Random 1-2 min freezes with Vista

I apologize for the long post - I have been struggling with this problem for
9-months now. I continue to have a random 'freeze' problem with my Dell 9200
computer that I noticed soon after I bought the computer in late June 2007.
It runs Vista Business and I loaded Norton 360 on the first day. I have a lot
of other software (e.g. Office 2007) but the problem does not appear to be
application based. The freezes occur intermittently and last 60-90 seconds
during which time I am unable to use the system. During the freeze, the
cursor will usually move and sometimes show an hour-glass but not always, the
keyboard buffer appears to accept a few characters, and a print job underway
will continue, but otherwise there is no indication that an app or something
else is not responding. Also during the freeze, the clock will not update but
the network (broadband) activity animation will show activity, and the disk
activity light is solid (green) but without the typical sounds of disk drive
activity - like it is doing a high priority continuous read or write. After
the freeze, everything resumes normally without any messages.

I have not been able to cause the freezes but they seem to happen more
frequently within an hour or two of rebooting and sometimes will happen
several times within a 5-10 minute time period. I have observed the freeze
with just Windows Task Manager on display but cannot tell what process(s) may
be involved. I have also tried relocating the DVD cable to different SATA
connectors but that did not resolve the problem.

Dell Tech Support was unable to diagnose the problem (including the 5-hour
hardware tests) and recommended that I reset the system to 'factory' defaults
and rebuild the system. I have refused to do this (so far) because I know it
will take a minimum of 16-hours of my time. If I have to do that to resolve
the problem, I'll probably go back to XP-Pro... any ideas about what's going
on and a resolution?

Ed B. wrote:

> I apologize for the long post - I have been struggling with this problem
> for 9-months now. I continue to have a random 'freeze' problem with my
> Dell 9200 computer that I noticed soon after I bought the computer in late
> June 2007. It runs Vista Business and I loaded Norton 360 on the first
> day. I have a lot of other software (e.g. Office 2007) but the problem
> does not appear to be application based. The freezes occur intermittently
> and last 60-90 seconds during which time I am unable to use the system.
> During the freeze, the cursor will usually move and sometimes show an
> hour-glass but not always, the keyboard buffer appears to accept a few
> characters, and a print job underway will continue, but otherwise there is
> no indication that an app or something else is not responding. Also during
> the freeze, the clock will not update but
> the network (broadband) activity animation will show activity, and the
> disk
> activity light is solid (green) but without the typical sounds of disk
> drive activity - like it is doing a high priority continuous read or
> write. After the freeze, everything resumes normally without any messages.
>
> I have not been able to cause the freezes but they seem to happen more
> frequently within an hour or two of rebooting and sometimes will happen
> several times within a 5-10 minute time period. I have observed the freeze
> with just Windows Task Manager on display but cannot tell what process(s)
> may be involved. I have also tried relocating the DVD cable to different
> SATA connectors but that did not resolve the problem.
>
> Dell Tech Support was unable to diagnose the problem (including the 5-hour
> hardware tests) and recommended that I reset the system to 'factory'
> defaults and rebuild the system. I have refused to do this (so far)
> because I know it will take a minimum of 16-hours of my time. If I have to
> do that to resolve the problem, I'll probably go back to XP-Pro... any
> ideas about what's going on and a resolution?

First, let's address the 16-hour issue. Purchase an external hard drive and
an imaging program - I prefer Acronis True Image. Now image your system and
store the image on the external hard drive. This will enable you to get
back to exactly where you are in a very few minutes.

Once you've done that, restore the system to factory condition. Install a
few things you need but don't spend a huge amount of time on it. You just
want to be able to work semi-normally on it for testing purposes. If the
freezes continue then you know for sure it's hardware and even though
you've waited this long (too long, really) Dell should replace the computer
or at least give you a new motherboard/power supply, etc. To me it sounds
like one of those components is faulty.

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
Don't Panic!

I am having the exact same problem on an emachine; random "freezes" that last
up to a couple of minutes. I have AVG installed. Therefore, I would think
that Norton is NOT the cause of this issue on the original poster's machine.
Sure do wish this issue could be resolved as it is quite a head ache.



"Bob" wrote:

> Norton is likely causing your problem.
>
> Replace Norton with the free AVG http://free.grisoft.com/ or Avast
> http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html, and Windows Firewall and Windows
> Defender. Disabling Norton is not enough. You need to completely uninstall
> it. If it doesn't solve the problem, get rid of Norton anyway. Norton is
> known to cause many problems which don’t always appear immediately.
>
> Download and run the Norton Removal Tool.
>
> http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPOR...005033108162039
>
> It's called "360" because Symantec's goal is complete ownership of your
> computer, and with even less communication about what it's trying to do or
> ways to configure it than ever before (which would only interfere with its
> goal.) That, along with Symantec's famous technical support, makes Norton
> 360 a disaster that I would only install on Granny's computer if she was
> going to disinherit me.
>
> -------
> *Report back, please*
> [When responding to posts, please include the post(s) you are replying to so
> that others may learn and benefit from the issue]
>
> [How to ask a question]
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
>
> "Ed B." <EdB@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:924664D2-CE0D-4AAC-8004-F57662349891@microsoft.com...
> >I apologize for the long post - I have been struggling with this problem
> >for
> > 9-months now. I continue to have a random 'freeze' problem with my Dell
> > 9200
> > computer that I noticed soon after I bought the computer in late June
> > 2007.
> > It runs Vista Business and I loaded Norton 360 on the first day. I have a
> > lot
> > of other software (e.g. Office 2007) but the problem does not appear to be
> > application based. The freezes occur intermittently and last 60-90 seconds
> > during which time I am unable to use the system. During the freeze, the
> > cursor will usually move and sometimes show an hour-glass but not always,
> > the
> > keyboard buffer appears to accept a few characters, and a print job
> > underway
> > will continue, but otherwise there is no indication that an app or
> > something
> > else is not responding. Also during the freeze, the clock will not update
> > but
> > the network (broadband) activity animation will show activity, and the
> > disk
> > activity light is solid (green) but without the typical sounds of disk
> > drive
> > activity - like it is doing a high priority continuous read or write.
> > After
> > the freeze, everything resumes normally without any messages.
> >
> > I have not been able to cause the freezes but they seem to happen more
> > frequently within an hour or two of rebooting and sometimes will happen
> > several times within a 5-10 minute time period. I have observed the freeze
> > with just Windows Task Manager on display but cannot tell what process(s)
> > may
> > be involved. I have also tried relocating the DVD cable to different SATA
> > connectors but that did not resolve the problem.
> >
> > Dell Tech Support was unable to diagnose the problem (including the 5-hour
> > hardware tests) and recommended that I reset the system to 'factory'
> > defaults
> > and rebuild the system. I have refused to do this (so far) because I know
> > it
> > will take a minimum of 16-hours of my time. If I have to do that to
> > resolve
> > the problem, I'll probably go back to XP-Pro... any ideas about what's
> > going
> > on and a resolution?
> >
>
>