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Author Topic: Computer freezing at random times Ken Lackner Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1907 From: Atlanta, GA, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 08-18-2003 01:20 AM                     Over the last week or so, I have had problems with my computer locking up at random times. I am using Windows XP Pro. Everyone says XP is supposed to be more stable, but I never had this problem with 98SE. It happens with nearly any program - IE, Quicken, Word, AIM, Real One - and I can't even use ctrl-alt-del to get to the Task Manager. My first suspect was faulty RAM, but I ran a diagnostic program on my computer (which took several hours to complete) and the memory tested OK. Any ideas?  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 08-18-2003 01:24 AM                        Motherboard or perhaps CPU. A diagnostic won't catch it because it is working fine unless it freezes.  |  IP: Logged Adam Martin I'm not even gonna point out the irony. Posts: 3686 From: Dallas, TX Registered: Nov 2000 posted 08-18-2003 01:40 AM                     If this is on XP and is very recent, check the information in this thread about last week's worm. Download the removal tool from the Symantec link above and it will scan your system, remove the affected files, and ask you if you want to go to the Microsoft page and download the patch.  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 08-18-2003 02:58 AM                        I'm more inclined to suspect a software issue than a hardware issue, especially if the same hardware previously ran without problems and the trouble started after upgrading the OS. And as Adam points out, system instability is a symptom of the Blaster worm. My experience with XP Pro since upgrading to it about six months ago is that it is a bit more stable than 2000, but by no means bulletproof. In particular I've had sudden freezes when rendering video from Adobe Premiere (6.02) using the Ligos plugin and 'Windows Explorer has generated errors and needs to close' when copying an encrypted file from an NTFS volume through an Ethernet crossover cable to my laptop.  |  IP: Logged Ken Lackner Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1907 From: Atlanta, GA, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 08-18-2003 10:25 AM                     Well, the Symantec program didn't find the worm, and I just ran Windows Update last week, so I have all the current patches. The last time my computer froze (this morning), I got really worried. Upon rebooting, the BIOS didn't detect either of my hard drives on channel 1. I shut off the computer for a minute, and restart. Everything seems to be fine now. Since it wouldn't detect either drive, and they are both on the same channel, that leads me to believe there was a common problem: either the cable, or something on the motherboard. Could a problem like this cause my computer to freeze, or are they two seperate problems? The only reason I ever installed XP was because 98 crashed on me, and my roomate convinced me to install XP because it's supposedly so much more stable and the problem I had with 98 would not have happened with XP. But I am only running a Pentium II 400 MHz. I'm really thinking of going back to 98SE until I can afford to upgrade my motherboard and processor. What do you guys think?  |  IP: Logged Michael Gonzalez Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 790 From: Grand Island , NE USA Registered: Sep 2000 posted 08-18-2003 10:58 AM                     I don't know what kind of computer you have (factory built or a self built) but did you update your BIOS when you switch to XP? Have you updated the drivers to your video card? When you installed XP did you do a clean install or did you just update from 98? Have you had this freezing problem ever since you installed XP or is it something more recent? Do you remember if you had these problems soon after installing a new program (or game)? Also some older programs that ran fine under 98 wont run properly under XP unless you download a patch (if one even exists) from who ever made the program. I had this problem with the verson of Direct CD that I owned. It ran fine with 98 but when I tried to install it for XP, it would cause an error every time the computer reboot and they never bother to make an XP patch they just tried to sell me a new version.  |  IP: Logged Sean M. Grimes Expert Film Handler Posts: 247 From: Lunenburg, MA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 08-18-2003 10:59 AM                        Ken I run xp on a celeron 400 with 256 megs of ram. And it runs just fine... I think remembering the minimum requirements being a 233 processor. Now for your problem, losing you drive could definitely be the problem. Check and see if your mobo and hard drive are s.m.a.r.t. capable, if there are any "problems" it will normally detect those when you are able to boot the machine up into it's bios. Also I would move your second device to your secondary ide controller, it always help with bottlenecking. When xp is running I would also check to see if there is any extra crap running in your msconfig startup file and check the task manager also for unnecesarry crap. Did you install any new software lately? Reboot it in safe mode and see if there are still lockups, lots and lots of stuff to try. If you have any questions feel free to email me or the whatnot. Godd luck!  