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PC intermittently freezing


pb52
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I'm not even sure the is a Malware related issue but I'd welcome any advice.

  • Win 10 Pro 10.0.19042 Build 19042 Laptop with 2 x 2K external screens
  • Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-10750H CPU @ 2.60GHz, 2592 Mhz, 6 Core(s), 12 Logical Processor(s)
  • 32GB RAM / 18GB utilised
  • Malwarebytes Pro
  • F Secure Internet Security 18.0

My PC has developed a weird behaviour. intermittently at random intervals sometime separated by a few seconds, sometimes longer my browsers (FF, Chrome, Edge) and windows freeze.  This is preceded by a click sound (not user generated) and a slightly different click sound accompanies the unfreeze.  If a lengthy freeze happens. Alt+Ctrl+Del to reveal the Lock/Switch User/Logout/Task Manager options, followed by Cancel will unfreeze it. Soemtime teh click come in a quick series, other time I can go for 10's of minutes between events.

I ran a Malwarebytes scan nothing found.  Also ran an F-Secure scan, ditto.

I tried to update Malwarebytes to make sure I had the latest signatures but it hung while searching for updates.  I downloaded from the website and installed that, then ran a fresh scan.  Still nothing found

Has anyone seen anything like this?  I have not.

TIA

Regards

Paul

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  • Root Admin

Hello @pb52

Let's me have you start out  with the following and we'll see what we can find.

Please temporarily disable your F Secure antivirus and run the following.

 

 

Please run the following steps and post back the logs as an attachment when ready.
Temporarily disable your antivirus or other security software first. Make sure to turn it back on once the scans are completed.
Temporarily disable Microsoft SmartScreen to download software below if needed. Make sure to turn it back on once the scans are completed.
If you still have trouble downloading the software please click on Reveal Hidden Contents below for examples of how to allow the download.

 

Spoiler
 
 
 
 
Spoiler

When downloading with some browsers you may see a different style of screens that may block FRST from downloading. The program is safe and used hundreds of times a week by many users.

Example of Microsoft Edge blocking the download

image.png

image.png

image.png

 



STEP 01

  • If you already have Malwarebytes installed then open Malwarebytes and click on the Scan button. It will automatically check for updates and run a Threat Scan.
  • If you don't have Malwarebytes installed yet please download it from here and install it.
  • Once installed then open Malwarebytes and select Scan and let it run.
  • Once the scan is completed make sure you have it quarantine any detections it finds.
  • If no detections were found click on the Save results drop-down, then the Export to TXT  button, and save the file as a Text file to your desktop or other location you can find and attach that log on your next reply.
  • If there were detections then once the quarantine has completed click on the View report button, Then click the Export drop-down, then the Export to TXT  button, and save the file as a Text file to your desktop or other location you can find and attach that log on your next reply.
  • If the computer restarted to quarantine you can access the logs from the Detection History, then the History tab. Highlight the most recent scan and double-click to open it. Then click the Export drop-down, then the Export to TXT  button, and save the file as a Text file to your desktop or other location you can find and attach that log on your next reply.
  • If Malwarebytes won't run then please skip to the next step and let me know in your next reply that the scanner would not run.

STEP 02

Please download AdwCleaner by Malwarebytes and save the file to your Desktop.

  • Double-click to run the program
  • Accept the End User License Agreement.
  • Wait until the database is updated.
  • Click Scan Now.
  • When finished, if items are found please click Quarantine.
  • Your PC should reboot now if any items were found.
  • After reboot, a log file will be opened. Attach or Copy its content into your next reply.

RESTART THE COMPUTER Before running Step 3

STEP 03
Please download the Farbar Recovery Scan Tool and save it to your desktop.

Note: You need to run the version compatible with your system. You can check here if you're not sure if your computer is 32-bit or 64-bit

  • Double-click to run it. When the tool opens, click Yes to disclaimer.
  • Press the Scan button.
  • It will make a log (FRST.txt) in the same directory the tool is run. Please attach it to your reply.
  • The first time the tool is run, it also makes another log (Addition.txt). If you've, run the tool before you need to place a check mark here each time
  • Please attach the Additions.txt log to your reply as well.
  • On your next reply, you should be attaching frst.txt and additions.txt to your post, every time.

