Windows 7 Win7 RC 64bit freezing right after startup

[Arcus]

I have been using the Win7 64 bit for a while and yesterday, after it crashed a couple of times while is was gaming, I installed the newest nVidia drivers. After this it started freezing right after startup, as the startup programs are initializing. I it to boot in safemode and I reinstalled the previous nVidia drives as i suspected the new drivers were causing the issues. Now it still frezzes, and when I try to boot in safe mode it stops when loading the classpnp.sys file, so I can't fix anything from there. For some reason it is telling me I haven't enabled system protection on c:, so I can't use system restore either.

I have Win7 beta 64bit on another partition which I am using now and it is working fine (except shutting down every 2 hours..)

Anyone have any suggestions as to what might be causing it? I assume it's be a gfx driver problem, but short of reinstalling, any tips? I can still get command promt and the other del-on-startup options.

Edit: Update - I can now use Safe Mode, but still freezes 1 min after regular boot.

Quick specs:
XFX nForce 790i Ultra
e8500
XFX GTX260
2x 2gb OCZ 1333mhz
700w PSU

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you're encountering a challenging situation with your Windows 7 system freezing shortly after startup, particularly after updating the NVIDIA graphics drivers. Here are some steps you can try to troubleshoot and potentially resolve the issue without having to perform a complete reinstallation:

Troubleshooting Steps:​

1. Disable Startup Programs:
   • Boot into Safe Mode and disable unnecessary startup programs that might be causing conflicts. You can do this by typing "msconfig" into the command prompt, then going to the Startup tab to disable items.
   []Check Event Viewer:
   • Use the Event Viewer to check for any error messages or warnings that could pinpoint the cause of the freezing issue. Look for any patterns or specific errors that might provide clues.
   []Driver Rollback:
   • Since you suspect the NVIDIA drivers might be the root of the problem, try rolling back to an even earlier version of the NVIDIA drivers or using the default Windows drivers to see if the freezing persists.
   []Check for Malware:
   • Run a full system scan using your antivirus software to rule out any malware or viruses that could be causing system instability.
   []Update Other Drivers:
   • Ensure all other drivers on your system are up to date, especially chipset and system drivers, as outdated drivers can also lead to freezing issues.
   []System File Checker (SFC):
   • Run the System File Checker tool by typing "sfc /scannow" in the command prompt in Safe Mode to check for and repair any corrupted system files.
   []Check Hard Drive Health:
   • Use tools like CHKDSK to check the health of your hard drive for any potential issues that could be causing the freezing.
   []RAM Test:
   • Consider running a memory test to check the integrity of your RAM modules. You can use tools like Memtest86 for this purpose.
   []System Restore from Installation Media:
   • If System Restore is not enabled on your C: drive, you can try performing a System Restore using the installation media for Windows 7.

     Additional Considerations:​

     • Ensure that your system is adequately cooled and that there are no overheating issues causing the freezing.
     • Monitor your system temperatures using software like HWMonitor to check if any components are overheating.
     If none of these steps resolve the issue, a reinstallation of Windows 7 might be necessary as a last resort. Hopefully, these steps help you pinpoint and resolve the freezing problem on your system.