PC Freezing up!

[Sylvie]

Hi PC gurus,

I have been trying to sort out why my PC keeps freezing? I have Win98 on my PC. I also have the up to date Anti-virus and firewall as I work on the internet via cable. But every so often my PC will freeze up no matter what I do (IE: internet work or working off the net) How can I resolve this? I have run all my Norton utilities tools and still nothing shows up. Someone had suggested re-intalling Win98 which I did but still the freezing goes on. I have also clean out my case of "dust bunnies" and my case sit in a well ventilated area.

Please can someone help me with this problem? Any advise would be welcome at this point since I am about to really "boot" this PC out the door.

Cheers,
Sylvie

[bassvax]

http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif Welcome to The PC Guide Sylvie http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

Just some general stuff here:

With the system off check all connections, especially mouse and keyboard.

System on:

Disable the majority of your TSR programs including antivirus and firewall for diagnostics.

Check Device Manager (hold down Windows Key on KB and press Pause/Break key) for conflicts.

Update drivers, especially video.

Check network configurations to ensure they match your Cable ISP's.

Done (or had anything done) to the system recently...moved, power spikes/surges? How long you had current system and configuration?

Check out Charles' hard work on the troubleshooting (http://www.pcguide.com/ts/index.htm) guide.

I guess that's a start http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif Come back if no joy or you have questions about how to do anything already mentioned http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

------------------
Flush 'N' Forget
FE Stokes WWTP (http://www2.apex.net/users/hwuswtp)

[diurnal]

How much RAM do you have go to Start/Control Panel/system and on the performance tab it will say memory.If you have 32 to 64 MB you probably should get more ram, which is very cheap these days.Also you can go to google.com and search for wintasks2000 download . Load the program in and it will show you all the processes that are running and how much memory is being taken up. If all your memory is being used or you have a lot of programs running that might be the reason for the freeze ups. Also what type of processer do you have and how many megahertz is it?If you do get more ram you must get the right type meaning pc100 and pc133, but thats another story.But post back and tell us what all programs are running and we can help you more, by shutting down some autostarting programs.

[iisbob]

Are you running W98 or W98se? If it's the former i would highly recommend you upgrade to se; either that or goto the windows update site and make sure you have all the critical updates. W98(original release) was rushed out the door, and was the buggiest version of the OS's released so far next to me. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/tongue.gif

------------------
iisbob
"Soap and education are not as sudden as a massacre, but they are more deadly in the long run."

[Sylvie]

Hi diurnal,

I have 192MB RAM and my processor is a 535MHz. I have no programs in my start up folder but I do however have a bunch of stuff going on in the background. Could that be the cause of my problems? I also noticed that one of my USB port is not working...when I look in the devise manager is says that it is an Unknown device. I have also tried to upgrade my video driver but it messed up all my colors and icons on my desktop so I put the old one back on.

Please do you have any more advices? Otherwise I feel I might have to call a tech and get it repair.

Cheers http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

Originally posted by diurnal:
How much RAM do you have go to Start/Control Panel/system and on the performance tab it will say memory.If you have 32 to 64 MB you probably should get more ram, which is very cheap these days.Also you can go to google.com and search for wintasks2000 download . Load the program in and it will show you all the processes that are running and how much memory is being taken up. If all your memory is being used or you have a lot of programs running that might be the reason for the freeze ups. Also what type of processer do you have and how many megahertz is it?If you do get more ram you must get the right type meaning pc100 and pc133, but thats another story.But post back and tell us what all programs are running and we can help you more, by shutting down some autostarting programs.

http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

[kayofcircles]

Start-Run-type "msconfig" (without the quotes) in the box, click on "OK" then the StartUp tab and you should be able to see what is loading and running in the background. This is a site that explains what the various are and says which are "safe" to uncheck...Here (http://www2.whidbey.net/djdenham/Uncheck.htm)

Getting rid of stuff running in the background that you don't need is always helpful in system performance, but (big but here!) I know nothing about firewalls and such, so get some advice on that before disabling something you might "need".

