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Nicholas

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Windows 10 Locking

For the past few months windows has been locking up, there is nothing that seems to be the apparent cause - yesterday everything was fine, today it just locked up
I was watching a video and it locked up, the sound on the video kept playing - if that is a clue

Two days ago I did a reset on Windows hoping that might fix it

I have the same problem from pre-reset where Windows Search is not running and when trying to manually start it I get Error 3 ...cannot find the path specified. Nothing I do fixes it and my suspicion is that this is the problem as its the only thing filling up the error log literally dozens of times every second

Need help as this is becoming very annoying
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I already did a reset which reinstalls windows so dont see what a repair is gonna do any better
Try this:  Make a new, test Windows User Profile (Account). Log into the new Windows Account and test Windows for locking.
Does this work?
That could take days to test, as I already said yesterday it was fine, I really think the problem is the search
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Have you modified the hardware in some way, such as adding an extra drive or removing an extra drive?  Or made a connection with this machine to another machine, such as a server on a network?

This is the path it is missing, another drive that it was formerly connecting to.

This thread https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-win_cortana/help-fixing-windows-search-windows-search-service/2390ba8d-d188-4d65-83a1-bee405b0ec10 talks about a very similar situation to yours.  The solution in this case was to add a USB drive to the machine and assign it the drive that it was missing.  This may very well be what you have to do.

There is probably a registry fix for this but I don't know where it would be.
Does a reset not do a fresh install of Windows? From what I read it reinstalls windows from scratch - am I missing something?
I am not sure what you mean by reset.

The link I gave you reinstalls Windows 10 but choose the settings to Keep Everything. I have done this before to fix things.

Do backup first to be on the safe side.
I've done the reset but "keep files" so it doesnt delete everything, but all installed programs are gone etc, stuff like logins remain - from what I read it seems it does a full reinstall, this Search problem is weird...my error log is literally full of thousands of entries for it
Keep Data (only) erases programs.

What I would to here is back up completely, do a fresh install from the same link, set up your user account, programs and restore your data.

This is a new install and will fix your problems.
Can I get a possible solution to the Search and see if that is the culprit first before a full resinstall

I suppose a reinstall is not the worst thing really
You can try rebuilding the Search Index from Control Panel (takes overnight) and then restart and check.
Rebuild doesnt work, I cant start Search so Rebuild lasts about 2 secs and thats it
Some extra info, in Indexing advanced options the Current Location is empty - does that help? Select new is disabled
I am not sure what is screwed up but you are best now to completely back up and do a fresh install.  It will be fastest overall to a solid solution.
So resetting Windows didnt do anything - this is what I'm having an issue with as I thought it reinstalled Windows from scratch or is stuff left there? The same problem before and after the reset
Have you also looked at the event logs to see if any errors are being reported to the event log?
Was trying to edit my comment, I now have windows.old so I assume windows was installed from scratch so why is indexing not working

The error log is full, literally thousands of Indexing errors
Can you provide details of the event log entry  you are seeing - Event ID, Source etc
I now have windows.old so I assume windows was installed from scratch so why is indexing not working

That should not be the case. Something else has messed up indexing.
The Windows Search service terminated unexpectedly. It has done this 96 time(s).

and

The Windows Search service terminated with the following error:
The system cannot find the path specified. (this would be error 3)

I had this problem pre the reset and again after the reset
Your "reset" apparently went wrong.

Back up all data, go the Media Creation Link, do another install, and Keep Nothing. This is essentially a bare metal install.

Once running, test search that is starts (no data yet, no programs yet). Then update Chipset, Video and BIOS.

Only then install Applications and restore data.
The Event ID Number would have been helpful :)

Set the Window Search Service to Disabled and stop it  for now, restart then recheck the event log to see what other issues are being reported.  You may find there are bigger issues that need addressing.
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no errors or problems showing in event viewer?
did you have blue screens?  look in windows \minidumps, and post one here
Have you modified the hardware in some way, such as adding an extra drive or removing an extra drive?  Or made a connection with this machine to another machine, such as a server on a network?

This is the path it is missing, another drive that it was formerly connecting to.

This thread https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-win_cortana/help-fixing-windows-search-windows-search-service/2390ba8d-d188-4d65-83a1-bee405b0ec10 talks about a very similar situation to yours.  The solution in this case was to add a USB drive to the machine and assign it the drive that it was missing.  This may very well be what you have to do.

There is probably a registry fix for this but I don't know where it would be.
@Donald Stewart

This is W10

@dbrunton
It only connects to a home network

sfc scan found nothing
I'm averse to running chkdsk as this is an SSD
memory test is fine
Hi Nicholas,

Running chkdsk is fine on an SSD to trouble shoot a problem.  It's running it with the /r switch that should probably be avoided.

Doing a chkdsk without switches runs it in read-only mode and will identify if there are any file system errors. You only need to run the /F switch if errors are reported at the end of the scan.

Still recommend you run "chkdsk" this to eliminate file system errors as a cause.

