Posted on 12/09/2007 6:41:11 AM PST by LouAvul
For the last couple of months my computer has periodically been freezing up when not in use. It locks everything, even the clock.
I've not added any new programs. I even have uninstalled Symantic and went with Avast/Spybot/Windows firewall.
When it happens I can't even use ctrl/alt/del. (It's a Windows XP OS.) I have to manually shut down the computer and reboot.
Any suggestions? Thanx.
See if it finds any spyware/viruses. It will delete or rename or move any rogue files or registry entries.
Get a Mac.
Had to be the first to say what was going to be said sooner or later... :)
I had similar but not the same problems
had to have new motherboard installed
Regarding superantispyware:
01. Install it and double-click the icon on your desktop to run it.
02. It will ask if you want to update the program definitions, click Yes.
03. Under Configuration and Preferences, click the Preferences button.
04. Click the Scanning Control tab.
05. Under Scanner Options make sure the following are checked:
a. Close browsers before scanning
b. Scan for tracking cookies
c. Terminate memory threats before quarantining.
d. Please leave the others unchecked.
e. Click the Close button to leave the control center screen.
06. On the main screen, under Scan for Harmful Software click Scan your computer.
07. On the left check C:\Fixed Drive.
08. On the right, under Complete Scan, choose Perform Complete Scan.
09. Click Next to start the scan. Please be patient while it scans your computer.
10. After the scan is complete a summary box will appear. Click OK.
11. Make sure everything in the white box has a check next to it, then click Next.
12. It will quarantine what it found and if it asks if you want to reboot, click Yes.
One thing you might try is if the problem is happening on a regular basis, reboot the computer into safe mode (about the time the power-on self test finished, and you hear a "BEEP" from the computer, before seeing the black "Windows XP" screen, hit the F8 key a number of times, and you'll be presented with a menu. Choose "Safe Mode" (don't use the one with networking, since all of your AV and anti-spyware protection will be disabled), and you'll be running in a minimal "diagnostic" mode. You won't be able to do much on the computer, but if the computer still locks up, there's about a 95% chance that the problem is hardware related. If the problem goes away, there's about a 95% chance that the problem is software related.
Good luck.
Mark
Check your power saver options. I always used to turn off the option to put the hard drives and entire computer to sleep after a time; it gave me similar problems. I would have the computer turn off the monitor, but nothing more.
This is only one of two things.
1. Hardware failure (unlikely) The clock stopping could indicate hardware failure but typically hardware failure causes the computer to just suddenly and without warning reboot.
2. You have some garbage programs in your Startup list (very likely).
click "start / run / (type in) msconfig / Startup" to see the list.
A full explaination with screeshots is here - START-UP APPLICATIONS and a full list of programs is in the list or if you are good in Excel there is the list in Excel format
Don't try to user the other programs listed in the article at first, just stick with msconfig. IF cleaning up the startup list in msconfig does not fix the issue THEN go to the other programs discussed.
I use to have the same problem. I narrowed it down to a 3D graphics conflict between a 3D Screensaver I was using and my ATI Graphics card. Computer got stuck in an “loop”, like the two processes were waiting for the other to respond before engaging.
To maybe get some info, try this:
Right click: My Computer
Left click: Manage
Left click: the ‘+’ sign
Left click: ACEEventlog; Application; etc...
Search for: Any Yellow Warnings or Red X signs.
Left click (possibly double click) to open the event
This should give you some info with possibly a link for more info.
That’s how I tracked my problem.
Hope this helps.
Possible low tech solution here.
Make sure that the heatsink on your cpu is clear of all dust and debris. If you have animals in your home this could be more likely to be your problem.
I have had the same sorts of problems with my comp (3 cats, dusty area, periodic smoking) and those fans and sinks fill up quick. Dust is an amazing insulator.
Hope that helps...JFK
Check your power saver options.
I don't use screen saver or power off options. But my "hybernate" function was enabled. I turned it off. I'll see what happens.
When you say ‘not in use’ does that mean it works ok when you are using it?
When Windows loads up, it uses different parts of memory for it’s operating system and reserves space for programs to run.
It’s possible that you have a faulty memory location that was assigned for the ‘screen saver’ and when the computer goes idle the screen saver activates and ‘locks’ the computer.
I would pull the memory chips, check for dust and then reseat them. Rearranging the chips in different slots then they were previously in.
If this problem persists then pull one memory chip at a time and see if the problem goes away.
If not, then I would suspect that one of Windows programs are corrupt and a reinstall would probably fix it.
After you've had it turned on for a while (at least 10 or 20 minutes), turn it off, take off the side of the case, ** touch the metal chasis of the case to drain off excess static electricity ** and then move your hand around, touching places, looking for hot spots, almost too hot to keep your hand on. Look for excessive dust accumulation. Turn it back on and boot it, with the case side still off. Look for fans not spinning.
If your system is still running with reasonable cooling, with no failing fans, and no great globs of dust, then test the memory.
Go to memtest86.com and either purchase a bootable CD or download and burn a free one, as you prefer. Run that test for at least 5 or 10 hours. If it shows no errors, then I'll be surprised, and your hardware is likely in better shape than I'd have guessed. This doesn't check all the hardware, but it does get to the CPU and the memory, which covers the portion most likely to just freeze up hard.
If it finds memory errors, then it will depend on the pattern of errors what you do next.
If memtest86 passes with no errors, and if there weren't any serious cooling problems, then I'd replace the power supply with a quality, name brand power supply, such as named on http://www.rootminus1.com/howard/psuselection.html. The power rating, such as for example "600 Watts" of a power supply, and the vendor or store selling it to you, mean basically nothing. Choose one of the power supply brands on that list and accept no others. Power supplies weaken in their old age. Failing supplies masquerade as all manner of problems. The equipment to properly test a power supply costs tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. The only option if you don't have access to that kind of lab equipment, and you have any doubt about your power supply, is to just replace it with one of these trusted brands. Read further on the above link to understand how to calculate how much power you need.
One other avenue to pursue - search on Google for the make and model of your motherboard, with words like "freeze" added to the search. For example, I had a system doing this sort of thing to me once, and after spending time over months trying to fix it, and after replacing several key components, at considerable money, I stumbled on a post that found one minor feature of the BIOS was not stable. Once I disabled that feature in the BIOS, that system became instantly as solid as a rock.
It’s a Windows X POS?
bump for publicity
Bookmark Bump. Thanks.
a.k.a. - a deadlock condition.
Exactly.
Mine was called an “infinite loop”.
It was a problem traced back to my Power Options settings with Hibernation in conjunction with the ATI 128MB Radeon X300 card and the Microsoft 3D logo screensaver.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.