Windows ME keeps freezing

[UDT89]

I recently did a fresh install on my gateway, its from 2000, and used the gateway restore disks.

If i let my computer sit for an extend period of time without using it, when i come back to it its frozen. I can ctl-alt-del to see the task manager, but i cant move the mouse. I end up having to reboot.

Also sometimes while using my PC the screen blacks out and comes back either with the same resolution or with the lowest setting.

I updated the video drivers for the geforece2 thats in here. Im running Windows ME, have 640 MB ram, and not 100 sure on the processor speed.


Please help......

 

[wseyller]

IMO Windows ME is the buggiest OS ever made. I bet Windows XP would be much more stable for you.

 

[johnjkr1]

Try letting it sit in the bios, if it locks up there, you know you really have a hardware issue.

 

[wnied]

Right click your desktop and choose properties. Check your power settings to assure your hard drives arent set to power down after a certain period. Set them to never turn off. Also check how your monitor is set up. I have my monitor set to shut down only after 45 minutes of inactivity(u may want yours more or less.) I would also shut off any screen savers you may have running. Let the computer sit for awhile and wait to see what happens.

Give it a try, hope it works.
~wnied~

 

[Ryoga]

Originally posted by: UDT89
I recently did a fresh install on my gateway, its from 2000, and used the gateway restore disks.

If i let my computer sit for an extend period of time without using it, when i come back to it its frozen. I can ctl-alt-del to see the task manager, but i cant move the mouse. I end up having to reboot.

Also sometimes while using my PC the screen blacks out and comes back either with the same resolution or with the lowest setting.

I updated the video drivers for the geforece2 thats in here. Im running Windows ME, have 640 MB ram, and not 100 sure on the processor speed.

That behavior is indicative of a memory leak (pretty common in Win9x). Additionally, you're using more than 512MB of RAM with Win9x. That itself is a performance problem. I'd also follow wnied's suggestion of making sure WIndows doesn't try to shut down your HDD.

I suggest you download and install Cacheman. (Cacheman is shareware, but it never expires.) That will do some periodic RAM recovery that should help quite a bit. Just run through the Wizard and pick the settings you think will work best for you.

 

[UDT89]

i downloaded and i am running the software. the system definitly runs a lot smoother and less jamming when running multiple programs.

but it still freezes when idle.

 

[Ryoga]

Hm. It's hard to say. Windows ME is pretty widely known as unstable. You can try standard things like ensuring all your drivers are up-to-date and turning off unneeded startup programs. Certain viruses and trojans might cause the kind of problems you're talking about, too.

And of course, the easy fix: don't leave the PC idling.