A few days ago, my three-year-old Windows PC started acting strangely. Initially, pressing the shutdown or restart button did nothing, or the computer would take 30–50 minutes to respond. Since then, applications have become extremely slow, downloads and Nvidia-related processes get stuck, File Explorer features such as the Recycle Bin fail to open, browsers frequently become unresponsive, and games often will not close without using Task Manager. I have not recently installed anything or clicked suspicious links, so malware seems unlikely. I have tried several basic fixes, but nothing has helped. Could this be a failing drive, power issue, Windows problem, or something else? Is a factory reset or clean Windows installation the only realistic solution?
3 Answers
Because the problems appeared suddenly and then spread to lots of unrelated Windows functions, I would first try starting in Safe Mode and running Windows repair and storage checks. If System Restore works, choose a restore point from before the shutdown issue started. If the same behavior happens in Safe Mode, that points more toward failing hardware, corrupted system files, or a power problem than a normal background application. A clean installation is a reasonable fallback, but back up your files and test the drive first so you do not reinstall onto failing hardware.
Do not overlook the power setup. Find the power supply’s make and model and make sure the PC is connected to a properly rated, reliable power strip rather than a damaged or overloaded extension lead. An unstable power supply can cause freezes, failed shutdowns, and other unpredictable behavior, although it would not be the only thing I would investigate. If the PC is stable on a known-good outlet and the drive passes its health test, then Windows repair or a clean install becomes more reasonable.
Before reinstalling Windows, check whether something is using the CPU, memory, or disk continuously in Task Manager. Also check how much free space is left on the system drive and examine the drive’s health. A failing or nearly full SSD or hard drive can cause extremely slow programs, failed file operations, and shutdowns that take forever. Back up important files immediately if the drive looks suspicious. If the hardware checks out, try disabling unnecessary startup programs and use System Restore to return Windows to a point before the problem began.
I have checked Task Manager several times, but nothing appears to be using an unusually large amount of CPU or memory. The slowdown started the day after the shutdown problem, so I will look into System Restore and the drive health next.
The shutdown issue began on Monday night, and most of the other failures appeared on Tuesday. I am not very familiar with the PC’s exact specifications, but it is a prebuilt system that is about three years old.