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Question

Mysterious Windows Boot Problem

Mar 14, 2015 2:18PM PDT

Hello Everyone!
First off I'm writing this from my phone so please forgive any spelling or grammar errors!
I'm encountering a truly perplexing problem that has haunted me for the past few months.
I own an Asus G75VW gaming laptop bought from Best Buy (I have no warranty at this point as I have owned it for over 2 years). This laptop comes equipped with an Intel i7 processor and a Nvidia GeForce Gtx 660m graphics card.
So!
How the problem occurs: I play Dota 2 (a graphically intensive game I run without problems, usually). The problem occurs when a lot of things start happening in the game (very sudden things appearing on the screen all at once, I may note that this problem doesn't occur every time, only some times). The game will freeze and I'll be stuck with a frozen image of the game. In this state I can move my mouse and when I press the windows home button the start menu can be pulled up. However, it will not let my start any other programs or close out of the Dota 2 program (even after the default not responding windows image has shown up).
Eventually I end up having to shut down the laptop via the power button.
So when I go to turn the laptop back on it will boot up and show me the Asus logo but when it goes to start windows it will either 1. Not show up and simply give me a black screen OR 2. Show the white "starting windows" letters but not the actual animation of windows starting.

What I have tried to fix this problem:
I have tried a system restore via the F8 key. this gets the system back up running for a few days or weeks (during which I do play Dota) but then eventually this happens all over again.
I've taken the laptop to a computer specialist who wiped my drive (and stored it on another external hard drive), preformed a complete system restore, and even then the same thing happens where it worked for a few weeks and then this problem resurfaced.

Also: at one point in time I saw an warning about my hard drive being corrupt. I ran a lot of scans and repairs, including one that had me alter the boot order so it could scan the hard drive. Nothing of note was found.

I'm just wondering what this community thinks j should do? I definitely cannot afford another entire gaming laptop and I'd love to fix this problem but it is truly annoying being stuck in this cycle of frozen windows boot logos

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
Tell me about canned air cleaning.
Mar 14, 2015 2:40PM PDT

My son had a similar machine and to keep it from trouble we did the canned air routine every 1st of the month. Tell me your routine. If none, time to start.
Bob

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Answer
interesting problem
Mar 14, 2015 2:49PM PDT

It might be the video card, but since some video is working for mouse and windows menu, also may be a software related problem. Is this a system where the onboard video is bridged with the video card, such as SLI or Crossfire. Make sure you have the latest Direct X which matches the video card latest driver files.

"So when I go to turn the laptop back on it will boot up and show me the Asus logo but when it goes to start windows it will either 1. Not show up and simply give me a black screen OR 2. Show the white "starting windows" letters but not the actual animation of windows starting."

This however sounds like a hardware problem from overheating, especially since you said "laptop". Have you renewed the thermal paste under the HSF for the CPU. For 2 years you've been giving it a workout it seems, probably all dried out. Considering all the other you've tried, that would be my very first move now.

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Answer
replace thermo paste
Mar 14, 2015 3:37PM PDT

just some brainstorming thoughts... when it freezes, does it feel hotter than normal? if so, try replacing the thermo paste. you should also make sure there is not any dust buildup on the fans. Finally try one of those laptop usb cooling pads that can be found at amazon, walmart and other places.