[skyle]

I have this recurring problem with a middle of the night freeze up. Running Vista Home Basic on a one year old machine. Problem started about 2 months ago, but I can't relate it to any particular program. Every morning the system has completely frozen anywhere between 2:00 and 4:30 am - I can tell because the clock is frozen at that time. Its a total freeze up, no mouse or keyboard, all I can do is a hard reboot. I suspected a 4:00 am scheduled backup, but have disabled and removed it without effect. No other scheduled activities that I know of. I disabled the screensaver. I have Sunbelt Firewall and Avira anti-virus, and haven't found any malware. Regularly run registry cleaners, defrag and other similar maintenance. Event Viewer shows nothing at all, typically no entries from soon after I stop working for the night. Running 1 GB RAM so I added a 8GB USB extra RAM using the VIsta utility that provides for that, thinking maybe RAM was too low - no difference, although applications run slightly faster with the additional memory. There's generally no problem while I'm running the machine myself, only at night when nobody's looking.

The one thing I can tell is that CPU usage is maxed out - I have the Vista sidebar gadget that shows CPU usage graphically, and you can see that in the few minutes before freeze up CPU usage has climbed to 100%, then the display froze, and that's where I find it in the morning.

How can I track down what's happening? Any ideas gratefully received.

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• Please download the Event Viewer Tool by Vino Rosso VEW and save it to your Desktop:
• Double-click VEW.exe
• Under 'Select log to query', select (as appropriate):
  
  • Application
  • System
• Under 'Select type to list', select (as appropriate):
  
  • Error
  • Information
  • Warning

Then use the 'Date of events' or 'Number of events' as follows:

Either:

• Click the radio button for 'Number of events'
  Type 3 in the 1 to 20 box (or any number from 1 to 20)
  Then click the Run button.
  Notepad will open with the output log.
  
  
• Click the radio button for 'Date of events'
  In the From: boxes type today's date (presuming the crash happened today) 13 07 2009
  In the To: boxes type today's date (presuming the crash happened today) 13 07 2009
  Then click the Run button.
  Notepad will open with the output log.

Please post the Output log in your next reply



Download WhoCrashed from the link in my signature below
This program checks for any drivers which may have been causing your computer to crash....

Click on the file you just downloaded and run it.
Put a tick in Accept then click on Next
Put a tick in the Don't create a start menu folder then click Next
Put a tick in Create a Desktop Icon then click on Install and make sure there is a tick in Launch Whocrashed before clicking Finish
Click Analyze
It will want to download the Debugger and install it Say Yes
WhoCrashed will create report but you have to scroll down to see it
Copy and paste it into your next reply

[rshaffer61]

• Please download the Event Viewer Tool by Vino Rosso VEW and save it to your Desktop:
• Double-click VEW.exe
• Under 'Select log to query', select (as appropriate):
  
  • Application
  • System
• Under 'Select type to list', select (as appropriate):
  
  • Error
  • Information
  • Warning

Then use the 'Date of events' or 'Number of events' as follows:

Either:

• Click the radio button for 'Number of events'
  Type 3 in the 1 to 20 box (or any number from 1 to 20)
  Then click the Run button.
  Notepad will open with the output log.
  
  
• Click the radio button for 'Date of events'
  In the From: boxes type today's date (presuming the crash happened today) 13 07 2009
  In the To: boxes type today's date (presuming the crash happened today) 13 07 2009
  Then click the Run button.
  Notepad will open with the output log.

Please post the Output log in your next reply



Download WhoCrashed from the link in my signature below
This program checks for any drivers which may have been causing your computer to crash....

