Windows 7 Windows 7 freezes: Highest Active Time 100%

palm6080

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Joined
Jul 25, 2010
I have bought Packard Bell IXtreme X8211 (M3720). It has Quad CPU with 4Gig RAM.

Very frequently it freezes for up to 30 seconds. I have notice in Resource Monitor that the Highest Active Time is 100% every time it freezes. The system has a WD EADS SCSI hard drive.

It started this after about 3 weeks I have purchased the system and it is getting more worse over time. In some forums they suggested to turn off the superfetch service, but that did not help.

The computer is suppose to be very fast with multiple cores but it is really become unworkable slow.

Researching this, I found many users with the same problem but no solutions. Do anyone have a real solution to this problem many is experiencing?
 

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Hi.

We can have a look. Please go to the start menu. Type msinfo32 then hit enter. File | save on the screen that opens. Zip the saved file. Then attach the zip to a post using the paperclip above where you type, in advanced mode reply.
 
Many things.

1) Start menu | all programs | startup folder

Delete:

AdobeUpdater
AnyDVD
Google Update

2) I would completely uninstall Active DiskMonitor software. Probably the cause of freezes.

3) Updated driver for the NVIDIA GT 230 card to install:

Drivers - Download NVIDIA Drivers

4) Updated Realtek audio driver to install:

Realtek

5) If the above hasn't helped, then most definitely uninstall Norton with the special tool found here, in safe mode:

Link Removed - Invalid URL

Reboot and then install MSE as a replacement.

If you follow all of this, things will be well I figure. Please let us know and keep us updated.
 
I have done all recommendations suggested and the computer is still freezes about 30 seconds at a time.

I am now making sure I have one one application open at a time.

For example Itunes, PhotoShop Elements or Internet Explorer.

In resmon.exe, I still notice 100% Highest Active Time during the freezes, but also, the file path description most of the times have "caching" in the file path string. I have notice that on ITunes, Internet Explorer and chrome freezes.

I am more and more thinking the problem lies between Windows 7 and my harddrive.

I have also done a proper disk check using tools downloaded from Western Digital but now bad sectors. No SMART information is available on the disk which is strange.
 
I am experiencing the same issue. Although the freezes are normally 10-30 seconds, which is troublesome enough, they can sometimes last up to two minutes. In every case, Highest Active Time holds at 100% and I/O at 0KB/s, and whenever the HAT drops back to 0% (typically for <1 second), the I/O spikes to catch up with whatever commands were issued during the pause, yet the HAT then rockets back up.

CPU activity never rises over 40% during this period, even if I'm running Prime95. RAM usage remains steady, usually at 30-40%.

Effectively, nothing that requires anything of the HDD will respond whilst HAT=100%. The cursor is responsive, and Windows Aero effects continue, but otherwise the system is frozen until the HAT drops.

Also, the issue survives forced restarts. If the system is restarted whilst the freezes are occurring, they will continue to occur even at the 'Starting Windows' loading screen, which can therefore take more than half an hour to finish, given the brief windows of activity the system is allowed.

So far, I have:
1. Run 10 passes of Memtest86+ without errors.
2. Run ChkDsk at least four times without errors.
3. Reformatted the primary hard drive and reinstalled Windows 7.

The issue appears to occur at random—whether I'm rendering, video editing, web browsing, gaming, or just typing into Notepad, it occurs just as frequently. Stress doesn't appear to matter.

View attachment system.zip
 
I am experiencing the same issue. Although the freezes are normally 10-30 seconds, which is troublesome enough, they can sometimes last up to two minutes. In every case, Highest Active Time holds at 100% and I/O at 0KB/s, and whenever the HAT drops back to 0% (typically for <1 second), the I/O spikes to catch up with whatever commands were issued during the pause, yet the HAT then rockets back up.

CPU activity never rises over 40% during this period, even if I'm running Prime95. RAM usage remains steady, usually at 30-40%.

Effectively, nothing that requires anything of the HDD will respond whilst HAT=100%. The cursor is responsive, and Windows Aero effects continue, but otherwise the system is frozen until the HAT drops.

Also, the issue survives forced restarts. If the system is restarted whilst the freezes are occurring, they will continue to occur even at the 'Starting Windows' loading screen, which can therefore take more than half an hour to finish, given the brief windows of activity the system is allowed.

So far, I have:
1. Run 10 passes of Memtest86+ without errors.
2. Run ChkDsk at least four times without errors.
3. Reformatted the primary hard drive and reinstalled Windows 7.

The issue appears to occur at random—whether I'm rendering, video editing, web browsing, gaming, or just typing into Notepad, it occurs just as frequently. Stress doesn't appear to matter.

View attachment 7388

I would definitely uninstall that AVG in safe mode using the special tool found here:

AV Uninstallers - Windows 7 Forums

Then install MSE as a replacement because it doesn't cause this type of issue.

I would also disable Spybot's TeaTimer. Instead, a good manual scan with Malwarebytes every week or so would be much better.

------------

You can update your video card driver from here:

Link Removed - Invalid URL

-----------

Definitely install this latest NVIDIA chipset driver package to update the storage, network and other drivers that need it:

NVIDIA DRIVERS 15.53 WHQL
 
Well, I installed AVG only after recently reinstalling Windows 7 in an attempt to squash this problem. Prior to that, I was using Avast! Internet Security. So I doubt AVG is responsible. But very well, I will try MSE and also disable TeaTimer.

I'm fairly certain that I ensured that all of my drivers were up to date as of yesterday, after reinstalling and updating Windows, but I will surely triple-check....
 