 

Thanks

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Here are the log files

  1. I had trouble running Malwarebytes at first.  The scanner hung
  2. I closed and tried to open the program again and it would not open
  3. I tried to close the tray icon but that responded with a windows warning that the program was not responding.
  4. I closed it and reopened Malwarebytes with the Run as admin option
  5. It loaded, scanned and produced no adverse results

 

 

Log Files.7z

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  • Root Admin

The logs don't indicate any specific infection or obvious issues. Let's try a couple of clean-up routines @pb52

 

[ 1 ]

Please review the following topic and clean up Google Chrome

 

[ 2 ]

Please temporarily disable your F-secure antivirus and exit out of Malwarebytes and run the following fix.

Please download the attached fixlist.txt file and save it to the Desktop or location where you ran FRST from.
NOTE. It's important that both files, FRST or FRST64, and fixlist.txt are in the same location or the fix will not work.

Please make sure you disable any real-time antivirus or security software before running this script. Once completed, make sure you re-enable it.

NOTICE: This script was written specifically for this user, for use on this particular machine. Running this on another machine may cause damage to your operating system that cannot be undone.

Run FRST or FRST64 and press the Fix button just once and wait.
If the tool needs a restart please make sure you let the system restart normally and let the tool complete its run after restart.
The tool will make a log on the Desktop (Fixlog.txt) or wherever you ran FRST from. Please attach or post it to your next reply.

Note: If the tool warned you about an outdated version please download and run the updated version.

NOTE-1:  This fix will run a scan to check that all Microsoft operating system files are valid and not corrupt and attempt to correct any invalid files. It will also run a disk check on the restart to ensure disk integrity. Depending on the speed of your computer this fix may take 30 minutes or more.

NOTE-2: As part of this fix all temporary files will be removed. If you have any open web pages that have not been bookmarked please make sure you bookmark them now as all open applications will be automatically closed. Also, make sure you know the passwords for all websites as cookies will also be removed. The use of an external password manager is highly recommended instead of using your browser to store passwords.

NOTE-3: As part of this it will also reset the network to default settings including the firewall. If you have custom firewall rules you need to save please export or save them first before running this fix.

The following directories are emptied:

  • Windows Temp
  • Users Temp folders
  • Edge, IE, FF, Chrome, and Opera caches, HTML5 storages, Cookies and History
  • Recently opened files cache
  • Flash Player cache
  • Java cache
  • Steam HTML cache
  • Explorer thumbnail and icon cache
  • BITS transfer queue (qmgr*.dat files)
  • Recycle Bin

Important: items are permanently deleted. They are not moved to quarantine. If you have any questions or concerns please ask before running this fix.

The system will be rebooted after the fix has run.

fixlist.txt

Thanks

 

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  • Root Admin

At this time its unknown what is really causing it. In theory with multi threaded applications you'd hope or expect almost nothing could pause or freeze the entire system but sadly there are many things that can stop, slow, or freeze the entire system.

We're attempting to do some generic cleanup to see if that resolves the issue or not as tracking down something like this can prove to be difficult.

 

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I have read your instructions in more detail.  There is a lot to take on board here and the basic process goes through a lot of incremental steps to isolate the cause.  But right at the end you mention the nuclear option of essentially blowing away Chrome's settings and starting over.  IAnd that might not sort the issue of the problem is caused by one of my other browser, FireFox or Edge.

So I'm inclined to the implement the nuclear option on all three browsers and then rebuild them all.  Overall I think that will be cleaner and quicker  My passwords are all in a password manager and I don't care about cache, cookies, browsing history.  I'm not sure what I need to do on My Android phone though,as that will be synvced.

