Windows 8 Hangs

[TheStu]

Ok, I have Windows 8 and I run into a problem that every now and again it will sort of stall out, and stop responding properly and the only fix is to reboot via the power button.

I read on WinSupersite that this is a problem affecting Sandy Bridge systems with SSDs, and that a fix is to install Hyper-V. The problem is that I cannot install Hyper-V. IF I do, and then restart, it will not boot into Windows. If I install it, and shut down and then turn back on, it will boot into Windows, but:
A: It doesn't fix the problem
B: When I then reboot, it doesn't boot Windows.

So, is anyone else having this hanging problem, and how did you fix it?

 

[Nothinman]

Is it possible that the Hyper-V role won't boot because virtualization extensions are turned off in your BIOS?

 

[TheStu]

Is it possible that the Hyper-V role won't boot because virtualization extensions are turned off in your BIOS?

I have no idea, I didn't realize I had to check that. Let me report back.

 

[Nothinman]

I have no idea, I didn't realize I had to check that. Let me report back.

It's just a guess, I would hope that MS would be smart enough to have it just skip the hypervisor initialization if the VT extensions aren't there but you never know.

 

[TheStu]

Virtualization appears to be enabled in the BIOS or EFI, whatever this board has. It sure quacks like a BIOS though.

 

[Nothinman]

Well that's pretty much all I got. =) My only Win8 experience is with Server 2012 in VMware. It probably is a driver bug and you won't find a real fix for a while since no one is really running Win8 yet.

 

[RampantAndroid]

Ok, I have Windows 8 and I run into a problem that every now and again it will sort of stall out, and stop responding properly and the only fix is to reboot via the power button.

I read on WinSupersite that this is a problem affecting Sandy Bridge systems with SSDs, and that a fix is to install Hyper-V. The problem is that I cannot install Hyper-V. IF I do, and then restart, it will not boot into Windows. If I install it, and shut down and then turn back on, it will boot into Windows, but:
A: It doesn't fix the problem
B: When I then reboot, it doesn't boot Windows.

So, is anyone else having this hanging problem, and how did you fix it?

Are you on the release preview? It's probably fixed in the final build. I seem to remember a workaround not involving hyperV, but cannot find it.

 

[TheStu]

Are you on the release preview? It's probably fixed in the final build. I seem to remember a workaround not involving hyperV, but cannot find it.

Yes, this is on the Release Preview.

I also read that Chrome contributed to the problem. I have since changed the following:
Clean Install instead of upgrade
Have not installed Chrome

No issues yet. So one of those two was the factor. I definitely have done clean installs in the past, but again, was using Chrome. So I think that it was the culprit, somehow.

 

[Nothinman]

Yes, this is on the Release Preview.

I also read that Chrome contributed to the problem. I have since changed the following:
Clean Install instead of upgrade
Have not installed Chrome

No issues yet. So one of those two was the factor. I definitely have done clean installs in the past, but again, was using Chrome. So I think that it was the culprit, somehow.

There's still some lower level driver bug then because a userland process shouldn't have the capability of hanging the OS.

 

[TheStu]

There's still some lower level driver bug then because a userland process shouldn't have the capability of hanging the OS.

Well then Chrome was the dimwitted accomplice then.

Hopefully this will get fixed by release time. According to WinSuperSite (which I try to avoid, but it actually mentioned the HyperV 'fix') when he talked to MS, they said they hadn't encountered the problem.

 

[hhhd1]

you should try with the enterprise evaluation, and see if the same problem exists, it is pointless to try to fix bugs of release preview.

 

[StokesMSFT]

If it hangs, collect a memory dump and !analyze -v it, see which driver was hung.

 

[TheStu]

If it hangs, collect a memory dump and !analyze -v it, see which driver was hung.

I don't really know what that means. I know what all the words mean, but not when you put them in that order. Is !Analyze a piece of software?

 

[RampantAndroid]

I don't really know what that means. I know what all the words mean, but not when you put them in that order. Is !Analyze a piece of software?

That person is assuming you know how to use Windbg:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WinDbg

 

[Nothinman]

I don't really know what that means. I know what all the words mean, but not when you put them in that order. Is !Analyze a piece of software?

There's also http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/blue_screen_view.html, but I have no idea if it works in Win8 or not.

