topic Computer Freezing in Tech Help - Software/Hardware etc

Computer Freezing

bmc — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 09:21:35 GMT

Apart from old age (June 2016) and running Win7 is there any reason for the computer to freeze and require the old switch off/ switch on routine to get it back up and running.

Happening at least once daily now - 3 times yesterday.

Before any suggests I buy a new computer I like Win7 besides which I also have an NUC box running Linux with Win7 in a virtual window.

Brian

Re: Computer Freezing

cpc6128 — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 10:07:25 GMT

If windows 7 has the built in windows program "event viewer" then look at the application and system logs as they may have errors and warnings that may give a clue.

Re: Computer Freezing

Champnet — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 10:15:57 GMT

Any clues in the Event Viewer ?

There has been a couple of unofficial updates :

UpdatePack7R2-25.12.10 & UpdatePack7R2 26.1.15 (probably more.....)

********************************

@cpc6128 Beat me to it.......

Re: Computer Freezing

pvmb — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 10:19:47 GMT

@bmc

Have you tried the 'usual'? Full disc scan, full memory scan, for faults?

Re: Computer Freezing

bmc — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 10:44:58 GMT

Is this what you're looking for re Event Log - see attached file

I've run a Dsk Chk and full scan but only with Microsoft Essentials (I think that's what it's called).

Brian

Re: Computer Freezing

RobPN — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 10:47:08 GMT

CPU overheating, possibly requiring thermal paste replacement?

Re: Computer Freezing

Champnet — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 10:56:21 GMT

@pvmb Can u install MyEventViewer from https://www.nirsoft.net/

Re: Computer Freezing

bmc — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 12:17:15 GMT

@RobPN

I have a silent nofan computer. I'm not sure if it has any thermal paste. See attached image.

Brian

Re: Computer Freezing

RobPN — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 12:42:03 GMT

It will most likely have thermal paste, alternatively a thermal pad, between the CPU and its heatsink.

Re: Computer Freezing

jab1 — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 13:12:26 GMT

@bmc Does the computer have any temperature sensors?

Re: Computer Freezing

RobPN — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 13:30:04 GMT

@jab1

Yes it will have, but unless already installed, Win7 will need a third party utility downloading to display the info.

Re: Computer Freezing

richard_25 — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 13:34:01 GMT

Give this a try.

open Task Scheduler and at the left hand side look for Microsoft and follow the path to

Windows \ PI \ Secure-Boot-Update.

then disable it.

Restart your computer.

Re: Computer Freezing

jab1 — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 13:34:39 GMT

Understood, @RobPN . Even my Zorin laptop needed that, although there were a number of options. Honestly don't know if installed anything on my W7 machine, but I'd be surprised if I didn't.

Re: Computer Freezing

markhawkin — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 13:37:18 GMT

I think I might try adding a slow speed fan to the back of the case (where you would normally see a fan).

Overheating is a good theory.

Re: Computer Freezing

Champnet — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 16:22:00 GMT

Having dealt with many hundreds of users and their boxes I’ve only ever seen one hardware failure, the A30 gate wouldn’t open, eventually learnt this particulate box didn’t have that option. So unless @bmc is an enthusiast who likes to change the hardware I’d suspect the OS or running software. Run the task manager at the side and watch for any ‘doubtful’ processes. Try a virus scan etc……

Re: Computer Freezing

bmc — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 17:01:29 GMT

@RobPN

When looking around the BIOS settings I saw the CPU started at 36C and was at 44C about 10 minutes later. I don't run heavy workloads - just the occasional video from news channels would propably but the heaviest.

@richard_25

Couldn't see any trace of Secure-Boot-Update in Task Scheduler. Couldn't find Secure Boot Enabled in the BIOS settings.

@Champnet

Did the Event Log picture I posted earlier help?

I'm not an enthusiast as such. Setting up Linux was bad enough.

No new software as such installed recently. In the Task Manager Ithe only things I don't really recognise are igfzEM.exe and iusb3mon.exe

Thanks for all replies so far.

Brian

Re: Computer Freezing

jab1 — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 17:11:40 GMT

Igfxem.exe is Intel's main control module for their graphics cards. This Intel module sits between the Intel Graphics card and the Windows OS. It allows your video card to rotate the screen, modify keyboard settings, along with several other important Intel graphic card features.

The iusb3mon in iusb3mon. dll stands for Intel(R) USB 3.0 Monitor, which is used by Windows to keep track of the functionality and usage of your USB 3.0 ports in the background and look for possible problems.31 Dec 2017

Re: Computer Freezing

Champnet — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 17:12:28 GMT

The event log wasn’t helpful and the two files are safe, keep watching….

Re: Computer Freezing

Champnet — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 19:32:46 GMT

Beaten again this time by @jab1 , must learn to reply quicker……