I think the root cause of this may well be Google's new profile facility.  I had previously been running Chrome browser with my personal account as the default whilst also having three other accounts running for the charity I volunteer for.  Several weeks ago things started to go pear shaped when I could no longer, for example, manage the mail account of the charity because Google suddenly insisted on logging me in as my personal account no matter how many times I told it to use the other.  I got into a cycle that was hard to break out of.  I think I probably need to set up multiple profiles and let Google have  its way! 

It's hard to find any good guide on Google Profiles.

How do I go about resetting Chrome, Firefox and Edge please?

Regards

 

Paul

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  • Root Admin

The last link I provided should guide you most of the way with Google Chrome.
Firefox has Help -> More Troubleshooting Information. Then from there Refresh Firefox (for the most part that is typically enough)

For Microsoft Edge, that one is new to Microsoft was they've given up on their own browser and finally caved in and started using Chromium browser as the base which is the same that Google Chrome uses. However settings, locations, etc for MS Edge do not 100% follow Google Chrome as Microsoft does all the custom coding on their own. That said we don't any extensive articles on cleaning up MS Edge and I've not seen any on the Web so far either that go beyond basic clean up.

The issue with Google Chrome is that it gets buried in like a tick on a dog and leaves a lot behind once you do an uninstall. I have a script based on using FRST that will fully remove Google Chrome and Firefox after you've saved, exported any data or settings you want and uninstalled from the Control Panel.

 

In general the first script provided does do a lot of good, generic cleanup and I'd still recommend it's use. I've used it on my own production computer and many other computers.

 

Let me know how you'd like to proceed @pb52

Cheers

 

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Thank you.  I really appreciate the effort you're putting into this for me. Way above and beyond!

There is, of course, another ultimate nuclear option which is to do a complete system reset and rebuild it.  That's not a drastic as it sounds because 90% of what I do is in the cloud.

My laptop is 15 months old now so perhaps it's due for a reset.

I need to think it through but blowing out all the cobwebs has a lot to recommend it!

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Thanks for the update Paul @pb52

No doubt that a full rebuild once in a while does often bring with it better, faster, cleaner operations but a lot of work. Back in the XP days I'd often rebuild some of my systems every other month. I don't do it that often anymore but I have rebuilt a couple systems recently to (as you say, clear out some cobwebs)

A manufacturer reset unless it's the full nuclear reset though is not one I do. I remove all partitions and install from scratch everything.

 

If that's something you're truly considering then make sure you do have stuff backed up that you might want. If you have a large external USB hard drive you could even use a product like Macrium Reflect to do a full image back up of the way the computer is right now. It basically saves it 100% as is in an image file sort of like a zip file does but for your operating system and data.

Here is a great article on doing a clean install of Windows 10.

I'm not a fan of using the Microsoft Online account as the author is but that's a personal choice. I choose safety, security, and privacy over convenience. 

If you don't want an online account the second link explains how to prevent that.

 

Greg Carmack - MVP 2010-2020 -Clean Install Windows 10
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-windows_install/clean-install-windows-10/1c426bdf-79b1-4d42-be93-17378d93e587

How to Create a Local Account While Setting Up Windows 10
https://www.howtogeek.com/442792/how-to-create-a-local-account-while-setting-up-windows-10/

 

Now, all this said. Don't forget that Windows 11 will be available for install on October 5, 2021

https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2021/08/31/windows-11-available-on-october-5/

 

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No worries, all my data sits on my Synology NAS.  All I need to do is recreate the sync task after the rebuild and the data will flow down. All the data is also encrypted and backed up to the Synology Cloud. But I will do a full backup to my external HDD too. Can never have too many backup!

I'm one of the fortunate ones whose PC is Win 11 compatible.  Perhaps the upgrade will blow the cobwebs away.  It may be a good time to sort this out.  The problem is not crippling my PC and I know how to clear it (three fingered salute and then cancel)

Big kudos to you for the assistance

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  • Root Admin

Glad we could help.

If you need this topic reopened, please send a Private Message to any one of the moderating team members. Please include a link to this topic with your request.

This applies only to the originator of this thread. Other members who need assistance please start your own topic in a new thread.

Please review the following for Tips to help protect from infection

Thank you

 

 

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