WinXP Screen Freezing

Hi all

My main computer seems to randomly seize up when I'm in the middle of things. Not just a program going to a Not Responding state, but everything is frozen, the keyboard and mouse no longer work and shutting off the power is the only thing to resolve the issue (like a Windows 95 blast from the past ).

If I turn the PC on in the morning and go off to work, it doesn't freeze up... but once I return 8+ hours later and start to use it, it will freeze up at least once in the next 4 - 5 hours. Sometimes it's once a day, sometimes more often.

Now, to what's changed before this issue: at least 1 of 2 identical sticks of memory began to have errors, which caused blue screens - both have been replaced; I installed some Windows Updates (Media Player 11, .Net Framework 3.0, a few other ones), but I can't remember if this was before or after I noticed this behavior; it's been very hot here, but I monitored the case/cpu temperature last night for about 4 hours (when it was about 90F outside, and probably 80 - 85F in the room) and they were between 39 - 46C for the case and about 35 - 40C for the processor. The Intel website says my Pentium 4 2.8Ghz Northwood should have a case temp around 40C, but I couldn't find anything about the processor temps. We've also had some wicked thunderstorms around the time this issue started.

What I've done to look for possible causes: ran 4 of 8 memtest86+ tests on all RAM (reported no errors); ran read and write tests from Everest on the new memory; checked the SMART status and drive fitness for both hard drives (no errors); the case was recently dusted and cleaned out; and the Event Viewer shows no errors or entries around the time of the seizing up in the System log.

The computer specs are: Dell XPS, Pentium 4 2.8 GHz, 200 GB Maxtor and 80 GB Western Digital hard drives, 2 GB of RAM (4 x 512 sticks - 2 x value select dual channel kit), Windows XP Pro Service Pack 2 - this is an almost 4 year old computer, and it just started this issue within the last few weeks. Of course, it is out of warranty, and it has a weird power supply in it :cry

I haven't noticed much of a difference when upgrading from 1.5 to 2 GB of RAM, if anything, it still seems sluggish at times, hence why I ran the Everest read/write test.

In a related note, 2 computers at my workplace are exhibiting this behavior as well - 1 had a hard drive fail so badly that no data could be recovered, and the second computer's hard drive began to make new loud clicking noises. Both also have 2 hard drives...

 

are you transferring files form your pc to your workplace pc? Also humm sound like a ram problem but you said there was no problems with your ram. Hum don't know what else to add

 

Ok, I just checked the voltages in Motherboard Monitor 5, and it's reporting a voltage of 1.98 on the 3.3V rail. Other voltages are reported as: +5.00 as 5.12, +12 as 12.07, -12 as 0 and -5 as 0. Is there some other program that could report voltages as well? I don't believe that my Dell BIOS has the temperature info in it, but I will check now.

 

If I am transferring files from home to work or work to home, it is via USB memory stick, not remote desktop.

 

Still having this issue continue. I'm looking for the power supply on the internet, and I'm finding it at about $60 - 100, for a refurbished or pulled from a currently working XPS that was scrapped for parts, before shipping. From what I've figured out so far, it's a model NPS-460BB

Before I go purchase one, does anyone know of any other software to show voltages in your system? Or of some place to find a cheaper power supply?

Thanks.

 

PSU should be $25 to $30 on Ebay with a bit of patience. I usually reckon to have an Ebay repalcement within 5 days in the Uk. Probably worth at least one for standby in your case.

Does event mananger report any activity just before the freeze?
Also what else is connected to the pc? Sometime freezes have external sources, especially if they happen when just waking up and the system is counting chickens.

 

Unfortunately, my XPS doesn't have a standard PSU. It's the black portion underneath the open case in the pics here with 2 small fans. It feeds up through the bottom of the rest of the case and I doubt a little square one would hold the 42 pounds the case is advertised to be

Oddly enough, it seems that there are no entries in the Event Viewer before the time of the freeze. Everything that appears after it are part of a normal bootup.