Best..
>>  It only connects to a home network

So has that home network drive changed over a period of time?  For example from K: to M: ?
The only error from chkdsk is The Volume Bitmap is incorrect
I don't know what the network has to do with the search indexer, this problem only started a few months ago
Did you encrypt the drive ? Do you have the key?
Did you encrypt the drive ?

No
CHKDSK is reporting the bitmap is incorrect and so back to where we were a long way back. Backup and reinstall Windows fresh.
I suspect your SSD may have developed a fault, or there is an overheating issue that has developed - neither of which would be corrected by a Windows reinstall.

My suggestion would be to:

1, Run "chkdsk /f" to see if that corrects the problem and alleviates the search indexing problem

if not, then I would

2. Eliminate a problem with the SSD itself by cloning it to another drive and testing - the temporary drive doesn't have to be another SSD. Any correctly operating IDE drive would do the job.  If that resolves the issue, then obviously replace the faulty SSD

3. If still no joy, I would be checking the operating temperature of the system hardware to make sure it's not freezing due to an overheating problem. There are a variety of tools available to monitor this, the best determined by the brand of mainboard you are using.  If it's running hot and it's a desktop, power off, open it up and (carefully) give it a good clean inside. Ensure all fans are spinning etc.

I know the above sounds like a PITA but you could be running around in circles for ages if those issues are not eliminated.

Let us know how you go.

Best..
Just one other thought.. have you checked / eliminated the possibility that your AV may be interfering in some way?  This isn't as crazy as it might sound :)

Cheers..
There are no temperature problems, the SSD is fine - it's barely 6 months old and it's health is excellent

The volume bitmap error is apparently wrong and occurs in read only mode, a problem thats been around years

I'm only using Defender so I very much doubt that is the problem
When reinstalling W10 do I grab the current licence key, dunno if I can even find the W7 one anymore
Use the Media Creation Link I posted. Then Windows 10 will find the licensing from the Microsoft Licensing server. You no longer need the Windows 7 key.
Sorry to keep updating, but things keep popping into my mind as I'm browsing other things :)

On the topic of a possible hardware issue contributing to this fault, I'd also recommend running something like PassMark BurnInTest to check whether the other components of your system have not suddenly started to fault.  

I've used this tool myself for years and it has revealed issues with CPU, Video etc that would never have been realised otherwise.  I own the pro version, however from memory, I believe it allows a test for up to 15 minutes or x amount of cycles before you need to purchase.  There are sure to be other GNU or Freely Usable tools that do the job as well, but I've never used them.

Hope this helps.
"the SSD is fine - it's barely 6 months old and it's health is excellent"

With respect, how did you conclude that?  Going by your original post, you said "one day it was working fine, then the next it just froze up". Something obviously started happening that wasn't happening the day before?

Try reinstalling Windows by all means, but I was under the impression that had been done once before already.  If you still experience issues after a drastic step like reinstalling a second time, then I'd be looking at other causes, Ie: Hardware / Drivers / Recent Updates..

Good luck..
That is what I suggest. Start fresh with Windows 10 because of the past issues.
If you read the original question you will see the SSD is fine due to sound still being played but the PC locks up - nothing responds, no video, mouse, keyboard etc, plus the checks I did on it reported no errors
..and keep reinstalling over and over until it does?

John, what does the sudden presence of a Windows.old folder indicate to you?

:)
That appeared because of a reinstall, but it appears not to have taken properly.
"SSD is fine due to sound still being played but the PC locks up - nothing responds, no video, mouse, keyboard etc"

Sorry, but again, (in my experience anyway), this strongly points to a hardware problem or possible overheating issues.

Anyway..
Well full reinstall done - we will see if the Search Indexer was the cause over the next few days
Hope it does resolve it Nicholas.. please be sure to report back after a few days.  Very curios on this one.

Best..
@Nicholas - Good luck. I cannot keep up with all the posts. So I will look in in a couple of weeks or so.
Thanks, yeah lots of comments lol
what pc model is this?
i suggest to use the elimination method and keep a list - so replace and test with other devices, like other ram, disk
and remove or disconnect all devices not needed

eg : you can install the same or other OS on another disk drive for testing
I was aware that you were on Windows 10, the suggestion was to turn off windows search>>reboot>>turn windows search back on...The link was just an example of the procedure.
Day 1 - no lockups

Hard to believe that a faulty search was the cause of this, but we will see over the next few days as I nearly always got one freeze a day if not more
That's great news Nicholas..

I would as you said give it a week or so. If there is an underlying hardware issue, it may take a few days before it rears its head again.

Only time will tell, but I hope that's not the case.

Best..
Day 2 - all looking good
Well it just locked up on me after nearly 2 days - which is a record
Nothing in event viewer
then i suggest to follow my other suggestion:

 i suggest to use the elimination method and keep a list - so replace and test with other devices, like other ram, disk
 and remove or disconnect all devices not needed

 eg : you can install the same or other OS on another disk drive for testing
what pc model is this?


