HELP! XP frequently stops responding!

[Michael Desmond]

Hi, this one has been bothering me for about a year and a
half, ever since I got this computer, with only a brief
month or so where it never happened, but I'll explain and
maybe someone out there can give me advice on how to fix
it.

Okay, I own a Sony VAIO PCG-FXA32 laptop running XP Pro,
with all the recent and past available updates, an
Athalon 4 Mobile Processor running at 1Ghtz, 512MB RAM,
and an 8MB ATI RAGE video card. I also have Noton System
Works 2002, with NAV 2002 and up-to-date virus
definitions, and I run weekly full-system checks, so
unless they don't know about it, I don't have any viruses.

Periodically, and semingly at random, my computer will
spontaneously freeze solid. The screen will remain on,
but nothing will move on it (mouse, clock, video {if it's
running}, cursor blinking, etc.). The hard drive light
will stop lighting up, the DVD ROM will stop spinning but
will be able to be opened and closed, the keyboard will
be ineffective, the USB ports will still be powered, as
evidenced by the light still being on on my Logitch
Optical mouse, and/or any other USB devices continuing to
operate. It will stay in this state indefinitely.

The only way to get the computer back to a usable state
is to hold the power button down until the computer shuts
off, then restart. I have noticed this to occur when:
I'm using MS Word, MS Outlook or Outlook Express, Excel,
Explorer, Netscape, Windows Media Player, Winamp, Windows
Explorer, and Norton SpeedDisk. It will also do this is
I do nothing and just look at the desktop, when I'm
downloading or installing Windows updates, or when I'm
installing new software.

I've never had it do this when: The computer's screen
saver is on, while running Norton System Works 2002
system checks other than SpeedDisk, while playing a DVD
with Cyberlink DVD player, or while playing a graphics-
intensive (as much as my 8MB will handle, anyway)
computer game.

Now, while I could certainly constantly run Norton System
Works system checks, or a DVD, or constanly play a game,
we all know that that shouldn't be necessary to simply
keep my computer from freezing. So, if any of you out
there have any ideas for me, just fire them off in my
direction, please, because seriously folks, this is
getting annoying. I've tried driver updates and such
like that, and as far as I know, I'm all caught up with
them.

Oh, and another thing about the problem, it stopped
happening for about a month immediately after I installed
Windows XP SP1, and started again immediately after I
installed this Video CD player that my friend needed me
to install to watch a movie. I removed the program using
Windows Add/Remove Programs, but the problem is still
there, so I doubt that that was the true cause of it.

Help me if you can, and thank you for listening.

- Mike Desmond

 

[Deb]

-----Original Message-----
Hi, this one has been bothering me for about a year and a
half, ever since I got this computer, with only a brief
month or so where it never happened, but I'll explain and
maybe someone out there can give me advice on how to fix
it.

Okay, I own a Sony VAIO PCG-FXA32 laptop running XP Pro,
with all the recent and past available updates, an
Athalon 4 Mobile Processor running at 1Ghtz, 512MB RAM,
and an 8MB ATI RAGE video card. I also have Noton System
Works 2002, with NAV 2002 and up-to-date virus
definitions, and I run weekly full-system checks, so
unless they don't know about it, I don't have any viruses.

Periodically, and semingly at random, my computer will
spontaneously freeze solid. The screen will remain on,
but nothing will move on it (mouse, clock, video {if it's
running}, cursor blinking, etc.). The hard drive light
will stop lighting up, the DVD ROM will stop spinning but
will be able to be opened and closed, the keyboard will
be ineffective, the USB ports will still be powered, as
evidenced by the light still being on on my Logitch
Optical mouse, and/or any other USB devices continuing to
operate. It will stay in this state indefinitely.

The only way to get the computer back to a usable state
is to hold the power button down until the computer shuts
off, then restart. I have noticed this to occur when:
I'm using MS Word, MS Outlook or Outlook Express, Excel,
Explorer, Netscape, Windows Media Player, Winamp, Windows
Explorer, and Norton SpeedDisk. It will also do this is
I do nothing and just look at the desktop, when I'm
downloading or installing Windows updates, or when I'm
installing new software.

I've never had it do this when: The computer's screen
saver is on, while running Norton System Works 2002
system checks other than SpeedDisk, while playing a DVD
with Cyberlink DVD player, or while playing a graphics-
intensive (as much as my 8MB will handle, anyway)
computer game.

