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Probable cause taskbar halts or desktop halts in windows 8

Please advice on how to manage a windows 8 pro PC when, from one day to another, the taskbar seems to halt or freeze (desktop seems to work) and or the whole desktop and taskbar halts and freezes.

This started this morning and it takes longer to boot and when taskbar or desktop/taskbar freezes, it takes a couple of minutes until PC reacts again.

Please advice

ASKER

The PC is a Toshiba notebook 8 of ram and 1 tb hard disk also is i7 core CPU.

The problems happened before but was not as long. Since today it has been annoying the constants freezing.

Please advice.

ASKER

Also noticed that at those times, when pressing the keys, it would not response until later on.

Also, checked the task manager and there were no process hogging up resources.

ASKER

For some reason now when logging in, it start displaying the Windows 8 fisrt-time screen "We're getting your PC ready".

Please advice.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-in/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx

Download process explorer and check which process cpu usage is too high.

You can also try clean boot .

Clean boot process

Start-type - msconfig- click on startup tab- click disable all...then click services tab- put a check on hide all microsoft services ...and then click disable all....click ok and then restart the computer in normal mode.

If everything works fine in clean boot then enable five startup items and services at a time to find the faulty software.

Ded9

ASKER

We have process explorer and CPU speed is at 2 too 4 percent. As a matter o fact, we have the task manager and process explorer and we noticed that the PC get slow, the apps still show low CPU usage. It is hard to identify, is like there is no process hogging CPU resources.

Also tried clean boot and it did show normality but it started to' freeze again.

Why is the PC starting with the message as a first time user login?

Is the system loading under temp profile

Launch command pompt and check.

Try booting the system in low res mode by tapping F8 key on boot....if this works then install updated drivers in normal mode.

Ded9

ASKER

How do I know if loading into temp profile? (Please give command)

F8 doesn't do anything, no reaction how else can we get the system to boot system to low res?

launch cmd or command prompt from run box

C:\Users\Temp> ... post screenshot of your command prompt window

Ded9

ASKER

Oh ok, you mean if when CMD if the path is c:\user\temp?

Yes?

This mean you are logged in under temp profile and not your profile ...restarting or logging in and out should resolve the issue ..if not then follow this article

http://mywindows8.org/fix-corrupt-profile-in-windows-8/

You need to create a new profile and copy the data from old profile to new profile.

Ded9

ASKER

Answer is no, no c:\users\temp at the prompt; it is the our username.

Nevertheless we did created another user to see if the problem is user-related; still same error after login.

Windows 8 still halting even more than before.

Tap F8 key on boot and select enable low res mode....if everything works in this mode then problem might be caused by graphics card driver.

Install latest graphics card drivers.

Ded9

ASKER

Pressed f8 and no action.

What is happening is so strange and unexpected since windows 8 is supposed the best OS of Microsoft version out there.

f8 no longer works in windows 8 ...sorry about that....you will have to tap shift + F8 at boot or follow this step

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-in/windows-8/windows-startup-settings-including-safe-mode

http://www.howtogeek.com/107511/how-to-boot-into-safe-mode-on-windows-8-the-easy-way/

Ded9

ASKER

Ok done it and all ok (no resolution or graphics issue). Reboot normally and still problem.

Do you have any external device connected to the system ..like ext hard drive etc...if yes then disconnect them.

Launch device manager and check under display adapter (should be only 1 adapter)

Ded9

ASKER

No external device.

We have been googling for all possible problem but no success.

Go to

Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Action Center\Reliability Monitor

click on the date when the system froze and check the details below.

Go for advanced clean boot

Advanced Clean boot process

Start-type - msconfig- click on startup tab- click disable all...then click services tab- and then click disable all....click ok and then restart the computer in normal mode.

If everything works fine in advanced clean boot then enable five startup items and services at a time to find the faulty software.

Run a malwarebytes scan.

Ded9

ASKER

'Reliability Monitor' is no where in the control panel.

As stated in 'ID: 39472761', also tried clean boot and it did show normality but it started to' freeze again.

We're going crazy with this.

The more strange is the main screen, we had all icons in groups organized. When the problem happened, and the PC was restarted, the main screen has the groups, as created, but all great part of the items deleted from the group (not from the PC).

Just to summarize on the problem:
- we had some sluggishness happened some time back and it was very random
(all apps worked fine, no misbehaving)
- slow response then pressing keyboard keys
- all of the sudden, it began to be slower and slower and more recent at every reboot
- recently, all reboots take longer
- then in a reboot, we received a display message of Windows 8 first-time screen
saying "We're getting your PC ready"

To resolve, we have tried:
- clean boot and change/disables services
- safe-mode (this seems to work fine, no slowness)
- creating new user, worked ok for minutes and stared slowness again
- checked temp profile C:\Users\Temp>, and all ok
- checked monitor low-res graphics drivers and no low-res and updated drivers
- no external device

Hope this summary helps us identify what is happening.

