19 replies to this topic

[DLGolfs]

I was directed to post here:

While I am using the computer, I have not problems.
On 6/19/2009, I have had the problem only during 'down" times.
If I do a malwarebytes full scan, AVG full scan, and/or lavasoft full scan, or if I just let the computer sit idle with no input, after 30-40 minutes the computer locks, mouse, and keyboard and I have to do a hard reboot.
I put the procexp up full screen so I could see what was running at the time of the freeze. All it shows me is the current scan and other auxilary that do not look supicious.
I have AVG and lavasoft ad-aware(anti-spyware only -running in the background. I only load the necessary services and start up items via msconfig.
The only major change is that I went through 18 hours of troubleshooting to install a HP printer to find out that it is a bad USB cable!
HP did install an update and I received a message that CMD.exe and /$secure was corrupted and to run ckdsk, I did and it showed nothing.
I have today, deleted the one touch monitor by vissioneer and the Lexmark Z600 printer software and hardware, but I can't get rid of all of the lexmark files. I uninstalled throuth control panel but the registry still showed the program and there are some residual files on the hard drive in the system 32 folder.
I exported the registry and delted the lexmark file but the other folder/files still remain.
My biggest problem is that I can run a full scan or a scan , because after 30-40 minutes it freezes.
The computer is not touched at that time.
I do not hibernate or stand by , I have stopped the power down of the USBs and the monitor or hard drive does not ever turn off.
I have physically cleaned the motherboard, inside and took the RAM out and cleaned it (suggestion from Microsoft) They also suggested that I try a scan in safe mode.
I have not tried that yet.
I also have not tried to let the computer sit and it still freezes.
I have a firewall on my Netgear router, but still have the windows firewall on with no exceptions. I have added some exceptions on the AVG upon the suggestion of a malware post.
I have wanted to buy the Malware but it does not find my problem every, neither does lavasoft or AVG.
I have not tried Trend Micro or live.com from the Internet as a scan , but have in the past, and neither has fixed any problems that I have had
If you need any other info just ask.
windows XP Pro
2Gb Ram
80GB HD
The other malware board thinks it is a driver conflict. I deleted all software programs that I do not use from control panel, etc.
I ran Avira and it found 3 warnings. I thought it would make a log file, but it did not. I will manually write them down and post.
I did not let that program 'fix' the errors and will rerun it upon your suggestions and mark that to fix it .
Pleas advise.

[d4rkn1ght]

Hi DLGolfs

Sorry to hear about your problem... computer freezes are among the mosst irritating and most mysterious of computer problems.

There can be many reasons as to why your computer may freeze, and it can be hard to pinpoint which one. I have but a few suggestions:
1. Check for overheating.
2. Could it be a RAM issue? Are your RAM sticks working just fine?

Hope your problem gets fixed!

Best Regards

[DLGolfs]

How can I tell if it is overheating and how do I know if my RAM is working fine?

Any tools avaialble?

d4rkn1ght, on Jul 3 2009, 02:55 AM, said:

Hi DLGolfs

Sorry to hear about your problem... computer freezes are among the mosst irritating and most mysterious of computer problems.

There can be many reasons as to why your computer may freeze, and it can be hard to pinpoint which one. I have but a few suggestions:
1. Check for overheating.
2. Could it be a RAM issue? Are your RAM sticks working just fine?

Hope your problem gets fixed!

Best Regards

[yardbird]

@ DLGolfs
Please try a Quick scan instead of a Full scan
Please make sure you have in your AV/Firewall the programs below Trusted & not blocked

C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbam.exe
C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbam-dor.exe
C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbamgui.exe
C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbamservice.exe

Also go over this thread and see if there is anything that can help you. its an updated topic!
http://www.malwareby...showtopic=10138
I admit I have not had time to look at the topic above.
EDIT: Even though you are having Freezing issues & lockups, look over the above topic
It has examples of AV/Firewall programs that you must let some mbam files be trusted,
even if the program is not focused on your brand of AV/firewall,


I don't think the tool below will help you? But I'll post it for future reference as d4rkn1ght brought up a issue
http://www.almico.com/sfdownload.php

Please post back with your results, A CHKDSK & Defrag won't hurt. after you review the above.

