Windows 7 SP1 PCs Can Freeze Randomly when Memory Usage Is High – Fix Available

Microsoft has confirmed an issue impacting customers running the latest iteration of the Windows client and Server operating system, in which the platform can freeze when memory usage is high.

According to the Redmond company, some customers have been complaining that their Windows 7 machine stops responding randomly.

The problem affects not only users running Windows 7, but also those leveraging Windows Server 2008 R2.

At the same time, the company indicated that upgrading the two operating systems to Service Pack 1 will not solve the glitch since, Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 can also experience the problem.

“The issue typically occurs when the memory usage is high and when the memory manager performs frequent paging in and paging out actions,” the software giant said. “Note: you can use the Memory\Page Faults/sec performance counter to track the paging in and paging out frequency.”

Microsoft has already identified the source of the problem: “The issue occurs because of a deadlock situation in the Microsoft Filesystem Filter Manager (Fltmgr.sys).”

Not only this, but a hotfix is already available for download to those customers that have come across the issue described in this article.

The fix is available through Microsoft Support, but customers should only download and deploy it if they are indeed experiencing issues with their copy of Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 or earlier.

Microsoft has yet to release an update designed to automatically resolve the deadlock situation in the Microsoft Filesystem Filter Manager in Windows 7 SP1, and there are no indications from the company that such a refresh is being built.

Since a manual workaround is also not available, the only solution to fix non-responsive Windows 7 SP1 PCs is to deploy the KB 2575077 hotfix.

Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) RTM Build 7601.17514.101119-1850 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1) RTM are available for download here.

Windows 7 RTM Enterprise 90-Day Evaluation is available for download here.