Random lockup 15-ef1072wm

[fixmycomputer1]

I am working on a HP 15-ef1072wm laptop. It has a persistent random lockup problem and nothing I have done seems to have any long term affect. The lockup sometimes occurs just a couple of minutes after sign in, sometimes 2 hours in. When it locks up, everything stops responding (no mouse, no keyboard) but the screen is still on, and the only way to recover is to hold down the power button until it goes off, then restart. The things I have done are listed below.

Replaced the fan (it was locked up)

Replaced the heat sink thermal paste

Replaced the RAM with RAM that worked on other computers

Replaced the M2 hard drive with a new one

Installed Windows 10 Home, and updated it to Windows 11 Home

Applied all Windows Updates

Applied all Driver Updates

Removed the battery, held down power button for 1 minute

Kept task manager open, no new tasks before lockup

Removed the battery running on just power supply

Tried running on just the battery

Used a different known good power supply

Ran the HP hardware diagnostics. Everything showed as good. No problems detected.

Ran chkdsk

Ran sfc /scannow

Adjusted the power settings in control panel

About the only two things I have not replaced are the wireless card and the motherboard. It should be noted that when the computer is working, everything works as it should and there is no warning of any kind. Just one minute it is working perfectly and the next it is frozen and won't respond to anything.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Rainbow23]

Hi @fixmycomputer1,

Welcome to HP Support Community. 
Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

I see that you are facing random freezing issues with your HP 15-ef1072wm Notebook.

You may update the BIOS by following the steps from this document. (Click on the word document to open the web page).

I hope this helps.
Take care and have a great day ahead! 

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

[fixmycomputer1]

That is the one thing I have not done. I was afraid to try that because if it locks up during a BIOS update, as you know, then we have an even more serious problem. I'll give that a try and post what happens.

[fixmycomputer1]

I was able to do the BIOS update using the HP assistant, but it didn't change anything. The random lockup is still there. It does not lockup until windows starts, which I guess is why the BIOS update worked. My next step is to reformat the drive and install Windows again, even though the installation is a fresh one, unless someone has a better solution.

[Rainbow23]

Hi @fixmycomputer1,

This issue might require one on one interaction over the phone to fix it.

I've sent you a private message with the steps to talk to HP Support. In order to access your private messages, click the private message icon on the upper right corner of your HP Support Community profile, next to your profile Name or simply click on this link

Take care and have a great day ahead! 

[fixmycomputer1]

I found a solution. I replaced the motherboard, now everything works as it should. It would have been nice if there were a simpler, cheaper way to fix it, but at least now I know it was a motherboard problem, even though every test that should have identified a problem found nothing wrong.