Mysterious Computer Lock-Ups

[First_Last_73]

I have a two-year-old custom-built machine running Windows XP
Professional. 512 MB RAM, 80 GB HD, DVD-RW Drive, 1.6 GHz Processor.
I have been plagued in recent months with the system freezing. When
the problem first occurred, I was advised that I may have an
overheating problem, so I installed SpeedFan to monitor my CPU's
temperature. Upon seeing readings of 140 F, I tried taking the side
off the computer's case, which lowered the temp to around 108 F.

This solution has worked for some time. However, now the lock-ups are
returning, usually after the computer has been on for some time (an
hour or more). The CPU temp is still below 110 F, so I don't think
this is the problem. When the crash occurs, Windows will simply
freeze, and the only solution is to unplug the computer and plug it
back in. Often, when I reboot the computer, the machine powers on,
but the monitor remains blank. I don't even get a POST test, no
beeps, no BIOS information on-screen, nothing. If the machine is left
powered down for some time (half an hour sometimes), it will usually
power back up, at which point the computer is good for another hour,
when the entire process repeats itself.

As a side note, the lock-up almost never happens if the computer is
"idling," only when I am doing a task of some sort -- recording
CDs/DVDs, playing music with Media Player, or just searching the Web.
Also, occasionally, at the instant the lock-up occurs, a high-pitched
electronic tone, like a synthesized "beep," can be heard from the
speakers. The tone lasts maybe 1/4 of a second.

This is getting very frustrating. Having built the machine myself, I
have no source to call for help. I would really appreciate any input
on this issue.

 

[D.Currie]

I have a two-year-old custom-built machine running Windows XP
Professional. 512 MB RAM, 80 GB HD, DVD-RW Drive, 1.6 GHz Processor.
I have been plagued in recent months with the system freezing. When
the problem first occurred, I was advised that I may have an
overheating problem, so I installed SpeedFan to monitor my CPU's
temperature. Upon seeing readings of 140 F, I tried taking the side
off the computer's case, which lowered the temp to around 108 F.

This solution has worked for some time. However, now the lock-ups are
returning, usually after the computer has been on for some time (an
hour or more). The CPU temp is still below 110 F, so I don't think
this is the problem. When the crash occurs, Windows will simply
freeze, and the only solution is to unplug the computer and plug it
back in. Often, when I reboot the computer, the machine powers on,
but the monitor remains blank. I don't even get a POST test, no
beeps, no BIOS information on-screen, nothing. If the machine is left
powered down for some time (half an hour sometimes), it will usually
power back up, at which point the computer is good for another hour,
when the entire process repeats itself.

As a side note, the lock-up almost never happens if the computer is
"idling," only when I am doing a task of some sort -- recording
CDs/DVDs, playing music with Media Player, or just searching the Web.
Also, occasionally, at the instant the lock-up occurs, a high-pitched
electronic tone, like a synthesized "beep," can be heard from the
speakers. The tone lasts maybe 1/4 of a second.

This is getting very frustrating. Having built the machine myself, I
have no source to call for help. I would really appreciate any input
on this issue.

Get a better CPU fan.

But if you've been overheating it regularly, there's a chance the CPU is
damaged already.

 

[MAP]

-----Original Message-----
I have a two-year-old custom-built machine running Windows XP
Professional. 512 MB RAM, 80 GB HD, DVD-RW Drive, 1.6 GHz Processor.
I have been plagued in recent months with the system freezing. When
the problem first occurred, I was advised that I may have an
overheating problem, so I installed SpeedFan to monitor my CPU's
temperature. Upon seeing readings of 140 F, I tried taking the side
off the computer's case, which lowered the temp to around 108 F.

This solution has worked for some time. However, now the lock-ups are
returning, usually after the computer has been on for some time (an
hour or more). The CPU temp is still below 110 F, so I don't think
this is the problem. When the crash occurs, Windows will simply
freeze, and the only solution is to unplug the computer and plug it
back in. Often, when I reboot the computer, the machine powers on,
but the monitor remains blank. I don't even get a POST test, no
beeps, no BIOS information on-screen, nothing. If the machine is left
powered down for some time (half an hour sometimes), it will usually
power back up, at which point the computer is good for another hour,
when the entire process repeats itself.

