New
#1
Sometimes programs hang
I've had Win10 installed on a rarely used test / backup PC since last fall, but upgraded my regularly used PC just last week, so I don't know if I'm describing a recent problem or one the has been lurking around for months.
Sometimes I cannot launch new programs. Clicking on a desktop icon for a new program does nothing. Most running programs (like email or a browser) keep working with no apparent problem. The Start menu will display and I can display the Power sub-menu, but clicking on "Shut down" (or any other option, I assume) does nothing. I've tried doing a Ctrl-Alt-DeI in hopes of getting into Task Manager, but Ctrl-Alt-DeI is ignored. I have to power off and back on to get back to normal. At least once I looked at the event records after restart, but there were no error records logged around the time of the hang. (Of course, the logging task might be hung up. How would I know?)
At least, I thought that described the problem until a couple hours ago. This time there was an additional symptom. One running program - Speccy - hung up. I launched it, and it started collecting data. It got as far as collecting and displaying "Operating System" data but all other categories stayed displaying "Analyzing". I assume both Speccy and program initiation were hung up waiting for some operating system even that wasn't happening any longer, but I have no idea what event that might be.
I'd like to know what to do to wake the PC up, but I'd be (temporarily) satisfied knowing additional diagnostic tricks to try.