computer freeze every time we use it

[ynotaj]

Hi guy's
You have helped me a few times before and I am hoping you can do it again. My problem this time is that my computer freezes all the time, we can't use it at all with out it happening, most of the time it happens when we move the mouse, well it seams that way, the thing is that if we are playing a game, the game will still be running but we can't do anything, if we are on the internet when the computer freezes you can see that the connection is still working and you can see that we are still downloading stuff. the only way to get things working is to turn it off at the switch, the keyboard seams to freeze as well because alt ctrl del does'n work and neither does caps lock or num lock, i have run virus programs and they say all is ok, I ran a mem checker and it said all is ok, when i run Dr watson i get this message



--------------------
Custom Controls Library has altered Windows system files.

Module Name: COMMCTRL.DLL
Description: Custom Controls Library
Version: 4.10.1998
Product: Microsoft(R) Windows(R) Operating System
Manufacturer: Microsoft Corporation

could this be the cause of the problem ?
My computer is a p111 866Mhz 256Mb ram.

Hope someone can help thanks
Tony

[ktkendall]

It does sound like something a bad keyboard or mouse can and will cause, also that error you seeing with DRWATSON, looks like could be the cause. Do you recognize that custom controls library??? If so, uninstall it! Or get the COMMCTRL.DLL file off of your WIN98 cd and replace it over the one that has been altered, which you may need to do anyways even after uninstalling that control library!

[Cricket]

Hi ynotaj,

Open the case and start the computer. Check that the CPU heatsink fan is spinning. If it's not, replace the fan. If the heatsink if stuffed with dust, clean it out with compressed air.

Run the system with the case open and see if the problem goes away. If it does, it's heat related.

Run Disk Cleanup to clean out the Windows Temp folder of all files. It will also clean out the Temporary Internet Files folder. You may want to go into Windows Explorer and manually remove anything you find in the Windows Temp folder too.

Get Ad-Aware and do a scan for spyware. Then get The Cleaner and do a scan for trojans.

Hit Ctrl Alt Del and see how many processes you have running in background. Do you recognize them all? Do you need them all?

In Windows Explorer, go to the Startup folder and see if there's anything "funny" in there that you don't recognize.

Try another keyboard and mouse.

:) Cricket

[ynotaj]

Thanks guys, after I sent in my problem I read some old posts and saw that other people have had similar problems, guess I should of done that first, I went into the set up section and checked a few things out, the temp of my cpu it is running at 40 oC sounds ok I think, in the set up it listed two fans but only showed the speed of the first, so I will open the tower to see if I have two fans or only one.
I was told about Doc memory from the site simmtester.com by someone from pcmech some time ago and have used it before but it never showed any problems, but I think I may of only done the quick tests before, so this time I run the full burnt-in loop test.
After about 6 loops it found a fault, I left it running for about an hour and it failed 7 times. I have just downloaded the Doc Memory user file and haven't read it yet to see what it all means, but I guess I am looking at a memory problem.
I will read the user file, check to see if I have two fans and if they both work, I have read that the memory contacts can get dirty and and not work, so maybe a good clean could help.
I have Ad-Aware and use it after every time I have used the net, I will try the other things that you mention as well.
What do you think about the message from Dr Watson that I get, maybe I need to find out what that is as well.
--------------------
Custom Controls Library has altered Windows system files.

Module Name: COMMCTRL.DLL
Description: Custom Controls Library
Version: 4.10.1998
Product: Microsoft(R) Windows(R) Operating System
Manufacturer: Microsoft Corporation

Thanks very much for your help keep up the good work.
Tony

[homer15]

are the mouse and keyboard both ps/2? if they are, see if you can get your hands on a serial mouse. maybe your ps/2 ports have gone bad.

[ynotaj]

Again thanks for you help, I have run Doc Memory about 8 times and most of the time the test will fail when trying to do a durst test, but not always. I have two ram cards and removed and cleaned them both but the Doc Memory test still failed when it came to the burst test.
Does this mean that I have a faulty ram, if so which one ? is the Doc Memory test a good enought guide to use, is there another way to test your ram.
Hopefuly I am getting close to fixing this problem
Tony

[Redo40]

If you think the ram is bad just use one stick at a time and see how it runs. If the first one still tests bad take it out and put in the other and try again.