have a 5 month old backup on an external hard drive. I don't have a recovery disk anymore. I thought I did but it must have gotten lost in the move to Ottawa.

What options are available at this point?

 

[TechyDork]

I would try downloading the ISO and trying to do the upgrade from either a DVD or USB. You must do an upgrade and not a fresh install when you do it this way.

See this link for how to do so.

Here is another article that may be of help.

 

[mcspanner]

No matter how many times I restart or how long I leave it, it won't go past this screen.

Edit: this is now the point at which the computer constantly reboots with no noticeable progress during install. Enter password, click next, and it reboots.

Yeah , it did that quite a few times on my install but it got there in the end.

If you do need to roll back once it is installed this will help http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows-10/going-back-to-windows-7-or-windows-81

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Once you get 10 going try uBlock Origin on Chrome (it's an extension). Even though I know Chrome is a memory hog I love the developer tools and just kept using it as my default browser. uBlock really helps.

 

[Venari]

Finally finished the upgrade to 10, and after some difficulty trying to get the wifi working (my adapter didn't have win 10 drivers), everything APPEARS to be working fine.

 

[TechyDork]

Finally finished the upgrade to 10, and after some difficulty trying to get the wifi working (my adapter didn't have win 10 drivers), everything APPEARS to be working fine.

Glad to hear you got i sorted out.