Solved Freezes after first bootup of day, and after exiting sleep mode. Also freezes randomly

[crimson51]

For a while now I've been having issues with freezes on my PC. What happens is that after sleep mode or during the first boot up of the day, I will have a couple minutes in which it acts as normal, then when I connect to the internet and begin opening any tabs I experience a kind of slow-motion playing of the sounds with lots of crackling while the image remains frozen. Then after a couple seconds the sound cuts out and everything freezes entirely. There is no error message and I can reproduce this freeze consistently. Restarting before the freeze fixes the issue. A freeze identical to this happens randomly about once or twice a week as well. I've run diagnostics on memory and other potential causes to no avail, and I don't see any driver updates I may need.

I'm using a Lenovo Legion T5 from about a year ago. 16 GB RAM, Intel i7-10700 2.90 GHz, CPU and a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER graphics card. Let me know if there is any other information you need.

 

[Bruce]

let's get your complete system specs.

get Speccy from here; https://www.piriform.com/speccy/builds
in Speccy, click File > Publish Snapshot > Copy to Clipboard > Close.
now you can paste (Ctrl+V) that link into a post.

One component Speccy doesn’t cover is the Power Supply Unit, so please also include the make/model of the PSU.

 

[crimson51]

http://speccy.piriform.com/results/GXCrlpKIZcpxGSo7gJ5ceKM

(I don't think it's a power supply problem but I'll provide those details when I can)

 

[Bruce]

run the following from an elevated command prompt;

• chkdsk c: /r
• sfc /scannow
• dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
• dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup /resetbase

then see how the PC handles.

if still no luck, I'll move this over to the malware removal thread to check nothing along those lines are in play.

you can also try booting the PC into Safe Mode and seeing if the problem repeats, and also creating another user account and logging in under that profile and checking.

 

[crimson51]

Gonna wait a bit because I did all of your advice, Bruce. But it's really late where I live and I am kinda not in a sober brain state after dealing with GeekSquad all day so I'm gonna head to bed before I test if this

 

[Bruce]

no worries.
next time you boot up, the PC should do that scheduled chkdsk command.
but so far, so good.

try Safe Mode and another user account and see how you go.

if no progress, we'll pass off to the malware removal expert.

 

[Bastet]

I’m suspecting malware as the problem occurs as soon as the pc connects to the internet.

 

[crimson51]

The freeze is persisting. I can also cause it by running the game Napoleon: Total War specifically. Other, bigger games even in that series do not cause this issue

 

[crimson51]

no worries.
next time you boot up, the PC should do that scheduled chkdsk command.
but so far, so good.

try Safe Mode and another user account and see how you go.

if no progress, we'll pass off to the malware removal expert.

Oh I forgot to actually reply to this. To reiterate from above, the freeze is persisting. I can also cause it by running the game Napoleon: Total War specifically. Other, bigger games even in that series do not cause this issue. Do with that info what you will

 

[Bruce]

all good, I'll move this to malware removal and at least tick off that possibility.

@Malnutrition

 

[Malnutrition]

Please download the FRST 32 bit or FRST 64bit version to suit your operating system. It is important FRST is downloaded to your desktop.

If you are unsure if your operating system is 32 or 64 Bit please go HERE.
Once downloaded right click the FRST desktop icon and select "Run as administrator" from the menu"

If you receive any security warnings, or the User Account Control warning opens at any time whilst using FRST you can safely allow FRST to proceed.
FRST will open with two dialogue boxes, accept the disclaimer.

1. Accept the default whitelist options,
2. If the additions.txt options box is not checked please select it.
3. Then select Scan

Frst will take a few minutes to scan your computer, and when finished will produce two log files on your desktop, FRST.txt, and Addition.txt. They will display immediately on the desktop, but can be reopened later as a notepad file.

Please Attach the contents of these logs in your next post for review by our Security Team

 

[crimson51]

Please download the FRST 32 bit or FRST 64bit version to suit your operating system. It is important FRST is downloaded to your desktop.

If you are unsure if your operating system is 32 or 64 Bit please go HERE.
Once downloaded right click the FRST desktop icon and select "Run as administrator" from the menu"

If you receive any security warnings, or the User Account Control warning opens at any time whilst using FRST you can safely allow FRST to proceed.
FRST will open with two dialogue boxes, accept the disclaimer.

1. Accept the default whitelist options,
2. If the additions.txt options box is not checked please select it.
3. Then select Scan

Frst will take a few minutes to scan your computer, and when finished will produce two log files on your desktop, FRST.txt, and Addition.txt. They will display immediately on the desktop, but can be reopened later as a notepad file.

Please Attach the contents of these logs in your next post for review by our Security Team

For some reason it wasn't letting me post addition.txt, so I compressed it to a zip file if that's okay. I'll also be adding the text to a post after this one

 

[crimson51]

Hold up I actually didn't run it as admin that time, here's the real ones. Still not letting me post addition.txt though, so I've to to use a .zip again

 

[Malnutrition]

While we work on the machine, please uninstall Webroot and just allow windows defender to run please. Some antivirus tools can interfere with the tools we will use here, and removing them is just to simplify this process.

