Sep 19, 2019
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Hello there, I'm new here but have been around many times while tweaking and fixing machines for family and friends, or checking reviews on components and such, so I want to start by thanking to all the nice people sharing their experiences and wisdom here. ❤

I'm having a situation that keeps coming back again and again, and I've tried all I know and found out there with no luck, so I hope somebody here managed to resolve something similar in the past. Please excuse me if this is posted in the wrong place and if I make any english mistakes (it's super late in here -3am- and english is not my mother tongue).

Here is my system configuration:
Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
Intel Core i5
8,00GB Dual-Channel DDR3
ASUS P7P55D LE - LGA1156
NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GT
1 SSD for OS and 2 HDD for files

Here's the issue:
  1. The computer is behaving normally, all runs smooth and stable as always. It can be like that for weeks, or even months.
  2. At some random moment, and while running different programs (there's no pattern that causes this) the computer will start to get more and more sluggish gradually. This happened while running audio softs, graphic tools, sometimes just Office or by using internet, or while listening music so there's no behaviour pattern, neither intensive tasks and such involved.
  3. The "sluggishness" will get worse and worse to the point that the cursor will move on jumps, and whatever I try to close or minimize won't do it so things will start to pile one over the others, if there's music or a video playing it will freeze or crash and I won't be able to get out of the program, and so on...
  4. I'm still able to hardly use the OS, so I'll try to restart or shutdown the computer.
  5. The shutting down screen will stay for long period, sometimes hours.
  6. At some point the computer will shut down and initiate back, again the Win and loggin-in screens will be slow as hell.
  7. Once I'm back in the desktop everything will behave normally (not sluggish).
  8. Acronis will report a critical event, but if I try to open it it wont respond.
  9. One of my HDDs won't be listed in my Computer configuration, neither Speccy or my devices.
As this has happened before, I know what to expect/do next, but the first time this happened (like a year ago) I thought all my job files just died with the HDD... but nope...
  1. Now, I'll proceed to restart the computer a couple of times, sometimes one time does the "trick", sometimes it takes like 3, 4... 5 times.
  2. Again, slow initial screens, back to point 6 and the following ones, this can repeat a couple of times.
  3. Sometimes, my "lost" HDD will appear as "Local Disk" (not its usual name) but if I try to access it it will try to load super slowly (like 15 to 30 minutes) and won't show up any content at the end.
  4. Again, I'll repeat the shutting down/initiate back process.
  5. Finally, the welcoming screens will load at normal speed, and I'll be able to enter and my HDD will be listed and working as always.
  6. This time I'll be able to access Acronis and it will show up a few (or sometimes hundreds, literally) of critical events, like this ones.
  7. All my files are there, I can open and work on all of them normally, untill all this will repeat again from point 1. :coldsweat:

This is what I've done:
  • Searched in MANY places the event IDs and symptoms, found some similar cases but mostly in computers used as servers or with special backing up protocols and hardware configurations, most of the suggestions found were not applicable for me.
  • Swapped, tested with different diagnosis tools, and changed RAM memories at the end, no luck.
  • Bought new cables for all my drives, no luck.
  • Checked the drives with many diagnosis tools, including cmd commands, Crystal Disk (and similar ones), Windows diagnostic tools, Acronis, even defraggler and all of them report "good health", a green status... the disks are working normally, at low temperatures (around 30º), and at 100%...
  • Swapped slots in the motherboard (in case one is faulty), no luck.
  • All drivers are updated.
  • Changed video card also for a while with a friend, but doesn't seem to be video related.
  • This is happening since like a year ago or more, and I've done at least one or two formattings of the OS and fresh installs of everything.
  • Defragmented, and cleaned registers (CCleaner) many times.
  • I haven't installed new software recently other than what I've been using for the last 3 to 5 years, and those always get installed right after a fresh OS install (last one done in february, if I remember well).
  • Uninstalled anti-virus and tried different ones (just in case, because once had a strange issue with a daw crashing because of an antivirus). No luck.

I'm about to buy a new disk, but something tells me that this is a Win issue or something software related, I've had HDDs dying in the past and counting the times I've been into this same process I shouldn't be able to access some files at this point, or there should some signs of deterioration... in the daily functioning or in the diagnosis tools at least, but none.

I remember reading about the event ID 57 being related to hardware components being disconnected while still running but these are internal HDDs inside the case. Also there were coments about Win processes in the background backing up stuff or making shadow copies causing conflicts, but I haven't tweaked any of that...

ANY thoughts and suggestions are more than welcome. Sadly a new computer isn't possible to afford at the moment (3rd world crisis is hitting hard currently).
I can't think on a way to replicate the issue really, it just comes back randomly. I use the computer daily for work and every time this happens it takes like 2 to 6 hours to get everything stable again, it really sucks. I'll try whatever you can suggest.

All the best, thanks.
 

Joakim Agren

Reputable
Sep 5, 2019
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4,665
Some of your experience sound similar to what I experienced years ago when I had a bad power brick and a bad power supply cable (probably surge damaged somehow). Once I changed power brick and cable all was well again. Do not know if that will solve it in your case though...
 
Sep 19, 2019
5
0
10
Some of your experience sound similar to what I experienced years ago when I had a bad power brick and a bad power supply cable (probably surge damaged somehow). Once I changed power brick and cable all was well again. Do not know if that will solve it in your case though...

I forgot to mention that I changed power cable too and added a UPS, just in case there was any strange electrical issue or something going on.
 
Sep 19, 2019
5
0
10