------------------
Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day.
Teach a man to fish and he will eat for the rest of his life.
-- Chinese proverb

[Randy_tx]

It's a good idea to try disabling "all of the stuff in the background" when on the internet! Try that before tossing it in the can! To disable the "icons" which are next to your time in the bottom right corner, just right click them and you will be presented with the "close or exit" option. Try that......might work!

------------------
Will XP save Me ?

[bassvax]

I think I must have selected Invisible Mode on my reply http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

------------------
Flush 'N' Forget
FE Stokes WWTP (http://www2.apex.net/users/hwuswtp)

[Randy_tx]

Bass.......we are currently living in the 7-11 "I want an immediate answer" world these days........who wants to actually READ a list of perfectly good troubleshooting steps when you can keep posting and someone will spoon feed what they think will be the quick fix?? http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

------------------
Will XP save Me ?

[sea69]

nice post and LINK kay http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

poor bassvax, so misunderstood..lol

I fear from his other post he has been puffin' again.... (heheh)

this person probably has leftover corrupt drivers from earlier failed installations... there is obviously some conflict.

I would suggest booting to 'SAFE Mode', and then deleting the problem (unknown) device, then let windows find and reinstall it again on next boot.

http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/wink.gif


------------------
sea1_69@hotmail.com

homepage (http://www.seanweb1.homestead.com/3.html)




[This message has been edited by sea69 (edited 07-14-2001).]

[kayofcircles]

I want to add my "fuss" here. The computers you see in the store have a zillion things running in the background. It's a wonder that any of them work with all that stuff. Everyone with a small understanding of puters and RAM take their new purchase home and disable three quarters of the junk, but that leaves a lot of people that don't know how to do that. (You can tell I get mad every time I think of my 78 year old uncle and his new ME puter.) It's like buying a new car where the a/c, radio, windshield wipers, and everything else is "turned on" and you have to have minimal mechanical skills to turn them off.

[Sylvie]

Is there a more up to date list then the one on that site?

Originally posted by kayofcircles:
Start-Run-type "msconfig" (without the quotes) in the box, click on "OK" then the StartUp tab and you should be able to see what is loading and running in the background. This is a site that explains what the various are and says which are "safe" to uncheck...Here (http://www2.whidbey.net/djdenham/Uncheck.htm)

Getting rid of stuff running in the background that you don't need is always helpful in system performance, but (big but here!) I know nothing about firewalls and such, so get some advice on that before disabling something you might "need".

[sea69]

sylvie

I take it you have things listed that are not on the site?

I'm running win98se, and before I found out about modifying my win98 defragg to winME defragg (http://surecool.com/download.htm), I always used an app called End it All (http://www.bootdisk.com/) ..(because win98 defragg would keep restarting) this essentially closes down everything running except the things that you protect.

I have a year old Athlon system here and I have experienced no problems closing everything except system tray and windows explorer.

for testing purposes.


error message in Word2000 - "sentence fragment.. consider revising.".. isn't that message a sentence fragment??

leave it to microshaft to correct our grammer with bad grammer of their own.

http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/wink.gif




------------------
sea1_69@hotmail.com

homepage (http://www.seanweb1.homestead.com/3.html)



[This message has been edited by sea69 (edited 07-15-2001).]

[Sylvie]

Sea,

I just want to find out what is safe to "uncheck" off my TSR's list that is why I was asking for an up to date list.

Thanks for the info anyhoo...

Sylvie http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

[sea69]

tell us what you have, we will tell you what it does, and then you decide.

------------------
sea1_69@hotmail.com

homepage (http://www.seanweb1.homestead.com/3.html)


;)~

[Reid]

I also recommend using EndItAll, which sea69 posted a link to above. It will end all unneccessary background tasks. If you still get freezes after running EndItAll, then it is more likely a hardware problem.

------------------
reido@my-deja.com

Friends don't let friends install Windows ME