freeze ups

[mike12]

My Dell 4700 Dimension P4 computer is freezing up lately. I am running XP Pro with all the service packs. 256 Meg. of memory, and a 3.0 processor. I have AVG AV which I update and do a manual scan every third day. AdAware and Spybot are also run about every four days. The only things that load at startup are two items for AVG, one item for Cloudmark (a spam stopper for Outlook Express), and an item for Microsoft antispyware. If I do that Control Alt Del, (when it freezes), sometimes I can get to Task Manager. If I look at the Performance tab I see the CPU usage is about 50% when the freezeup occurs. Other times the CPU usage is between 0 and 10 %. Under the CPU usage is DF Usage which is 182 MB. Then there are four other areas below. TOTALS has Handles at 7183, Threads at 414, and Processes at 30. The next group is COMMIT CHARGE (k)with Total at 187,008, Limit at 619,385, Peak at 187, 680. The next area is PHYSICAL MEMORY (K) with Total at 251,980, Available at 36,650, and System Cache at 100,860 The last group is KERNAL MEMORY (K) with Total at 40,348, Paged at 34,992, and Non Paged at 5.356 I guess I could probably use more memory, but my other Dell 4600 never froze with basically the same programs and same amount of memory. All help and suggestions are greatly appreciated. There was about three times when this freeze up was accompanied by a continous beep from the computer in the last two months. I e-mailed Dell since the computer is only about 6 months old. They responded that the beep usually means a hardware failure, and that the next time it happens, I should check the status of the four diagnostic lights on the back of the computer. Well, the computer still freezes up, but no more beeps. I have run the Dell diagnostics which takes about 90 minutes and everything checks out OK. I even ran the diagnostics at Pit Stop, and averything comes up OK. Very confused.

[mjatas]

if you have fast CPU usually you should run fast memory like 400MHz at least 512MB should be good. Usually when I get freezing computer a lot with my older P4 system after a few months then I just re-install my system again and everything is back to normal runs fine. If you don't want to re-install your system do this.

Scan you computer for errors. do this a few times not just once maybe up to 10 times deppending how slow your computer is. Then defragment your system again up to 10 times deppending on how slow or how much freezing there is. If still not working properly last thing to do is re-install you system. And still if you try that and nothing is working still slow or freezing then check your hadware and see if any problem.

NOTE: You need diagonostic software to see if there is any problems with your hardware, otherwise it will be very difficult to perdict what hardware divice is causing the freezing / slowness of your system.

I hope that help buddy

[mike12]

mjatas, thanks for the reply. Here is some additional info. The computer has 256 MB DDR2 SDRAM at 400 Mhz. The freezeups always occur when using Internet Exployer or Outlook Express. In fact, a friend sent me a link to a special fireworks site. If I go there, and then click on the sky to make fireworks happen, the computer freezes every time. I tried it a few times. And I always had to manually shut down the computer. I was able to get to Task manager, but was unable to "End" any of the tasks. I could try buying another stick of 256 memory, but I guess it must be exactly the same type, or I will have other problems. I could also buy a stick of 512 memory, and remove the current 256 stick. Maybe I will just format and re-install everything.

[glc]

256mb of ram is not enough for XP if you multitask. I won't sell a XP box with less than 512mb, and I push a full gig. Ram is dirt cheap these days. For a Dell, buy your ram from a configurator, not generic - I recommend Crucial. For now, run chkdsk /f frequently and keep the drive defragged so there won't be any pagefile issues.

[mike12]

glc, thanks for the reply. I do not multitask, nor am I in to gaming. I just use the computer for browsing the web and to send and receive e-mails. I do have a few spreadsheets (small ) set up in Excel, but I never have a problem with them. The only time I have problems is when I go to certain sites. Like I said above. if I go to this certain site, and click on the sky to make fireworks start, it will freeze. I also remember it freezing a few times when I would open up a small video on CNN. Could my video card be using too much resources ?

[glc]

You have 2 choices - start uninstalling all your 3rd party utilities one at a time, or do a Windows repair reinstall. If the hardware all checks out okay, it's a software or OS issue.

Take a trip to the Dell website and check for driver updates.

[mike12]

To do a repair I guess I need to boot from the CD. Also will anything get deleted or erased when I do this repair ?

[macko72]

With repair install you should loose only windows updates including Service Packs !!!
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

[mjatas]

Originally Posted by mike12 glc, thanks for the reply. I do not multitask, nor am I in to gaming. I just use the computer for browsing the web and to send and receive e-mails. I do have a few spreadsheets (small ) set up in Excel, but I never have a problem with them. The only time I have problems is when I go to certain sites. Like I said above. if I go to this certain site, and click on the sky to make fireworks start, it will freeze. I also remember it freezing a few times when I would open up a small video on CNN. Could my video card be using too much resources ?

Seems like when you have freezing it means that maybe your hdd has a problem or maybe your memory has problems or causes errors. You can get 2 diagnostic programs for free on the net to see if it's your memory or hdd causing the problem, if it's not either of those causing the problem then save all your important data to cd-r or dvd-r and re-install your system.

Below are the programs just seach for them on Google or Yahoo you will fund them with no problem.

