My 2013 gaming laptop is running extremely poorly

Shay7

Posts: 15   +0
I have an MSi GT60 from 2013 and I expected it to last me at least five years, right?
Recently it has been a NIGHTMARE to deal with. Tonight alone, it has frozen four times, and I've had to restart it around seven times. EVERYTHING is choppy, slow, and glitchy. Audio, video, and boot time. Programs can take as long as two minutes to open. Audio files sometimes take as long as a minute to open and play.
This disappoints me because it has somewhat decent specs.
OS: Windows 8.1
CPU: Intel i7 4700-MQ
GPU: Geforce GTX 770M
RAM: 8GB

I honestly don't know what to do at this point. I've tried factory resetting it, everything. I'm so tired of dealing with it and I am so disappointed and frustrated. I've ran MalwareBytes and have found no issues there. If anyone can possibly help me, it would be greatly appreciated.
 
You say "I've tried factory resetting it"... Do you mean that you formatted the hard drive and started the factory restore clean, like the laptop was when you took it out of the box?
 
Has it been cleaned out since you've had it? If not that would be a good idea. Download a temperature monitoring program to check that overheating is not an issue.
 
What could cause..."NIGHTMARE computer"?

Typically, dust inside - however, you should proceed in a logical manner, so:

Specific error: Inspect Event Viewer log - critical errors?

Virus / trojan / rootkit - run several scans and if any 'surprises', pursue in Virus Removal topic in next forum

Heat throttling due to broken fan - does fan work? if not, fix or replace

Heat throttling due to dust blanket inside - clean inside of computer (check Youtube for instruction on cleaning laptop)

Heat throttling due to hardened thermal paste on CPU or GPU or southbridge - clean & replace (see Youtube for videos on this)

Failing PSU - check voltage and temps against norms using HWInfo (hwinfo.com)

Failing HDD - run cleanup/defrag, make sure a good sized chunk of storage is free

Failing HDD - check SMART, if bad, replace


Let us know what you find. Any more help will require more information about your system, when and what has happened over last months, specific errors, hardware sensor data, etc
 
What could cause..."NIGHTMARE computer"?

Typically, dust inside - however, you should proceed in a logical manner, so:

Specific error: Inspect Event Viewer log - critical errors?

Virus / trojan / rootkit - run several scans and if any 'surprises', pursue in Virus Removal topic in next forum

Heat throttling due to broken fan - does fan work? if not, fix or replace

Heat throttling due to dust blanket inside - clean inside of computer (check Youtube for instruction on cleaning laptop)

Heat throttling due to hardened thermal paste on CPU or GPU or southbridge - clean & replace (see Youtube for videos on this)

Failing PSU - check voltage and temps against norms using HWInfo (hwinfo.com)

Failing HDD - run cleanup/defrag, make sure a good sized chunk of storage is free

Failing HDD - check SMART, if bad, replace


Let us know what you find. Any more help will require more information about your system, when and what has happened over last months, specific errors, hardware sensor data, etc

Thank you for your response.
I opened my computer and even after a full two years there was virtually no dust inside. So that's not the problem.
I'm currently trying to run malware scans but it freezes so quickly that nothing useful comes from them so I don't really know what to do. I also can't download anything to check the hard drives, because of the freezing problem.
 
Has it been cleaned out since you've had it? If not that would be a good idea. Download a temperature monitoring program to check that overheating is not an issue.
Back in December it was beginning to run a bit sluggish (nothing like this) and since I hadn't cleaned it since I got it two years ago, I decided to open it up hoping it would be super dusty and that dusting it would fix the problem.
Problem was, there is virtually no dust in it so that's not the problem.
 
You say "I've tried factory resetting it"... Do you mean that you formatted the hard drive and started the factory restore clean, like the laptop was when you took it out of the box?
Correct, I wiped the drives clean and it was like it was brand new (though it didn't exactly RUN like it was brand new).
 
Thank you for your response.
I opened my computer and even after a full two years there was virtually no dust inside. So that's not the problem.
I'm currently trying to run malware scans but it freezes so quickly that nothing useful comes from them so I don't really know what to do. I also can't download anything to check the hard drives, because of the freezing problem.

And while open, you checked under the fan shroud and at the exchanger where the heat pipe ends.

Next would be "Specific error: Inspect Event Viewer log - critical errors?" http://www.howtogeek.com/school/using-windows-admin-tools-like-a-pro/lesson3/
 
And while open, you checked under the fan shroud and at the exchanger where the heat pipe ends.

