WHAT TO DO WHEN PC BECOMES UNRESPONSIVE

WHAT TO DO WHEN PC BECOMES UNRESPONSIVE

Summary
At times you may find that your PC has become unresponsive. This article provides recommendations to help identify the potential causes for this behavior, and to help resolve this problem. 

Resolution

The first step is to identify the category of issue you are facing. For the purposes of this article, we will define four categories of behavior for PCs that become unresponsive, as follows:

• Hang -- Your PC becomes unresponsive whenever you do a specific set of steps, and you must restart to recover the PC.
• Random Hang -- Your PC becomes unresponsive seemingly at random, and you must restart to recover the PC.
• Generic Freeze -- Your PC becomes unresponsive for a period of time, and then becomes usable again without taking any action. You don't need to restart your PC for it to be usable again. This behavior seems to affect all apps.
• Single-app Freeze -- Your PC exhibits the same behavior as a Generic Freeze, except that it only occurs when running a specific app, such as when playing a game or browsing websites.

Please review the appropriate steps below, according to the category that most closely describes the behavior your PC is experiencing.

Troubleshooting a Hang

Please review the sub-category below that most closely matches when your PC experiences a hang. If the guidance below does not address the issue, please use the guidance under Radom Hang for further recommendations.

At Startup

The most common causes for a hang at Startup are:

Connected Devices

If you have external devices connected to the PC, try starting the PC with those devices disconnected. Device connection and driver issues can contribute to hangs. If the PC starts successfully without external devices connected, try repeating with more devices connected to identify the specific device or combination of devices that are contributing to the hang. 

Fast Startup in Windows 8.1

Older PCs may hang during startup when Windows 8.1 Fast Startup is enabled. The best first action is to update the PC firmware and drivers available from the PC manufacturer. These updates may resolve the issue.

If you are still having a problem after updating all drivers and firmware, you can disable Fast Startup to see if that may be contributing to the issue:

1. Tap or click Search.
2. In the Search box, type Power button. Then, in the search results, tap or click Change what the power buttons do.
3. Tap or click Change settings that are currently unavailable.
4. If the check box in front of Turn on Fast Start up (recommended) is selected, tap or click on the box to remove the check mark.
5. Click Save changes.

Recent hardware or software changes

You may have recently made a change on the PC that may have caused the hang. If so, you can resolve the problem by returning the PC to a previous configuration using System Restore. To learn how to run System Restore, click on the link for your operating system

At Shutdown

Hangs during shutdown can result from faulty hardware, faulty drivers, or damaged Windows components. To resolve these issues:

1. Check for updated firmware and drivers from your PC manufacturer. Install available updates.
2. Install all recommended updates for Windows using Windows Update.
3. Disconnect non-essential hardware, such as USB devices, to see if there is a change that could indicate a device issue.
4. See if the issue also happens in Safe Mode. If not, the problem may be related to installed software. Uninstall software that you are no longer using.
5. Scan for malware.

Troubleshooting a Random Hang

Random hangs are often due to damage to the Windows configuration, faulty hardware, or malware. However, because this behavior is random, it can be especially difficult to identify the proper cause. Please review the steps below to help identify the cause and determine the next course of action:

Due to problems with the Windows configuration

If the system is hanging randomly, it could be caused by damaged system files, software compatibility, or damaged registry files. Try each of the following steps to check if the hang is caused by one of these possibilities.

Damaged system files

Corrupt system files can cause Windows Explorer to stop responding. You can repair corrupted system files by running the System Update Readiness tool, the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool, or the System File Checker (SFC).

Windows Update freezes when you install updates in Windows 8, Windows 7, or Windows Vista

Symptoms

When you try to download or install updates from Windows Update in Windows 8, Windows 7, or Windows Vista, the computer may freeze. If the computer freezes during installation, you receive a message that resembles the following:

Installing Updates X of Y. Please do not shut off your computer.

Note In this message, the placeholders X and Y represent any number. For example, if you're installing 16 updates, you may receive the following message: 

Installing Updates 4 of 16.

Or, the computer may freeze when Windows Update is scanning for updates, and no error messages occur. 

Or, the computer may freeze after you receive the following message:

Preparing to configure Windows.

Don't turn off your computer.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, use one of the following methods, depending on your operating system.

Windows 8

Method 1: Run the scan again

If the scan freezes and doesn't complete when Windows Update is scanning for updates, try to run the scan again. If you still can't scan for updates successfully, go to method 2.

