Windows 2000 locks up

[serialb]

I know this is pretty vague, but any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Win2k just locks everything up when I browse the web or in Outlook 2002. However, when I am playing mp3s or audio cd, the tune will go on as normal. I can also access files from other computers through the network as usual. The lock-up doesn't appear during game playing also (Q3 or CS). I can also run SETI@home for overnight without locking up. Pretty much it just locks up whenever I use the computer under windows environment. I am currently running a P3-550E @ 803 but the problem stays even if I switch back to 550.

Here is what I think of the lock-up so far:

1) CPU running too hot (ASUS probe reports ~40). Tried turning on AC and blow air through but... PROBLEM STAYS

2) Hard drive heat problem. Tried turning on AC and blow air through but... PROBLEM STAYS

3) Shouldn't be anything related to video card / sound card.

4) Reinstalled windows 2000 pro with SP2 on top of existing OS but... PROBLEM STAYS

5) Slim chance of bad driver for my logitech cordless KB&mouse. Have been trying to update and reinstall driver from Logitech but their FTP has been down for days.

6) Installed McAfee anti-virus online scan and uninstalled it. Since that, lock-ups begins. Not sure if that actually does anything to the system.

7) Tried reformatting drive and reinstall windows but... PROBLEM STAYS

Please reply with any suggestions. Thanks in advance.

serialb

 

[CheshireCat]

well... since this only happens when in outlook or when browsing the web... it might be a problem with your modem or network card...
what kind of internet connection do you have?

 

[serialb]

hmmm... good call on that. I am using DSL. Let me install the card again and see if it solves the problem.

 

[serialb]

Unfortunately problem stays after reinstalling the NIC driver... Any one can fire up some more suggestions? Anyone?

 

[Techwhore]

I had pretty much the same problem when I first installed w2k. Annoying isn't it? Seemed like everytime I started a download it'd lock up.

Anyway, the problem for me at least was an incompatible NIC, i was using some generic POS. Switched to 3com and everything works fine since.

Hope that solves your problem

 

[serialb]

What is weird about this is that the Linksys NIC I have been using has been working flawlessly over the past year and a half. It could have been the thunderstorm a few days ago fried that up.

One thing I just noticed about reinstalling the NIC: Before that, every time I tried to download from Logitech, I would just stop after I chose the download location - that's why I thought Logitech was down. Now that I reinstalled it, the system locks up less frequently. I think it's about time to get a new one.

serialb

 

[Techwhore]

you might also wanna check to see if it's sharing an IRQ with too many other devices... windows, and it's plug and pray features, do a crappy job of assigning IRQ's. For instance, I have 5 devices sharing 11... If you manually set the IRQ's though, beware that those are fixed. When windows sets them, they're able to change as you add new hardware, once you start setting them, u may need ot set them for every new device if windows becomes incapable of doing it, no big deal.

 

[serialb]

Just reinstalled windows but this damn thing keeps locking up. I am positive that something is fried inside the computer

serialb

 

[waytoomuchcoffee]

Does your entire system lock up, or do other apps in the background continue playing? Also, what apps besides Outlook and IE lock up?

Also, does it lock up everytime, or just some of the time?

 

[serialb]

If I launch Outlook, ICQ and browse the web using IE 5 at the same time, within 10 minutes it's going to be a dead lock for sure. By the meaning to lock up, everything just freeze. Even Ctrl-Alt-Del wouldn't response... I have tried everything and probably going to replace my network card soon.

Thanks

serialb

 

[waytoomuchcoffee]

Have you looked at your drwatson log? It's drwtsn32.log, and might not be very readable, but you might get some info from it.

 

[serialb]

This is quite readable... but here's what it says:

Microsoft (R) Windows 2000 (TM) Version 5.00 DrWtsn32
Copyright (C) 1985-1999 Microsoft Corp. All rights reserved.

It's under Document and Settings\All users\Documents. Is there another log file located somewhere? Thanks.

serialb

 

[waytoomuchcoffee]

Wow. You are crashing so bad it isn't logging, unless you turned logging off for some reason. Go to Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> System Properties -> Advanced -> Startup and Recovery and look to see how your "Write Debugging" is set to.

 

[serialb]

It's set to 64k dump.

I am thinking the problem I have is actually not a BSOD. So, windows doesn't even have time to write anything to the logger or dump any information from the RAM to HD. This thing is just pissing me off badly. :|

serialb

 

[waytoomuchcoffee]

It sounds like your hardware isn't playing nice with each other, especially if Windows is completely shutting down.

If I were you, I would rip out your ethernet card, and get a cheap dial-up modem to put in instead. If it works, you have probably found your problem.

What does your IRQ list say? Another option is to find what the card might be interferring with (like your mouse or something). One way to reset IRQs is to reset your cards on different slots on your motherboard. You can also set them manually through the bios, if you cards support non-plug and play modes.

 

[serialb]

All those suckers are hogging up IRQ 9. I have tried putting the card on a different slot, tried disabling PNP OS and manually assign IRQs in BIOS but seems like they all enjoy partying in room 9. What's weird about it is that the whole rig has been working flawlessly over the past year. All of a sudden it just turned into a disaster. I really don't have any clue about it besides switching parts by parts.

Thanks for all the replies though. I really appreciate them.

serialb

 

[waytoomuchcoffee]

Actually, lots of stuff in IRQ 9 is normal. Motherboards with ACPI use IRQ 9 for IRQ steering. This lets you add more devices without generating IRQ conflicts.

 

[serialb]

ttt

 

[jobberd]

i seem to have the same problem, although it only happens when im downloading/uploading some files, and only on rare occasions. Interestingly enough, I also have a generic NIC, but i currently cannot experiment switching anything as of yet. I would take Techwhore's advice and replace your NIC with another one, if only temporary, and see if the problem goes away