[SOLVED] My computer freezes intermittently, mostly when watching videos

Jun 7, 2019
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Hello. My computer has been lagging annoyingly for the past months and I don't know why. It would freeze, like during a game drop fps 0 for a sec, and when watching videos on YT the image is stuttering, but the sound is still going on, sometimes it would even freeze my whole computer forcing me to turn it off pressing the power button; and some other times, a blue screen.

I have no idea what can cause all of this. I mean I am not running that many applications (Spotify, Chrome browser, Antivirus in the tray). Here are my specs:
  • Windows 10 Pro 64 bit (1903 version)
  • 16 GB RAM
  • Radeon RX 580
  • i5-7500 3.4GHz
  • 1TB HHD
  • It is 4 years old and has been upgraded a year ago (current specs)
It worked fine a few months ago. Could it be a driver problem? A virus? Windows 10 updates? Please help me, it crashed twice today and I don't know what to do anymore.

Thanks in advance.
 
Solution
I would run the system in linux and see if the gremlin follows you there, if it does its a hardware issue.
Boot to a USB drive with linux on it. grab a USB drive, a copy of rufus and a linux distribution.
http://distrowatch.com/ has tons of differing linux distributions and download links. I personally am fond of linux mint with cinnamon.
https://rufus.ie/ the utility used to extract the ISO file to the USB drive.

use rufus to extract the selected ISO to the thumb drive. it will make the drive bootable and you can run linux from the drive once done.
Reboot into linux and proceed to test the hardware. connect to internet, watch videos, await problems.
if linux is good and stable the issue is most likely inside windows or...

R_1

Expert
Ambassador
I would run the system in linux and see if the gremlin follows you there, if it does its a hardware issue.
Boot to a USB drive with linux on it. grab a USB drive, a copy of rufus and a linux distribution.
http://distrowatch.com/ has tons of differing linux distributions and download links. I personally am fond of linux mint with cinnamon.
https://rufus.ie/ the utility used to extract the ISO file to the USB drive.

use rufus to extract the selected ISO to the thumb drive. it will make the drive bootable and you can run linux from the drive once done.
Reboot into linux and proceed to test the hardware. connect to internet, watch videos, await problems.
if linux is good and stable the issue is most likely inside windows or otherwise software related.
this is a test of the hardware.

connect to the net and youtube for a while, browse and wait for strangeness. if linux purrs like a kitten the problen is a software issue somewhere. a driver issue, windows update, virus etc.

you can download and use the offline scanner from ESET. I use it and its a single use item. for a virus a second opinion is never a bad thing.

download the Drive diagnostic from the drive maker and verify your storage is is good shape.
 
Solution

ss_56

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Jan 29, 2011
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Not everyone knows about or has a desire to fool around with 'linux' or 'rufus'. I'm having same issues as poster. There must be a way within windows to sort these kind of issues.
 

R_1

Expert
Ambassador
Not everyone knows about or has a desire to fool around with 'linux' or 'rufus'. I'm having same issues as poster. There must be a way within windows to sort these kind of issues.

if windows is the problem? a driver?
booting into a clean environment allows you to test JUST the hardware, without damaging any of your software, the OS will boot from the USB only.
if in linux the system exhibits the same issues you are ASSURED the problem is hardware and you now have a place to look. Hardware
if linux is smooth the hardware is good and you should reboot into windows and look at the software and drivers, revert to a date when it was working if you can. uninstall any newly installed programs or updates that may have triggered the issues.
verifying the hardware in linux is the easy part, looking for the actual software that is causing the issues is tricky enough/time consuming many just nuke and re-install from scratch. if you do chose to re-install and its the hardware you will be right back where you started.
 

ss_56

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Jan 29, 2011
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i checked for malware using windows defender..no threats. ran my malwarebytes premium...no threats. ran the eset online scanner and it found a bunch of 'toolbars' and deleted them. im hoping that was it. i hear u about running in a clean enviornment. i may try that if i start freezing again. windows users shouldn't be having all these problems.
 

ss_56

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Jan 29, 2011
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Did you get your freezing issue sorted? I feel for ya cause i had the same until, as a Last Resort, i found a windows 10 setting, "reset this pc". It wasn't quite as bad as reinstallation but it was a pain; regardless, I haven't had any freeze up issues since. Best of luck