You can use GeekUninstaller to remove it from the machine.

---

Download Malwarebytes v.4 . Install and run.

• Once the MBAM dashboard opens, click on Settings (gear icon).
• Click on Security tab and make sure that all four Scan options are enabled.
• Close Settings and click on the Scan button on the dashboard.
• 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.
• 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 include that log on your next reply.

---

Adware Cleaner Scan.

• Download AdwCleaner and save it to your Desktop
• Right-click on AdwCleaner.exe and select
  
  
  Run as Administrator
• Accept the EULA (I accept), then click on Scan Now
• Let the scan complete
• Once the scan completes, make sure that every item listed in the different tabs is checked and click on the Clean & Repair button
• Subsequently you may be asked to Run Basic Repair. This is optional. I would suggest holding off on this for now.
• Once the cleaning process is complete, AdwCleaner will ask you to restart your computer
• Close all other open windows and allow it to restart
• After the restart, Notepad will open with the AdwCleaner cleaning log
• Please Attach the contents of that log into your next reply to me

---

ZHP Diag Scan
Click here to download.
Save to your desktop.
Right Click Run as Admin.
Click the Options button.
Click on Check All
Then click close.
Click the Scanner button.
When complete please push the report button.
A notepad will open... attach the report in your next reply.

 

[crimson51]

While we work on the machine, please uninstall Webroot and just allow windows defender to run please. Some antivirus tools can interfere with the tools we will use here, and removing them is just to simplify this process.

You can use GeekUninstaller to remove it from the machine.

---

Download Malwarebytes v.4 . Install and run.

• Once the MBAM dashboard opens, click on Settings (gear icon).
• Click on Security tab and make sure that all four Scan options are enabled.
• Close Settings and click on the Scan button on the dashboard.
• 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.
• 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 include that log on your next reply.

---

Adware Cleaner Scan.

• Download AdwCleaner and save it to your Desktop
• Right-click on AdwCleaner.exe and select
  
  
  Run as Administrator
• Accept the EULA (I accept), then click on Scan Now
• Let the scan complete
• Once the scan completes, make sure that every item listed in the different tabs is checked and click on the Clean & Repair button
• Subsequently you may be asked to Run Basic Repair. This is optional. I would suggest holding off on this for now.
• Once the cleaning process is complete, AdwCleaner will ask you to restart your computer
• Close all other open windows and allow it to restart
• After the restart, Notepad will open with the AdwCleaner cleaning log
• Please Attach the contents of that log into your next reply to me

---

ZHP Diag Scan
Click here to download.
Save to your desktop.
Right Click Run as Admin.
Click the Options button.
Click on Check All
Then click close.
Click the Scanner button.
When complete please push the report button.
A notepad will open... attach the report in your next reply.

So I wound up forgetting to do the run as admin the first time so I will be adding both the non-admin and admin logs for each, with the admin logs ending with a 1. Additionally, the adware cleaner did not require me to restart at all. I have attached the logs I found after seeing the "Show Logs" button. Let me know if there is anything else you need

 

[Malnutrition]

FRST Fix.
Download attached fixlist.txt file and save it to the Desktop. NOTE. It's important that both files, FRST/FRST64 and fixlist.txt are in the same location or the fix will not work. NOTICE: This script was written specifically for this user, for use on that particular machine. Running this on another machine may cause damage to your operating system Run FRST/FRST64 and press the Fix button just once and wait. If for some reason the tool needs a restart, please make sure you let the system restart normally. After that let the tool complete its run. When finished FRST will generate a log on the Desktop (Fixlog.txt). Please post it to your reply.


Post new FRST and Addition.txt logs and let me know how the machine is performing.

 

[crimson51]

FRST Fix.
Download attached fixlist.txt file and save it to the Desktop. NOTE. It's important that both files, FRST/FRST64 and fixlist.txt are in the same location or the fix will not work. NOTICE: This script was written specifically for this user, for use on that particular machine. Running this on another machine may cause damage to your operating system Run FRST/FRST64 and press the Fix button just once and wait. If for some reason the tool needs a restart, please make sure you let the system restart normally. After that let the tool complete its run. When finished FRST will generate a log on the Desktop (Fixlog.txt). Please post it to your reply.


Post new FRST and Addition.txt logs and let me know how the machine is performing.

Here you are. A restart was in fact required, in case that information might be useful

 

[Malnutrition]

How is the machine now? Same issue?

 

[crimson51]

How is the machine now? Same issue?

For the most part, yes. Except the audio is now similar to a full freeze. Just a rapid loop of whatever sound was playing at the time of the freeze. Still no blue screen or error message. Still needs to be restarted. Still happens both randomly and in the same situations as before

 

[Malnutrition]

Please perform a clean boot on your machine and let me know the result.

How to clean boot your Windows 11 computer | TechRepublic

Troubleshooting a problem computer requires patience, know-how, and a lot of trial and error. Booting your PC in a clean configuration can help automate the process.

www.techrepublic.com

I’ll double check the logs to make sure I did not miss anything, that usually takes me an hour. So I will have a reply tomorrow after work, as I’m headed to sleep now. 4 am comes early...