Click on the file you just downloaded and run it.
Put a tick in Accept then click on Next
Put a tick in the Don't create a start menu folder then click Next
Put a tick in Create a Desktop Icon then click on Install and make sure there is a tick in Launch Whocrashed before clicking Finish
Click Analyze
It will want to download the Debugger and install it Say Yes
WhoCrashed will create report but you have to scroll down to see it
Copy and paste it into your next reply

[skyle]

Strangely, it didn't freeze for a couple of nights. But this morning, its all frozen at 3:50 am once again. The results form VEW.exe and whocrashed are below, but they don't seem to tell anything. The WhoCrashed report shows no crashes since 04/02/2010 - the VEW.exe has nothing to report. Maybe because its a freeze, not a crash. Where do we go from here?

Analysis
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Crash dump directory: C:\Windows\Minidump

Crash dumps are enabled on your computer.

On Thu 04/02/2010 4:00:55 AM your computer crashed
This was likely caused by the following module: procexp111.sys
Bugcheck code: 0x1000008E (0xC0000005, 0x8244E6EE, 0x98F4092C, 0x0)
Error: KERNEL_MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED_M
Dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\Mini020310-01.dmp
file path: \??\C:\Windows\system32\Drivers\PROCEXP111.SYS
This file could not be located on your computer, we suggest that you search on its name with Google.
Click here to do a Google search on procexp111.sys

On Wed 20/01/2010 8:04:20 AM your computer crashed
This was likely caused by the following module: ntkrnlpa.exe
Bugcheck code: 0x18 (0x83E9D5C0, 0x8542C2D8, 0x2, 0xFFFFFFFD)
Error: REFERENCE_BY_POINTER
Dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\Mini012010-01.dmp
file path: C:\Windows\system32\ntkrnlpa.exe
product: Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
company: Microsoft Corporation
description: NT Kernel & System
The crash took place in a standard Microsoft module. Your system configuration may be incorrect, possibly the culprit may be another driver on your system which cannot be identified at this time.

On Fri 15/01/2010 7:43:31 AM your computer crashed
This was likely caused by the following module: ntkrnlpa.exe
Bugcheck code: 0x18 (0x83E9D5C0, 0x84A2C458, 0x2, 0xFFFFFFFF)
Error: REFERENCE_BY_POINTER
Dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\Mini011510-01.dmp
file path: C:\Windows\system32\ntkrnlpa.exe
product: Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
company: Microsoft Corporation
description: NT Kernel & System
The crash took place in a standard Microsoft module. Your system configuration may be incorrect, possibly the culprit may be another driver on your system which cannot be identified at this time.

On Thu 14/01/2010 7:53:28 AM your computer crashed
This was likely caused by the following module: ntkrnlpa.exe
Bugcheck code: 0x18 (0x83E94D40, 0x84F7D198, 0x2, 0xFFFFFFFF)
Error: REFERENCE_BY_POINTER
Dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\Mini011410-01.dmp
file path: C:\Windows\system32\ntkrnlpa.exe
product: Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
company: Microsoft Corporation
description: NT Kernel & System
The crash took place in a standard Microsoft module. Your system configuration may be incorrect, possibly the culprit may be another driver on your system which cannot be identified at this time.

On Wed 06/01/2010 5:08:06 AM your computer crashed
This was likely caused by the following module: procexp111.sys
Bugcheck code: 0x1000008E (0xC0000005, 0x8245E6EE, 0xAF3B192C, 0x0)
Error: KERNEL_MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED_M
Dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\Mini010610-01.dmp
file path: \??\C:\Windows\system32\Drivers\PROCEXP111.SYS
This file could not be located on your computer, we suggest that you search on its name with Google.
Click here to do a Google search on procexp111.sys

On Sat 12/12/2009 8:31:22 AM your computer crashed
This was likely caused by the following module: ntkrnlpa.exe
Bugcheck code: 0x18 (0x83A9D5C0, 0x8523CF80, 0x2, 0xFFFFFFFF)
Error: REFERENCE_BY_POINTER
Dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\Mini121209-01.dmp
file path: C:\Windows\system32\ntkrnlpa.exe
product: Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
company: Microsoft Corporation
description: NT Kernel & System
The crash took place in a standard Microsoft module. Your system configuration may be incorrect, possibly the culprit may be another driver on your system which cannot be identified at this time.