As a side note, the lock-up almost never happens if the computer is
"idling," only when I am doing a task of some sort -- recording
CDs/DVDs, playing music with Media Player, or just searching the Web.
Also, occasionally, at the instant the lock-up occurs, a high-pitched
electronic tone, like a synthesized "beep," can be heard from the
speakers. The tone lasts maybe 1/4 of a second.

This is getting very frustrating. Having built the machine myself, I
have no source to call for help. I would really appreciate any input
on this issue.
.
Troubleshooting Computer Lockups (Freezes)

Many readers write each week with a similar problem:
their computers periodically lock up or "freeze," so that
the mouse and keyboard won't function and nothing can be
done for a period of time (sometimes the system unlocks
after a while; in other cases you have to reboot). This
is a common problem but not an easy one to diagnose
because it has so many causes. It's like a person going
to the doctor with the complaint of a cough; the problem
could be a cold, an allergy, a substance stuck in the
throat, cancer, pneumonia, tuberculosis, etc. Here are
some common causes of lockups:
Software incompatibility
Hardware incompatibility or incorrect device driver
Bad RAM
Video card problems
Dying power supply
Processor getting too hot
The first step in diagnosing the problem is to keep a
journal showing exactly what you were doing each time the
system froze. This can help you spot patterns - for
example, if the lockup occurs when you try to print, or
whenever you play a sound, that suggests a problem with
the specific hardware device or its software driver.
Heat, bad RAM or a power supply that's about to give out
are more likely if the lockups are random.

 

[First_Last_73]

Windows XP Professional. 512 MB RAM, 80 GB HD, DVD-RW Drive, 1.6
GHz Processor. I have been plagued in recent months with the system
freezing. When the problem first occurred, I was advised that I may
have an overheating problem, so I installed SpeedFan to monitor
my CPU's temperature. Upon seeing readings of 140 F, I tried
taking the side off the computer's case, which lowered the temp to
around 108 F.
the lock-ups are returning, usually after the computer has been on for
some time (an hour or more). The CPU temp is still below 110 F, so I
don't think this is the problem. When the crash occurs, Windows
will simply freeze, and the only solution is to unplug the computer
and plug it back in. Often, when I reboot the computer, the machine
powers on, but the monitor remains blank. I don't even get a POST
test, no beeps, no BIOS information on-screen, nothing. If the
machine is left powered down for some time (half an hour sometimes), it
will usually power back up, at which point the computer is good for
another hour, when the entire process repeats itself.
computer is "idling," not only when I am doing a task of some sort --
recording CDs/DVDs, playing music with Media Player, or just
searching the Web. Also, occasionally, at the instant the lock-up occurs, a
high-pitched electronic tone, like a synthesized "beep," can be heard
from the speakers. The tone lasts maybe 1/4 of a second.
machine myself, I have no source to call for help. I would really
appreciate any input on this issue.

Here are some common causes of lockups:

Software incompatibility
Hardware incompatibility or incorrect device driver
Bad RAM
Video card problems
Dying power supply
Processor getting too hot
The first step in diagnosing the problem is to keep a
journal showing exactly what you were doing each time the
system froze. This can help you spot patterns - for
example, if the lockup occurs when you try to print, or
whenever you play a sound, that suggests a problem with
the specific hardware device or its software driver.
Heat, bad RAM or a power supply that's about to give out
are more likely if the lockups are random.

Just when I thought I had the problem fixed...

Eventually the problem progressed to where Windows wouldn't even load.
In fact, when I turned on the machine, the fans/machinery/etc. seemed
to "power up," but I couldn't even get any beeps, no POST, no nothing,
even after leaving the thing off overnight. I hauled the computer
into CompUSA and had a tech test my power supply. It turned out that
the power supply was bad. So I replaced it with an Antec SmartBlue
350 model, took it home, and everything worked great!... for a while.

