Hey everyone, I'm having a major issue with my PC running Windows 11. I've got an RTX 3080 and an i7-10700k, and out of nowhere, everything just started acting up. First, Steam wouldn't load the storage option, and eventually, I couldn't even open it at all. After a restart, I was met with a grey screen instead of my usual desktop, and it took a while for everything to finally load. Now I can't right-click in File Explorer or switch between open apps using the taskbar – they just won't respond. I ran a virus scan, but that froze too. Then Steam managed to start, but it's stuck on 'loading user data.' The internet is working fine, and some apps still function, but I can't even shut down properly – it gets stuck and I have to force it off. I also can't boot in safe mode. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
2 Answers
Your symptoms might indicate a failing storage drive. That could definitely slow everything down. It'd be wise to check the health of your drives to see if they’re on the verge of failure. You can do this with some diagnostic tools, just make sure to back up anything important first!
It sounds like you might have a resource hog on your hands! Try checking the Task Manager to see if there's anything using up your RAM or CPU. If you accidentally downloaded a virus, identifying it could help you search for ways to remove it. If it turns out Windows is just being greedy with resources, consider backing up your data and reinstalling Windows. Just a heads up, that will wipe everything, but it could fix the issue too. Let me know if you need further help!
Also, don't forget to check your startup apps in the Task Manager! If there’s anything suspicious, remove it. But if it seems to be just a Steam issue, a reinstall could sort it out.
Really? How can I check if my drive is failing?