Next would be "Specific error: Inspect Event Viewer log - critical errors?" http://www.howtogeek.com/school/using-windows-admin-tools-like-a-pro/lesson3/
...I'm not entirely sure? But the problem is so extreme that I highly doubt that it has anything to do with dust. I guess if you want the problem in detail, here it is:
I boot and everything is fine for about five-eight minutes. Everything in the task manager is at normal levels; it's all good. But then when it hits that five to eight minute mark, the disk usage jumps to 100% and stays like this, and RAM usage jumps to 75%, even though I have NO other programs open. The mouse has the little 'waiting' symbol by this and freezes. This problem happened in one day so I don't think the dust in it would suddenly do this. I don't really want to open my laptop up again either because I'm not 100% sure what I'm doing and would've want to mess it up more than it's already messed up.
 
Sounds badly messed up. Can you get in Safe Mode (F8 at startup)? Does that improve things?

Event Viewer may help. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/open-event-viewer#1TC=windows-7

Not easy to use, so I also included the tutorial at How-to-geek. You probably have a number of errors - focus on critical - don't worry about the shut down ones - looking for bad software - something which makes things easier by removing it.

Alternatively - gather minidump after BSOD (1st article in this forum) - or review task manager for the offending service/process which is using so much - or task manager to view offending service/process eating resource

Alternatively - SFC /scannow https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/929833
 
Sounds badly messed up. Can you get in Safe Mode (F8 at startup)? Does that improve things?

Event Viewer may help. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/open-event-viewer#1TC=windows-7

Not easy to use, so I also included the tutorial at How-to-geek. You probably have a number of errors - focus on critical - don't worry about the shut down ones - looking for bad software - something which makes things easier by removing it.

Alternatively - gather minidump after BSOD (1st article in this forum) - or review task manager for the offending service/process which is using so much - or task manager to view offending service/process eating resource

Alternatively - SFC /scannow https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/929833
Okay... so when I look at the task manager to see what is taking up so many resources, it appears as though NOTHING is. For example, the RAM will be at 75% but it'll say something like "Intel-.5%" is what is taking up the most of everything, with everything else being next to nothing. I'm not sure exactly on numbers because Task Manager freezes whenever I try to use it.
I also checked my hard drive but I'm not entirely sure what the "SMART" is or how to gauge whether or not it is good or not.
 
As Cycloid's guide shows there are umpteen possible sources of trouble. "Heat throttling due to hardened thermal paste on CPU or GPU or southbridge - clean & replace (see Youtube for videos on this)" A freeware program to monitor temperatures would show if a build up of heat is causing the computer to freeze and slow down. I've found running an AV scan makes a computer work much harder pushing up temperatures and you have mentioned that running AV scans soon causes problems.
 
Okay... so when I look at the task manager to see what is taking up so many resources, it appears as though NOTHING is.
I also checked my hard drive but I'm not entirely sure what the "SMART" is or how to gauge whether or not it is good or not.

Word of wisdom - if you do not recognize a term (like SMART), or how to do something (run System File Checker), try searching in Google - learning how to use tools at your disposal is necessary - the alternative is a large bill at your local service center.

Let's try again to identify the problem..

Enter Safe Mode at startup (F8)
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/...-safe-mode#start-computer-safe-mode=windows-7

Monitor operation of system in SAFE MODE for 10-15 minutes without running anything else (nothing // NADA)-- just let it sit -- if it operates without high use crash then the problem is probably in software - if system gets hot and dies, it is probably hardware --- tell us what happens either way

If it dies in SAFE MODE, go back to 'dust', 'heat throttling', etc as this is apparently a hardware issue.

If SAFE MODE runs well and issue is probably 'software':
Stay in SAFE MODE and start Task Manager: press button for "Show Processes From All Users"

If large usage is not apparent (no identifiable process/program/service), but it is still going on, then it is hidden. If hidden, then problem is probably malware. If probably malware, go to forum for "virus & malware removal", read the sticky, then run scan and report result as per sticky at beginning of "Virus & malware removal" forum - and come back to this after you have a clean bill of health from Broni.

If you can identify large usage, do tell us what it is, how much, when, etc.

ps
Checking HD operation:
SMART: status reporting of HD condition https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S.M.A.R.T. - various utilities, including:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/crystaldiskinfo.html - tell us if you have any issues among the highlighted pink 'critical' attributes
 
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