 

[dagamer34]

I was pretty sure that Microsoft sent out a fix via Windows Update to fix this problem in the Release Preview (yes, the Release Preview, not just RTM), so I think you are having a different issue.

 

[StokesMSFT]

That person is assuming you know how to use Windbg:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WinDbg

You could also use some freeware/trialware dump analyzers out there I suppose.

 

[TheStu]

OK, so here are some updates:

I did a clean install of Windows 8, and everything was going fine. I installed Opera and Firefox, and neither gave me any issues.

Thinking that maybe the clean install helped to solve my problems, I installed Chrome since I prefer it over anything else on Windows. The problem came back within the first 30 minutes of use.

Well, that answers that question, so I uninstalled Chrome. The problem is still happening.

I have an Apple keyboard which does not have a scroll lock key. Any other suggestions for running a debug report?

 

[RampantAndroid]

OK, so here are some updates:

I did a clean install of Windows 8, and everything was going fine. I installed Opera and Firefox, and neither gave me any issues.

Thinking that maybe the clean install helped to solve my problems, I installed Chrome since I prefer it over anything else on Windows. The problem came back within the first 30 minutes of use.

Well, that answers that question, so I uninstalled Chrome. The problem is still happening.

I have an Apple keyboard which does not have a scroll lock key. Any other suggestions for running a debug report?

I know of no way other than the ctrl scroll lock method, off the top of my head. Can you not get a keyboard?

 

[TheStu]

I know of no way other than the ctrl scroll lock method, off the top of my head. Can you not get a keyboard?

You mean a regular keyboard? I might be able to borrow one off someone, or order an incredibly cheap one or something.

Wish I had thought about it this last weekend, I had some friends over for a LAN.

The problem mostly seems to come up while web browsing, at least now that I have uninstalled Chrome.

 

[TheStu]

Not to necro a month old thread, but it is my thread, so there.

The problem was gone for a couple weeks, and has just started up again. What are the chances that it is Flash related? I seem to notice the system locking up the most when I am using Flash.

Also, what is the best way to run a full system diagnostic? From stem to stern, top to bottom, tip to tail, front to back... and I think I might be out of cliches now.

 

[Nothinman]

Not to necro a month old thread, but it is my thread, so there.

The problem was gone for a couple weeks, and has just started up again. What are the chances that it is Flash related? I seem to notice the system locking up the most when I am using Flash.

Also, what is the best way to run a full system diagnostic? From stem to stern, top to bottom, tip to tail, front to back... and I think I might be out of cliches now.

If Flash seems to be causing it, then it could be a video driver issue.

Full diagnostic reminds me of the technospeak from Star Trek. "I want a level 1 diagnostic of all affected systems" without any real indication of what that means. I don't know of a full diagnostic though, there are various stress test tools that could work. A system benchmark tool might be good enough too since it would stress the video card, its drivers, memory, etc.

 

[TheStu]

If Flash seems to be causing it, then it could be a video driver issue.

Full diagnostic reminds me of the technospeak from Star Trek. "I want a level 1 diagnostic of all affected systems" without any real indication of what that means. I don't know of a full diagnostic though, there are various stress test tools that could work. A system benchmark tool might be good enough too since it would stress the video card, its drivers, memory, etc.

A single utility that will check the memory, the hard drives (SMART and a surface scan), the... stuff... I want to give my computer a physical, a diagnostic. Most of the stuff is in Windows, but I was hoping for a one stop shop.

I'll see if I can't get updated drivers from AMD. And see if I can find a free or trial benchmark.

In OS X I would use TechTools.

 

[Nothinman]

A single utility that will check the memory, the hard drives (SMART and a surface scan), the... stuff... I want to give my computer a physical, a diagnostic. Most of the stuff is in Windows, but I was hoping for a one stop shop.

I'll see if I can't get updated drivers from AMD. And see if I can find a free or trial benchmark.

In OS X I would use TechTools.

I know what you're getting at, but the only thing I've personally used like that is the Dell OEM diagnostics from their recovery partition.

 

[RampantAndroid]

Not to necro a month old thread, but it is my thread, so there.

The problem was gone for a couple weeks, and has just started up again. What are the chances that it is Flash related? I seem to notice the system locking up the most when I am using Flash.

Also, what is the best way to run a full system diagnostic? From stem to stern, top to bottom, tip to tail, front to back... and I think I might be out of cliches now.

Are you on RTM windows 8? Or still the RC?