Hello,
My beloved PC I built about 3 years ago has been locking up lately. Actually this has been going on about the last 6 months but it's been intermittent and I've put up with is up to this point. I've got a lot of stuff on it and a lot of programs, but I like to think I to a good job keeping it *clean* as far as virus' and spyware and drive/file management go. It was running perfect for the longest time w/o narry a hick-up in it's present configuration but not that long ago I did do some minor upgrading like SP2, DVD recorder and some programs. I am pretty sure it was acting up prior to these upgrades. It's impossible to say at what point a new program or update might have caused it. It's getting to be a pain in the rear and need to resolve. Should I just reinstall windows or can anyone please give me some other suggestions on things to check or programs to run to help pinpoint what the problem might be (or conditions that caused it)? Below is more details:
Configuration: P4 2.53, 1G Samsung DDR 2700, Epox 4G4A+ mobo, Ledtek GF4 128, 56K, No Ethernet (mobo turned off too), USB & Firewire Cards, Phillips Seismic Edge audio. HDs 30G Maxtor (main), 120G WD, Removable HD (usually 200G WD installed), Plextor DVDRW. XP Hpme SP2 Bit Defender Pro8 Antivirus. Internet= dial-up
1) It's my PC, no kids or wife on it. Do video/Graphics/Web work/ mostly surf internet
2) May run a few days w/o problems or lock up twice in 10 minutes. Typically can go a day w/o locking up. Doesn't seem to be heat related. Typically, once it locks up it's good after a reboot and may not lock up for the rest of the day ...but sometimes may lock up after another few minutes of web surfing even. Hard to put a pattern together.
3) Use Bit Defender Pro firewall and very careful what comes in / out. Regularly sweep w/Ad-Aware & Spybot doesn't seem to make any difference. Also do registry checks and regular Defrags
4) HDs turn off after 2 minutes since most of the time after work I surf the net. Doesn't seem to occur when the drive are called to spin up. If I do video editing, I will have the drives always on and can still lock up.
5) No Hardware conflicts that I can see
6) Ive downloaded all the latest firmware upgrades.
7) I shut down and reboot every day (don't use system restore)
8) when computer locks up it requires reboot. I can be typing an email and it may lock up even when all drives are off.
9) doesn't seem to be high cpu activity when it locks up
Should I just reinstall windows, Is there a program that will let me know what was happening when it locks up, or do you have any other tricks/suggestions I should try?
Your help GREATLY appreciated. Thanks,
Greenwald
My beloved PC I built about 3 years ago has been locking up lately. Actually this has been going on about the last 6 months but it's been intermittent and I've put up with is up to this point. I've got a lot of stuff on it and a lot of programs, but I like to think I to a good job keeping it *clean* as far as virus' and spyware and drive/file management go. It was running perfect for the longest time w/o narry a hick-up in it's present configuration but not that long ago I did do some minor upgrading like SP2, DVD recorder and some programs. I am pretty sure it was acting up prior to these upgrades. It's impossible to say at what point a new program or update might have caused it. It's getting to be a pain in the rear and need to resolve. Should I just reinstall windows or can anyone please give me some other suggestions on things to check or programs to run to help pinpoint what the problem might be (or conditions that caused it)? Below is more details:
Configuration: P4 2.53, 1G Samsung DDR 2700, Epox 4G4A+ mobo, Ledtek GF4 128, 56K, No Ethernet (mobo turned off too), USB & Firewire Cards, Phillips Seismic Edge audio. HDs 30G Maxtor (main), 120G WD, Removable HD (usually 200G WD installed), Plextor DVDRW. XP Hpme SP2 Bit Defender Pro8 Antivirus. Internet= dial-up
1) It's my PC, no kids or wife on it. Do video/Graphics/Web work/ mostly surf internet
2) May run a few days w/o problems or lock up twice in 10 minutes. Typically can go a day w/o locking up. Doesn't seem to be heat related. Typically, once it locks up it's good after a reboot and may not lock up for the rest of the day ...but sometimes may lock up after another few minutes of web surfing even. Hard to put a pattern together.
3) Use Bit Defender Pro firewall and very careful what comes in / out. Regularly sweep w/Ad-Aware & Spybot doesn't seem to make any difference. Also do registry checks and regular Defrags
4) HDs turn off after 2 minutes since most of the time after work I surf the net. Doesn't seem to occur when the drive are called to spin up. If I do video editing, I will have the drives always on and can still lock up.
5) No Hardware conflicts that I can see
6) Ive downloaded all the latest firmware upgrades.
7) I shut down and reboot every day (don't use system restore)
8) when computer locks up it requires reboot. I can be typing an email and it may lock up even when all drives are off.
9) doesn't seem to be high cpu activity when it locks up
Should I just reinstall windows, Is there a program that will let me know what was happening when it locks up, or do you have any other tricks/suggestions I should try?
Your help GREATLY appreciated. Thanks,
Greenwald
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