Windows 11 PC Freezes After Precisely 5 Mintues

Question

Hello,

On a fresh installation of Windows 11. By "freeze" I mean the screen, mouse and keyboard just sit there. The only rescue is pressing the reset button.

The problem occurs precisely 5 minutes after the sign in screen appears. Not 4m:50s, not 5m:10s but 5m:0s, always. I don't even need to sign in.

I removed all extra disks, HW and video card to no avail.

The problem does not occur in Safe Mode however. Combined with the precise timing of the problem suggests that some process is being started at 5 minutes.

There are no errors leading up to the freeze in the Event Viewer.

Any ideas how I can track down what is triggering the issue please?

Answer 1

Hi Ivan,

Many thanks for replying and apologies for the delay.

It's a not a branded PC but one I've put together. It's behaved impeccably for years.

I happened to try most of your suggestions before I raised this query but did not fix the problem. I had uninstalled absolutely everything.

Anyway, I have now gone for the nuclear option and re-installed Windows from a USB stick since even Reset PC even failed. At least my PC is usable now.

Answer 2

Hi,

If it is a laptop or desktop, if possible, could you provide the laptop model or your desktop configuration?

Open the command prompt (admin) and run the commands: sfc /scannow and dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth, wait for the process to finish and restart the computer.

Then perform a clean boot and if you want to uninstall applications that you do not use.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-to-execute-a-simple-boot-start-in-windows-da2f9573-6eec-00ad-2f8a-a97a1807f3dd

Go to Start Menu > Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options > select "Choose what the power buttons do" > select "Change settings that are currently unavailable" > uncheck the "Turn on fast startup" option and save changes.

Restart the computer and test

Thanks

Answer 3

It sounds like you're experiencing a frustrating issue with your Windows 11 installation freezing consistently after exactly 5 minutes. Since the problem does not occur in Safe Mode, it suggests that a third-party application or service may be causing the freeze. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue:

1. Check Startup Programs: Use the Task Manager to disable startup programs that may be launching after you log in. You can access Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc, then navigate to the "Startup" tab and disable unnecessary applications.
2. Event Viewer: Even though you mentioned there are no errors leading up to the freeze, it might be worth checking the Event Viewer again for any warnings or information logs around the time of the freeze. Look under "Windows Logs" > "Application" and "System".
3. Driver Issues: Ensure all your drivers are up to date, especially for graphics and chipset. You can check for updates through Device Manager or the manufacturer's website.
4. System File Check: Run the System File Checker tool to repair any corrupted system files. Open Command Prompt as an administrator and run the command sfc /scannow.
5. Clean Boot: Perform a clean boot to start Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs. This can help identify if background services are causing the issue. You can find instructions on how to perform a clean boot on the Microsoft support site.
6. Check for Malware: Although you mentioned no threats were found, it might be worthwhile to run a more comprehensive malware scan using a different tool, such as Malwarebytes or another reputable antivirus program.
7. Windows Updates: Make sure your Windows 11 installation is fully updated. Sometimes, updates can resolve underlying issues.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, you may want to consider reaching out to Microsoft support for further assistance or exploring forums for similar issues reported by other users.

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References:

• Advanced troubleshooting for Windows freezes