G
Guest
Hi,
I'm usualy really good about finding the source of a problem and fixing it
but this problem ive been having I really dont have a clue whats going on.
Let me explain how it started happining.
First, my computer has been running like a dream since the day I bought it
without any problems at all. Ive been playing multiplayer games online and
have been useing various programs without any problems. I do a normal and
updated virus and spyware scan often. Never had any virus problems since I
always scan files before I run them. Anyway, one night I was playing a game
(swat4) online and the game began to freeze up. At first I thought it was a
normal high ping / lag issue but then after a few seconds the game ran fine
so I continued to play. Then a min or so after that just happend the game did
it again. This time it was totally locked up and not even CTRL ALT DELETE
would end it. Not sure if something came up in the background and froze the
game or if its related to my problem or not since its never happend before.
At that point I had to reset the computer, and as I was watching it go
through the bios I notised a few differences. First, it would detect my P4
3.4ghz processor like it always does but when it got to the ide's it just sat
there saying Detecting IDE Drives... (usually this would just fly by within 2
seconds) but this time it took 2 - 4 min before it finally posted them and
went to the next screen where it says Detecting DMI Pool Data... it sat at
that screen for about a min or two and then posted an error message saying
"Error Loading Boot CD..." I believe that was the error.
The funny thing about it is, all I had to do was unplug my computer open up
the case and push in on the IDE ribbon connectors to the hard drive and
motherboard and push in the video card and put the machine together and it
would boot up like normal. (Even though pushing them in didnt really do
anything since they were already tight.)
When I did this and got back into windows for the first time everything was
fine except 2 things. All the settings on my firewall were wiped out. All the
settings for my programs which I gave access or blocked, the list was
cleared. Also the login password for my firewall was gone too, like if I
never even had a password for it. So I had to setup my password for it again.
Also a gameing/messaging program I had called xfire, all its settings where
missing too. Only took me about 5 min to fix all of this, the reason the
settings dissapeard is beyond me. Expecially the firewall since its a
secruity program of all things I dont know why my settings were missing on it
as well.
As it sits now, the machine runs like it did before except for 2 problems
which I cannot eliminate and hopefully someone might have an idea what I can
try to possibly find out or fix the problem with it. First off I still have
the ide problem, but its not as common anymore, like maybe once a week or a
little longer this will happen and I have to do what I mentioned above to fix
it.
The second problem, and most common is folders stop responding. If there is
one thing in XP that is flawed its when a folder locks up your pretty much
looking at a reboot. Like every other day ill be flipping through folders and
either ill click on one or ill click on a game screenshot file inside a
folder and nothing happends... It sits there with the hour glass and I cannot
do anything in that folder. I can alt tab and use my web browser and open
other folders just fine.... but that one folder is locked up and sorta slows
the machine down. I waited like an hour before to see if it would actually do
anything and it didnt. I cant do anything but End Task the folder and when I
do that the whole machine is either locked up or the folder dissapears along
with my start bar and everything else and im pretty much looking at a blank
screen with my desktop background on it. End result is to reset the comp...
Im not absolutly sure, but sometimes when this happends if I hit CTRL ALT
DELETE and look at the running processes I see one called dumprep or
something like that. (seems to be an error reporting thing) if I end that
process sometimes I can get the machine back under my control and continue
useing it.
I have asked other people about this problem and one person said it was a
possible failing hard drive... but since ive been useing the computer for 3
weeks since it happend and been playing games and useing programs like before
without problem I dont believe this is the problem. I thought it could be
conflicting programs but I only have my normal 3 or 4 programs running in the
background like I did before this all happend. The only other things I can
think of is I need to do a scan disk. But last time I tryed that in XP I ran
into hudge problems and had to do a dos command to get my computer to boot up
normally without scan disk coming up every time. The other thing I could try
is a defraging the machine but im not sure that would help the problem im
having or not.
Anyway, if you have any idea what is causeing this or any idea what I could
try to fix the problem please post a reply.
Thanks in advance!
