Windows 10: Dell Inspiron 15 7537 freezes, can't open task manager, must reboot

At first I thought I had fixed this computer by disabling several application from starting up. I also removed redundent virus protection such as McAffee, Avast and Malwarebytes and only using Windows Defender.

I also went to the Dell website and updated drivers such as intel ME interface and the bios.

It seemed to run better after doing the above but then today it started having freezing issues.

Running the Chrome web browser (multi tabs) along with Microsoft Office it has freezed up twice in less than 30 minutes. Task Manager does not respond, once the mouse cursor was movable. Keyboard caps lock button works but nothing else. Only option is to force it to power off then power back on.

Looking forward to some help,

Paul

JODIECONSULTING-Tue_01_02_2018_120833_46.zip

:)

 

Dell Audio equalizer doesn't work...

Dell Inspiron 15 7000 series, think the specific number is the Inspiron 7537.

 

Dell Audio equalizer doesn't work...

Strange, I just searched Dell's site for this model (Inspiron 7537) and it tells me that it *is* supported for Windows 10. Here's the direct URL, can you check? It's entirely possible they just added support in the last day or so.

http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/04/product-support/product/inspiron-15-7537/drivers

Please let me know how this works out for you. Thanks!

 

The 'freezing' issue seems to be an ongoing struggle!

A quicker method than a 'hard shutdown' would be an 'Emergency Restart':
Ctrl+Alt+Delete then hold Ctrl while clicking on the Power Button on the bottom right.

 

BTW the BIOS upgrade was from Dell version A14 ,A14 file name 7537A14.exe

 

The logs indicate that Avast and Malwarebytes are still installed.
There were also event log entries for Mcafee in December.
To uninstall these AV applications:
1) Malwarebytes:
use control panel
2) Avast:
Avast Uninstall Utility | Download aswClear for Avast Removal
3) McAfee: Antivirus Software, Internet Security, Spyware and Malware Removal McAfee
4) Turn on Windows defender
5) Uninstall then reinstall the Dell support assistant

6) Open Ccleaner > click windows tab > scroll down to system and advanced > post an image into the thread

7) In the left lower corner search type clean > open disk cleanup > scroll up and down > post images into the thread

8) In the left lower corner search type: system or system control > open system control panel > on the left pane click advanced system settings
8a) > on the advanced tab under startup and recovery click settings > post an image of the startup and recovery into the thread.
8b) > on the advanced tab under performance > click on settings > click on advanced tab > under virtual memory click on change > post an image of the virtual memory tab into the thread

9) In the left lower corner search type services > open windows error reporting service > scroll to the startup type column > right click > left click on properties > post an image into the thread

10) Download and install Whocrashed > in the left upper corner above analyze click on tools > crash dump test > type: ACCEPT
Resplendence Software - WhoCrashed, automatic crash dump analyzer
11) Click analyze > look for dead or deaddead in the results > post the results into the thread
12) Run the DM log collector after all of the above steps and post a zip into the thread:
BSOD - Posting Instructions - Windows 10 Forums
BSOD - Posting Instructions - Windows 10 Forums

13) Open administrative command prompt and type or copy and paste:
14) sfc /scannow
15) dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
16) chkdsk /scan
17) When these have completed > right click on the top bar or title bar of the administrative command prompt box > left click on edit then select all > right click on the top bar again > left click on edit then copy > paste into the thread
18) msconfig (in the pop up system configuration > move the dot from normal startup to selective startup > uncheck load startup items > click service tab > in left lower corner check hide all Microsoft services > in the lower right side click disable all > click apply or ok > do not reboot)

19) taskmgr (in the pop up task manager > click on the start up tab > click on status so that the column sorts with enable rising to the top > right click on each row with enable and change to disable)

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...oot-in-windows
How to perform a Clean Boot in Windows 10 - TechNet Articles - United States (English) - TechNet Wiki

20) shutdown /r (you will reboot the computer so that it is in clean boot)

21) Evaluate the performance on your computer in clean boot during typical use.
22) Are the boots faster or slower?
23) Are the shutdowns faster or slower?
24) How has the video performance changed? Is it better, worse, or the same?
25) How has the freezing changed? Is it better, worse, or the same?
26) Continue using clean boot indefinitely to monitor performance.

