PC Locks up 100% memory

[lab33]

I have USAS PC4e mb. running XP PRO. New Hard drive. 1mb memory. MB 4 yrs old.

Old XP was 4 yrs old and cranky. Started locking up.

After fresh install, runs much better but still occasionally locks up. Have to cold - reboot.

Internal temps within spec.

What are the major issues that might cause it?

-lab33

 

[cjelec]

Try looking at the Task-Manager (Ctrl+Alt+Del) to see what app is taking 100%. A few apps are known to do this, firefox can sometimes do it if you are using alot of tabs...

May I ask, how do you know its something to do with 100% of memory? Do you have a Page file warning (bubble near the clock)?

 

[lab33]

To say "100 of memory" is the wrong term. I'm referring to CPU usage. I sometimes monitor tasks performance by observing the cpu usage in the systray.

Is there a way to tell which app is taking it all? I do run 2 - 4 tabs in Firefox. In processes, it is nr one at 60k.

I have 1mb of memory. Next time it locks, I'll try to send a screen dump of the processes or performance window.

Thanks for your interesting reply.

What is the 'bubble' you refer to?

-lab33

 

[acewarlock]

cjelec said use CTRL+ALT+DEL and when it pops up select processes and click CPU twice to see which one is using all the CPU time.


This is a Signature and not part of the answer, it appears on every reply.

This is an Analogy so don't take it personally as some have.

Why change the engine if all you need is to change the spark plugs.

 

[lab33]

Trying to find out if I need to replace the sparkplugs!


Cheers

-lab33

 

[lab33]

I might add this PC has run 12 hrs a day, 7 days a week for 4 - 5 yrs.

-lab33

 

[BadBigBen]

@lab33 - the quib about the sparkplugs is his signature, by no means has it anything to do with what he suggested...

things to look for: go to the Device Manager and see if any Hardware is not correctly installed (yellow exclaimation mark)...
update your chipset drivers, update device drivers, and is windows up to date? Indexing service and/or prefetcher turned off?

@acewarlock - how about italics and spaced down a bit, about your sig that is, so as that new members don't get confused...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[lab33]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

His "sparkplug" reference was not a problem.

But this one is:

"@acewarlock - how about italics and spaced down a bit, about your sig that is, so as that new members don't get confused... smile "

I have no idea what you are referring to. Please enlighten.

I was a member here under another name but forgot my name/password.

Regards

-lab33

 

[lab33]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

This version XP PRO newer than previous.

No ??'s in Device manager.

Will have to check the other features.

His "sparkplug" reference was not a problem.

But this one is:

"@acewarlock - how about italics and spaced down a bit, about your sig that is, so as that new members don't get confused... smile "

I have no idea what you are referring to. Please enlighten.

I was a member here under another name but forgot my name/password.

Regards

-lab33

 

[BadBigBen]

lab33 - the @ sign is used to indicate that the comments are for the person whose alias follows it... in the case above, it translates to roughly " at acewarlock "... hope this helps clarify it a bit...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[cjelec]

I thought you meant the CPU usage, confused me a little.

Did you look in task manager?

If the PC is locking up to the point of not being able to perform any tasks, keep the task manager open.

acewarlock's instructions are a little more in depth than mine, so follow those to see a list prioritized by CPU usage.

You say that you use the PC for a very long time each day, do you run Defragmenter regularly? This is more of a prevention rather than a fix of system hangs.

I have 1mb of memory

Sorry I have to ask, is this a typo?

Thanks

 

[lab33]

Yes, it is. I have 1 gb of ram.

One reason I renewed my XP PRO was because it was acting clunky. OE was falling apart.

So I installed new HD, loaded newer version of XP PRO. Did that two weeks ago.

So I don't think defrag is needed yet. But I might try it to make sure.

CPU still goes to 100% but not so often. It may or may not hang. I'm still trying to figure out what program(s) may be the cause.

When I click on CPU usage in Task manager, it does hop around a bit, even when it is at 100%. Is this normal?

Finally,

"lab33 - the @ sign is used to indicate that the comments are for the person whose alias follows it... in the case above, it translates to roughly " at acewarlock "... hope this helps clarify it a bit... "

I still don't get it. I may be dense. Give me an example.

Thanks for all the tips.

-Lab33

 

[BadBigBen]

@Lab33 - have you checked the Heat sink fan for dust build up, most newer CPUs have a thermal shutdown or slowdown, which could be what is causing this...

@cjelec - good point about having the TASK MANAGER open, and fragmentation should not cause the 100% CPU usage spikes.



lab33 first @ if for you, and some info as to what to check...
second @ is for cjelec - commenting on his post...

hope this cleared it up a bit... it's really not to hard to understand forum talk, it just takes practise... we use the @ symbol to condense two seperate posts into one, making it look neater...



Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[lab33]

Thanks. I'll have to figure @ out.

As for heat, I blew out everything when I installed new HD.

I also installed USAS temp probe s/w. Temps are within normal limits.

I'm not saying frag causes spikes. But when I observe performance window while running certain programs, it goes to 100%. When I look at processes at that time, CPU usage hops around. The PC doesn't necessarily lock up. Just once in a while.

The applications I'm running shouldn't be challenging 1gb ram.

That's why I wonder if I have some other problem, perhaps with the mother board.

 

[ceh4702]

Did you install XP with SP2?

If you did not I recommend it.

Also download all the updates.

This could literally be anaything causing this from a video card driver to a bad power supply to a corrupted file to a bad hard drive.

At home I am running a 1.2 Gig Celeron Tulatin Core processor with less RAM on an old Asus TUSL2-C PIII motherboard. I am running XP and I am not locking up.

In a case like this it is normally the Power Supply or the Hard Drive. As computers get old anything can quit working.

If you do not like my post feel free to point out your opinion or my errors.

 

[ceh4702]

Did you look inside your case?

Sometimes the dust builds up and makes the processor run hot or an old fan quits running.

If it is just too much dust the system gets hot and often the motherboard thermal protection can make the system freeze up and then start running again. You get the same results if fans quit running. Could be a fan on the CPU or Chipset Cooler on the motherboard or a Video Card Fan.

Often you can fix this with a can of compressed air by just blowing all the excess dust from around the processor and everywhere else while you have the case cover off. It is best to do this outside. It gets dust everywhere.

If you do not like my post feel free to point out your opinion or my errors.

 

[lab33]

Those are good ideas.

Yes, I'm using SP2 and all the upgrades are installed.

Yes, I blew out everything and am running temp probe. Temps are within limits. So are voltages.

And I will have to consider power supply and video card issues.

No, I have no objections to your ideas. They're all good.

Thanks

-Lab33

 

[Freestone]

With a board this age, capacitors may be an issue. Inspect your motherboard caps.

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

http://www.badcaps.net/pages.php?vid=5

http://www.news.com/2300-1041_3-5940552-1.html?tag=ne.gall.pg

 

[lab33]

I will do that.

Thanks

-labay

 

[cjelec]

Sorry, when you are looking in Task Manager, have a look in the Processes tab you should see a list of every thing that is running on your PC. You should also see a column called CPU, If you click on the column header (once or twice) this until you see the higher numbers at the top. Then keep Task Manager open in the corner of your screen, make sure that the top few entries in the list is visible at all times. When your PC freezes next time, have a look at the top three items, one of them could be your culprit.

100% CPU is normal (some of the time), it really depends on what tasks your are performing.

You said that you installed a new hard drive, do you happen to know the wattage of your power supply?