Computer locking up

[micker377]

I know, 7000 reasons!
Win 7 Pro - 8 meg memory - up to date.
Occasionally total freeze. Mouse, keyboard, everything. Core temps not above normal (for last couple of years). Have to "hard boot", then it runs fine for a day or two.
So far:
Blew out dust (do this every six months anyway).
Memory checks O.K. (pulled and cleaned contacts anyway).
Event viewer shows only "Abnormal shut down" (no kidding!).
Flashed back (ERNDT) to last week (no help).
The only "oddity" I can find at all, is an error on normal reboot or shutdown "Internet Explorer cannot access memory at "xxxxxxx61970". It is so quick, that is all I can copy. If necessary, I can reboot a couple of times until I get it all.
No rhyme or reason, just freezes!

 

[goombawaho]

8MB of memory - there's your problem. Kidding.

What did you test memory with? I'd do both a Windows Memory Diagnostic at least two rounds (quicker) and a couple hours worth of memtest86+
Check hard drive with manufacturer's diagnostic tool just to rule that out.
Run a windows CHKDSK to make sure file system is not funkified.
Malware check - use TDSSKiller, MalwareByte's, RogueKiller to get a good triple analysis.

 

[rclarke250]

have you run a chkdsk? ccleaner? What do the caps on the board look like?

 

[micker377]

Did all of the background checks. Never thought of the caps - thanks. So far I'm removing recent background operating programs (background defrag, etc.). The problem seems to occur when the computer is left alone for a while. So far no problems while I am using it.

 

[linney]

This link and the links within will give you some things to look at.

Windows random hang
thread779-1423743

I suppose the next thing to consider is a faulty motherboard or even replacing the machine?

Fauly capacitators.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor_plague

I d e n t i f y i n g - P h y s i c a l D e f e c t s

http://www.badcaps.net/ident/

Keyboard stops responding
thread779-855939

Freezing PC - Out of Ideas
thread779-843751


Does it freeze if you run in Safe mode, or test with another user?

 

[micker377]

Caps O.K. Disabled more background operations. Froze once while I was typing.
Chkdsk, MalwareBytes, and SFC Scannow run - no change.
It just died again, and I noticed something: everything stops. I have a "Gadget" that tracks CPU cores (both of them). When it freezes, both cores go to zero usage! Usually they idle along at 2 - 3 % (background operation). I would start suspecting power supply, but the video stays up on both screens.

 

[goombawaho]

Hasn't that "bad caps" thing been way overplayed in terms of how many instances there actually were out in the real world?

Starting to sound like a bad mobo. Why not boot to a bootable CD (UBCD, ultimate boot cd for windows, linux CD) and see if it will stay stable for a day or so to rule out WinBlows. I like the UBCD because you can run a lot of tests from it (CPU stress, memory).

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

http://www.ubcd4win.com/

 

[rclarke250]

I still run into machines with bad caps every week. Granted most are in cash registers, but it's still just a pentium 4 computer board. Just looked at a gateway last week, customer complained of slow machine and lockups, opened the case, under all the dust and cobwebs, there were 8 blown caps. Machine was 9 years old, so I recommended to not fix this one, and put the money towards a new computer. I'm not saying that newer stuff isn't better, because it is. But there are still times I see it in TV's,Power supplies,Monitors,Stereos, A month ago, on my VCR/DVD-rw combo unit I use to convert old home VHS movies into DVD's.


I know you say it's up to date Micker but what about all the drivers? even ones that most people check to see if there is an update, like the chipset driver, and the intel storage driver if your system uses it. I have found issues with the intel rapid storage that is fixed after an update. And the error is still a concern, because something is not right there.

 

[goombawaho]

Interesting. I've NEVER seen one except on the internet.

Good call on updating all the drivers before condemning the machine.

 

[ChrisHirst]

Have you lifted the fan and heatsink off, cleaned the old paste (probably more like concrete now) and put new HS compound on?

Chris.

Indifference will be the downfall of mankind, but who cares?
Time flies like an arrow, however, fruit flies like a banana.
Webmaster Forum

 

[micker377]

@chris:
No, I didn't bother yet. I just changed the CPU about a year ago, and the core temps are staying 100 - 105 F.

I just updated my Catalyst drivers. They include the PCI drivers.

 

[linney]

Is System Restore, or Driver Rollback, an option for you?

As you use IE, a workaround maybe to turn off hardware acceleration in IE's Internet Option page. Go to the Advanced tab and check the first option: Accelerated graphics, Use software rendering instead of GPU rendering.



Use the Vista instructions in this article (if you can) to adjust Accelerated Graphics. Not all Video Cards have this setting available. For example my Nvideo Card doesn't.

How to change the graphics hardware acceleration setting in Windows

http://navozhdeniye.narod.ru/263391.htm

 

[micker377]

@Linney
System Rollback (ERNDT), was the first thing I did. I don't use I.E. (I use Firefox). The problems occurred both while online, and offline.
As I mentioned, installed new Catalyst update (includes new PCI drivers). It's been 24+ hours since then - so far so good!

 

[micker377]

After a day and a half, it just locked up! Played a video game - won!, and exited that one. (games are on the hard drive) Brought up another one - and system locked! No mouse, no keyboard, and even the second hand on my clock froze.
Rebooted (power), and immediately went to Event viewer. Finally found an error at the correct time, submitted it to the MS online explanaition, and got:

Results for: Microsoft Product: Windows Operating System; Version:

6.1.7600.16385; Event ID: 4; Event Source: sptd;
No results were found for your query. Please see Search Help for suggestions.

 

[cmeagan656]

http://eventid.net/display-eventid-4-source-sptd-eventno-8045-phase-1.htm

See if any of the comments, especially the 2nd comment down, apply to your situation.

Hope this helps.

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[micker377]

O.K. - I'll save that for tomorrow. Right now, I've disabled Acronis Auto back-up scheduler. I noticed a big list of errors (Event Viewer), listed when Acronis tried to access the system. I back up manually once a month. It is Acronis 10, so it's possible to have a conflict with MS updates. As usual, wait and see... <grin>