Then the same old bullshit started happening again. Temperatures
remain below 115 F. But after about 15 minutes of using the computer,
it will freeze, guaranteed. Unplugging the machine and plugging it
back in is the only way to get the thing powered on again -- but if I
don't wait several minutes, it will lock up shortly after reboot,
often before Windows even starts.

I tried running MemTest 3.0 twice, but both times it froze just like
all the other times, after about 15 minutes of running. Again, this
is before Windows even loads. No errors were reported in the test up
to the point where the machine froze.

Please help! My firstborn to he/she who takes away my pain!

 

[D.Currie]

Windows XP Professional. 512 MB RAM, 80 GB HD, DVD-RW Drive, 1.6
GHz Processor. I have been plagued in recent months with the system
freezing. When the problem first occurred, I was advised that I may
have an overheating problem, so I installed SpeedFan to monitor
my CPU's temperature. Upon seeing readings of 140 F, I tried
taking the side off the computer's case, which lowered the temp to
around 108 F.
the lock-ups are returning, usually after the computer has been on for
some time (an hour or more). The CPU temp is still below 110 F, so I
don't think this is the problem. When the crash occurs, Windows
will simply freeze, and the only solution is to unplug the computer
and plug it back in. Often, when I reboot the computer, the machine
powers on, but the monitor remains blank. I don't even get a POST
test, no beeps, no BIOS information on-screen, nothing. If the
machine is left powered down for some time (half an hour sometimes), it
will usually power back up, at which point the computer is good for
another hour, when the entire process repeats itself.
computer is "idling," not only when I am doing a task of some sort --
recording CDs/DVDs, playing music with Media Player, or just
searching the Web. Also, occasionally, at the instant the lock-up occurs, a
high-pitched electronic tone, like a synthesized "beep," can be heard
from the speakers. The tone lasts maybe 1/4 of a second.
machine myself, I have no source to call for help. I would really
appreciate any input on this issue.

Here are some common causes of lockups:

Software incompatibility
Hardware incompatibility or incorrect device driver
Bad RAM
Video card problems
Dying power supply
Processor getting too hot
The first step in diagnosing the problem is to keep a
journal showing exactly what you were doing each time the
system froze. This can help you spot patterns - for
example, if the lockup occurs when you try to print, or
whenever you play a sound, that suggests a problem with
the specific hardware device or its software driver.
Heat, bad RAM or a power supply that's about to give out
are more likely if the lockups are random.

Just when I thought I had the problem fixed...

Eventually the problem progressed to where Windows wouldn't even load.
In fact, when I turned on the machine, the fans/machinery/etc. seemed
to "power up," but I couldn't even get any beeps, no POST, no nothing,
even after leaving the thing off overnight. I hauled the computer
into CompUSA and had a tech test my power supply. It turned out that
the power supply was bad. So I replaced it with an Antec SmartBlue
350 model, took it home, and everything worked great!... for a while.

Then the same old bullshit started happening again. Temperatures
remain below 115 F. But after about 15 minutes of using the computer,
it will freeze, guaranteed. Unplugging the machine and plugging it
back in is the only way to get the thing powered on again -- but if I
don't wait several minutes, it will lock up shortly after reboot,
often before Windows even starts.

I tried running MemTest 3.0 twice, but both times it froze just like
all the other times, after about 15 minutes of running. Again, this
is before Windows even loads. No errors were reported in the test up
to the point where the machine froze.

Please help! My firstborn to he/she who takes away my pain! [/QUOTE]

You've got bad hardware of some sort. There's no way to diagnose it without
looking at it, so suggestions on a newsgroup aren't going to do much good.
It could the processor, the motherboard, another bad power supply...or just
about anything else.

 

[marvo]

From the little I know everything that was said above seems reasonable.
Had the same problem with grandson mouse. It would "hang". Sometimes
it would beep then come back. Switched to a serial mouse & XP
found a new mouse & used a new driver. Went back to the old
mouse & it seemed to worked for awhile. His like yours
happened after running for a period of time.
It could be something like a software program not releasing
a buffer. I believe Microsoft calls it "leakage". Can you do
a "ctrl-alt-del" when it occurs. If not it seems that an IRQ is
either waiting for a response or trying to get a resource.
I wish you luck....marvo