Method 2: Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

If Windows Update freezes during download, use the following method. If this method doesn't resolve your issue, go to method 3.
Fix it for me
To fix this problem automatically, click Fix it, click Run In the File Download dialog box, and then follow the steps in the Fix it wizard.

The Automatically diagnose and fix common problems with Windows Update troubleshooter may automatically fix the problem described in this article.  This troubleshooter fixes many problems.

Notes

• This wizard may be in English only. However, the automatic fix also works for other language versions of Windows.
• If you are not on the computer that has the problem, save the Fix it solution to a flash drive or a CD, and then run the solution on the computer that has the problem.

If you're still having problems when you scan for updates, you can ask questions and get answers from other users at the Microsoft Community. To ask a question, or search for other users' posts, click here. 

Method 3: Perform a System Restore

If you're having problems installing Windows Updates, use the following method. If this method doesn't fix your problem, go to method 4.

Note If your computer is not configured to start from a CD or DVD, or if the computer had Windows preinstalled and you have no installation CDs or DVDs, see the documentation that was included with the computer for information about how to continue. 

When you start your computer by using the Windows installation disc, you can perform system recovery options on startup. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Turn off your computer manually by pressing the power button.
2. Start your computer by pressing the power button.
3. At the logon screen, tap or click the power icon in the lower-right corner.
4. Press the Shift key, and then tap or click Restart.
5. On the Choose an option page, tap or click Troubleshoot, and then tap or click Advanced options.
6. Tap or click System Restore. The computer will restart to System Restore. Select your account to continue.
7. On the System Restore page, tap or click Next.
8. If you are prompted to specify a disk to restore, select the hard disk, and then tap or click Next.
9. When the restoration process is complete, tap or click Restart.

Method 4: Refresh your PC

Note When you use the "Refresh your PC" tool, your computer will restore the current Windows installation to the original installation version. This method requires you to reinstall all updates that are not included on the installation. Applications that you installed from disc or websites will be removed. You will find a list of removed applications on your desktop.

1. Turn off your computer manually by pressing the power button.
2. Start your computer by pressing the power button.
3. At the logon screen, tap or click the power icon in the lower-right corner.
4. Press the Shift key, and then tap or click Restart.
5. On the Choose an option page, tap or click Troubleshoot, and then tap or click Advanced options.
6. Tap or click Refresh your PC.
7. Under Refresh your PC, tap or click Next.
8. Follow the instructions on the screen.

Windows 7 and Windows Vista

Method 1: Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

If the computer freezes when you download updates from Windows Update, use the following method. If this method doesn't resolve the issue, go to method 2.


Fix it for me
To fix this problem automatically, click Fix it for your version of Windows, click Run in the File Download dialog box, and then follow the steps in the Fix it wizard.

Windows 7 or Windows Vista

The Automatically diagnose and fix common problems with Windows Update troubleshooter may automatically fix the problem described in this article.  This troubleshooter fixes many problems.

Notes

• This wizard may be in English only. However, the automatic fix also works for other language versions of Windows.
• If you are not on the computer that has the problem, save the Fix it solution to a flash drive or a CD, and then run the solution on the computer that has the problem.

Let me fix it myself

Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

322756 How to back up and restore the registry in Windows XP
Back up the registry (For Windows Vista)
Back up the registry (For Windows 7)

