Stupid Computer

[90GTVert]

I'm posting on the laptop I got recently to tune my car, because my main desktop PC is acting up again. I just figured I'd post here in case any computer whizzes have any insight.

The week before last it started freezing up on me from time to time. Perhaps pausing is more appropriate. It would stop responding, then come back eventually. It ended up getting to a point that it would freeze right after starting up and stay frozen. It appeared that something was wrong with a windows file or files. It wouldn't use system restore, it couldn't use the complete system backup, it couldn't repair itself. I couldn't get it to respond to anything. I ended up deleting my partitions and formatting the whole drive to try and be sure I got anything that woulda been there.

I reinstalled Windows and it ran fine. Then I started updating and it got to a point where it didn't wanna install some updates. Right about then, it started freezing again.

I reformatted and reinstalled Windows. This time I ran Microsoft's update readiness program. It installed all the updates this time. It ran just fine until this morning. The power flashed off for a split second and then it wouldn't start Windows. It is hooked up to a Monster Power surge protector and the power flashes happen daily here for whatever reason. I don't think that has much to do with it. Anyway, so it wouldn't restart after that. It would freeze and I would restart it and it would try to repair itself and fail. I ran memory checks and system restores that fail again, but it came up with a blue screen at one point telling me there's something up with Windows files.

I'm getting ready to try and reinstall again. I just wanted to know if anyone knew of something that could cause this to happen so often or if there's something I should be checking as well as reinstalling, scandisk, etc... I don't enjoy messing with this thing that much.

Just some info if it's helpful...

Intel Pentium D Dual Core 3.0GHz
4GB RAM
1GB GeForce Graphics
Windows 7 Home Premium (32 Bit)
I was using Norton System Security prior to this. I keep my drives defragged. I run SpyBot and AdAware. It was very reliable after installing Win7 initially in December.

[Reign]

I actually run/co-own a local computer business. It sounds to be like your hard drive is about to die. Though it's odd that Windows 7 wouldnt tell you that. Usually you'd get a warning screen almost everytime you start it up that would tell you to backup your data and buy a new hard drive. Though, I just had a case with a brand new laptop that someone brought me where the hard drive died without any warning at all. My first suggestion would be to either buy a NEW drive, or if you just want to test it to make sure it IS the drive, find an old hard drive from another computer to throw in it and reinstall windows. If the freezing stops, you know that's the problem.

The only other thing I would think of, would be the ram. you said you have 4GB. It's either 4 x 1GB, or 2 x 2GB. If It's 4 x 1. Try to take out 3 sticks and leave just 1 in. If it still freezes, try to replace the 1 stick you left in with one of the other 3. Keep trying that until you've worked through every stick. Same thing if it's 2 x 2. Take out one stick and try it again. You said you're running 32-bit Windows, with 4 GB of ram, so you're really only getting 3.25 GB usable. You'd have to switch to 64-bit for you to be able to use the full 4 GB. I know that Mac OSX used to have an issue with using 4 GB on 32-bit. It would freeze and restart if you didnt manually set it to only use 3.25 GB.

Try both of those things. The easiest being the ram, so start with that.

[90GTVert]

I have anotehr development, might change things...

I was trying to reinstall windows and now I can't even do that. Even using the disc to boot and restore it gets to where I choose to reinstall and then it sticks on the loading screen. Nothing seems to work quite the same. The BIOS stuff looks OK to me, but otherwise it won't let me do anything at all now. I can't get it to let me start in safe mode, reinstall, do diagnostics, nothing.

[Reign]

Jul 6, 2010 13:02:23 GMT -5 90GTVert said:

I have anotehr development, might change things...

I was trying to reinstall windows and now I can't even do that. Even using the disc to boot and restore it gets to where I choose to reinstall and then it sticks on the loading screen. Nothing seems to work quite the same. The BIOS stuff looks OK to me, but otherwise it won't let me do anything at all now. I can't get it to let me start in safe mode, reinstall, do diagnostics, nothing.

Still sounds like one of those things to me. How far does into booting from the disc before it freezes? Usually if the hard drive is bad, it'll boot fully into the disc, but tell you that it couldnt find a hard drive. Just because of that, it makes me think it might be your ram.