External devices attached are a Palm PDA and a Joystick. Other normal things are speakers, mouse/keyboard. All haven't caused an issue before. Although I could disconnect the PDA and joystick as they are hardly used anymore. This issue doesn't happen until I'm multi-tasking, if it's just on and running without me at it, it works perfectly (could be 20 minutes, could be 8 hours before it occurs).

Why is it that lots of bad things happen at once anymore?? :cry

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DELL-XPS-PC-P...oryZ3670QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DELL-XPS-GEN-...ryZ42021QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

Thanks for the links, however I am in the US, and the first link didn't ship here, and the second link wanted almost 70 pounds to ship it here (so about $140 before the winning bid)...

But I may have to start investigating ebay a bit more. I also unplugged the PDA and joystick and am letting it run for about 8 hours before I start using it once I get home to see if they were the issue.

 

I'm not suggesting you buy from UK, the power line voltage is different anyway.
It's just that I typed Dell XPS Power supply into our Ebay and got those replies instantly.
I'll keep my eye out for updates here.

 

Good point. I've found a few on ebay, but I'm still looking for advice on any other possible fixes for my problem or how to check voltages.

I was talking with Dell support last night, but before they could come up with any ideas, the power went out and we were disconnected... of course the outage lasted until after the end of their shift, so hopefully tonight I can resume where we left off and possibly get a resolution to this.

studiot, do you think that with such an odd power supply and Dell.com not knowing that it exists, that I should still purchase one for a backup for the future?

 

Computer power supplies not only provide a variety of voltages but also there are control signals that pass between the motherboard and the psu. The PSU will not start without these control signals. Secondly they are switching regulators. This type is vulnerable to self destruction if run open circuit (without load).

So any power supply tester must not only emulate the correct control signals it must also provide load resistors for the voltage outputs. This make full psu testers bulky and expensive. Simple go/nogo testers that plug in instead of the motherboard are available (eg from Ebay) but they are useless to find the sort of fault you are talking about. Only proper soak testing on a bench will do that and the equipment costs many times that of a new psu, even a fancy Dell one.

Should you stock a spare? Well I believe you have a bunch of these pcs to look after..........so........... yes. But you have time to get one at your price. Remember Ebay isn't the only Dell spares and breakers market.

 

Oh yes, I forgot to mention, this is the only Dell doing this, the others are Gateway's at work :/ I'd only be getting 1 or 2, depending on whether it is a PSU issue after all.

Very true as to ebay not being the end of the line.

Side note, the Dell tech believes that it is a RAM issue with the new RAM I installed. I don't believe him yet, but I'm giving it a go just to be sure. I find it hard to believe that 5 startup items are causing it, but hey whatever. I just don't like going without a software firewall or antivirus running...

Thanks for all the help, and I'll continue to update

 

if you haven't done so yet ... do the RUN ME FIRST.. thread in this forum... I have found that it will fix allot of problems... I had a similar "freezing" problem at one time and after working through all the steps it went away...

 

I'll start in on the read me first in the next day or two. (I didn't think it had gotten that long...)

Oh, and Dell's great solution to my issue is to reinstall Windows. I'm so glad I got free support even though my system has been out of warranty for 2 years. I didn't want to have to pay to hear reinstall Windows from a manager

Surprisingly, in about 10 years, I've never had to reinstall Windows for a software issue - from 95 on up - only for hard drive failure or switching to a new OS. I do have a lot of stuff on the system, so if the read me doesn't fix it, I'm going to take my time and make good backups (read: an image), and then install Windows and see if the issue returns. If it does, come back here and see if there are any other hardware ideas.

Thanks all :wave

 

I'm back with an update.

I ran through the Read Me First, but all of the scans etc did not resolve my issue.

I made an image just to be safe, and then restored an image from late May that thankfully did not have this issue. I got all of the program and Windows updates, and have brought my files made since the image was back as well.

Everything is working now :celebrate, so apparently the issue was not a hardware issue. That leads me to believe that it was an issue with a few of the recommended Windows updates that were waiting for me. They will continue to wait for me again .

Thanks for everyone's help! wave

 

So perhaps Dell were almost right, not knowing about your backups n all.
Glad you didn't waste any money on a psu.