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 08-18-2003 12:04 PM                        This definitely sounds like a hardware problem to me. Unfortunately diagnostic programs are not much good at ferreting out flakey RAM or bus-related timing issues...  |  IP: Logged Paul G. Thompson The Weenie Man Posts: 4718 From: Mount Vernon WA USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 08-18-2003 12:33 PM                     If it didn't detect the hard drives on boot-up, I would suspect a hardware problem as some others have mentioned.  |  IP: Logged Tony Ratcliff Expert Film Handler Posts: 216 From: Madison, IN, USA Registered: Mar 2002 posted 08-18-2003 01:20 PM                     How long is the PC on before it locks up? I had a problem once with overheating. The PC would lock up. I could not get it to boot for nothing unless I waited 1/2 hour or so. Then it would boot fine. Check to make sure your CPU fan is running. (I'm assuming your power supply fan is on - that pretty obvious to notice.) Tony R.  |  IP: Logged Ken Lackner Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1907 From: Atlanta, GA, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 08-18-2003 03:46 PM                     Everyone, thanks for the suggestions. I have a custom-build from a local computer shop in Ft. Myers. Standard ATX motherboard and power supply. My hard drive is a new 120 GB Maxtor drive. I am using my old drive that came with the computer as my second drive, just for extra storage. I have not updated my BIOS or any drivers, nor have I checked for any XP patches. I did, however, do a clean install. I do use Direct CD. It is the version that came with my DVD/CD-RW combo drive, which I only got a few months ago. I would think it supports XP, but I'll check the documentation. Sean: I'm pretty sure my drive and motherboard ar S.M.A.R.T. capable, but I'll check. Yes, I have installed new softward. I installed a couple of utilities that allow you to change the boot screen and login screen. That's about the only software that I currently use that I did not use with 98. They are a suspect in my mind, I just have to get around to uninstalling them. The reason both my hard drives are on one channel is because my CD-ROM and my DVD/CD-RW are both on the other channel. I use one of those drives together with my hard drive far more often than I use both hard drives, so I want to keep them on a sperate channel from my main drive. David: I was afraid that the diagnostic software might not catch memory errors. I'll have to see if any local computer shops have a memory tester. Tony: The computer locks up at random times. Although it is on my list of things to check, I don't suspect the fan(s) because a.) my computer doesn't sound differnt. You get so accustomed to the sound of your computer that you don't even notice it anymore, but as soon as it stops making its usual sounds (which are mostly the fans), you notice. And b.) I keep my computer on 24/7, but it never locks up when I'm not using it. If the screen saver is running, or it's at the logon screen, the CPU would still generate heat, and if the fan were the problem, I would think it would lock up at those times, but it doesn't. Thanks for the ideas. Looks like I got a lot of work ahead of me to try to figure out this bug.  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 08-18-2003 04:19 PM                        When I have problems like these, I sometimes peel out the little battery that powers the BIOS memory. After a few minutes, the buffer is empty and you start from scratch with a fresh BIOS. But before you do that, you can run XP´s system restore program and restore the system to an earlier state. Maybe this was already mentioned here. Anyway, it often works wonders. None of your recent work or emails will be deleted, but you should still save them.  |  IP: Logged Ken Lackner Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1907 From: Atlanta, GA, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 08-18-2003 04:50 PM                     quote: Check and see if your mobo and hard drive are s.m.a.r.t. capable, if there are any "problems" it will normally detect those when you are able to boot the machine up into it's bios. I just checked my BIOS settings. It does support S.M.A.R.T., but it was dissabled. I left it that way for now. Could enabling it cause any problems if my drives do not support it? If not, why would it be dissabled? Why wouldn't the BIOS manufacturer just have it enabled by default?  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-18-2003 05:20 PM                        I'm betting it's a hardware issue, or possibly a driver issue. Are you using any third-party drivers? If so, make sure that you have the latest versions. Try swapping out memory (or just removing some) to see if you have a bad SIMM/DIMM/whatever. Also, check the power supply rating and make sure that you aren't exceeding its capacity. Also, make sure that you have adequate cooling; most power supplies and fans are cheap and crappy, unfortunately.  |  IP: Logged

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