Please read my previous comment ...i have mentioned advanced clean boot and its steps.

Regarding Reliability Monitor ...i have given you the whole path...copy it it my computer address bar and then hit enter

Can also try disconnecting lan cable and external hard drive for some time ...check performance.

Ded9

ASKER

My entry ID: 39480130 is for reference only: the problem and all tried.

We did what you have suggested but no success.

If safe mode works fine then advanced clean boot should identify the issue.

I hope you have tried disconnecting the lan cable.

Download autoruns

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx

Launch it ...click on explorer tab and disable all...reboot and check. If everything works then enable five at a time and check.

Ded9

ASKER

Yes we did try disconnecting the lan cable.

We'll proceed with Download autoruns

ASKER

Just finished working with and like said previously in ID: 39472761, it did show normality but it started to freeze again.

This is incredible and there is no solution soon.

Backup all data and go for clean install

If the issue persist after clean install then its a hardware issue....
I hope you have already tried uninstalling your security software ..rebooting ..monitor

Ded9

ASKER

Tríed all that unfortunately no success.

A clean install is very hard to' swallow because of all the apps and configuration.

There has to be another way.

You can go for repair install

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/26095-repair-install-windows-8-a.html

you will not loose programs or data.

Ded9

ASKER

Just ran it and no success

ASKER

This is incredible! nevertheless, we are googling nod trying other things.

Run Toshiba diagnostic tool

http://www.mytoshiba.com.au/support/items/faq/408

Cannot think of any other suggestion ...you need to contact toshiba.

Ded9

ASKER

Just thought of something... Restore point! What is the best way or the fastest way to' restore point!

Yes you can try restoring the computer to an earlier time.

Ded9

ASKER

What is the best way or the fastest way to' restore point!?

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ASKER

Worked!!

I guess we can close the question, identifying the reason and cause would have been best.

Yes you can close the question if no further assistance is requried.

Ded9

ASKER

Before closing, can EE give us their opinion on what happened or possible cause? It doesn't have to be an exact cause, but an experienced opinion.

To summarize our situation so EE don't have to read all the thread on the problem, here is what happened:

Windows from one day to another just began to become super sluggish and halting with no apparent reason (though not long ago it start being slow but very random)

The Windows Desktop stopped working all together by freezing

During this time, pressing any keys would receive a late response on screen

Booting took a lot longer than usual.

Checked Task Manager and there were no process hogging up resources.

At one point, when logging in, it start displaying the Windows 8 first-time screen "We're getting your PC ready..." (like it was a first time user-logging)

Finally, we noticed that when started freezing, the Windows startup screen or the main windows tiles screen seemed to be resetted and all the icons where elsewhere (but the title of the groups created was never changes, just had 1 or 2 icons)

PC EQUIPMENT:
Toshiba Satellite notebook, Intel Core i7, 1tb storage and Windows 8 Pro

All recommendation in this question wass executed with no success. That is why we would like EE opinion. Even though we did a restore point and it seemed to worked, we would great;y appreciated comments regarding causes.

Thank you very much.

You can click on request attention on top so that mods can respond to your query.

Ded9

ASKER

Ok will do.

Whats weird is you cannot do a system restore after repair install of windows o.s because all restore points are deleted.

Not sure how it was possible in your system.

ded9

ASKER

We never did repair install. Even though the link provided says no data loss will happened, we couldn't risk it. We've had bad experience with repair install before and after the process, we were forced to reinstall certain apps and found out the original CD were no where top be found. We didn't want to risk with this PC.

If restore pint would have not worked, then we had no choice but to repair install.

According to Microsoft, when you perform a system restore>
The apps that came with your PC or you installed from Windows Store will be reinstalled,
but any apps you installed from other websites and DVDs will be removed.
Windows puts a list of the removed apps on your desktop after refreshing your PC.
If you could look at this list and take note of any apps removed, it may help you determine if it was a program you installed and it was overloading your system/ now gone your system has returned to normality.
One thought comes to mind that may match your symptoms,
if you install any P2P software to download stuff and not closing it correctly may have exposed your system to a surge in uploading activity otherwise known as seeding this could gradually slow your system down possibly.
Only you can know.
It may have been a windows update or the desktop mode. Too many shortcuts.
Look in the list ;)
PS
please don't forget to give DED9 the accepted answer for an excellent contribution and time to help you.

Merete

ASKER

Ok

ASKER

Thanx