Computer Lock-up Problem(Hardware)

[Chris LaVelle]

Any help would be appreciated.

Have a 1 1/2 year old computer that recently started locking up on me.
I really don't know where to start. Was running XP PRO Sp2.0 and
machine locks hard. Mouse doesn't move on the screen, doesn't respond
to any keyboard input. Can't make any lights flash or anything. Have
to poweroff to reboot the machine. Ctl-Alt-Dlt doesn't work or anything
else.

At first I thought it was Windows, but the problem persisted with a
complete format and reinstall stopping at SP1.0, and then even with XP
Home Edition. Originally it would take a while for it to lock up, but
seems to have started happening more often. To the point now, it will
lock up within a minute or two of a reboot alot of the time.

Non-brand system made for me at computer shop:
Intel Pent 4 2.66 GHZ
P4XFCU/P4XFCP/P4XFCZ motherboard (not sure which model, currently trying
to reinstall OS on it, but it's locked twice during this process)
1/2 Gig DRAM
GForce4 Video Card

Are there any good diagnostic tools to run on it, assuming of course I
can get it to stay up long enough to run them/download them?

Thanks, I will check back for responces.

Chris

 

[John]

Are there any good diagnostic tools to run on it, assuming of course I
can get it to stay up long enough to run them/download them?

Thanks, I will check back for responces.

Chris

Get one of the free monitoring software progs - SPEED FAN and
Motherboard Monitor and check the temps. Thats the obvious one. If the
temps arent super high , get memtest86 and test your memory. Also use
a hard disk util for the hell of it, You get these from the hard disk
makers website. Check to see if the video fan or the motherboard chip
fan is still spinning (not the CPU fan). The other thing is , is your
power supply on the rocks. And check for any swollen or leaking
capacitors on your motherboard. Any dried brown crud around or on the
caps and see if the caps are bulging. How can you tell if the PS is
OK? Well you can see if theres any really weird voltage readings in
the monitoring software I mentioned though Ive never heard of anyone
finding that particularly useful. If you dont have other tools to read
the voltages the only way really is to swap it out for another PS.

After that one thing you can do is swap in a very simple clean install
of WIN XP on some old HD disk you might have which is why keeping an
old HD around is a good idea, Alternatively of course you could
reinstall WIN XP . This is just in case theres some software problem.
Then start stripping the system down - take all the cards out except
the video card and all the extra drives , unplug them etc except for
the HD of course. You could just have the floppy plugged in and use a
boot up floppy disk and have it on for a while to see if it locks up.

Also check the logs in WIN XP to see if it gives you any clue under
Adminstrative Tools /Event viewer/ System and Application

 

[stephen morgan]

On Mon, 02 May 2005 02:56:50 -0400, Chris LaVelle

Could the cpu be over heating or the settings wrong...just a thought

 

[jonakyle]

Hello Chris
Did you any have success on this problem because i have the sam
problem. I have bought a new hard drive because someone said it wa
my hard drive. After installing my new hard drive, my computer i
still locking up. I have updated by BIOS and still locking up. Ca
anyone help? Thank

Joji
http://www.hardwareplug.com