20 minute freeze

[Plumbum]

Last week my computer started to freeze after 20 minutes. I checked the properties;screensaver and power featre to find that it was now set to power off after 20 minutes. I`ve now changed this back to never and it still crashes after 20 minutes.

Thought it may be a virus (haven`t installed anything new and have a great firewall for the net) so I downloaded the latest virus updates for Mcaffee but it didn`t [pick anything up.

Any ideas why it`s still freezing after 20 minutes? Is there a cmos setting that I should also change?

 

[Ma3x323]

HEAT HEAT HEAT, normally comps froze because of heat problem. Checked it lately?

 

[paulwood]

Check the cpu fan is rotating when the computer is on.

 

[Plumbum]

thought it might be overheating, but it`s cool inside the tower and all fans whirring away, touching the processor and cards they are cool, not hot. I also have case fans, pointing in the correct places.

It freezes within a few seconds of 20 minutes everytime religiously, I think it`s software, but I can`t reinstall windows as it takes longer than 20 minutes, so it doesn`t install or format before the 20 minutes when it freezes.

 

[paulwood]

It would be worth turning off all Power Management settings in the bios.

Does it freeze in safe mode after the same time?

 

[Mshen]

maybe its time to do a process of elimination.

replace momory...
pull out sound card...

cyrix cpus can be a problem after a few years usage

and motherboard

good luck

 

[Plumbum]

It crashed last night, turning it back on this morning it said Checksum bad, press F2 to load default values, which I did.

THen it blue screened with the message:

"The ACPI in this system is not fully compliant with the ACPI specification."

It has never done this before, any ideas what this means??

 

[paulwood]

ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) is the bit of the bios which includes power management. The message probably means the bios is not fully compliant with the specification, and may be causing the problems. If you have not already done so, go into the bios setup and turn all power management settings off. If you have already, let us know and we'll try something else.

 

[Howi]

As Paulwood says it is to do with power management - had some crappy M/boards that would go to sleep even with all settings disabled, and they would not rewake - had to reboot.
What make of m/board?

 

[philanrandi]

sounds like a heat problem! howerver could be power management! have you turned off powewr management? if so try looking for bios upgrade(as last resort) if you bios upgrade be sure you do NOT repeat NOT interupt coz you will end up with a door stop for a motherboard! so check with the motherboard manufacturer to see if you`re problem can be cured with a bios upgrade