Hang up, is it Hardware or Software

[Guest]

I have a system that I replaced the CPU about 6 months ago. Recently the
computer started hanging while working and then hanging at the windows screen
(blue bar scrolling at the bottom) when I tried to restart.

Whenever I try to restart in Safemode, it restarts fine.

I can't figure out if I have a Hardware problem or Software. No hardware
has been recently changed. This just started happening out of the blue. The
first time it happened, I cleaned the computer case and it didn't happen for
two months. Then it started happening regularly. It is weird because I
could let the computer sit for an hour and it would work again.

However, now I can not load it no matter what the lag time. I have tried MS
Config and booting using Diagnostic Mode, but nothing other than straight
SafeMODE works. I have tried checking my CPU temperature (62oC) and have
tried to slow it down a little, but no luck.

Please help if you have any suggestions of what I can try next. I use it
for Video Editting my home videos and have not been able to use it for nearly
a week. My wife is going crazy too because she uses it all day long.

How do I isolate what the problem is? Software, Hardware? I can reload the
OS, but don't want to do that if it is a Hardware problem.

My System:
AMD Mobile Athlon XP-M 2500+ (45W) 266MHz FSB Socket A Processor
Asus A7V333 Motherboard - Raid HD's
Two extra HD's for storage (Have disconnected them)
1 GB Ram
128 MB Vidoe GeForce TI200

 

[Roberto]

I have a system that I replaced the CPU about 6 months ago. Recently the
computer started hanging while working and then hanging at the windows
screen
(blue bar scrolling at the bottom) when I tried to restart.

Whenever I try to restart in Safemode, it restarts fine.

I can't figure out if I have a Hardware problem or Software. No hardware
has been recently changed. This just started happening out of the blue.
The
first time it happened, I cleaned the computer case and it didn't happen
for
two months. Then it started happening regularly. It is weird because I
could let the computer sit for an hour and it would work again.

However, now I can not load it no matter what the lag time. I have tried
MS
Config and booting using Diagnostic Mode, but nothing other than straight
SafeMODE works. I have tried checking my CPU temperature (62oC) and have
tried to slow it down a little, but no luck.

Please help if you have any suggestions of what I can try next. I use it
for Video Editting my home videos and have not been able to use it for
nearly
a week. My wife is going crazy too because she uses it all day long.

How do I isolate what the problem is? Software, Hardware? I can reload
the
OS, but don't want to do that if it is a Hardware problem.

My System:
AMD Mobile Athlon XP-M 2500+ (45W) 266MHz FSB Socket A Processor
Asus A7V333 Motherboard - Raid HD's
Two extra HD's for storage (Have disconnected them)
1 GB Ram
128 MB Vidoe GeForce TI200

The ability to load OK in safe mode suggest a software problem, have you
tried doing a clean boot, [you haven't mentioned doing that] MS Article
ID: 310353 explains how to do this.
Other than that are you 100% certain the machine is virus/malware free,
don't just rely on your current AV here.

Run the following from safe mode

1. smitfraud
2.sysclean
3. Ad-AwareSE
4. Spybot S&D

you can google for all of them, get back with the results

rgds
Roberto

 

[Anna]

I have a system that I replaced the CPU about 6 months ago. Recently the
computer started hanging while working and then hanging at the windows
screen
(blue bar scrolling at the bottom) when I tried to restart.

Whenever I try to restart in Safemode, it restarts fine.

I can't figure out if I have a Hardware problem or Software. No hardware
has been recently changed. This just started happening out of the blue.
The
first time it happened, I cleaned the computer case and it didn't happen
for
two months. Then it started happening regularly. It is weird because I
could let the computer sit for an hour and it would work again.

However, now I can not load it no matter what the lag time. I have tried
MS
Config and booting using Diagnostic Mode, but nothing other than straight
SafeMODE works. I have tried checking my CPU temperature (62oC) and have
tried to slow it down a little, but no luck.

Please help if you have any suggestions of what I can try next. I use it
for Video Editting my home videos and have not been able to use it for
nearly
a week. My wife is going crazy too because she uses it all day long.

How do I isolate what the problem is? Software, Hardware? I can reload
the
OS, but don't want to do that if it is a Hardware problem.

My System:
AMD Mobile Athlon XP-M 2500+ (45W) 266MHz FSB Socket A Processor
Asus A7V333 Motherboard - Raid HD's
Two extra HD's for storage (Have disconnected them)
1 GB Ram
128 MB Vidoe GeForce TI200

Sheldon:
It's really difficult to tell at this point just what is causing this
problem. It *could* be a hardware problem; it could be a *software* problem.

First off, as Roberto has recommended, check the system for any malware. I
assume you've been doing this but you haven't indicated such.

Secondly, ascertain the make of your boot HD and download and run the
diagnostic utility that will probably be available from the HD
manufacturer's website. It doesn't sound like a HD problem but it would be
wise to check this out. And, of course, you've checked the boot HD cable
connections and everything looks secure there, right?

