Possibly a Software Issue? System Locking Up.

RightGirl · Sep 10, 2004

XP Home
1000 Mhz AMD Athalon Processor
40G HD
512 Mb RAM

I have done everything to this computer I can think of.
Installed, updated & ran Ad-Aware, Spybot, Window Washer and AVG anit-virus.
Got rid of all of the ad/spy/mal ware.
Got rid of viruses.

Installed new modem & RAM.
Vacuumed out / cleaned CPU fan, ect.
She even installed a new HD that Dell sent her.

It still locks up.
USUALLY when online (Dial-up AOL) but not always so I dont think that's got anything to do with it.

It's been doing it since she bought it from Dell.
Unfortunately, after she got the replacement HD from Dell, she never "got around to" returning it because it still locked up, now it's too late.

Any ideas?

Linda

Major Attitude · Sep 10, 2004

Im afraid this is tough to diagnose. First things to look at are heat and memory. Any way you can monitor the temperatures? It just freezes, no errors?

Finally, the next move would be to unplug all hardware excet te video card and see if it locks up and replace hardware to attempt to find faulty hardware.

DavidGP · Sep 10, 2004

as MA said those random times lockups are a nightmare to diagnose but to add to his post quickly... I know you have cleaned the CPU fan ... but is it actually spinning and if it is does it seem quick or slow?

once the machine is switched on keep a note of the time its turned on and when the lockups occur over a few days.. see if theirs a pattern?

Everest Home Edition can give you a readout of the monitor sensor chips on your PC http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=4181 once installed click Computer > Sensor fore temp and ran speeds

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Possibly a Software Issue? System Locking Up.

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