Brandon
I'm usualy really good about finding the source of a problem and fixing it
but this problem ive been having I really dont have a clue whats going on.
Let me explain how it started happining.
First, my computer has been running like a dream since the day I bought it
without any problems at all. Ive been playing multiplayer games online and
have been useing various programs without any problems. I do a normal and
updated virus and spyware scan often. Never had any virus problems since I
always scan files before I run them. Anyway, one night I was playing a game
(swat4) online and the game began to freeze up. At first I thought it was a
normal high ping / lag issue but then after a few seconds the game ran fine
so I continued to play. Then a min or so after that just happend the game did
it again. This time it was totally locked up and not even CTRL ALT DELETE
would end it. Not sure if something came up in the background and froze the
game or if its related to my problem or not since its never happend before.
At that point I had to reset the computer, and as I was watching it go
through the bios I notised a few differences. First, it would detect my P4
3.4ghz processor like it always does but when it got to the ide's it just sat
there saying Detecting IDE Drives... (usually this would just fly by within 2
seconds) but this time it took 2 - 4 min before it finally posted them and
went to the next screen where it says Detecting DMI Pool Data... it sat at
that screen for about a min or two and then posted an error message saying
"Error Loading Boot CD..." I believe that was the error.
The funny thing about it is, all I had to do was unplug my computer open up
the case and push in on the IDE ribbon connectors to the hard drive and
motherboard and push in the video card and put the machine together and it
would boot up like normal. (Even though pushing them in didnt really do
anything since they were already tight.)
When I did this and got back into windows for the first time everything was
fine except 2 things. All the settings on my firewall were wiped out. All the
settings for my programs which I gave access or blocked, the list was
cleared. Also the login password for my firewall was gone too, like if I
never even had a password for it. So I had to setup my password for it again.
Also a gameing/messaging program I had called xfire, all its settings where
missing too. Only took me about 5 min to fix all of this, the reason the
settings dissapeard is beyond me. Expecially the firewall since its a
secruity program of all things I dont know why my settings were missing on it
as well.
As it sits now, the machine runs like it did before except for 2 problems
which I cannot eliminate and hopefully someone might have an idea what I can
try to possibly find out or fix the problem with it. First off I still have
the ide problem, but its not as common anymore, like maybe once a week or a
little longer this will happen and I have to do what I mentioned above to fix
it.
The second problem, and most common is folders stop responding. If there is
one thing in XP that is flawed its when a folder locks up your pretty much
looking at a reboot. Like every other day ill be flipping through folders and
either ill click on one or ill click on a game screenshot file inside a
folder and nothing happends... It sits there with the hour glass and I cannot
do anything in that folder. I can alt tab and use my web browser and open
other folders just fine.... but that one folder is locked up and sorta slows
the machine down. I waited like an hour before to see if it would actually do
anything and it didnt. I cant do anything but End Task the folder and when I
do that the whole machine is either locked up or the folder dissapears along
with my start bar and everything else and im pretty much looking at a blank
screen with my desktop background on it. End result is to reset the comp...
Im not absolutly sure, but sometimes when this happends if I hit CTRL ALT
DELETE and look at the running processes I see one called dumprep or
something like that. (seems to be an error reporting thing) if I end that
process sometimes I can get the machine back under my control and continue
useing it.
I have asked other people about this problem and one person said it was a
possible failing hard drive... but since ive been useing the computer for 3
weeks since it happend and been playing games and useing programs like before
without problem I dont believe this is the problem. I thought it could be
conflicting programs but I only have my normal 3 or 4 programs running in the
background like I did before this all happend. The only other things I can
think of is I need to do a scan disk. But last time I tryed that in XP I ran
into hudge problems and had to do a dos command to get my computer to boot up
normally without scan disk coming up every time. The other thing I could try
is a defraging the machine but im not sure that would help the problem im
having or not.
Anyway, if you have any idea what is causeing this or any idea what I could
try to fix the problem please post a reply.
Thanks in advance!
Brandon