computer freezes even when idle

[ABS]

I've got a pc in the house that constantly freezes even if it is idle. I've
tried different oses so it's not software. No video problems or anything
like that. Does anyone have any ideas? It's got 512mb ddr ram, Abit a7a266
mobo i think, but not sure. leadtek 32mb geforce 2 video card, Athlon
1.33ghz cpu.

At first it would freeze everytime the screen saver turned on, so i turned
it off and it would just shut the monitor down, still froze. then i turned
that off so it does nothing and it still froze. this was with windows xp pro
sp1 and or 2. i then installed mandriva linux 2005 LE and it did the same
thing so it's for sure not os related. It was working fine with an install
of win xp pro sp1 and no problems and then all of a sudden it started to
freeze durring the screen saver etc.

 

[Mary Sauer]

I'd look for an updated video driver.
Try this:
Slide the acceleration down on your adapter, control panel, display, settings tab,
advanced button, troubleshoot tab.
If this solves your issue, you need to think about an upgraded driver.

 

[philo]

I've got a pc in the house that constantly freezes even if it is idle.
I've tried different oses so it's not software. No video problems or
anything like that. Does anyone have any ideas? It's got 512mb ddr ram,
Abit a7a266 mobo i think, but not sure. leadtek 32mb geforce 2 video card,
Athlon 1.33ghz cpu.

At first it would freeze everytime the screen saver turned on, so i turned
it off and it would just shut the monitor down, still froze. then i turned
that off so it does nothing and it still froze. this was with windows xp
pro sp1 and or 2. i then installed mandriva linux 2005 LE and it did the
same thing so it's for sure not os related. It was working fine with an
install of win xp pro sp1 and no problems and then all of a sudden it
started to freeze durring the screen saver etc.

possibly overheating...
check all fans...especially the cpu cooler

 

[ABS]

possibly overheating...
check all fans...especially the cpu cooler

It's not video releated cus all oses do it. It isn't overheating because it
never had this problem before and then just started to happen, so i don't
see how that can be an issue specially when the side of the case was off for
a while too and it was getting a lot more air. I can check for heating
though like to try using a fan to blow air on it just to see if it freezes
or not.

 

[Terra Prime]

Simply removing your side panel will not help your cooling system at all. In
fact, some say it makes your cooling system less efficient.

You said:
"It isn't overheating because it never had this problem before and then just
started to happen, so i don't see how that can be an issue..."

Bullshit..... just because it was never a problem before, doesn't mean it's
not the problem now. Shut down your computer, use a vacuum to remove all of
the dust from the case (make sure the head of the vacuum is not a conductive
material). Use the vacuum on the Processor heatsink (especially), the video
card heatsink (if there is one, and provided you don't have onboard video)
as well as the power supply. If you have cans of compressed air, use them to
remove any dust that the vacuum cannot get, on all of the components,
especially the power supply.

Post back if the problem is still occuring.

 

[ABS]

possibly overheating...
check all fans...especially the cpu cooler

I've blown the dust out of the case. There was almost none though so dust
wasn't an issue. I looked in the bios for heat issues and everything was
fine and normal i guess. I've reinstalled windows xp pro with sp2 included
in it. I have it running memtest right now off the boot floppy and will let
it run for a while. maybe till tomorrow, not sure.

one thing this pc does sometimes is boot to bios without me telling it to,
it's done this many times and even has the wrong time, the wrong cpu speed
sometimes too. it says manual for cpu instead of automatic plus sometimes
it's called it a 1ghz instead of 1.33. if i say what it is it gives 1ghz and
1.33 to choose from so it's got some weird issue here too with going into
the bios by itself.

 

[Terra Prime]

Tried downloading the latest version of your BIOS from your motherboard's
manufacturer, then flashing your BIOS?

 

[ABS]

Tried downloading the latest version of your BIOS from your motherboard's
manufacturer, then flashing your BIOS?

Memtest and the pc ran for 13 and a half hrs with no errors and it didn't
freeze. i am booted up in windows now and just letting it sit there. it is
set to not do anything when idle, don't turn off the monitor, no screen
saver, nothing. we'll see what happens now.