PC freezes randomly

[NA70]

I have an old HP 6200 Pro microtower PC (i3 2100).  Because of performance problems I replaced the original memory with 2x4 GB Kingston DDR3 and added a 120 GB Samsung SSD. There is a 1TB Silicon Power external HDD connected to it. 

Nowadays I am detecting random freezes. The computer stops responding (no mouse, no keyboard), I have to restart it with the physical power button. After the restart, it usually takes 2-3 minutes to reach the "HP" logo of the boot screen (a lot longer than usual).

I cannot connect the phenomenon to a given software or time. It usually happens when I am using Chrome, but I use it in 90% of my computer time, so it can be a simple coincidence. It happens when scrolling a webpage or playing a flash game, sometimes when I try to wake up the PC from sleep.

Software that are (usually) running:

- Avast Home Avir

- Dropbox

- Chrome

What I did:

- changed the SSD (before the Samsung, it happened with an OCZ SSD drive too)

- did a memory test (two individual memtest programs determined the memory sticks be OK)

- did a clean Windows 10 install

Still, it freezes at random times.

Any tips are welcome.

[Jay_101]

Hi,

A "clean install" of Win 10 means you ran the OS sans any other software and driver installations. No way to know if it's a driver or hardware problem unless you run the OS clean.

My advice is to install the factory operating system.

Bad drivers or failing/incompatible components are possible causes.

Seeing the same symptoms using the factory OS will direct you to a hardware cause. The factory install should be stable.

Otherwise start swapping currently installed components with known good replacement components if you want to continue using Win 10 and you ran it clean.

Jay

[NA70]

By "factory OS" do you mean Windows or pre-installed by HP?

I do not have the latter, I got the PC without a HDD or any CDs or DVDs. 

When I said "clean" install I meant that I deleted every partition from the SSD, installed a Windows 10 on the "empty" SSD, and let the os do the updating of drivers etc. (there are no Windows 10 drivers on HP's webpage for this PC). After a day (or so) I started to install software (Office, browsers etc.) since I would like to actually USE my PC 🙂

The first freeze after reinstall I got after 2 days I think when I started to feel happy, that the problem was some faulty Windows driver from the former install or so 😞 

I guess I could do another clean install and wait but how long? I cannot change the rate Win10 installs its updates and a PC without softwares is not a too useful one... Going back to Windows 7 is out of question (company policy).

[Jay_101]

Hi,

Well, you could install Win 10 with no network connection. 

Then no driver updates will be installed by Microsoft.

Look, the forced Win 10 update policy could be giving you an incompatible driver. Or you have a hardware problem.

You need a known stable system image to help eliminate a bad driver as the cause of the erratic behavior.

Then you can focus on components.

I don;t know what else to tell you. Your circumstance creates a constraint on effective troubleshooting to determine the source of the symptoms.

Go here to download HP's Diagnostic 3-in-1 USB key. Boot to the USB stick and run hardware diagnostics.

Jay

[NA70]

Thanks for the tipp, I will give a try.