Windows 7 PC Crashing -- Especially During Malware Scans

Daniel Burkus

Posts: 161   +7
Hello, everyone. First, let me say that, having worked through the scans, Broni has certified my PC as being malware free, hence that is apparently not the issue.

What is happening is that my PC shuts down suddenly. This happens occasionally for no obvious reason that I can see, but more predictably when I try to run certain malware scans (such as DrWeb). It appears that when the scan reaches a certain block of data, the PC shuts down. I imagine that this is either due to overheating of the processor, or overwhelming the processor (which may be the same thing).

My PC has a display on the front of the console that displays things like CPU temperature and fan activity. Since attempting to run certain scans (first a "MalwareBytes 3 Premium" scan, which uses the powerful version of their scan engine, and a little while ago a DrWeb scan), this display is black (in other words, it -- and perhaps its functionality -- has been turned off by some sort of modification in the operating system or something like that). This, plus the shutting down, are the obvious symptoms.

I would like to add that the crashing has become less frequent since I ran the scans under Brodi's direction. Nevertheless, the fact that I still can not run the DrWeb scan (and that, following the crash which attempting to run that scan precipitated, the CPU temperature display has stopped working) is worrisome.

I will not provide any system information now, since I believe that you have a scan tool that will give you exactly the information that you need to attempt to analyze this issue. I will, therefore, wait until I hear from you before doing anything else.

Thank you for your time, and for any help that you may be able to provide.

-- Daniel M. Burkus
 
Gordian Knot ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordian_Knot )

Alexander would install a fresh drive, install Win7 clean, install current versions of key software and then run the offending DrWeb.

Galileo on the other hand might configure a disk based bootable version of memtest86 and run that for 24 hours before doing anything else. https://www.techspot.com/downloads/6216-memtest86.html

ps Spock may have a magic scanner which could reach across the internet to determine your system, but I do not. Since my favorite system tool, Belarc Advisor, provides information that I would NOT want to share on the web, I can only caution that you review whatever you use before posting it.
 
Re-think. We are assuming that the case utility which reports low level information about the system is NOT being incorrectly identified as malware and NOT being disabled/quarantined and that your valiant anti-malware is NOT throwing a wrench into the works.. How does it go if you fully remove the utility?
 
I'm sorry, I do not understand what you are talking about.

I assumed that there was a scan that would tell you all of the information about my system that you need, and that it would be more efficient than if I were to simply copy things down from the PC's properties page.

I downloaded Memtest86 -- both the ISO and USB versions. Is there a preference over which I should use? Should I just run it? Do I post the scan results?

-- Daniel M. Burkus
 
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Memtest, as described on the download page, will thoroughly test memory. Either bootable version will do - as it will not be your current OS, it may tell us if this problem is hardware or by inference, software.. Run it on continuous for >8 hrs, preferably 24 hr.

If it has RAM errors, then it is memory. If it crashes, it is likely hardware. If everything works fine, then it is probably software.
Report result - in detail if errors.

Then test your system with the utility which drives the system information display removed. If your system does not crash, then there is an issue with this utility.
Report result, please.

There is no really good 'magic scan' (IMHO) for describing a system. The closest as I previously indicated is Belarc Advisor, but it discloses too much - you should not post it without editing out all the software and keys and user history which it lists. The reason for the description is to help identify age, the appropriateness of software and OS, quirky hardware and to help overcome the confusion arising from having hundreds of different configurations.
 
I downloaded the Memtest86 and made a flash drive with it. I tried to read the user manual, and it seems to say that I have to pick the tests to run, and set the parameters. I have no idea about any of this -- I know nothing about PCs, really. So, how do I run it? Just reboot the PC and let it run itself? Does it cycle through the whole list of scans automatically, or do I have to sit by the PC and start the next scan after it finishes the first?

As for the other thing, what information do you need? Yes, after checking, the analytical tool was the Belarc Advisor. I have it, and updated it, and am doing a scan now. Honestly, I do not know what information is sensitive and what is not, so if you will tell me what you need to know, I will copy that information off of the scan results and send it to you by reply.

