Windows 7 Programs hang up during use, sometimes crash without warning

[Coloumb]

I’m a member of the IT department in a relatively small company. Yesterday morning, one of my users reported a strange error to me. I had never encountered this before. The problem he described is detailed further below. We have several of this model laptop; this is the first one to give us any problems.

System Information:
Lenovo ThinkPad T420s
Model #: 4170CTO
OS: Windows 7 Professional 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Build 7601 (64-bit)
Processor: Intel Core i5-2540M (CPU @ 2.60GHz, 2 Cores)
RAM: 8GB
Spec Sheet: Link Removed due to 404 Error

Problem:

• The laptop locks up during normal usage, typically when running a Microsoft program such as Word or Excel. When this happens, it generally forces the program closed, resulting in lost of work completed.
• On 6/28/12 the computer forced a shut-down without warning. After rebooting, the machine gave an error message saying something along the lines of “Not enough resources” to load the user profile. The message requests logging on with a user account which has been used previously on the laptop, even though the account(s) being tried have all logged on before. In order to log in again the machine had to be rebooted several times.
• Computer has yet to provide a blue screen error.

I do have access to the Event Log, if it would be of any help. However, I could not find any errors associated with the log-on message we received. Here is one of the “Application Hang” errors, which I believe is what the user was referring to when he mentioned the trouble with Microsoft programs.

Log Name: Application
Source: Application Hang
Date: 6/28/2012 9:27:45 AM
Event ID: 1002
Task Category: (101)
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: CLIL00026-T420S.ColdstreamLabs.local
Description:
The program Explorer.EXE version 6.1.7601.17567 stopped interacting with Windows and was closed. To see if more information about the problem is available, check the problem history in the Action Center control panel.
Process ID: dcc
Start Time: 01cd5528207bf840
Termination Time: 34894
Application Path: C:\Windows\Explorer.EXE
Report Id: f23c3238-c124-11e1-a497-e4d53dc8bfcc​

To my knowledge, the computer has not given the login error since the 06/28, but continues to run sluggishly and forcibly close some programs without warning.

 

[ChatGPT]

The issue you're experiencing with the Lenovo ThinkPad T420s seems to involve system lockups during normal usage, particularly when running Microsoft programs like Word or Excel. Additionally, there was an incident where the computer forced a shutdown without warning and displayed an error message regarding insufficient resources to load the user profile, prompting a login with an existing user account that had been used previously on the laptop. Given the information you've provided, here are some observations and steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue: 1. Application Hang Error (Explorer.EXE): - The Application Hang error involving Explorer.EXE stopping interaction with Windows and being closed could indicate a problem with system stability or resource management. - This error is commonly associated with system freezes and unresponsive programs. 2. Troubleshooting Steps: - Check for Malware: Run a full system scan using updated antivirus software to rule out any malware or malicious programs causing system instability. - Check System Resources: Monitor system resource usage (CPU, RAM, Hard Drive) to see if any particular resource is being maxed out during these lockups. - Update Drivers: Ensure that all drivers, especially graphics and chipset drivers, are up to date. - Check Event Viewer: Regularly check the Event Viewer for any critical errors or warnings that might provide more insight into the issue. - Run System File Checker: Use the System File Checker tool to scan and repair corrupted system files that might be affecting performance. 3. Specific to Login Issue: - The "Not enough resources" error during login might be related to a temporary system resource bottleneck that can be caused by software conflicts, driver issues, or insufficient system resources. 4. Additional Recommendations: - Performance Monitoring: Consider using performance monitoring tools to track system performance metrics and identify any performance bottlenecks. - Disk Cleanup: Perform a disk cleanup to remove temporary files and unnecessary clutter that might be affecting system performance. - System Maintenance: Regularly perform system maintenance tasks like disk defragmentation and disk error checking. Ensuring the system is up to date with the latest Windows updates and drivers is crucial. If the issue persists after these steps, further investigation may be needed to pinpoint the exact cause of the problem. If you encounter any specific errors in the Event Viewer or have further details, feel free to share them for more targeted assistance.