On Fri 11/12/2009 7:09:28 PM your computer crashed
This was likely caused by the following module: procexp111.sys
Bugcheck code: 0x1000008E (0xC0000005, 0x820516EE, 0xA6CE192C, 0x0)
Error: KERNEL_MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED_M
Dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\Mini121109-01.dmp
file path: \??\C:\Windows\system32\Drivers\PROCEXP111.SYS
This file could not be located on your computer, we suggest that you search on its name with Google.
Click here to do a Google search on procexp111.sys

On Sat 28/11/2009 7:49:24 AM your computer crashed
This was likely caused by the following module: ntkrnlpa.exe
Bugcheck code: 0x18 (0x83A9D5C0, 0x85328D48, 0x2, 0xFFFFFFFF)
Error: REFERENCE_BY_POINTER
Dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\Mini112809-01.dmp
file path: C:\Windows\system32\ntkrnlpa.exe
product: Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
company: Microsoft Corporation
description: NT Kernel & System
The crash took place in a standard Microsoft module. Your system configuration may be incorrect, possibly the culprit may be another driver on your system which cannot be identified at this time.

On Wed 25/11/2009 9:56:39 AM your computer crashed
This was likely caused by the following module: ntkrnlpa.exe
Bugcheck code: 0x18 (0x83A9D5C0, 0x84E4AAA8, 0x2, 0xFFFFFFFF)
Error: REFERENCE_BY_POINTER
Dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\Mini112509-01.dmp
file path: C:\Windows\system32\ntkrnlpa.exe
product: Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
company: Microsoft Corporation
description: NT Kernel & System
The crash took place in a standard Microsoft module. Your system configuration may be incorrect, possibly the culprit may be another driver on your system which cannot be identified at this time.

On Mon 23/11/2009 7:50:44 AM your computer crashed
This was likely caused by the following module: ntkrnlpa.exe
Bugcheck code: 0x18 (0x83A94EC0, 0x8494F0C8, 0x2, 0xFFFFFFFF)
Error: REFERENCE_BY_POINTER
Dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\Mini112309-01.dmp
file path: C:\Windows\system32\ntkrnlpa.exe
product: Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
company: Microsoft Corporation
description: NT Kernel & System
The crash took place in a standard Microsoft module. Your system configuration may be incorrect, possibly the culprit may be another driver on your system which cannot be identified at this time.

On Wed 21/10/2009 3:06:37 AM your computer crashed
This was likely caused by the following module: procexp111.sys
Bugcheck code: 0x1000008E (0xC0000005, 0x820866EE, 0x9C8CB92C, 0x0)
Error: KERNEL_MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED_M
Dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\Mini102009-01.dmp
file path: \??\C:\Windows\system32\Drivers\PROCEXP111.SYS
This file could not be located on your computer, we suggest that you search on its name with Google.
Click here to do a Google search on procexp111.sys

On Tue 06/10/2009 2:28:10 AM your computer crashed
This was likely caused by the following module: procexp111.sys
Bugcheck code: 0x1000008E (0xC0000005, 0x820766EE, 0xA7FE392C, 0x0)
Error: KERNEL_MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED_M
Dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\Mini100509-01.dmp
file path: \??\C:\Windows\system32\Drivers\PROCEXP111.SYS
This file could not be located on your computer, we suggest that you search on its name with Google.
Click here to do a Google search on procexp111.sys

On Tue 25/08/2009 1:06:47 AM your computer crashed
This was likely caused by the following module: procexp111.sys
Bugcheck code: 0x1000008E (0xC0000005, 0x820536EE, 0x8BC1C92C, 0x0)
Error: KERNEL_MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED_M
Dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\Mini082409-01.dmp
file path: \??\C:\Windows\system32\Drivers\PROCEXP111.SYS
This file could not be located on your computer, we suggest that you search on its name with Google.
Click here to do a Google search on procexp111.sys

