Computer Freeze

[Blackberry Bun]

My brother's desktop lately freezes randomly for unknown reason. What I mean 'freeze' here is that it totally hangs. Mouse doesn't respond, keyboard doesn't respond, and the only way to get out is to force shutdown by holding the power button. I have no idea what could have been causing this. The desktop is not even 2 months old yet. Anybody here have any idea?

[huckleberrypie]

That depends on several factors. It could be the hard drive that's shot, some malware infection, or another piece of hardware that's failing.

[cpd2009]

Is there any particular activity your brother is doing when the computer freezes up, like playing a game or browsing the web?

Sometimes computers can freeze due to graphics card issues, and if your brother uses Firefox, the latest IE or Chrome, they usually have hardware accelerated page rendering on by default, which can cause problems with certain graphics cards or driver software.

[Blackberry Bun]

Here's a HijackThis log. Please take a look and see if anything is wrong.

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.5
Scan saved at 7:06:50 AM, on 1/18/2014
Platform: Windows 7 (WinNT 6.00.3504)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.7600.16385)

FIREFOX: 26.0 (en-US)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel® USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller Driver\Application\iusb3mon.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\CyberLink\PowerDVD\PDVDServ.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Reader 9.0\Reader\reader_sl.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\AVG\AVG2013\avgui.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Winamp\winampa.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Java\Java Update\jusched.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
C:\Users\Personal\Downloads\HijackThis.exe

F2 - REGystem.ini: UserInit=userinit.exe
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHelperStub - {18DF081C-E8AD-4283-A596-FA578C2EBDC3} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelperShim.dll
O2 - BHO: Java™ Plug-In SSV Helper - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre7\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: Java™ Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre7\bin\jp2ssv.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [USB3MON] "C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel® USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller Driver\Application\iusb3mon.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [StartCCC] "C:\Program Files (x86)\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\Core-Static\CLIStart.exe" MSRun
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AMD AVT] Cmd.exe /c start "AMD Accelerated Video Transcoding device initialization" /min "C:\Program Files (x86)\AMD AVT\bin\kdbsync.exe" aml
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RemoteControl] "C:\Program Files (x86)\CyberLink\PowerDVD\PDVDServ.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LanguageShortcut] "C:\Program Files (x86)\CyberLink\PowerDVD\Language\Language.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe Reader Speed Launcher] "C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Reader 9.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG_UI] "C:\Program Files (x86)\AVG\AVG2013\avgui.exe" /TRAYONLY
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WinampAgent] "C:\Program Files (x86)\Winamp\winampa.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Java\Java Update\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [mobilegeni daemon] C:\Program Files (x86)\Mobogenie\DaemonProcess.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [DAEMON Tools Lite] "C:\Program Files (x86)\DAEMON Tools Lite\DTLite.exe" -autorun
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /autoRun (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\RunOnce: [mctadmin] C:\Windows\System32\mctadmin.exe (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /autoRun (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\RunOnce: [mctadmin] C:\Windows\System32\mctadmin.exe (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
O4 - Startup: Adobe Gamma.lnk = C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\Calibration\Adobe Gamma Loader.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="res://C">res://C</a><!-- m -->:\PROGRA~2\MICROS~1\Office12\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O8 - Extra context menu item: Se&nd to OneNote - <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="res://C">res://C</a><!-- m -->:\PROGRA~2\MICROS~1\Office14\ONBttnIE.dll/105
O9 - Extra button: Send to OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~2\MICROS~1\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: S&end to OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~2\MICROS~1\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~2\MICROS~1\Office12\REFIEBAR.DLL
O15 - ESC Trusted Zone: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://*.update.microsoft.com">http://*.update.microsoft.com</a><!-- m -->
O23 - Service: Adobe LM Service - Adobe Systems - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe Systems Shared\Service\Adobelmsvc.exe
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\Alg.exe,-112 (ALG) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\alg.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: AMD External Events Utility - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\atiesrxx.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: AVGIDSAgent - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\Program Files (x86)\AVG\AVG2013\avgidsagent.exe
O23 - Service: AVG WatchDog (avgwd) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\Program Files (x86)\AVG\AVG2013\avgwdsvc.exe
O23 - Service: ##Id_String1.6844F930_1628_4223_B5CC_5BB94B879762## (Bonjour Service) - Apple Computer, Inc. - C:\Program Files (x86)\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\efssvc.dll,-100 (EFS) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\fxsresm.dll,-118 (Fax) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\fxssvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: FLEXnet Licensing Service - Macrovision Europe Ltd. - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Macrovision Shared\FLEXnet Publisher\FNPLicensingService.exe
O23 - Service: Google Update Service (gupdate) (gupdate) - Google Inc. - C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Update\GoogleUpdate.exe
O23 - Service: Google Update Service (gupdatem) (gupdatem) - Google Inc. - C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Update\GoogleUpdate.exe
O23 - Service: Intel® Capability Licensing Service Interface - Intel® Corporation - C:\Program Files\Intel\iCLS Client\HeciServer.exe
O23 - Service: Intel® Dynamic Application Loader Host Interface Service (jhi_service) - Intel Corporation - C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel® Management Engine Components\DAL\jhi_service.exe
O23 - Service: @keyiso.dll,-100 (KeyIso) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: Intel® Management and Security Application Local Management Service (LMS) - Intel Corporation - C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel® Management Engine Components\LMS\LMS.exe
O23 - Service: Mozilla Maintenance Service (MozillaMaintenance) - Mozilla Foundation - C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Maintenance Service\maintenanceservice.exe
O23 - Service: @comres.dll,-2797 (MSDTC) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\msdtc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\System32\netlogon.dll,-102 (Netlogon) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: NMIndexingService - Nero AG - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Ahead\Lib\NMIndexingService.exe
O23 - Service: nProtect GameGuard Service (npggsvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\GameMon.des.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: PasswordBox - PasswordBox, Inc. - C:\Program Files (x86)\PasswordBox\pbbtnService.exe
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\psbase.dll,-300 (ProtectedStorage) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: Cyberlink RichVideo Service(CRVS) (RichVideo) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files (x86)\CyberLink\Shared Files\RichVideo.exe
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\Locator.exe,-2 (RpcLocator) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\locator.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\samsrv.dll,-1 (SamSs) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\snmptrap.exe,-3 (SNMPTRAP) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\snmptrap.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\spoolsv.exe,-1 (Spooler) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\spoolsv.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\sppsvc.exe,-101 (sppsvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\sppsvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: Steam Client Service - Valve Corporation - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Steam\SteamService.exe
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\ui0detect.exe,-101 (UI0Detect) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\UI0Detect.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: Intel® Management and Security Application User Notification Service (UNS) - Intel Corporation - C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel® Management Engine Components\UNS\UNS.exe
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\vaultsvc.dll,-1003 (VaultSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\vds.exe,-100 (vds) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\vds.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\vssvc.exe,-102 (VSS) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\vssvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\wbengine.exe,-104 (wbengine) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\wbengine.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%Systemroot%\system32\wbem\wmiapsrv.exe,-110 (wmiApSrv) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\wbem\WmiApSrv.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%PROGRAMFILES%\Windows Media Player\wmpnetwk.exe,-101 (WMPNetworkSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Media Player\wmpnetwk.exe (file missing)

