w2k freeze

[Richard]

Hi

I did a clean install on a used computer with w2k, formatted the drive.

The computer freezes when left idle for some time, and sometimes reboot by
itself for no reason....

What is worng and how do I overcome the problem.

Thanks in advance
Richard

 

[Dan Seur]

Likely a hardware problem:
- failing RAM - download a RAMtester
- overheating - check fans, power supply
- failing hard drive, causing bad bits in system software - download the
drive mfr's diagnostic
....etc

 

[Richard]

Hi Dan

Thanks for the tips. Will go through one by one...

Richard

 

[Dan Seur]

Should have included - failing power supply.

Sorry to heap this on you, good luck.

 

[Richard]

Hi Dan

Please don't be sorry. I wouldn't have thought of this without you telling
me.

So, many thanks again

Richard

 

[Art]

Hi

I did a clean install on a used computer with w2k, formatted the drive.

The computer freezes when left idle for some time, and sometimes reboot by
itself for no reason....

What is worng and how do I overcome the problem.

I had a symtom like that several years ago with a inexpensive
motherboard made by PcChips. The cpu was a AMD K6 400 mhz.
The BIOS and the motherboard were designed for "programability".
You could not only change clock rates and multipliers, but also the
core voltage ... a overclockers jewel, I guess

All I wanted was the specified bus rate of 100 mhz, but I couldn't
get it without the symptom occurring at random. The only way I could
get the machine to run reliably was to set the bus speed at 66 mhz.
Replacing the correct types of RAM chips and trying different RAM
timing settings didn't help. I concluded it was a motherboard design
problem ... insufficient margins.

I certainly hope you aren't stuck with such a problem, particularly
with no way to back off on rate/clock/multiplier settings in the BIOS
setup. But maybe your used machine was dumped for just such a reason.

Art

http://home.epix.net/~artnpeg

 

[Dan Seur]

Richard - it'd be great if you post what you found when you solve this

 

[Dan Seur]

R - should also mention that some machines built/shipped specifically
with/for earlier DOS-based systems (W95, W98, etc) simply do not have
hardware components that meet the much more demanding performance &
reliability criteria of NT-class systems (NT, W2k, XP etc.) These latter
systems will sense component failure when a part behaves "oddly" by
their standards, and will react self-protectively. Like a possum.

 

[Richard]

Hi Dan

I put off trouble shooting the PC, I installed another PC for the user to
use.

Richard