[exile360]

DLGolfs, on Jul 3 2009, 09:22 AM, said:

How can I tell if it is overheating and how do I know if my RAM is working fine?

Any tools avaialble?

memtest86+. That'll let you test your ram.

Also, please click on Start and select Run and copy/paste the following text into the Run box exactly as written and press Enter. Let me know if it causes a freeze:

Rundll32.exe advapi32.dll,ProcessIdleTasks

Step 1
If that doesn't cause a freeze then please proceed with the following:

• Right click in a blank area of your desktop background and click Properties
  
• Click the Screen Saver tab
  
• Click on the button that says Power...
  
• You should now see the Power Options Properties window
  
• Click the drop down menu next to Turn off hard disks: and select Never
  
• Click the button at the bottom that says Apply then click the button that says Ok
  
• Click Ok to get out of the Display Properties window
  
• Wait to see if the freeze occurs any more and let us know

Step 2
If you still get freezes then please right-click on My Computer and select Manage

• Once the Computer Management window comes up click on Device Manager on the left hand pane.
  
• Click the + next to Universal Serial Bus Controllers
  
• Find the items listed called USB Root Hub
  
• One at a time, right click on each one and select Properties
  
• In the USB Root Hub Properties window click on the Power Management tab
  
• Uncheck the box next to Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power then click the OK button at the bottom
  
• Do this for each USB Root Hub listed in the Device Manager

Please wait after each procedure above to see if it is helpful and get back to me with the results.

[DLGolfs]

I have tried all that you listed, except for the memory ck.
I downloaded a few files but none of them show me anything. The one just let spybot scan it.

Which file should I download and then which one do I run (for the zipped file)?
I do have an ISO tool to run that one.

Nothing you have listed worked.
Attached is the speed fan log and the one temp looks high.

At first I had the cPU in my desk and the temp were, in F:

GPU 32
Temp-1 171
Temp-2 106
Temp-3 118
HDO 111

I took the CPU out and took off the cover and they changed to:
32
169
88
102
102
respectively

I tried to attach the logs but it would not let me, they are in a CSV format.
How do you want to look at these logs?

Both fans are running, the box fan and the CPU fan

exile360, on Jul 4 2009, 01:19 AM, said:

memtest86+. That'll let you test your ram.

Also, please click on Start and select Run and copy/paste the following text into the Run box exactly as written and press Enter. Let me know if it causes a freeze:

Rundll32.exe advapi32.dll,ProcessIdleTasks

Step 1
If that doesn't cause a freeze then please proceed with the following:

• Right click in a blank area of your desktop background and click Properties
  
• Click the Screen Saver tab
  
• Click on the button that says Power...
  
• You should now see the Power Options Properties window
  
• Click the drop down menu next to Turn off hard disks: and select Never
  
• Click the button at the bottom that says Apply then click the button that says Ok
  
• Click Ok to get out of the Display Properties window
  
• Wait to see if the freeze occurs any more and let us know

Step 2
If you still get freezes then please right-click on My Computer and select Manage

• Once the Computer Management window comes up click on Device Manager on the left hand pane.
  
• Click the + next to Universal Serial Bus Controllers
  
• Find the items listed called USB Root Hub
  
• One at a time, right click on each one and select Properties
  
• In the USB Root Hub Properties window click on the Power Management tab
  
• Uncheck the box next to Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power then click the OK button at the bottom
  
• Do this for each [b]USB Root Hub listed in the Device Manager

Please wait after each procedure above to see if it is helpful and get back to me with the results.

[DLGolfs]

Also, looks like Fan 2 is running very fast,it is RED in the CHarts section

[exile360]

Yes, your temps certainly look high. For memtest you want the ISO, just burn it to a CD and boot from it to run the memory diagnostic.