[90GTVert]

If I use no disc it gets to the "Starting Windows" screen and freezes there. Then I get a flash of a blue screen and it restarts. When it restarts it gives me the option of starting repair or checking the memory. I have checked the memory twice with 0 problems found. If I try to do repair it loads the first two plain DOS looking loading screens. Then it goes to a more Windows like loading bar (what should be right before the system repair stuff is loaded). After tht loading bar is up for about two seconds my screen goes black and my USB keyboard/mouse lights go out like it's shutdown but the computer is still on... just doing nothing.

If I use a DVD to boot, it gets past the "Starting Windows" screen. Then I choose language and input type. It goes to the next screen where you can Install Windows 7, what you need to know before installation, or repair. It freezes on all but the info link and that's just a help popup.

I'll try the RAM stuff later. Thanks.

[Reign]

Hope it works out for you. I can't think of anything else that it would be. Unless it's overheating, but I doubt that. When you're in there working with the ram, just make sure the heatsink on the processor is seated right. Intel has a issue with their heatsinks where it only uses plastic clips to hold it against the processor. My brothers computer has loosened itself so many times and almost died because of it. Usually if it's overheating, it should just turn itself off. but if it doesnt have overheat protection, it should get really, really, really slow.

[redorchestra]

What about trying a different operating system? Or just trying a different operating system. It might narrow down some questions.
I don't know what you use your computer for, but I've been running Ubuntu since my last computer problem. I haven't looked back since. There is a bit of a learning curve but it isn't difficult once you get it. I don't use my computer for gaming though. The latest Ubuntu, Codenamed Lucid Lynx is quite slick, and it's FREEEEEEEEEE

[90GTVert]

The processor was running at 131-2 degrees when I checked in the BIOS.

I spent the $200 for Win7 in December and I normally love it. I have threatened to use a different OS in the past, but I never followed through.

[Goosey]

If the heatsink on the proccesor has a fan, I would suspect that first, overheating. Otherwise, the hard drive is probably failing. Sometimes cleaning the connectors on the ram helps, but you can test for a bad stick by pulling one out at a time ( or a pair at a time depending if your board needs sets of two ) and start it up, see if it freezes.
Is this an older computer? 4-5 years old? If so, you can look at the mainboard with a good light, check the ends of the capacitors, the tiny barrel shaped things that stick out, if any have outward bulges on the ends ( should be flat ), the capacitors are shot and you need a new mainboard, this is usually an older mainboard issue, not too common.

[90GTVert]

I pulled the all but one RAM and tried different sticks and it doesn't affect it. It still freezes or just kinda stops working on whatever I wanna do.

I'm at 57 degrees C or less and when i looked it up this processor is supposed to be OK up to 69.8 C. I don't think overheating should be the problem.

I'll have a look at the capacitors the best I can. I hate this kinda small case. It's a pain to do anything. I have to remove my graphics card just to be able to squeeze in to mess with the RAM.

This is an HP Media Center computer that I got in 2005 direct from HP, so it is about 5 years old. I've added a bigger power supply, 2GB of RAM, the GTS 250 graphics card, and a 2nd hard drive. After that I installed Win 7. I thought about upgrading, but it does well. I recently downloaded a Devil May Cry 4 Benchmark and it was running at 180FPS with high detail and filtering. I know it's not ultra fast, but it keeps up. I don't even really game onthe PC. I just liek to have power for editing photos and videos, and multitasking.

[90GTVert]

I looked it over and the capacitors are still flat. Connectors are tight. Everything LOOKS alright.

[stepthrutuner]

Well, sounds like it's down to either the hard drive or a connection problem.

[WT100]

One of my MACs broke once. It was such a confusing and new experience.







sorry couldn't resist

[90GTVert]

Thanks a lot Tim. lol

Could it still be a hard drive even though it never gets to any hard drive operations? I mean if I'm trying to load from a DVD, is the hard drive doing anything right then?

[Goosey]

Ah, but with the MAC you miss the joy of building your own, and tinkering Much like the ownership of a Chinese scooter