What do you mean when you say you "tried to slow it (the CPU) down a
little"? How did you "slow it down"?

And you've checked Device Manager and don't see any possible problems listed
there, right?

After the malware & the HD diagnostics checks, consider a Repair install of
the OS. (Note this is *not* the repair undertaken through the Recovery
Console). The process is relatively easy to undertake and nearly always safe
in not causing any further problems. But it is always prudent to back up
whatever data is important to you before undertaking this Repair install. If
you don't know how to undertake the Repair install, just do a simple Google
search on "xp repair install" and you'll be pointed to a number of sites
that have step-by-step instructions.
Anna

 

[Guest]

Roberto,
Thank you for your suggestions. I have booted the computer in a "clean
boot" and it works. I then tried enabling the system.ini file and then it
didn't work. I then tried to do a clean boot and it did not work several
times. Only after I browsed through all the different options in MSConfig
(but left everything the same) did it clean boot again. For example, I
slecedted modified boot.ini and clicked some of the options, but then put
everything back to the original settings for a clean boot. It was very
weird. I tried to boot it several times and it continued working on the
clean boot setting.

I now am going to check for malware. I have downloaded most of the
utilities you mentioned. However, I can't find anything on a smitfraud
application. All I find is that it is a malware/virsu. Is there something
else I should find?

Thanks again. I'll keep you posted. Let me know if you think of anything
else it could be based on the description above.

I have a system that I replaced the CPU about 6 months ago. Recently the
computer started hanging while working and then hanging at the windows
screen
(blue bar scrolling at the bottom) when I tried to restart.

Whenever I try to restart in Safemode, it restarts fine.

I can't figure out if I have a Hardware problem or Software. No hardware
has been recently changed. This just started happening out of the blue.
The
first time it happened, I cleaned the computer case and it didn't happen
for
two months. Then it started happening regularly. It is weird because I
could let the computer sit for an hour and it would work again.

However, now I can not load it no matter what the lag time. I have tried
MS
Config and booting using Diagnostic Mode, but nothing other than straight
SafeMODE works. I have tried checking my CPU temperature (62oC) and have
tried to slow it down a little, but no luck.

Please help if you have any suggestions of what I can try next. I use it
for Video Editting my home videos and have not been able to use it for
nearly
a week. My wife is going crazy too because she uses it all day long.

How do I isolate what the problem is? Software, Hardware? I can reload
the
OS, but don't want to do that if it is a Hardware problem.

My System:
AMD Mobile Athlon XP-M 2500+ (45W) 266MHz FSB Socket A Processor
Asus A7V333 Motherboard - Raid HD's
Two extra HD's for storage (Have disconnected them)
1 GB Ram
128 MB Vidoe GeForce TI200

The ability to load OK in safe mode suggest a software problem, have you
tried doing a clean boot, [you haven't mentioned doing that] MS Article
ID: 310353 explains how to do this.
Other than that are you 100% certain the machine is virus/malware free,
don't just rely on your current AV here.

Run the following from safe mode

1. smitfraud
2.sysclean
3. Ad-AwareSE
4. Spybot S&D

you can google for all of them, get back with the results

rgds
Roberto

 

[Guest]

Anna,
Thank you for your help. See update in Roberto's section for description of
clean boot. It is very weird.

I have been backing up data. I am now ready to start testing for Malware.

You assumed correctly. I have checked the cables, removed unnecessary
devices and have checked Device Manager. Thank you.

If the malware does not find anything and someone does not have a better
suggestion based on the clean boot symptoms, I will try a Repair of Windows.
I have done it a few times before on other's computers, but never have had
much success with it. Who knows though.

Thanks for your time and thought. If you have any other ideas, let me know.

If that does not work

 

[Roberto]

Roberto,
Thank you for your suggestions. I have booted the computer in a "clean
boot" and it works. I then tried enabling the system.ini file and then it
didn't work. I then tried to do a clean boot and it did not work several
times. Only after I browsed through all the different options in MSConfig
(but left everything the same) did it clean boot again. For example, I
slecedted modified boot.ini and clicked some of the options, but then put
everything back to the original settings for a clean boot. It was very
weird. I tried to boot it several times and it continued working on the
clean boot setting.

I now am going to check for malware. I have downloaded most of the
utilities you mentioned. However, I can't find anything on a smitfraud
application. All I find is that it is a malware/virsu. Is there
something
else I should find?

Thanks again. I'll keep you posted. Let me know if you think of
anything
else it could be based on the description above.

Here is a link to smitfraud.exe
NOTE you may not have the problem it specifically targets, but I use it
in conjunction with sysclean and it finds things sysclean misses.
http://www.ik-cs.com/programs/virtools/SmitFraud.exe

rgds
Roberto

 

[alanglloyd]

If I remember correctly AMD / Win had a problem with some
speed-checking code in windows. Due to the faster (at that time) AMD
CPU the Win code caused a stop at a black screen with a "The OS has a
problem" message.

It was cured by an MS patch.

Anyone with better memory than mine <g>.

Alan Lloyd