Then I would also use the Avast tool from the link I posted as well, in safe mode. Remnants of old a/v cause all sorts of problems and must be removed from the system.

The NVIDIA chipset/network drivers I linked to are very old (meaning the ones you currently have installed), from before Windows 7 was even released to the public.

"NVIDIA nForce Networking Controller" driver = May 10, 2009

Apply the latest driver package I linked to, to update.
 
Yeah, it didn't take me long to notice that. Oops. I do recall updating to 15.53, not to mention my video drivers to 258.96, but I guess that was prior to the reformat. That's why I resorted to it, after all.

Speaking of the reformat, that should have taken care of Avast in a rather surefire manner, wouldn't you think? But I ran the remover, regardless, so that I could say I did.

Anyway, the issue persists.

Here is an updated system.nfo and a screenshot of the drive activity according to the Drives Meter gadget immediately following one of the fits, along with a Vcore chart from SpeedFan because I thought it seemed possibly relevant. That was a good two minute hang.

View attachment system.zip

sjc-e.png


Thanks for your timely replies, by the way. It's soothing to have something not going into absence seizures. :tongue:
 
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I've discovered that these events perfectly coincide with occurrences of event 4672 in Event Viewer (audit success tree). A quick Google quest brought me here, here, and here. All the same issue.

I'll be doing my best to narrow down any hardware that may be at fault, based on this thread, and monkeying around with drivers based on this thread, but I thought that I would also mention event 4672 to palm6080 here to see if their event logs corroborate this.

UPDATE: I've also now noticed that, despite running the executable to install the 15.53 drivers for the NVIDIA nForce Serial ATA Controller, System Information still reads 11.1.0.33. That explains why it wasn't installed when I was so sure I did it yesterday, but now what? I'll try to run the update in Safe Mode.
 
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Use device manager to install if needed. Right click on the device you're updating. Choose update driver software. Browse my computer. Let me pick. Have disk. Browse...find and double click on the .inf. Hit ok, then next and it will install.
 
Type msconfig in the start menu. Hit enter. Go to services tab. Check the box to Hide all Microsoft services. Then click disable all. Hit ok to save. Reboot. See how it goes running like this.

If it stays well, you know you have a problem with a 3rd party service. You can enable then one by one while rebooting in between. When the issue returns, you have the culprit.

Update that service and related software, or uninstall.
 
Thank you, but no go.

I have another socket LGA 775 motherboard and processor here, as well as more SATA drives. I'll swap them individually, see how that goes and report back for the original poster's sake.
 
After having no luck with another CPU, I swapped the primary HDD for a spare, installed Windows on that and had no trouble at all for nine hours. However, having reconnected the original HDD, I've now also had nine hours of clean performance on that. Now I don't know what to think, let alone to suggest to others with this issue.

One might think it was the result of a loose cable, but I disconnected and reconnected them plenty of times very early on in the troubleshooting.

I don't know. That's all I've got.

Thanks for the input, TorrentG.
 
I stand corrected. It froze shortly after posting the above. I then reformatted the original hard drive (the VelociRaptor), placed it in a friend's system, installed Windows, and faced the same freezes.

In contrast, I've since spent 21+ hours on the alternate drive (a Seagate Barracuda), this time with all the same updates and software installed, without issues.

So, RMAing the VelociRaptor and ceasing to spam this thread with a non-Win7-related issue. Sorry, and thanks.
 
Just registered so I could post this.
I have read all the threads online describing the "system freezes for 30 seconds and highest active time at 100% for no discernable reason" as i have had the problem since i got my new Acer Aspire.

I fixed it by going into the bios and changing the hard drive from AHCI to IDE mode. Before doing this I was having freezes every couple of minutes. Now it hasnt frozen since i changed it 3 weeks ago.

You dont need to worry about latest drivers, virus updates, system info. Just change to IDE mode in bios and if its like mine you can get back to what you were meant to be doing...
 
Do this: start Resource Monitor and watch your disk "Highest Active Time." If it goes to 100% during your OS freezes, your problem is with your HD. 10 bucks says you're using a "green" drive as your MBR drive. Another 10 says it's probably a WD. It's functioning but needs to be replaced. It's fine to use the existing HD as a storage drive, but not as your master boot record drive.

To fix this issue you're going to install a new drive, create a system image, and restore the system image to the new drive.
•Go buy a non-"green" drive. Make sure it's at least as large as your existing MBR drive.
•Using Windows Backup, create a system image. When asked if you want to create a repair CD, select YES.
•Copy the system image backup to an external drive or a thumb drive.
•Install and connect the new HD. It must be at least as large as the existing MBR drive causing the problems.
•Insert the Windows repair CD you just created in your CD tray.
•Power down the PC. Disconnect all internal drives except the new drive.
•Boot the PC and F-12 until you get a prompt.
•Instruct it to boot from CD.
•Once Windows is loaded, select Repair Your Computer. You'll have an option to load drivers. At this point drivers are probably not necessary.
•Select System Image Recovery.
•When completed, shut down and reconnect any other internal drives.
•Reboot. et Voila. Problem gone.

Microsoft allows an image restore to a new drive as long as no other hardware's changed. If you happen to replace your mobo at the same time, you're going to have a bad day -- change only the hard drive. This is a Windows protection / anti-piracy thing and works well.

This issue drove me nuts for a couple weeks. Seems it's particular to "green" drives and further, to WD green drives. I slapped the culprit drive in my Drobo and haven't had any problems since.

I'm certain replacing your MBR drive will solve the problem.
 
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