Memtest86 (for testing all memory for errors)
Western Digital Data LifeGaurd Diagostics (works for any brand hdd - checks for errors)
and maybe last solution is maybe something wrong with your video card. Try to use maybe another monitor (maybe it's the monitor problem) or maybe it could even the video card. if you have another video card try it and see if it acts up. That's really all I can say without trying your computer out. Hope that help bro

[mjatas]

Originally Posted by glc 256mb of ram is not enough for XP if you multitask. I won't sell a XP box with less than 512mb, and I push a full gig. Ram is dirt cheap these days. For a Dell, buy your ram from a configurator, not generic - I recommend Crucial. For now, run chkdsk /f frequently and keep the drive defragged so there won't be any pagefile issues.

actually if you only use email and do web browsing even 128MB is good enough.
My friend has 128MB (I am not sure what speed) but it worked very fast for loading and using programs. So really you don't need 512MB, however it would be much better, however I don't think it would effect it too much for what you are using your computer for. I have 512 MB 233MHz DDR Ram in my other PC and I use it mainly for downloading and it's pretty fast. my other computer has 1024MB 400MHz and you can feel the difference. WHAT A DIFFERENCE. If you have the money buy 512 or 1024 extra 400MHz memory if you wish, but I again do not recommend since your PC is only used for web surfing and email.

[mjatas]

Originally Posted by mike12 mjatas, thanks for the reply. Here is some additional info. The computer has 256 MB DDR2 SDRAM at 400 Mhz. The freezeups always occur when using Internet Exployer or Outlook Express. In fact, a friend sent me a link to a special fireworks site. If I go there, and then click on the sky to make fireworks happen, the computer freezes every time. I tried it a few times. And I always had to manually shut down the computer. I was able to get to Task manager, but was unable to "End" any of the tasks. I could try buying another stick of 256 memory, but I guess it must be exactly the same type, or I will have other problems. I could also buy a stick of 512 memory, and remove the current 256 stick. Maybe I will just format and re-install everything.

oh last thing, does your PC freeze when you play movies (like AVI or DVD format)? Or does it freeze if you use any other programs other than IE or outlook? If it freezes when you play movies too then it's definetly your Video Card. If IE only Freezes then maybe you have a browser hijack. If outlook freezes maybe you have a virus or trojan. Check your PC with FREE AVG or buy Gaurdian AV
http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=135211

[mjatas]

Originally Posted by mike12 My Dell 4700 Dimension P4 computer is freezing up lately. I am running XP Pro with all the service packs. 256 Meg. of memory, and a 3.0 processor. I have AVG AV which I update and do a manual scan every third day. AdAware and Spybot are also run about every four days. The only things that load at startup are two items for AVG, one item for Cloudmark (a spam stopper for Outlook Express), and an item for Microsoft antispyware. If I do that Control Alt Del, (when it freezes), sometimes I can get to Task Manager. If I look at the Performance tab I see the CPU usage is about 50% when the freezeup occurs. Other times the CPU usage is between 0 and 10 %. Under the CPU usage is DF Usage which is 182 MB. Then there are four other areas below. TOTALS has Handles at 7183, Threads at 414, and Processes at 30. The next group is COMMIT CHARGE (k)with Total at 187,008, Limit at 619,385, Peak at 187, 680. The next area is PHYSICAL MEMORY (K) with Total at 251,980, Available at 36,650, and System Cache at 100,860 The last group is KERNAL MEMORY (K) with Total at 40,348, Paged at 34,992, and Non Paged at 5.356 I guess I could probably use more memory, but my other Dell 4600 never froze with basically the same programs and same amount of memory. All help and suggestions are greatly appreciated. There was about three times when this freeze up was accompanied by a continous beep from the computer in the last two months. I e-mailed Dell since the computer is only about 6 months old. They responded that the beep usually means a hardware failure, and that the next time it happens, I should check the status of the four diagnostic lights on the back of the computer. Well, the computer still freezes up, but no more beeps. I have run the Dell diagnostics which takes about 90 minutes and everything checks out OK. I even ran the diagnostics at Pit Stop, and averything comes up OK. Very confused.

try this
http://public.planetmirror.com/pub/u...bcd33-full.exe

[mike12]

macko72--- I went to that site you gave me the link for. I guess I have to print it out. The "Repair" thing sounds pretty complicated about copying files etc. I thought I would just be able to boot to the XP cd, and follow simple instructions.
mjatas---will try those two diagnostics tomorrow, even though I did the Dell diagnostics that took about 90 minutes and everything passed. I also ran those full tests at PitStop, and everything passed. Also, while I had IE and OE open, I put a video in the DVD player. I watch for about three minutes with no problem, no freeze ups ??

[Cricket]

Freezing and lockups can also be caused by an overheating component. To see if you have a heat problem, try running the computer with the sides off and have a small table fan blow into the case. Use the computer as you normally would and see if the freezing problem goes away or remains. If the computer stops freezing up, you have a case cooling problem. If the computer still freezes up you may be looking at a software issue.

Cricket

[mike12]

Hi Cricket---have considered overheating. But after a freeze up, and a manual shutdown, and restart, I can use the computer for hours with no problem, until I go back to that site. There have been other items that I tried to view in the past, like a small clip on that CNN site that would also freeze up the computer. I even thought maybe video problem, but as I stated above, I can have IE and OE open and still watch a movie in my DVD player.

[glc]

mjatas, please do not post 4 separate replies in the space of half an hour, this clutters up the thread unnecessarily. Use the Edit function. Thank you.