As for your temps, it could be an issue with the heatsink on your processor. Or the thermal paste that is between them as sometimes it gets old and needs to be cleaned off and replaced. If you're not familiar with seating a processor I'd recommend you have a professional do so as you run the risk of damaging it.

[DLGolfs]

There are two ISO files, which one?

I have tried to burn an ISO and then boot it but that does not work. "Advanced Setup" on another forum gave me a program that produces a drive letter,drive and extracts the ISO to files, then burn to a disc. When I burned the ISO file and rebotted to the CD, it ignored it, I guess b/c it is only an image.

As for the heat problem,I don' have anyone that I woul "trust" such as Geek Squad, I have not been impressed with them and cetainly don't trust them.

So you think that the chip needs to be removed, cleaned and then "pasted" back onto the motherboard? And/or the heatsink on the board? Or is the heatthink/thermal paste the same thing?

It may be cheaper to buy a new board this one is 8 years old. I built this computer my self but the board was already done except for the RAM.

I can call the company for the box, if they are stll in business, and see what they think and suggest. I would rather have a new board then fix an 8 year old one.

I will try the mem test also , but the RAM is newer.

Anything else?

[exile360]

To burn the ISO and for it to be bootable you'll have to open it with a program like Roxio, Nero or IMGBurn, they'll detect the ISO type and burn it properly. If you simply used Windows to burn it by copy/pasting it onto a blank CD then it won't boot.

As for the thermal paste, that is a substance that is placed between the heatsink (the fan and fins that sit on top of your processor) and the processor itself. It can dry up over time and begin to crack causing it to be unable to transfer heat efficiently from the top of your processor to the heatsink itself.

Being as it's 8 years old, that could well be the issue. I really don't recommend doing it yourself, and I'm even iffy on Geek Squad myself unless you know the tech that works there and know he/she knows what he/she is doing. You might check to see if there are any smaller tech shops around that simply specialize in PC repairs and building PC's, there's usually at least a few in every town. They're generally good at this type of work and it should be simple for them and inexpensive for you. If heat is the culprate there'd be no reason not to fix it as it would be far cheaper than spending money on a new motherboard and CPU.

[Jacktivity]

Hi DLGolfs,

See if this helps to burn the Memtest+86 ISO
[indent]How to Burn an Image File to CD Using ImgBurn[/indent]

• Download and install ImgBurn from here
  
• Place a blank CD or DVD in the CD/DVD tray and close it.
  
• Start ImgBurn.
  
• Upon startup, ImgBurn will open two windows. The bottom window is an information window only - the top one is a wizard window asking what you would like to do.
  
• In the top window, select Write image file to disc.
  
• On the next screen, find the folder icon with a magnifying glass on it toward the top center. If you hover the mouse over it, it says browse for a file. Click it.
  Note: By default this will show you only disc image types such as .bin, .cue., .img, .iso, etc and won't show other file types.
  
• Highlight the file you wish to burn and select open.
  
• You should be back on the main screen now.
  
• If you have more than one burner, select the one you want to use.
  
• Place a check mark on verify so that it automatically verifies the burn is good at the end of the process.
  
• Click on the icon in the bottom of the window with a right facing green arrow that points to a disc to begin the burn.
  
• The next screen will show the progress bars.
  
• When the burn is complete, the CD/DVD tray will cycle and you may notice a message in the bottom of the information window that says waiting for device to be ready. This is normal and the verification process will start automatically. If you are using a laptop, you most likely will have to close the tray manually.
  
• Once it's verified, you're done.
  Note: If you are trying to burn a bootable CD, you don't need to do any extra steps. ImgBurn will automatically include the boot information that is included in the image file, but the image file DOES have to have that information to make the CD bootable.

[DLGolfs]

The setting was cracked on the bottom and I got it fixed for $50, with a replacement of the paste too.
So far all is well.