Now, while I could certainly constantly run Norton System
Works system checks, or a DVD, or constanly play a game,
we all know that that shouldn't be necessary to simply
keep my computer from freezing. So, if any of you out
there have any ideas for me, just fire them off in my
direction, please, because seriously folks, this is
getting annoying. I've tried driver updates and such
like that, and as far as I know, I'm all caught up with
them.

Oh, and another thing about the problem, it stopped
happening for about a month immediately after I installed
Windows XP SP1, and started again immediately after I
installed this Video CD player that my friend needed me
to install to watch a movie. I removed the program using
Windows Add/Remove Programs, but the problem is still
there, so I doubt that that was the true cause of it.

Help me if you can, and thank you for listening.

- Mike Desmond
.
Well, Mike, I have been suffering from this same

gremlin, only for about a month.... except that mine
doesn't seem to be related to any new software i added,
or hardware. it just "started" I, too, have now
uninstalled almost everythiing. i am using a gateway
desktop, and mine occurs during any and all applications,
with the internet connected, or not. it will even, after
reboot, but before logging into a user name, lock up with
the windows icon stuck on the screen. i've contacted the
gateway folks; they were helpless. (or is that less than
helpful?)...

i would install the xp service pack 1 except i can't keep
the *(&*&) thing without locking up long enough to down
load it. so, don't know if that would cure it, either.
i've reloaded xp once now, disabled all the startup
programs, but nothing seems to help.

 

[Michael Desmond]

Deb,

Well, I can let you know how I finally got SP1, because
let me tell you, it seemed to do the trick, until
something I did unfixed it. Since the computer won't
freeze while the screensaver is on (I'm just using one of
the standard Windows screensavers), I started downloading
SP1, then turned on my screensaver and let the thing go.
If I didn't, inevitably the computer would freeze before
the installation was done.

After a restart, the computer didn't freeze until I took
it up to my friend's house and installed that thing.
Hope this helps, and thanks for letting me know that I'm
not alone in my struggle with this gremlin.

- Mike Desmond

 

[Gerry Cornell]

Mike

This suggestion mentioned in my last post will help.

Download Adaware from http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/ and use it to remove parasites.

Are you allowing Windows to manage your virtual memory? Have you installed any memory boosters or the like? These can be counter productive!

How large is your hard disk and how much freespace?

~~~~~~


Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FCA
(e-mail address removed)
Stourport, Worcs, England
Enquire, plan and execute.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please tell the newsgroup how any
suggested solution worked for you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[ron]

I been having the same problem with my computer, I have
renstalled windows it wound work fine until i downloud
the up grades from ms then it start to freez on me, did
a reinstale over xp home worked fine did the updates one
at a time found that updates 811493, 810833, and 815021
will freez my system thay can be removed in the add and
remove programs they will start with a Q but the number
will be the same, if you try to do a system file chack it
will not run with out freezing your system, after removig
thes filles try to run a sfc. if it runs all the way then
your system will be good to go.

 

[John Lane]

Hi to all
This is interesting as I am also having the same
infuriating problem.
I generally use my PC for music sequencing. I have
various programs (Cubase SX plus various VSTi's, Halion
sampler etc) which until now have performed seamlessly
with each other. I can only think my problem started when
I copied a VST instrument from a respected computer music
magazine CD. You may be aware but all that is required,
is that the dll file is dropped into your host sequencers
Vst folder. A lot of these instruments aren't suitable
for my use, so once I've had a play I delete the dll.
I approached the magazines forum and was informed that a
stray dll file can cause the freeze so I used Fix-it to
clean the files and registry. I have also virus checked
it with Norton Pro 2003.
It still happens!! - and now in programs when the heavy
requirement of music apps is not being used.
I have opened the system information and viewed the error
and fault messages and these refer to apps which were
previously well behaved, ie. Internet Explorer, Winzip
etc.
Will a reinstall be the only way or can I send the
digital error message to anyone??
Sorry it's longwinded but I'm desperate.
Thanks and regards
John

-----Original Message-----
Mike

This suggestion mentioned in my last post will help.

Download Adaware from

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/ and use it
to remove parasites.

Are you allowing Windows to manage your virtual memory?

Have you installed any memory boosters or the like? These
can be counter productive!

 

[Mike Desmond]

Hi John,

ron let me know about this possible fix, so give it a
try. So far it's working for me. Go to your Add/Remove
programs and remove the Q811493, Q810833, and Q815021
hotfixes. If it works, great, if not, the worst that can
happen is you have to reinstall them. Later!