--
End of file - 8739 bytes

[huckleberrypie]

Nothing seems to be out of the ordinary based on the log, but can you try to run Malwarebytes or Combofix on your brother's PC?

[RAMChYLD]

Hmmm... My suggestion would be to run MemTest86+. If nothing shows up, suspect a driver issue. I'd start at the Nvidia video drivers if an Nvidia card is installed, those are a big cause of crashes. One last possibility is overheating- try installing more cooling fans inside the case and placing the computer case somewhere more cooling. For example, in my case I position my PCS in the line of the air conditioning so that cool air gets drawn into the case by the intake fans.

[huckleberrypie]

Hmmm... My suggestion would be to run MemTest86+. If nothing shows up, suspect a driver issue. I'd start at the Nvidia video drivers if an Nvidia card is installed, those are a big cause of crashes. One last possibility is overheating- try installing more cooling fans inside the case and placing the computer case somewhere more cooling. For example, in my case I position my PCS in the line of the air conditioning so that cool air gets drawn into the case by the intake fans.

Agreed. In my case when my PC froze up some time ago, I had to check if the hard disk activity light is glowing steadily as the system freezes, which might be a possible warning bell that the drive is acting up.

As with Dave's suggestion, besides Memtest86+ you might as well want to run a temperature-monitoring application like Speedfan.

[Blackberry Bun]

Could someone explain the steps for using MemTest86? I searched for information about it, and it seems pretty complicated. I don't want to risk messing up somewhere and cause something bad.

[huckleberrypie]

Could someone explain the steps for using MemTest86? I searched for information about it, and it seems pretty complicated. I don't want to risk messing up somewhere and cause something bad.

Download the ISO from their website, then burn it to a blank disc using IMGBurn. Now slap it to the affected PC and reboot. The memtest program should now run.

[Blackberry Bun]

Is 1 pass enough? It has been looping for a while without spotting anything wrong.