To reset the Windows Update components, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then press Enter.
2. At the Command Prompt window that appears, type net stop bits, and then press Enter.
3. Type net stop wuauserv, and then press Enter.
4. Delete the qmgr*.dat files. To do this, type the following command, and then press Enter:
   Del "%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Network\Downloader\qmgr*.dat"
5. Type cd /d %windir%\system32, and then press Enter.
6. To reregister the BITS and Windows Update files, type the following commands, and make sure that you press Enter after you type each command.
   • regsvr32.exe atl.dll
   • regsvr32.exe urlmon.dll
   • regsvr32.exe mshtml.dll
   • regsvr32.exe shdocvw.dll
   • regsvr32.exe browseui.dll
   • regsvr32.exe jscript.dll
   • regsvr32.exe vbscript.dll
   • regsvr32.exe scrrun.dll
   • regsvr32.exe msxml.dll
   • regsvr32.exe msxml3.dll
   • regsvr32.exe msxml6.dll
   • regsvr32.exe actxprxy.dll
   • regsvr32.exe softpub.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wintrust.dll
   • regsvr32.exe dssenh.dll
   • regsvr32.exe rsaenh.dll
   • regsvr32.exe gpkcsp.dll
   • regsvr32.exe sccbase.dll
   • regsvr32.exe slbcsp.dll
   • regsvr32.exe cryptdlg.dll
   • regsvr32.exe oleaut32.dll
   • regsvr32.exe ole32.dll
   • regsvr32.exe shell32.dll
   • regsvr32.exe initpki.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wuapi.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wuaueng.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wuaueng1.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wucltui.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wups.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wups2.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wuweb.dll
   • regsvr32.exe qmgr.dll
   • regsvr32.exe qmgrprxy.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wucltux.dll
   • regsvr32.exe muweb.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wuwebv.dll
7. Reset Winsock. To do this, type netsh reset winsock, and then press Enter.
8. If you are running Windows XP, set the proxy setting. To do this, type proxycfg.exe -d at the command prompt and then press Enter.
9. To restart the BITS and Windows Update services, type the following commands at the command prompt, and make sure that you press Enter after you type each command:
   • net start bits
   • net start wuauserv
10. If you are running Windows Vista or Windows 7, clear the BITS queue. To do this, type bitsadmin.exe /reset /allusers at the command prompt, and then press Enter.
11. Install the latest Windows Update Agent. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
    949104 How to obtain the latest version of the Windows Update Agent to help manage updates on a computer
12. Restart the computer.

Method 2: Perform a System Restore

If you're having problems installing updates from Windows Update, use the following method. If this method doesn't fix your problem, go to method 3.

Note You must be logged on to Windows by using an administrator account to use this method. If the computer is part of a work network, ask the system administrator for help. For information about how to log on to Windows as an administrator, go to the following Microsoft website:

How do I log on as an administrator?

Note If the computer is not configured to start from a CD or DVD, or if the computer had Windows preinstalled and you have no installation CDs or DVDs, see the documentation that was included with the computer for information about how to continue. 

When you start your computer by using the Windows installation disc, you can perform system recovery options on startup. To do this, follow these steps: 

1. Insert the Windows Vista or Windows 7 installation disc in the drive, and then restart the computer.
2. When you are prompted to start from the disc, press any key.
3. When you are prompted, configure the following options, and then click Next:
   • Language to install
   • Time and currency format
   • Keyboard or input method
4. Click Repair your computer.
5. On the System Recovery Options page, click the version of the Windows operating system that you want to repair, and then click Next.
6. On the System Recovery Options page, click System Restore.
7. On the System Restore page, click Next.
8. Select a restore point at which you know that the operating system was working, and then click Next. 
   
   The restore point should be a date before the first time that you experienced the error. To select a date, select the Choose a different restore point option, and then click Next.
9. If you are prompted to specify a disk to restore, select the hard disk, and then click Next.
10. On the Confirm your restore point page, click Finish.
11. When the restoration process is complete, click Restart.

Method 3: Perform an in-place upgrade

Performing an in-place upgrade will restore the current Windows installation to the version of the installation DVD. After you perform this upgrade, you have to reinstall all updates that are not included on the installation DVD. 

Note If the computer had Windows preinstalled, review the manufacturer's documentation for information about how to do an in-place upgrade. 

Note We strongly recommend that you back up all personal files. For information about how to back up your files, go to the following Microsoft website:

Back up your files

1. Insert the Windows 7 or Windows Vista DVD into the computer's DVD drive.
   • Note If the computer is not configured to start from a CD or DVD, or if the computer had Windows preinstalled and you have no installation CDs or DVDs, see the documentation that was included with the computer for information about how to continue.
2. In the Setup window, click Install Now.
   • Note If Windows does not automatically detect the DVD, follow these steps:
     1. Click Start, and then type Drive:\setup.exe in the Start Search box. 
        
        Note The placeholder Drive represents the drive letter of the computer's DVD drive. This letter is usually D.
     2. In the Programs list, click Setup.exe.
     3. In the Setup window, click Install Now.
3. Click Go online to obtain the latest updates for installation (recommended).
4. Type the CD or DVD key if you are prompted to do this.
5. On the Install Windows page, select the operating system if you want to upgrade.
6. Click Yes to accept the Microsoft Software License Terms.
7. On the Which type of installation do you want? screen, click Upgrade.
8. When the installation is complete, restart your computer.