Off the subject, I see thatyou have a john deere logo, if you can answer this question I would appreciate it.
We have 2.5 acres in a suburban area and just want to cut down the weeds between the trees so we were looking at the DR weed and brush mower. It is uneven and one section has a steep hill, so we were looking at the 15 HP motor with a 26inch blade.
Do you have an alternative or any comment on this machine?

Jacktivity, on Jul 5 2009, 08:54 PM, said:

Hi DLGolfs,

See if this helps to burn the Memtest+86 ISO
[indent]How to Burn an Image File to CD Using ImgBurn[/indent]

• Download and install ImgBurn from here
  
• Place a blank CD or DVD in the CD/DVD tray and close it.
  
• Start ImgBurn.
  
• Upon startup, ImgBurn will open two windows. The bottom window is an information window only - the top one is a wizard window asking what you would like to do.
  
• In the top window, select Write image file to disc.
  
• On the next screen, find the folder icon with a magnifying glass on it toward the top center. If you hover the mouse over it, it says browse for a file. Click it.
  Note: By default this will show you only disc image types such as .bin, .cue., .img, .iso, etc and won't show other file types.
  
• Highlight the file you wish to burn and select open.
  
• You should be back on the main screen now.
  
• If you have more than one burner, select the one you want to use.
  
• Place a check mark on verify so that it automatically verifies the burn is good at the end of the process.
  
• Click on the icon in the bottom of the window with a right facing green arrow that points to a disc to begin the burn.
  
• The next screen will show the progress bars.
  
• When the burn is complete, the CD/DVD tray will cycle and you may notice a message in the bottom of the information window that says waiting for device to be ready. This is normal and the verification process will start automatically. If you are using a laptop, you most likely will have to close the tray manually.
  
• Once it's verified, you're done.
  Note: If you are trying to burn a bootable CD, you don't need to do any extra steps. ImgBurn will automatically include the boot information that is included in the image file, but the image file DOES have to have that information to make the CD bootable.

[exile360]

DLGolfs, on Jul 7 2009, 11:44 AM, said:

The setting was cracked on the bottom and I got it fixed for $50, with a replacement of the paste too.
So far all is well.

I suspected as much (at least some hardware problem behind the heat issue). I'm glad you got it fixed up .

[AdvancedSetup]

Excellent work there Exile, I knew it couldn't be Malware doing that, not as he described it.

[yardbird]

@ DLGolfs from post # 12

Quote

Off the subject, I see thatyou have a john deere logo, if you can answer this question I would appreciate it.
We have 2.5 acres in a suburban area and just want to cut down the weeds between the trees so we were looking at the DR weed and brush mower. It is uneven and one section has a steep hill, so we were looking at the 15 HP motor with a 26inch blade.
Do you have an alternative or any comment on this machine?

sorry, I would consult DR
only reason, I put a John Deer avatar up was cause I couldn't find a Caterpillar logo!
only thing i can tell you about DR it they have great Service & Support
besides both tractor companies I used in South East Asia to bury something, circa 1972
PM me with any "off subjects" so we don't abuse the PC HELP forum please
but I can't help you much on weeds..Glad to see your PC is ok! ..regards..

[exile360]

yardbird, on Jul 7 2009, 10:30 PM, said:

@ DLGolfs from post # 12


sorry, I would consult DR
only reason, I put a John Deer avatar up was cause I couldn't find a Caterpillar logo!
only thing i can tell you about DR it they have great Service & Support
besides both tractor companies I used in South East Asia to bury something, circa 1972
PM me with any "off subjects" so we don't abuse the PC HELP forum please
but I can't help you much on weeds..Glad to see your PC is ok! ..regards..

Caterpillar Logos

[yardbird]

@ exile360

thank you ex! will bookmark the site,

[AdvancedSetup]

You're all set with CAT now. If you don't want it let me know: av-3835.jpg

[yardbird]

Leave it please looks ok! thx...

EDIT: Let me go & post a log for Marcin, or next time I go to Chicago, (wifes home town) Marcin will throw me in the Lake !!!!!

[AdvancedSetup]

Thanks for the feedback Cruise, but the user is already finished and it's working now.