Vista hangs so often. will pulling the plug damage my PC?

[Laurie]

Hi

My Vista very often hangs, usually on shutdown. I have to pull the plug.
Will this damage my laptop if I keep doing it? I have to though cos its
hung. Problem Reports and Solutions is useless of course it doesnt specify
anything. If it wont damage the laptop then I can just keep pulling the plug
when it happens.

Its a HP Pavillion DV6000 Vista Home "Premium"

Additional 3rd part sowftare that would be running everytime it hangs is:-
ZoneAlarm
Avast Anti Virus

Thanks

 

[Not Me]

Pulling the plug can cause hardware damage, it doesn't always happen, but it
is more likely that a proper shutdown.
On most systems if you press & hold the power button for about 5 seconds it
will shut off.

 

[Lawr]

Oh yeah holding the power button I forgot. Isnt that the same as just
pulling the plug? Unfortunately I dont have a choice when it hangs. Task
Manager/Ctrl+Alt+Delete does not even work.

I have found a specific point when it hangs.... when I open up a network
drive on my other PC to copy a file over to this laptop... I can browse the
folder OK, as soon as I right click on a 5Mb file the PC hangs! The mouse
moves around, the start menu pops up, but opening programs dont work, Task
Manager does not work. I cant do a thing apart from move the mouse, so I
pull the plug. Its happened 4 times now for me to pin point when it happens.
I have a Wireless network, I cant believe I cant copy a 5Mb file from other
PC. I had to go upstairs and email it to me to get it on this laptop.

 

[Lawr]

I have searched for this problem online and it seems to be quite a common
problem, and possible linked with the fact Vista takes ages to copy files.
This is the first time its hung when trying to copy but it has always taken
ages to copy files. It shows the "calculating time remaining" for ages.
Especially over networks. This seems quite a common issue.

Anyway, I found this MS article on it
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/931770 and there is a hotfix,
BUT you have to fill in a form to request the hotfix. Crazy.

 

[Canuck57]

If it is new, I would take it back.

I have searched for this problem online and it seems to be quite a common
problem, and possible linked with the fact Vista takes ages to copy files.
This is the first time its hung when trying to copy but it has always taken
ages to copy files. It shows the "calculating time remaining" for ages.
Especially over networks. This seems quite a common issue.

Anyway, I found this MS article on it
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/931770 and there is a hotfix,
BUT you have to fill in a form to request the hotfix. Crazy.

 

[LAB Enterprises]

yes, large files do take a long time to copy over a wireless network. I left
my HP Pavilion (dv9600 also running VHP) moving files from my desktop after
I went to bed. It would be done by the time I got up the next morning, so
perhaps you are just not letting it run long enough?

I would also try disabling zone alarm and avast and see if you have the same
problem. I don't use either of them and don't have the problem you describe
with a similar system. I use McAfee.

Lori

 

[wheelman]

my new toshiba laptop was freezing up..a lot.then it went for updates..days
ago now and it down loaded sp1 and what ever else that was there..and now it
is acting like..the freeze is gone.but you know how.sometimes we speak too
soon..so im just waiting and seeing..what happens..vista is defective and it
sucks..