Hi all! Ive been having this strange lock up/crash issue with my HP Pavilion 15-cs0xxx. I noticed this issue appeared after reinstalling Windows 10 [now v1909] because my previous install, where my laptop wasn't having this issue, was essentially broken. I also updated my BIOS [from F.15 to F.22], and I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it. [HP doesn't let you downgrade the BIOS.] There aren't really any BSODs but there are crashes, but sorry if I posted this in the wrong place.
At first what would happen with my display driver [Intel UHD Graphics 620 v27.20.100.8681] is that while, say, watching a YouTube video, first the laptop would lag severely for about a second, then goes to a black screen where I have to hard reboot. Going to driver version v26.20.100.7925 [current], the lockup only happens while the laptop is completely idle with barely any CPU usage it seems, and also seems to happen sooner when locking Windows. As for videos, there is periodic lag [video and audio] during playback, and when I had HWMonitor [CPUID] open, I saw that my CPU was lowering its frequency to 399 MHz for a brief moment, even when it isn't hot [and the laptop never overheats]. ALL of this happens only when plugged in and charging, and NEVER on battery.
No dump files or anything in Event Viewer pointing to what may have happened right before are present, however I do see some messages noting that Windows wasn't shut down properly, and that the last shutdown was unexpected.
On a different forum, I was suggested to try using Driver Verifier and the process of elimination, which didn't really get us any conflicting driver, which was my first suspicion.
I also tried Hard Drive scans, S.M.A.R.T. and self-tests which found no errors, using Windows Update [to update whatever may be out of date], Memory testing [no error], and using HP's UEFI Diagnostics tool to repeatedly test multiple system components for a few hours [which found no error].
So far, stress tests with Furmark [GPU], and OCCT [CPU - and only their own test], were completed with no error or issue [test times were one hour or more].
I'm also able to run separate boot environments [Win10 PE and Linux Mint] from USB Drives and not encounter a lockup.
I am hoping this is a software issue and not hardware where I may have send in my laptop or get it replaced, but I am pretty puzzled. Is something being missed? What could be a cause of this issue here?
Thanks.
Edited by Paradoxical203, 02 February 2021 - 12:15 AM.
Hi, so what happens when boot to Safe Mode and try to isolate the driver issue that way ?
It has not been mentioned checking your settings in Advanced Power Options.
fyi : just a interesting page I found might find useful/or not : //h20032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c06489408 is just pics of your Bios Screens.
Nor has running DISM then SFC in that order in Safe Mode :
From the Keyboard press the Windows Key and the X Key and choose Powershell [Admin] OR START | type cmd.exe into the start search box | RIGHT-click on cmd.exe | select "Run as Administrator" then Copy/Paste --> :
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth command then Enter
if finds problems then reboot.
For more information about this command please see : //www.windowscentral.com/how-use-dism-command-line-utility-repair-windows-10-image
After : please Open another Admin Command Prompt and please run Copy/Paste --> SFC /SCANNOW into the Dos window or Powershell and Enter. Reboot after.
The 1st goes up to Microsoft for new files if any are found to be corrupted. The 2nd will then check it self and update it self and fix issues if found.
DISM how to's: //www.tenforums.com/tutorials/7808-use-dism-repair-windows-10-image.html
&
SFC how to's : //www.tenforums.com/tutorials/2895-run-sfc-command-windows-10-a.html
In your Speccy file under SERVICES there are a large amount of Services that should be running. Found that yes means a hardware issue of unknown until figure it out as could be Chip, M/B, Video, Ram
Under the Heading in Speccy of HOTFIXES --> NOT INSTALLED please check the KB#'s and compare to your list in Settings --> Update & Security --> Installed Updates to see if they are actually installed or not.
Also check the dates of those and what went on with your System at that time if can remember back to October 2020.
Edited by Pkshadow, 02 February 2021 - 05:32 AM.
[responding to @Pkshadow]
Knew I was forgetting something in my original post. Whoops again.
DISM and SFC were already ran [twice] and they found no issues or anything to repair.
That BIOS PDF pretty much matches the BIOS on my laptop. Not much to it.
Regarding Safe Mode and Driver Verifier... I will have to try that later and come back with results. It is going to be a bit of a lengthy process.
The Advanced Power Settings... well, they are pretty much default with the exception of some screen and sleep settings, as well as hard disk turn off time for when my laptop is plugged in. I also have it set to Max Performance [plugged in].
There are a large amount of stopped services that should be running? That is strange.... I never touch the Microsoft Services [unless there is a problem - but that only applies to Audio - see below]... those services have been untouched since new install. Which ones?? I also always let Windows Update do its thing... I'll take a closer look and come back with those as well.
And... if it really is hardware... then I may be out of luck. Both the old and new RAM [RAM upgrade] don't seem to have any issues from testing. For the other components you mentioned... I'll have to replace this motherboard... and the laptop isn't really under warranty anymore, so it will be kind of expensive. Oh boy.. :/
I was able to remember most of what happened with the dump files.... the one from January was related to my Realtek Audio Driver which stopped working when I left my headphones plugged in. Tried to restart the Windows Audio service because the volume meter was also freezing up. Windows failed to go to sleep because the driver was somehow frozen and thus a BSOD stating a failure of the driver's power state. It happened before, but I fixed it by installing a different driver version. The one from November 27 was a result of driver verifier detecting a violation from VirtualBox's network filter driver which turned out to not be the culprit of my lockup issue. I don't completely remember what happened on October 22, but I think Realtek Audio had something to do with it again. There wasn't a complete lockup on either of those days though.
As for the black screen lockup... in more detail, basically, the laptop can sit at this state for hours and nothing happens. Key presses [even Function Keys] do nothing. Hard Disk also goes completely inactive, but still spinning.
Edited by Paradoxical203, 02 February 2021 - 03:26 PM.
Update... so, interesting thing just happened. The laptop locked up again, but this time, as I was actively using it.
What I saw was that the display turned blue [almost like a BSOD], glitched out at a small portion of it, and then went black. The screen was still turned on, but nothing was showing. The system was still completely locked up and I had to hard reset.
I have no idea whether to classify it as a software or hardware issue, because none of this was an issue with the old install. Perhaps, if it was hardware, the issue coincidentally came up as I was reinstalling, or after the install?
I can see that some of the updates in the "Not Installed" section on the Speccy page did get installed according to my WinUpdate history, which is kind of interesting.
I think what I'm going to try in just a bit is run my laptop in Safe Mode with Networking, and leave it idle to see if it locks up there. Will come back with results.
Edit: didnt want to bump this thread again, so Im just going to edit. I have the laptop running in Safe Mode... left it to idle for a while and turn off the screen a couple times, which is usually where it happens. It hasnt locked up... hm.
Edited by Paradoxical203, 05 February 2021 - 01:55 PM.