WixXP Media Center Freezing and Stalling

I have a Gateway GT4016 running Windows XP Media Center; ISP is MSN via dialup using MSN 9.5. The computer had begun stalling (very long pause but ultimately recover and continue) or freezing (reaches some point in an operation and never goes further) on rare occasion for some time, but it now has worsened to such an extent that I scarcely do more than two things at a time. By stalling I mean a really LONG pause but ultimately recovers and continues, albeit stalling with the next operation. By freezing I mean it reaches some point in an operation and never goes further until I force a reboot.

It had been freezing occasionally, primarily during a restart _ at "Windows in closing." It also sometimes stalled for many minutes or froze while running a genealogy program called Legacy _ which hadn't previously been a problem.

Then it began stalling or freezing when I had several windows open via Firefox _ say, six. Now it stalls or freezes any time I ask it to handle several operations more or less at once _ e.g., have three Firefox windows open, two of my own files and ask it to save an image, or ask it to cut and paste data from a web page to a file, etc. Typically I'll have had a few things "up" and ask it to start doing one something and then ask it almost immediately to do another: say, close one Firefox site and then to save an image or to bring up a file or maybe the Legacy program that I'd had in minimized status. It now almost never will reboot from the regular start/turn of computer/restart. Sometimes when it's only a stall _ that is, a really long lag before it does a command, like 5 or even 15 minutes _ almost all the time the next command also will take seemingly forever, literally 5 or 10 minutes or more. At some point, it seems, enugh has been shut down that it then will work ok for a while.

Seemingly it worsened after I ran "Free Window Registry Repair" and "Free Registry Defrag" in hope they might eliminate the earlier problems. I don't dare look just now for more info on those. I thought the registry repair program automatically created a backup, but if it does, I can't find any.

I'm not running even normal audio (like WMD) or downloading or playing videos, I'm jsut doing just standard text- and static-image related operations, often inputting simple data to a databank form such as that Legacy genealogy program or merely saving an image from a web site to desktop.

I keep all programs fully updated either via auto update or by checking manually every few days for those I use lots that lack auto update, including the anti-malware ones.

I have run anti-virus scans, and anti-adware and other malware scans, using several typical programs _ among them: Norton (Systemworks 2006), Ad-Aware, SpyBlaster, Webroot Spy Sweeper for MSN; I have free Comodo Pro free firewall. The processes running typically are in mid-60s, and only a few are optional (such as Folding@Home and the Webshots wallpaper changer). I also run CCleaner several times in any 24-hour period.

I've had to boot by turning off power quite a few times over the last few days.

I'm hoping for help; what else do you need to know?

 

Good Morning..
My recommendations-

Sounds like this system may have a corrupted registry, among other issues

How long has it been since a clean install of windows (yes it is a pain --but well worth the effort)

You are running norton-I say dump that and replace it ( known system hog

For anti viral avg free works great--for firewall I have used SPF firewall (free) and no problems.

You already have CCleaner -thats good-but you should not have to run it several times in 24 hrs-- at most 1-3 times a week.

Like I said from the overall picture (many different problems --kinda like a mortal wound)it is going to be simpler to completely clean install (save all docs and progs b4 formating drive)



wow thats good coffee :yum

my 2 cents

 

Thanks *siiigh* ... fear that will be necessary but still hoping for resolution, since getting all the XP updates and the anti-virus and anti-malware updates via dialup will take maybe a full day online! *wan smile*

but, gonna run a full backup into a portable drive when next i sleep, sometime later today.

I'm running Avast! on another machine. totally dropped ZoneAlarm after probs with it. Had AVG for a while, forget why I removed it; recently downloaded its latest version but haven't installed it anywhere.

re frequent use of CCleaner, most of what it's getting rid of is in recycle bin, but i just figured why not get it all, like, what the heck. it's not "necessary" but only takes a few seconds.

I have a paid version of System Mechanic, don't like it much but use it sometimes.

Last reinstall of XP Media Ctr was about September. I've had probs with this Gateway and its AMD since very first day off the shelf. so in september finally bought 60 gig Maxtor and started the Gateway from scatch. "Pain" isn't an adequate term; it's more like trauma! LOL

Should have added that this machine has a gig of RAM, and 150 gig hard drive, of which a goodly chunk is set aside for D/restore.

 

Is this rig used for gaming or just general purpose?

Now may be the time to check out a Linux distro-( mine is Mandriva Spring 2007--a very windowesqe version)

Gaming is not a strong point of Linux --but market share increases everyday (for people using linux)so therefore more and more research and coding is being done.With a future towards open OS integration into the gaming community, it will not be long before you can play the latest and greatest on your Linux box.(without having to WINE about it)LOL

 

Not any gaming of any sort.

Have noticed Dell's preloading lInux now.

I like open source, but not ready to take on Linux. Do have OpenOffice and Paint-dot-Net, among others. But, I seldom do anything the least bit exotic.