Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)
The problem I am having is the system locking up or freezing. By that I mean
the picture freezes (and the sound) and the mouse and keyboard stop working.
All I can do is reboot using the hardware reset button.
It first happened after I installed a TV card and DVD writer and was trying
to capture video from a VHS through the TV card to the hard drive.
Originally this was to MPEG2, then I tried to uncompressed AVI. Freezing
always occurred. It was suggested that it might be a heat problem and so I
tried with the side of the case off - the time I could capture improved but
it still happened.
Some weeks later, the problem then started occurring at apparently random
moments. I've been unable to locate a particular action that causes,
although playing video is one ting. On the other hand, it has occurred when
doing something as simple as opening a new window. It wasn't as simple at
CPU activity alone - it will rip CDs in Windows Media Player (which utilises
the CPU 100%) with hardly a problem. The problem get worse until Windows was
locking up even before it had finished loading (desktop up but start-up
programs still loading). By then I had installed motherboard monitor to look
at temperatures - nothing seemingly out of the ordinary there.
At that point I decided to reformat the disk and reinstall Windows. That
has not helped. Indeed, it even seemed to lock up during the installation.
The problem is getting progressively worse - it is now not at all rare for
the PC to lock up even before Windows is loaded. What has become noticeable,
however, is a bit of a pattern. When I fist turn the PC on, it invariably
locks up before Windows loads - I don't usually even get the start-up screen.
I then get progressively further into the loading process each time I
restart (with the hardware button) until eventually I get working Windows.
After that, it will probably lock up again at some point but it could be
minutes or hours.
This "pattern" does suggest some kind of temperature problem to me, although
it seems to be more a case of something warming up than something overheating
(or perhaps both?). For that reason I began to suspect perhaps a problem
with the PSU. I've added a fair amount to the PC since I bought it and I'm
sure the PSU was not a top quality one.
Next I decided to run a memory test, to see if that threw something up.
First I tried memtest+. It froze every time I tried it but, interestingly,
at exactly the same point very time. I've also tried the Windows Memory
Diagnostic Tool - again it freezes every time at the same test, this time not
at exactly the same point every time but always right at the beginning of
test 4.
Any thoughts?
The problem I am having is the system locking up or freezing. By that I mean
the picture freezes (and the sound) and the mouse and keyboard stop working.
All I can do is reboot using the hardware reset button.
It first happened after I installed a TV card and DVD writer and was trying
to capture video from a VHS through the TV card to the hard drive.
Originally this was to MPEG2, then I tried to uncompressed AVI. Freezing
always occurred. It was suggested that it might be a heat problem and so I
tried with the side of the case off - the time I could capture improved but
it still happened.
Some weeks later, the problem then started occurring at apparently random
moments. I've been unable to locate a particular action that causes,
although playing video is one ting. On the other hand, it has occurred when
doing something as simple as opening a new window. It wasn't as simple at
CPU activity alone - it will rip CDs in Windows Media Player (which utilises
the CPU 100%) with hardly a problem. The problem get worse until Windows was
locking up even before it had finished loading (desktop up but start-up
programs still loading). By then I had installed motherboard monitor to look
at temperatures - nothing seemingly out of the ordinary there.
At that point I decided to reformat the disk and reinstall Windows. That
has not helped. Indeed, it even seemed to lock up during the installation.
The problem is getting progressively worse - it is now not at all rare for
the PC to lock up even before Windows is loaded. What has become noticeable,
however, is a bit of a pattern. When I fist turn the PC on, it invariably
locks up before Windows loads - I don't usually even get the start-up screen.
I then get progressively further into the loading process each time I
restart (with the hardware button) until eventually I get working Windows.
After that, it will probably lock up again at some point but it could be
minutes or hours.
This "pattern" does suggest some kind of temperature problem to me, although
it seems to be more a case of something warming up than something overheating
(or perhaps both?). For that reason I began to suspect perhaps a problem
with the PSU. I've added a fair amount to the PC since I bought it and I'm
sure the PSU was not a top quality one.
Next I decided to run a memory test, to see if that threw something up.
First I tried memtest+. It froze every time I tried it but, interestingly,
at exactly the same point very time. I've also tried the Windows Memory
Diagnostic Tool - again it freezes every time at the same test, this time not
at exactly the same point every time but always right at the beginning of
test 4.
Any thoughts?
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