I have had similar issues before and there was never an actual resolution (nobody ever suggested checking the memory, though). In the past whatever it was created a phantom A: drive (a floppy disk player -- but this PC does not have that kind of hardware installed); and I had to go into the BIOS to get rid of that, and that also resolved the problem with the PC crashing. Now there is no phantom drive, so I do not know what I can do. I suspected at the time that the phantom drive was a symptom, rather than the underlying cause, and this new incident seems to support that idea.

-- Daniel M. Burkus
 
"I downloaded the Memtest86 and made a flash drive with it. I tried to read the user manual, and it seems to say that I have to pick the tests to run, and set the parameters. I have no idea about any of this -- I know nothing about PCs, really. So, how do I run it? Just reboot the PC and let it run itself? Does it cycle through the whole list of scans automatically, or do I have to sit by the PC and start the next scan after it finishes the first?"
Please use Google or Bing to answer basic questions...in this case YouTube can be very informative:

"As for the other thing, what information do you need? Yes, after checking, the analytical tool was the Belarc Advisor. I have it, and updated it, and am doing a scan now. Honestly, I do not know what information is sensitive and what is not, so if you will tell me what you need to know, I will copy that information off of the scan results and send it to you by reply."
Too much...if you feel you can trust me, send Belarc report to me as a private "conversation" from the "profile page" using this website. Otherwise, consider completing your profile with information about your system - see mine as an example.

"I have had similar issues before and there was never an actual resolution (nobody ever suggested checking the memory, though). " Since you have resolved 'malware', it might be 'hardware' - most likely: failing RAM, HDD, PSU - OR it might be 'software': bad utility, corrupt driver, rogue application. You could start anywhere..you could look at ComputerHope ( https://www.computerhope.com/ ) which is a truly fine site for basics, including troubleshooting steps.

"In the past whatever it was created a phantom A: drive (a floppy disk player -- but this PC does not have that kind of hardware installed); and I had to go into the BIOS to get rid of that, and that also resolved the problem with the PC crashing." To get optimal performance, you have to learn about BIOS. Look it up at ComputerHope and in your manual for the motherboard/system.

"Now there is no phantom drive, so I do not know what I can do. I suspected at the time that the phantom drive was a symptom, rather than the underlying cause, and this new incident seems to support that idea." Personal Computers are quite complex. Sometimes there are multiple issues which makes it hard to diagnose any single issue. Some makers, like Dell and HP/Compaq, provide pretty good diagnostics - if you have one of these, you should seek the diagnostics offered. Gain knowledge, observe carefully, keep notes, plan logical steps to eliminate possibilities until the key issue is clear - or take it to a 'pro' and pay a few hundred $.
 
I had a lecture this morning and another tomorrow morning, so I have been rather busy. I am downloading the Memtest86 YouTube video now, and will watch it as soon as it is done. After that I will try to run the scan(s). Certain things that have caused crashes recently (running several different software programs simultaneously), where they did not in the past, incline me toward accepting that it may be a Memory issue.

If that solves things, fine. If not, I will so inform you, and perhaps send the Belarc Adviser scan to you. However, let's see how the Memtest86 scan goes.

Thank you for your help.

-- Daniel M. Burkus
 
The PC crashed during the Memtest86 test (I think at around 4% of the way through). What do you suggest? Wait and try to run it again in the morning (when the PC has cooled down all night)? This is frustrating. (My PC did not have the option to start from a flash drive, so I ended up having to burn the ISO image to a disc.)

-- Daniel M. Burkus
 
I read the article on overheating, which basically discussed points of which I was already aware. I also attempted to run a scan with the Memtest86 software (the display indicated that the CPU was about as cool as it ever is), which crashed again at the same point in the scan. Also, when I restarted the PC thereafter, the display (on the front of the console) that shows the temperature of the CPU and so forth is black. My feeling is that there is a fault in the memory, and when this block is stimulated, it shuts down the PC. Does that make any sense? At any rate, the PC has 4 RAM cards (if that is what they are called), yielding a total of 6 GB of RAM; however, since it is only a 32-bit O/S, only 3 GB of RAM are used. Please do not ask me why 6 GB of RAM are installed -- I did not set up the system, someone else did, and I have no understanding of how he made his choices (supposedly he had much experience with PCs). Assuming it is a bad RAM card, is there a way to pinpoint which one? Or do I just have to remove 3 of them and try to scan with Memtest86 and see if it crashes or not? Is this proposition even realistic?

