Windows 10 becomes non-responsive, and a mysterious fix

Hi ElliotGingold -

I'm Kevin B. Independent Advisor and a Windows user like you. I do apologize for the inconvenience that you're experiencing right now, let me help you sort things out.

Are there any specific actions that you're doing on the computer before the issue starts or it just starts randomly until the next updates releases?

What version of windows is currently installed on your computer?

To identify the version of windows installed, please follow the steps below

Press windows key + R

Type Winver and press enter

A small pop-up box containing information about the installed version will appear.

If the computer have any system file corruptions, running a system file checker scan might help resolving the issue.

Run a system file checker to verify the integrity of windows system files on your computer making sure that there are no corrupted files on your windows.

Perform SFC Scan and Repair Windows Image

-This process will perform scan for any corrupted system files or integrity violation and will attempt to repair it along with the Windows Image.

1. Open command prompt with administrator access
2. Type each command below and wait until scan is completed.

SFC /scannow

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

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.

3. Close the command prompt.

After the scan completes, you may disable any non-Microsoft services running on the background of your computer to avoid application conflicts which also might be causing or contributing with the issue.

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

Restart the computer and try to monitor the performance of your windows.

Hope this will help and have a bless day!

Thanks.

Kevin B.

Independent advisor

Any 3rd party anti virus, security, cleanup programs EVER installed on the computer?

Hi Kevin,

Thanks for you detailed help.

My system is  Version 20H2 (OS build 19042.985)

I have run the scanning commands as in your message (both SFC and DISM) but they found nothing wrong. I will try do Clean Reboot tomorrow.

Elliot

Go to the Kaspersky site and get their Removal software and completely remove all their code.

All that you need with Windows 10 is Windows Security and Malwarebytes.  Anything else,ie 3rd party AV, disrupts the built in Windows Security.

Kaspersky anti-virus.