Computer Randomly Freezes (gaming/web-browsing/being idle)

[Bobo]

https://www.corsair.com/us/en/p/psu/cp-9020130-na/tx-m-series-tx850m-850-watt-80-plus-gold-certified-psu-cp-9020130-na#tech-specs

PSU was replaced/upgraded ~4years ago one of the newest components.

[phillpower2]

Decent enough PSU that is still under warranty so would only suggest that you check that all the modular cables are securely attached to both the PSU and associated hardware.

When was the last time that the insides were cleaned out of heat trapping dust, the heatsink fins in particular.

Suggest that with the exception of the boot drive you take all the other drives offline, do this when you intend to shutdown the PC for the night, next time you boot up before doing anything else run Speccy and upload the new url for us if you will.

[Bobo]

Update it did crash twice again today (with all drives still attached). Ran for about 3-4 hrs before freezing. Left it off for about an hr or so and it froze again ~20min after boot up.

Cleaning and checking all the connections was something I did before posting here. However, I did it again and disconnected the other drives. Here is the new URL from today.

http://speccy.piriform.com/results/xeM6yjWInYCms0KXxvOrFK1

[phillpower2]

it did crash twice again today

Software such as Windows can crash and when it does crash you get a BSOD and when enabled a crash dmp is generated, programs or games when they crash can on occasion close to the desktop but the computer will still be 100% functional.

Hardware failure such as a weak power supply and/or overheating are not software related and when a computer for example suddenly turns off, freezes or the screen goes black etc the behaviour should be described as the “computer shut down unexpectedly” or froze etc and not as having crashed as the latter implies a software issue as opposed to an obvious hardware issue when described properly.

Having the correct info means that helpers will not be looking for a software issue when the problem is clearly hardware related.

So that we are clear as to what happened, did the PC blue screen, the screen turn black or did the PC just turn off altogether etc.

The CPU, GPU and MB temps are a lot lower in the latest Speccy report, was Speccy run before or after the cleaning and subsequent problem occuring.

[Bobo]

So that we are clear as to what happened, did the PC blue screen, the screen turn black or did the PC just turn off altogether etc.

Sorry, same problem as title computer froze (no BSOD).

The latest speccy was done after the second (2nd) cleaning/cable check AND after disconnecting all drives except the boot drive.

[phillpower2]

No worries, thanks for clarifying and the additional info, the symptoms and the lack of BSOD and subsequent crash dmp suggests that this is an overheating issue.

Download MiniToolBox and save the file to the Desktop.

Close the browser and run the tool, check the following options;

List last 10 Event Viewer Errors
List Installed Programs
List Devices (Only Problems)
List Users, Partitions and Memory size

Click on Go.

Post the resulting log in your next reply for us if you will.

[Bobo]

Here is log of MiniToolBox tool.

I might have trouble attaching the txt file I can’t see it once I submit post

[Bobo]

Here is zipped report

[phillpower2]

There are licencing issues with a couple of programs.

Have you knowingly installed and been using any unlicensed software on any of the drives.

Hardware wise, your CPU is having serious issues.

[Bobo]

The programs with licensing issues are probably due to school/student licenses expiring for programs which are seldom used.

[phillpower2]

For legal reasons and as per the PCHF Terms and rules that you agreed to abide by when becoming a member no help will be offered while there is unlicensed software present;

1. Discussion of or promotion of sites offering cracks, warez, torrents, *********** or any other illegal material or any software created to download any of the above will result in an immediate ban. This includes nulled, copied or any other illegal software or operating systems.

Be happy to continue once we can see a MTB log that does not contain errors caused by unlicensed software.

[Bobo]

Is there something I can search for in the MTB log that will show me which programs are having licensing issues?

[phillpower2]

You should know which programs are involved, no point in us highlighting any particular program/s as all you would need do would be to delete the entries from the MTB log before you upload it, this only to cut corners and not suggesting anything underhand on your behalf, in case you are not aware, if you run MTB and Speccy while only the boot drive is connected only programs on that drive will be reported on.

Side note, no idea why you did it but not installing any Windows 10 or Defender updates for almost a year after the initial Windows installation has saved you from Windows and/or hardware failure, nothing other than Windows and the system drivers should be installed on the C: drive/partition and that on an adequate size drive so no way should you have anything on your agonisingly small 80GB SSD other than Windows and the system drivers. get yourself a new 256GB SSD asap, don’t bother cloning the present drive but instead go for a clean install of both Windows and the system drivers.

[Bobo]

in case you are not aware, if you run MTB and Speccy while only the boot drive is connected only programs on that drive will be reported on.

The only program I see on the MTB log that is throwing errors that look like it might be license related is TinyCad which is a free open source program ( https://www.tinycad.net/ ) and it is installed on my E: drive which isn’t connected.
Side note, no idea why you did it but not installing any Windows 10 or Defender updates for almost a year after the initial Windows installation has saved you from Windows and/or hardware failure

Not sure where this is displayed on the report but anytime there is a windows update I do it. I did use a 3rd party antivirus software in the past and may have chosen not to update windows defender.
nothing other than Windows and the system drivers should be installed on the C: drive/partition and that on an adequate size drive so no way should you have anything on your agonisingly small 80GB SSD other than Windows and the system drivers. get yourself a new 256GB SSD asap

Do you believe this is the cause of my issue? Not having enough space on my boot drive for windows?

[phillpower2]

SOLIDWORKS is another, you also have Adobe, Flexnet and Matlab still detected in the Speccy report that you provided after having disconnected all but the boot drive.

The time and date that you installed Windows.
Operating System
Windows 10 Home 64-bit
Computer type: Desktop
[COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)]Installation Date: 2020-10-20 11:59:06 PM

The date that you installed your first update.
[COLOR=rgb(184, 49, 47)]2021-08-02 Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool x64 - v5.91 (KB890830)

Just a fyi, Windows Defender updates normally get downloaded and installed regardless of whether or not you use a third party AV, Defender is not actively running but it is kept up to date.

It has been explained why your drive is too small and what action you need to take, feel free to heed the advice or not, post a new Speccy url and MTB log for us and we will go from there, if there is no offending software mentioned we can move on with testing.[/COLOR][/COLOR]