Whilst the locking is now down to every few days still something wrong
I thought the SSD was set as AHCI but upon checking it was IDE - have changed it and will now see how the next few days go
I'm 99.9% sure it is the ssd, video continues to 'play' (while not visible) but audio is stuttering and stopping/starting

Some forums I read were saying it if it was the SSD then the mouse would still work, while other people were saying no it wouldn't. But there are a lot of topics out there about Samsung EVO's freezing...
I had hoped not for your sake, but I did suspect this would be the result unfortunately.

As you've found out, trouble shooting a problem like this can be a large pain in the a**, but it's necessary. While tempting to shortcut the process by just reinstalling windows, (even doing it again if you think the first time may not have taken), such action rarely resolves anything if there is an underlying Hardware issue or software conflict.

I've a lot of experience dealing with these type of issues and it's rare that the troublesome culprit doesn't get revealed eventually. The question is how much patience and effort you're willing to put in to get a resolution.  Some may pop in here and suggest just buying another computer if you value your time.  That's not me :)

I would be proceeding in the following order:
  1. Stress test your system using something like PassMark BurnInTest per the link I provided above - pay particular attention to RAM, Graphics and CPU
  2. Monitor the System for Temperature spikes using appropriate software - especially during the Hardware testing phase. This can be run alongside  normal use of the computer
  3. Clone the Hard Drive to another known working drive and see if the problem disappears - doesn't have to be another SSD - any known good hard drive will do the job

Those steps should eliminate just about any hardware related cause, but they take time, patience and a methodical approach to complete properly.  

The final thing I've come across in my experience is that sometimes the computers PSU (Power Supply Unit) can also be at fault.  It may run fine, but have sudden intermittent failures.  This cause is rare, but I've seen it happen and replacing the PSU has fixed the problem.

If all of the above proves fruitless, I would begin a process of elimination to do with drivers.  That's further down the track however.

Good luck and please post back if you need further assistance.
Nicholas - why don't you answer to my suggestions ?  i'm just trying to help YOU
@nobus
I don't have spare ram, disks, video cards to test things like that

Further investigation is leading me more to Chrome being the issue
One example being
https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/chrome/0dXIk-Ay8eE

Which ties in with the same amount of timeish its being happening to me

Have disabled hardware acceleration - will see how it goes
Only started looking at Chrome as I got my second freeze today just after starting Chrome
Hi Nicholas, how would Chrome tie in to the Search Indexing problem you were having earlier?  Or sound and video continuing to play while the PC would freeze?

I think you're going to end up blaming every application on your computer one by one as they start to malfunction at different times. With the amount of issues you've been having, you need to eliminate an intermittent hardware fault. That may not be what you want to hear, but it's the most likely cause imo. If there is a hardware fault, you'll end up just going around in circles for ever, thinking you've solved it when the issues ease for a few days.

If you don't have parts available to test with, I'd suggest taking the PC back to where you bought it for testing.

Good luck.
Good questions, I'm trying to eliminate the cause
It's not Windows per se as sound continues
There is no common defacto when it freezes except chrome, maybe a plugin
AHCI was not a solution
Only started a few months ago after one of the many W10 updates

I may try running FF for a few days and see how it goes
>>  I don't have spare ram, disks, video cards to test things like that  <<  then go to a sho p to have them tested
or as said - return it to the seller -  look if there is any warranty left
if you want to troubleshoot yourself - you need tools and parts
It seems to be Chrome, or an extension in Chrome
After 3 days using just FF I haven't had a single lockup
If Chrome were the cause, I'd expect to see a lot more complaints about the problem. I and many others use chrome almost exclusively for browsing without any similar issues. Much more likely to be an extension if the lockups were only caused when Chrome is active. A hint like that would have been useful to include in the description of the problem.

A simple process of elimination would identify the offending extension.  Disable them all and re-enable one by one until the problem recurs, then see if it disappears again when the extension is removed once identified.  

I'd also first ensure the chrome installation was without error. Just a re-install of Chrome won't confirm that.

  1. Uninstall Chrome
  2. Rename "c:\users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data" to "User Data.old"
  3. Re-install chrome. A new default User Data profile will be created
  4. Test first for a few days with no extensions - if no lockups
  5. Test again after installing first extension - still no lockups
  6. Test again after installing second extension and so on

When a lockup occurs after installing an extension, remove that extension and continue testing. If no more lockups, you've identified the cause and can contact support from the extension's author.

If lockups do continue to resurface again though, then you could be back to where you were ages ago, with a possible intermittent hardware fault.

Cheers..
I've selected the 2 comments that made any kind of sense in regards to problem solving whilst not being directed towards a problem that could not be resolved on a forum
It may take a week or so to find the offending plugin and will report back here if/when I find it and report it to Google

I understand this kinda thing is hard to diagnose and thank everyone for their suggestions
Thank you for the update.
After weeks of enabling/disabling add ons this was the culprit

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/go-back-with-backspace/eekailopagacbcdloonjhbiecobagjci/reviews

A plugin by Google to replace a feature they removed from Chrome...
Ahh the good old plugins.

Well done Nicholas. Persistence always pays off eventually. Least you didn't have to reinstall windows a third time!  :)