27) type: control in the left lower corner search > click on control panel > click on large or small icons > click on troubleshooting > on the left pane click on view all > run the following windows troubleshooters:
a) Hardware and Devices
b) Video Playback
c)) Playing Audio > open audio enhancements > play test sounds > advanced > change sample rate > test multiple sample rates
d) Recording Audio

28) For each troubleshooter make sure that advanced is clicked to apply repairs automatically.
29) For each troubleshooter click on view detailed information.
30) Report any problems using images that were fixed or not fixed.




Code: Event[3146]: Log Name: System Source: Display Date: 2017-12-30T14:48:32.565 Event ID: 4101 Task: N/A Level: Warning Opcode: Info Keyword: Classic User: N/A User Name: N/A Computer: JodieConsulting Description: Display driver igfx stopped responding and has successfully recovered.[/quote] Code: Event[3000]: Log Name: System Source: Service Control Manager Date: 2017-12-28T20:50:54.847 Event ID: 7031 Task: N/A Level: Error Opcode: N/A Keyword: Classic User: N/A User Name: N/A Computer: JodieConsulting Description: The Dell SupportAssist Agent service terminated unexpectedly. It has done this 2 time(s). The following corrective action will be taken in 32767 milliseconds: Run the configured recovery program.[/quote] Code: avastsvc.exe Non disponible 2900 8 Non disponible Non disponible 02/01/2018 13:21 Non disponible Non disponible Non disponible[/quote] Code: avastui.exe c:\program files\avast software\avast\avastui.exe 1848 8 200 1380 02/01/2018 13:21 17.9.3761.0 10,57 Mo (11 080 896 octets) 21/12/2017 20:19[/quote] Code: avastui.exe c:\program files\avast software\avast\avastui.exe 3748 8 200 1380 02/01/2018 13:52 17.9.3761.0 10,57 Mo (11 080 896 octets) 21/12/2017 20:19[/quote] Code: ashsha64 17.9.3761.0 1,68 Mo (1 757 400 octets) 21/12/2017 20:19 AVAST Software c:\program files\avast software\avast\ashsha64.dll[/quote] Code: aswhooka 17.9.3.19960 209,55 Ko (214 576 octets) 21/12/2017 20:19 AVAST Software c:\program files\avast software\avast\x64\aswhooka.dll[/quote] Code: avastui 17.9.3761.0 10,57 Mo (11 080 896 octets) 21/12/2017 20:19 AVAST Software c:\program files\avast software\avast\avastui.exe[/quote] Code: snxhk64 17.9.3761.0 356,11 Ko (364 656 octets) 21/12/2017 20:19 AVAST Software c:\program files\avast software\avast\snxhk64.dll[/quote] Code: mbshlext 3.0.0.26 1,97 Mo (2 063 488 octets) 13/11/2017 14:03 Malwarebytes c:\program files\malwarebytes\anti-malware\mbshlext.dll[/quote] Code: Malwarebytes Service MBAMService Arrêté Automatique Propre processus "c:\program files\malwarebytes\anti-malware\mbamservice.exe" Normal LocalSystem 0[/quote]

 

"6) Open Ccleaner > click windows tab > scroll down to system and advanced > post an image into the thread"

I got to the above step and installed ccleaner w/o avast. Do I analyze then post an image? I updated the sound driver to the latest on Dell's website because twice it locked up while adjusting the volume from the system tray. The last time it locked up it would emit loud beeps when the ctrl alt or shift keys were pressed. The mouse was still moveable and attempting to left click menu choices eventually resulted in two beep tones being emitted per click. It seems to like to lock up while adjusting settings from the start menu\settings. I haven't had any issues using control panel.

 

If you had not used ccleaner please uninstall it.
The step was to check if you have it in use.

In the left lower corner search type control panel > view large and small icons > on the left pain click view all > click on troubleshooting >

Run each of these troubleshooters:

1) Hardware and Devices


2) Video Playback


3) Playing Audio > open audio enhancements > play test sounds > advanced > change sample rate > test multiple sample rates


4) Recording Audio


For each troubleshooter make sure that advanced is clicked to apply repairs automatically.
For each troubleshooter click on view detailed information.
Report any problems using images that were fixed or not fixed.

