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martyyn

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#214329 7-May-2017 10:49
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I don't do desktop stuff so I'm a little stumped.

 

It's a no-name PC which regularly crashes when writing emails in Outlook. Sometimes it's when using Excel too, but it can happen a couple of times a week with the email. It just crashes completely, doesn't respond and has to be hard booted.

 

It also fails to wake from sleep on occasion. Same thing, no response, so hard reset. Google searches show millions of results and so far I've had no luck.

 

The event logs showed errors with VolumeShadowCopyService around the time the crash happened but not much else. Fixes suggested turning off Crashplan's 'backup open files' setting and issues with a TeamViewer add-in to Outlook. So I changed Crashplan and removed the Teamviewer addin.

 

Whilst there have been no errors in the logs for the last two days, this morning it won't wake again.

 

There is no new software installed, no virus/malware, temps are all ok, but this has been happening for a few weeks now.

 

So what do you use to investigate this sort of thing ? Are the event logs worth bothering with ? Is it just a case of removing hardware/software and testing each ? Is there software I can install which will monitor what's going on ?

 

Needle in a haystack I know, but does anyone have any tips ?


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MackinNZ
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  #1777125 7-May-2017 11:53
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What version of Windows?  What version of MS Office?

 

I've had similar issues with Malwarebytes causing PC's to lock up solid, and also cause mysterious problems with Outlook 2016.  Do you have Malwarebytes installed?

 

I'd also suspect a driver issue, perhaps video driver?  Has Windows installed any driver updates recently?




ubergeeknz
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  #1777126 7-May-2017 11:56
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Sounds like two seperate issues, one of which you have solved.

 

Not waking from sleep is a pain to troubleshoot.  But start with updating any and all drivers.


martyyn

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  #1777133 7-May-2017 12:24
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Bugger, it just happened again. First time it's done it for me, so that's good news. Last item in the system log was a Malwarebytes service starting.

 

It's W10 and Office2013.

 

Windows Updates was the first thing I ran and there were a couple of items but nothing I wouldn't expect in a normal update cycle. I'll check out the drivers shortly.

 

For now I've turned off all Malwarebytes options and will see what happens.




Rickles
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  #1777157 7-May-2017 14:28
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If a desktop, how long since you last opened it up and cleaned out all the dust and muck from around the CPU and fan/s?

 

I've seen PCs go silly like that when overheating due to a case full of muck yell

 

 


solutionz
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  #1777211 7-May-2017 16:53
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Apps Freezing / Crashing

 

And / or Blue Screen

 

Random Hang (no BSOD)

 

     

  1. Check for any logs in BIOS menu
  2. Check fans spin properly and are free from dust (as Rickles points out)
  3. Run on-board diagnostics
  4. Run memory test: memtest86.com
  5. Run HDD test / Windows Chkdsk
  6. Try a bootable OS and see if you have the same issue / reinstall Windows.
  7. Remove peripherals / PCI cards / extra memory etc and test individually.

martyyn

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  #1777791 8-May-2017 14:01
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Rickles: I've seen PCs go silly like that when overheating due to a case full of muck yell 

 

I've had some with an inch of dust, so thick it's been like hair when removed. This one is clean as a whistle though.

 

@solutionz thanks for that, that's exactly what I was hoping for. 

 

So far, I've turned off all Malwarebytes options, stopped Crashplan from backing up open files and removed all Outlook addins.

 

I was about to say I'm not going to jinx it but it's just frozen as I type this :(

 

 


Rickles
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  #1777803 8-May-2017 14:13
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When it freezes, check to see if hard drive is still running ... maybe try swapping various internal connections in case motherboard fault.  Also check RAM sticks ... swap them about and even try singularly in each slot. Reseat any additional cards.

 

Failing all that, try a Windows restore and/all refresh procedures.

 

 


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