I have to go to my lecture now, and should be back here in 4 or 5 hours. If you can (I do not know when you work on this site), would you let me know what you think I should do?

Thank you for your time, and help.

-- Daniel M. Burkus
 
Removing some RAM and running to see if still crash is a very good technique - may take a couple of iterations - and may not prove the source of the crash.

So far, we can have some confidence that the issue is hardware - since the boot for using Memtest is on fresh media and is different from the original OS. It may be RAM. It could also be the case with its special readouts (which should not run if boot from CD) which I hope eliminates that and its software from the situation. If we cannot isolate the issue to RAM, then a plan for troubleshooting needs to be made.

PSU is often an issue - so if you have access to a known good one you can borrow this might be a good next step. Alternatively, it could be dried out thermal paste on the CPU/Heatsink.

See link for good step by step article. http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/why-did-windows-crash-troubleshooting-guide/
 
I ended getting kidnapped to a mountain temple after my lecture (yes, these things can happen in Korea), and just got back now (almost noon of the next day). I am going to be busy tomorrow and this coming weekend, so I do not know if I will have time to take the PC apart and play with the RAM. Let us officially put this topic on hold, if you do not mind, until next Monday. If I can find the time to remove RAM before then, good, but I will definitely be free next Monday until the late afternoon (Sunday night where you are), and can surely attend to this then.

Thank you very much for your help. Please have a good weekend.


-- Daniel M. Burkus
 
I ran multiple test scans but the results were not conclusive: either all four of the memories are bad, or it is something else that is causing the PC to shut down (a Google search suggested the possibilities that it is perhaps a power or capacitors issue). At any rate, the monitor has now started to malfunction....

Anyway, since the scans did not rely on booting up Windows, yet the PC continued to crash, I guess that Windows can be ruled out as the source of the crashes. And since this is the Windows forum, I think I should just thank you for your help and suggestions, and stop bothering you further.

Thank you very much for the time and effort that you have spent helping me. Please have a good week.

-- Daniel M. Burkus
 
I read through the pages as best I could given the crashing.

My eyes are bad (I had bilateral cataract surgery 2 years ago, and the plastic lenses, while better than nothing, are not very good for close work), so I think I am going to start with the power. I have a friend coming by today and, if memory serves, he has several extra ones in his place (he switched conventional power for a high-output unit, and the other was just about brand new). Hopefully that will help.

Again, thank you.

-- Daniel M. Burkus
 
Power may be the key, but do please run memtest86 on 'continuous' overnight - properly operating RAM will do this without any error.
 
Ok, I will try that tonight. (It is 5:22 PM now, so it will be a while yet). I will post what happens tomorrow morning. Meanwhile, I should be getting the new power on Saturday.

-- Daniel M. Burkus
 
I tried, but it is not possible. Again -- as previously -- the PC crashes 2 or 3 minutes into the scan. (I think it was starting test #4, but can not be certain).

-- Daniel M. Burkus
 
Thank you for the suggestions. (And, yes, I knew the road that would have to be taken as we ruled out this and that and the other potential miscreants.)

The monk who abducted me last week (ahem) suddenly manifested himself in front of my room today with the intention of checking out my machine. (Actually, I went to the bank and found him panting on the doormat when I came back.) At any rate, it turns out that he is a sort of super computer whiz (flowing gray robes and everything); and after watching the PC boot up, he diagnosed the issue as being a faulty processor. He disappeared for a hour and a half and then reappeared with a new processor in tow; and after changing that, the PC seems to be running better than it ever did before. And all it cost was a bottle of (fairly good) wine!

So, I think that this one can be written off as solved. Thank you very much for all of your help! Please have a great day!

-- Daniel M. Burkus


And, yes, I think I will try to run the Memtest86 tonight when I go to bed, just to satisfy myself on that issue.
 
Interesting. I was going to look at the processor after ruling out the power! Perhaps I have more experience with second-hand PCs? In fact, I have never owned a new one!

At any rate, it seems to be fixed: I tried to play 4 videos simultaneously (the most memory-intensive task that I could imagine, given what I have on the machine), and it did it without a hitch....

Thank you, again. And please have a good day!


-- Daniel M. Burkus
 
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