5) After running the troubleshooters open device manager > click view > click show hidden devices > expand all rows > look for any row with a triangular yellow icon that has a black exclamation mark > post an image into the thread.

 

I have completed the tasks to having whocrashed analyze. Thanks for your help. Hopefully the attached will show up below. Not sure if I was supposed to post the screen shots as a zip or individually.

settings01.zip

JODIECONSULTING-Fri_01_05_2018_221330_13.zip

 

1) For startup and recovery > system failure > un-check automatically restart
2) Whocrashed test dump has failed.
3) When available please update your progress with each of the steps in post #4 Which AV have been removed? Have the scannow and restorehealth been run?
4) change virtual memory: click custom > initial 9000 and max 18,000
5) after the above steps in this post, please run whocrashed test dump again and then run this log collector and post a zip into the thread: log collector v2-beta06.zip

 

I went through the steps of uninstalling the AV's, Windows Defender is running, Dell support assistant reinstalled and run - it found no issues.

Same result with WhoCrashed below:

Crash dumps are enabled on your computer.
Crash dump directories:
C:\WINDOWS
C:\WINDOWS\Minidump
No valid crash dumps have been found on your computer

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.16299.192](c) 2017 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>sfc /scannowBeginning system scan. This process will take some time.Beginning verification phase of system scan.Verification 100% complete.Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealthDeployment Image Servicing and Management toolVersion: 10.0.16299.15Image Version: 10.0.16299.192[==========================100.0%==========================] The restore operation completed successfully.The operation completed successfully.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>chkdsk /scanThe type of the file system is NTFS.Volume label is OS.Stage 1: Examining basic file system structure ... 570880 file records processed. File verification completed. 11642 large file records processed. 0 bad file records processed.Stage 2: Examining file name linkage ... 29954 reparse records processed. 662166 index entries processed. Index verification completed. 0 unindexed files scanned. 0 unindexed files recovered to lost and found. 29954 reparse records processed.Stage 3: Examining security descriptors ...Security descriptor verification completed. 45644 data files processed.CHKDSK is verifying Usn Journal... 38341104 USN bytes processed. Usn Journal verification completed.Windows has scanned the file system and found no problems.No further action is required. 966431912 KB total disk space. 197844780 KB in 265916 files. 183252 KB in 45645 indexes. 0 KB in bad sectors. 716624 KB in use by the system. 65536 KB occupied by the log file. 767687256 KB available on disk. 4096 bytes in each allocation unit. 241607978 total allocation units on disk. 191921814 allocation units available on disk.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>

I am now working on step 20 clean boot.

 

So I ran all the trouble shooters after clean booting and the audio playback is the only problem. Also sticky keys keeps turning back on each time the screen turns off and I have to log back in. Haven't had any freeze issues or BSOD's in last 24 hours. Boot time is about 90 seconds until the wireless mouse is recognized. After logging in the computer is immediately responsive with no lag waiting for background tasks to finish since I followed the clean boot instructions.

JODIECONSULTING (1-6-2018 12 23 PM).zip

 

Please re-post these images:

1) In the left lower corner search type: system or system control > open system control panel > on the left pane click advanced system settings
1a) > on the advanced tab under startup and recovery click settings > post an image of the startup and recovery into the thread.
1b) > on the advanced tab under performance > click on settings > click on advanced tab > under virtual memory click on change > post an image of the virtual memory tab into the thread

2) In the left lower corner search type services > open windows error reporting service > scroll to the startup type column > right click > left click on properties > post an image into the thread


3) Place the computer in safe mode:
Boot into Safe Mode on Windows 10

4) Open Whocrashed > above analyze click on tools > crash dump test > type: ACCEPT
reboot into normal boot
run whocrashed analyze > post results into the thread
submit new zip: log collector v2-beta06.zip

 

For the audio with yellow icon and black exclamation mark in device manager > right click > update driver
If the yellow triangle disappears the step is completed.
If the yellow triangle does not disappear > right click > uninstall > click action > scan for hardware change
re-run the audio troubleshooter

Run the full Dell diagnostics and report results into the thread:
Support for Inspiron 7537 | Diagnostics | Dell US

 

As you can see below there are no yellow icons and black exclamation marks in device manager











The laptop has not froze up since last Thursday. I will perform the safe mode step and get back with you. Thanks for all of your help.

Paul