On Tue 18/08/2009 1:41:36 AM your computer crashed
This was likely caused by the following module: procexp111.sys
Bugcheck code: 0x1000008E (0xC0000005, 0x81E526EE, 0x8162992C, 0x0)
Error: KERNEL_MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED_M
Dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\Mini081709-02.dmp
file path: \??\C:\Windows\system32\Drivers\PROCEXP111.SYS
This file could not be located on your computer, we suggest that you search on its name with Google.
Click here to do a Google search on procexp111.sys

On Mon 17/08/2009 8:50:19 AM your computer crashed
This was likely caused by the following module: dxgkrnl.sys
Bugcheck code: 0x100000EA (0x8368F378, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0)
Error: THREAD_STUCK_IN_DEVICE_DRIVER_M
Dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\Mini081709-01.dmp
file path: C:\Windows\system32\drivers\dxgkrnl.sys
product: Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
company: Microsoft Corporation
description: DirectX Graphics Kernel
The crash took place in a standard Microsoft module. Your system configuration may be incorrect, possibly the culprit may be another driver on your system which cannot be identified at this time.

On Sun 02/08/2009 11:16:13 PM your computer crashed
This was likely caused by the following module: procexp111.sys
Bugcheck code: 0x1000008E (0xC0000005, 0x81E816EE, 0xB04D892C, 0x0)
Error: KERNEL_MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED_M
Dump file: C:\Windows\Minidump\Mini080209-01.dmp
file path: \??\C:\Windows\system32\Drivers\PROCEXP111.SYS
This file could not be located on your computer, we suggest that you search on its name with Google.
Click here to do a Google search on procexp111.sys

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Conclusion
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

16 crash dumps have been found and analyzed. Note that it's not always possible to state with certainty whether a reported driver is really responsible for crashing your system or that the root cause is in another module. Nonetheless it's suggested you look for updates for the products that these drivers belong to and regularly visit Windows update or enable automatic updates for Windows. In case a piece of malfunctioning hardware is causing trouble, a search with Google on the bug check errors together with the model name and brand of your computer may help you investigate this further.

=================================================
Output from VEW.exe
=================================================
Vino's Event Viewer v01c run on Windows Vista in English
Report run at 13/02/2010 7:52:19 AM

Note: All dates below are in the format dd/mm/yyyy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Application' Log - Error Type
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No 'Application' log Error events found from 13/02/2010 to 13/02/2010

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Application' Log - Information Type
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No 'Application' log Information events found from 13/02/2010 to 13/02/2010

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Application' Log - Warning Type
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No 'Application' log Warning events found from 13/02/2010 to 13/02/2010

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'System' Log - Error Type
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No 'System' log Error events found from 13/02/2010 to 13/02/2010

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'System' Log - Information Type
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No 'System' log Information events found from 13/02/2010 to 13/02/2010

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'System' Log - Warning Type
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No 'System' log Warning events found from 13/02/2010 to 13/02/2010

[rshaffer61]

PROCEXP111.SYS is the process server which is what keeps your system up to date in a way.
This shows up a couple of times.

Go to
Start and then to Run
Type in Chkdsk /r Note the space between k and /
Click Enter ...It will probably ask if you want to do this on the next reboot...click Y
If the window doesn't shutdown on its own then reboot the system manually. On reboot the system will start the chkdsk operation
This one will take longer then chkdsk /f

Note... there are 5 stages...
It may appear to hang at a certain percent for a hour or more or even back up and go over the same area...this is normal...
DO NOT SHUT YOUR COMPUTER DOWN WHILE CHKDSK IS RUNNING OR YOU CAN HAVE SEVERE PROBLEMS
This can take several hours to complete.
When completed it will boot the system back into windows.

Let me know if this fixes the problem