Windows won't Restart, can't access Task Manager or launch certain Programs

I recently encountered the problem that Windows 10 hangs on restarting and shutdown. I have to turn off the machine my the power button. I also can't launch Windows task manager. I've tried a safe mode boot and startup repair but that hangs. I recently tried to run AVG PC tuneup's check disk but had to cancel it half way through. Whenever I try and access the hard disk through file explorer I get a message saying that Microsoft Windows is not responding. If I click end task it shows a black screen with a cursor and nothing else. This might be down to me writing a windows application in C++ as I specified the window destroy option return to be 1 instead of a safe exit with 0. So I'm worried that Windows has a memory leak or something. What can I do to get my computer working again?

Samuel Alban Meachem

Posted 2019-04-14T16:55:12.687

Reputation: 13

No return code can "destroy Windows". Seems like a problem with Windows or a virus infection. Try: (1) chkdsk, (2) sfc /scannow, (3) Speccy to add in your post the SMART data of the disk.

– harrymc – 2019-04-14T17:30:56.683

Cheers Harry, managed to boot to safe mode. I was getting "not enough resources to run Microsoft Windows" at command prompt before safe mode. Sfc /scannow would not run in Windows proper because I couldn't open cmd with administrative rights. Sfc /scannow is running in safe mode, just hope there's enough memory to complete. I'm going to run chkdisk afterwards since I was trying to run AVG's version of that. I doubt this is a virus. I think I messed about when programming with things I didn't understand. – Samuel Alban Meachem – 2019-04-14T17:39:25.830

I don't think a user-mode program can destroy Windows in this way. If you are almost out of disk space, free some. Windows needs a few gigabytes to be free. If nothing is found, the only solution would be to do Repair Install.

– harrymc – 2019-04-14T17:44:42.430

Okay sfc /scannow didn't return any problems. – Samuel Alban Meachem – 2019-04-14T17:46:08.053

I have 32gb free of about 500gb – Samuel Alban Meachem – 2019-04-14T17:47:00.923

Chkdisk /f is now running – Samuel Alban Meachem – 2019-04-14T17:49:44.400

Answers

It seems like the problem was some operating system settings that were modified by the AVG anti-virus.

My recommendations is not to use AVG. I have also had it once destroy half of my Startup menu, so I don't trust it any more.

Windows Defender has enormously improved and is now a quite good anti-virus, so you don't need a third-party product. And Windows Defender will never destroy the Windows setup.

harrymc

Posted 2019-04-14T16:55:12.687

Reputation: 306 093

I accidentally put some programs back to sleep and now I can't run AVG tuneup. What an awful piece of software. AVG should be ashamed. – Samuel Alban Meachem – 2019-04-14T19:35:03.370

Also had user profile log on service not available briefly. Terrifying. Everything appears to be fixed. Thanks you Harry and Moishe for your helpful suggestions. – Samuel Alban Meachem – 2019-04-14T19:53:39.557

Unless your Windows C++ application runs at startup (if it does, remove it), a clean (not hybrid) restart should eliminate that issue. If necessary, try the following:

Press WindowsR
Type cmd and press CtrlShiftEnter to get the CMD prompt as Administrator.
Enter the following two lines to shut down completely:

powercfg -h off

shutdown /s /t 0

However, has Windows 10 updated? A number of issues have been found with the April update, as well as recent others.

There are a number of solutions for the multiple issues, such as booting into Safe mode and removing the update (though MS will try to reinstall 'em), or uninstalling the non-MS anti-malware suite (unsafe).

DrMoishe Pippik

Posted 2019-04-14T16:55:12.687

Reputation: 13 291

The C++ program is just an application it doesn't run at startup. After I've checked the C drive for errors, I'll do this if it won't restart or turn off. I think the main problem is Windows just crashing when doing basic things now and running out of memory. – Samuel Alban Meachem – 2019-04-14T17:51:52.700

I also think my version of Windows 10has updated recently... Maybe it's just a recent bug. – Samuel Alban Meachem – 2019-04-14T17:54:37.463

32 GB may not be enough... empty Recycle and delete some unneeded files to give more room. – DrMoishe Pippik – 2019-04-14T17:56:23.590

Chkdsk appears to be running, half way done. – Samuel Alban Meachem – 2019-04-14T17:57:55.033

Okay, I've performed those commands as you suggested. My laptop appears to be hanging on shutting down. – Samuel Alban Meachem – 2019-04-14T18:12:06.807

Okay so I woke up some programs that AVG tuneup put to sleep and now task manager suddenly works. Don't think there was any disk damage. My laptop now restarts and shuts down. I think it put some critical Microsoft stuff to sleep and wouldn't let me shut down. – Samuel Alban Meachem – 2019-04-14T18:50:08.373

@SamuelAlbanMeachem, now update the AV, e.g. AVG suite, to comply with Windows changes. See https://www.ghacks.net/2019/04/14/microsoft-confirms-two-known-issues-for-recent-windows-10-updates/

– DrMoishe Pippik – 2019-04-14T19:31:11.990