Windows 10 PC freezes for 5 seconds every 3 hours

My name is Rhaine, I'm Independent Community Volunteer. I’m so glad assisting you today. I am also Windows 10 user. Let us work together to sort this out.

Please try the followings steps below.

1. Windows Key + R
2. Type CMD right click and run as administrator.
3. Copy and paste each command below, you need to do it one at a time until

finishes scanning.

powercfg -restoredefaultschemes

sfc /scannow

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

CHKDSK c: /f

Quick note: While the command is running, it's expected to see the process stuck at 20 or 40 percent. After a few minutes, the process will complete successfully.

Once you complete the steps, the Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool will connect to the Windows Update servers to download and replace any damaged files in the local image for Windows 10 as necessary.

Once done perform Clean Boot

This process will eliminate 3rd party application running in the background of your computer along with services that are not needed to run windows. If there's any conflicting 3rd party application that causes the issue on your computer, this process will stop it.

1. Open the run box by pressing the Windows Key + R and type msconfig
2. System Configuration Utility box will open and by default you are on general tab.
3. On the General tab, click the selective startup and make sure that load system service and load startup items both have checked mark.
4. Click on services tab
5. Put a check mark on Hide All Microsoft Services > This is a very important part as if you miss to click on this, computer might not boot properly or permanently and will end up on clean installation.
6. Once Hide all Microsoft Services have checked mark on it, click on Disable All
7. Click on the Startup Tab and click open task manager. This will open another window which contains all your startup applications on the administrator account.
8. Disable all application that you're not using. You can simply just click on them and select disable.
9. Click OK, Apply and close the configuration utility
10. Restart your pc and check how it goes

Once done restart you pc and check for Windows Updates available in your device.

1. Press Windows Key + X
2. Click Settings
3. Go to WIndows Update Settings
4. Check for updates and install them to optimize your system.

I hope the information and steps above helps.

Have a wonderful day ahead and stay safe.

With Warm Regards,

Rhaine C.

Hi Rhaine -- I ran through your suggestions and have resolved the issue...almost.  But more importantly, I've stabilized my PC.

8 days back and at your suggestion, I did a Clean Boot and disabled all non-Microsoft services.  Since then I have not had a freeze, which would reliably recur every 3 hours despite using my machine heavily -- 12 hours per day.  It's also worth noting that, despite my having disabled 22 non-MSFT services, I am able to all features of my PC without issue.  Really begs the question why Dell/Microsoft installs these services in the first place.

So it's pretty clear that one of the disabled services is the culprit.  So at this point, I'm going to turn on services gradually (e.g., enable 50%, see the results, and increase/decrease 50% from there).  Alternatively I may first try enabling everything but the Intel Storage Middleware Service given that the article referenced in my initial note highlighted known temporary freezing issues with the Intel RST driver which I understand is tied to this service.

Once I'm done with my trial and error and have identified the offending service I'll post the results to this group.  Depending on how long it takes (as I want to observe the impact of each change for a few days), it may be weeks until I post again and close out.

Thanks for your help.  (And thanks to BulldogXX who also provided a number of troubleshooting suggestions.)

-- morsel93

If you can predict with certainty when your computer will freeze, then wait until just before you expect the computer to freeze, open Task Manager, and make a note of what new process(es) appear when your computer is freezing.

Another test to perform: Open Task Scheduler and see if you have a task that is scheduled to run every three hours.

In general, the right way to solve a computer problem is to find and understand what is causing the problem. Only then will you know how to solve it. And you do want to solve the problem, not just mask it.

One of the ways people who post here get into trouble with their computers is by making changes to their configuration before they understand what's causing their problem. Those unnecessary configuration changes can come back to haunt them in the future, such as when an update goes bad and they can't understand why. This is something I have experienced personally read about.

Greetings,

I appreciate your swift response, I am so glad to help, please let me know the outcome, i'll be more than happy to help.

Have a wonderful day ahead and stay safe.

Sincerely,

Rhaine C.

Thank you very much.  I will give this a try and let you know how it goes.