PC Crashing multiple times a day

Windows Version: 1903 (OS Build 18362.720)

My PC has been experiencing crashes for the last few months which I have been trying to troubleshoot but have been hitting dead ends and can't think where else to find information to troubleshoot what the issue is.

I will be using my PC (there appears to be no consistency in the crashes to what applications are being run) for mostly non intensive tasks such as youtube, word, basic excel functionality, general browsing, discord, and runing games such as Overwatch.
I will then find that certain items will stop working whilst others continue to work. Usually the first item to have issues is games (if im playing overwatch) or video's. They video part will stop, however I am able to still click around on the rest of the pages and switch between applications that are open. None will allow me to close them, but i can interact to different extents.
Discord will no longer pick up my voice, but i will still be able to hear people, and generally still type for a little while before that functionality stops working too.
Oddly enough if i am playing minecraft when this happens I can generally indefinitely play this with no issues what so ever.
I'll be able to go to the windows menu but can't successfully search, and to the ctl+alt+dlt menu but it won't actually launch anything.
As above no applications will allow me to close them (via their own closure, or right clicking on the taskbar and trying to close or quit)
If I had task manager open it will report around 15-20% CPU at the total, but all applications and processes will then report 0% next to them, same for memory
I will also be unable to shutdown the PC- i have to press and hold the power button to get it to turn off

Looking in event viewer I never see any events showing when its crashing/before i force the PC off, (the kernel power critical event)

I have also successfully run the windows memory test and did not have any reported results to resolve
And can't find anything that indicates (to me) issues in event manager or reliability manager

Happy to run more tests or give more information! Just trying to figure out what is going on

This sounds a whole lot like a problem I was having a year or two ago. Starting and stopping programs would stop working and some programs would freeze. Other programs would keep working, and there was no problem switching among open windows (whether they belonged to frozen or working programs). Eventually I would just give up and force a power off. everything would be fine - for a while - after powering back on. Finally I tried just letting it sit and sometimes (maybe always) everything would eventually start working again with no intervention.

I never found out what was causing the problem. I had a suspicion it was maintenance running in the background, but I don't think I ever had evidence of that. Eventually it just stopped happening.

I know this is no help, but at least you know it's not just you.

Do you have an HDD or an SSD? Enter make/model/ capacity in your system specs.
--- Excellent recommendations have been mentioned for starters: further troubleshooting will be determined on your results.

If Windows version is 1903 then upgrade to 1909.
If the Windows build is 18362.720 then it is up to date.


If you follow the steps posted earlier by dalchina then select the steps in this post that were not already performed.


Please perform the following steps:

1) Open administrative command prompt and type or copy and paste:
2) sfc /scannow
3) dism /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth
4) dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
5) sfc /scannow
6) chkdsk /scan
7) wmic recoveros set autoreboot = false
8) wmic recoveros set DebugInfoType = 7
9) wmic recoveros get autoreboot
10) wmic recoveros get DebugInfoType
11) bcdedit /enum {badmemory}

12) When these have completed > right click on the top bar or title bar of the administrative command prompt box > left click on edit then select all > right click on the top bar again > left click on edit then copy > paste into the thread

13) Make sure that there is no over clocking while troubleshooting

14) If the computer has Ccleaner (do not install the software if it is not already installed) > click windows tab or custom clean > scroll down to system and advanced > post an image into the thread

15) Choose one of the temperature monitoring software applications: Speecy, HW monitor, Speed fan:
Speccy - Free Download - Piriform: Speccy - System Information - Free
Download Speccy | Find your computer specs, free!
Download Speccy | Find your computer specs, free!
HWMONITOR | Softwares | CPUID: HWMONITOR | Softwares | CPUID
HWMONITOR | Softwares | CPUID
SpeedFan - Access temperature sensor in your computer: SpeedFan - Access temperature sensor in your computer
SpeedFan - Access temperature sensor in your computer

MeAndMyComputer said:

Do you have an HDD or an SSD? Enter make/model/ capacity in your system specs.
--- Excellent recommendations have been mentioned for starters: further troubleshooting will be determined on your results.

Updated my system specs to include this info now :)

Update the specs in the "My Computer" section:

System Specs - Fill in at Ten Forums
In the left corner below in your post you find 'My System Specs'.
After clicking it you can find a link a little below that says 'Update your System Spec', click on this link to get to the page where you can fill in your system specs.
System Info - See Your System Specs - Windows 7 Help Forums

Include PSU. cooler, case, peripherals and anything attached to the computer by wired or wireless (mouse, keyboard, headset, printer, xbox, USB wireless network card, etc.)

zbook said:

Update the specs in the "My Computer" section:

System Specs - Fill in at Ten Forums
In the left corner below in your post you find 'My System Specs'.
After clicking it you can find a link a little below that says 'Update your System Spec', click on this link to get to the page where you can fill in your system specs.
System Info - See Your System Specs - Windows 7 Help Forums

Include PSU. cooler, case, peripherals and anything attached to the computer by wired or wireless (mouse, keyboard, headset, printer, xbox, USB wireless network card, etc.)

I have updated my specs further to include additional detail- the only thing currently missing are details on my monitors which I'm looking at getting exacts

- - - Updated - - -

pokeefe0001 said:

This sounds a whole lot like a problem I was having a year or two ago. Starting and stopping programs would stop working and some programs would freeze. Other programs would keep working, and there was no problem switching among open windows (whether they belonged to frozen or working programs). Eventually I would just give up and force a power off. everything would be fine - for a while - after powering back on. Finally I tried just letting it sit and sometimes (maybe always) everything would eventually start working again with no intervention.

I never found out what was causing the problem. I had a suspicion it was maintenance running in the background, but I don't think I ever had evidence of that. Eventually it just stopped happening.

I know this is no help, but at least you know it's not just you.

interesting, i have let it sit for a few hours, and on a few occasions it shut itself down but it does take hours to get to that point

How much RAM do you have?

The Pool Man said:

How much RAM do you have?

NOt sure how this thread/forum website works yet as I'm knew but it's in my specs info '32.GB DDR3' :)

- - - Updated - - -

dalchina said:

Hi, welcome to tenforums.

I suggest you start with basics:
- check your disk: e.g. HDTune v2.55, Health and Error Scan tabs
if ok run
chkdsk c: /scan
from an admin command or powershell prompt.

Then if ok, similarly run
SFC /SCANNOW

If all ok, please perform a clean boot and see if you still have problems.

Also perform a RAM check. (Tutorial available) (I think you've done that)

You can try using this:
Enable and Disable Driver Verifier in Windows 10

Did you make any changes around the time this started?
Are you overclocking?

In a somewhat similar thread one user found their problems occurred because they had one particular program installed.

Random problems may also occur if your PSU has a marginal voltage.

Does it crash at all in Safe Mode?

That's just for starters...

Hello!

Thank you :)

Just running what you've recommended at the moment. Crucial is OK on health and error scan. Seagate is OK on Health and currently running error scan but looks like it's going to take a while

I'll run the other two items you suggested once it has completed and update! along with clean boot


Yes RAM check came back with no issues

will try enable and disable driver verifier too again once the other checks are done and will update

No changes that i can recall, i regret not taking notice earlier on but it has been getting progressively worse. Initially it was one crash every week or two and the frequency has increased

No overclocking

Is there a way to check the PSU?

Will try safemode too :)