Bit OT - WinXP PC locks up!

[Adrian Brentnall]

HI All Sorta DIY - I'm trying to fix it myself

WinXP Pro SP3 PC, Dell fairly basic desktop (Vostro 200), about 4 years old, fully updated, running Avast antivirus & Spybot. Every so often, the PC just locks up solid, not responsive to mouse, Alt-Ctl-Del or anything else... Only way out is to pull the mains plug (I know it's not a good idea - but what can you do ?)

Happens most often when running a particular web authoring package (Netobjects Fusion) - but has also happened (once) with another web authoring package (WYSIWYG).

Tried blowing the muck out of the PC fans etc. - but doesn't seem to have made any difference. Lifted & reseated the memory.

I'm a bit at a loss for where to look next? Any ideas, please ?

Thanks Adrian

[Tabby]

I've sorted enough well used win installs to know not to bother in most cases. A fresh reinstall is generally quicker and more reliable after several years. Personally I'd install soemthing better like linux Mint 7, and upgrade firefox to 3.6. I might dualboot it with puppy or antix too.

NT

[Invisible Man]

Sounds like a software problem rather than a hardware problem.

Regret I have no ideas but hopefully someone else here will.

Have you tried looking for any groups or forums that cover the software, googling for similar problems etc?

Uninstalling and reinstalling the suspect software might help but without knowing exactly where to look it does not necessarily clear out any settings that might be causing the problem.

If it is easier most PCs can as a last resort be shut down by holding down the on button for up to about 7 seconds.

[tony sayer]

In article , Adrian Brentnall scribeth thus

With that sort of symptom I'd try a substitute power supply first at that sort of age. Most all the instances of this happening have been hardware related. XP is a stable system otherwise..

Don't know if that make was subject to the dodgy capacitors that did plague many motherboards some time ago, but worth a look to see if any of them are leaking or bulging etc...

[Adrian Brentnall]

Thanks for that. Is it possible to reinstall Windows and leave all the application programs in place? (I don't really want to start from a clean disk) I'm pretty sure that I've got the Dell install disks somewhere, but I'd presumably have to go through a fairly serious download/update session ?

Firefox4 is installed - though it's debatable whether that's an improvement

I tried various linux-type things a while back, and it wasn't that good an experience - maybe distros have improved since..? Anyway - if I was going that way I'd probably want to do it on a spare machine - there's day-to-day jobs ongoing that can't wait while I play 'new operating systems'

Thanks Adrian

[Adrian Brentnall]

The software's supported by an enthusiastic user base, rather than any particular support from the designers. This latest release was let loose in January, and we're still waiting for some major 'day1' bugs to be sorted.....

I didn't know that - probably a bit kinder than pulling the mains! Thanks Adrian

[Adrian Brentnall]

Yes - I've been reasonably happy with XP - which is why I've not bothered to upgrade. Odd thing is that this particular piece of software is the only thing I've ever seen that locks the PC up solid.... not as in 'Program not responding' but as in 'PC locked up solid and out to lunch'....

Nothing obvious. I think it probably post-dates that episode. - bought new in July 2008.....

Thanks Adrian

[Invisible Man]

I prefer Firefox 4 but I know a lot of people don't.

Whenever I have reinstalled windows I have had to reinstall everything else afterwards. If there is an easy way I Would love to hear it. Usually takes me a number of days.

As I understand it most applications will not work unless they are included in the windows registry which could well be where the problem lies. Hence the need to start all over again.

Sorry, not a lot I can do but commiserate.

I will however be watching this thread carefully for new ideas.

[Invisible Man]

We have 2 PCs still running XP and both are pretty stable if slow. Latest PC has Windows 7 64 bit. Very stable but not something to try unless you are entirely satisfied the programs that are important to you will run on it. I had to do some manual entries to get one app to run and Nokia's software was a complete nightmare. HTC's is fine.

[Andy Inman]

With the system 4 years old then maybe enough dust has been sucked into the CPU heatsink to give intermittant thermal problems, so I'd suck that out for starters. Possibly dodgy PSU as already mentioned. Other than that I'd start looking at software issues, maybe have a look at event and crash logs for anything untoward:-

I'd only re-install the OS as a last resort, the PITA of re- installing apps. and finding security codes etc. for ones you've paid for is such a hassle.

[John Williamson]

The other problem is that when stuff is uninstalled, it leaves registry entries configuration files and .ini files behind. To save time next time, make a slipstreamed install CD for XP immediately you have installed and fully updated, and before you install any programs. Doing this will give you an installation fully updated to the date you made the CD, or get a fully updated installation with all your programs upand running, and use Ghost to copy it to another machine or Harddrive.

I normally end up doing a clean reinstall every year or so. An evening getting it to the stage of being safe on the internet, update Windows overnight, which usually takes a couple of evenings while I watch TV, then re-install the programs one by one as I use them from the install images on the HD, or dig out the CDs from the piling system.

[John Williamson]

+1 on it being software, not hardware related, with a strong bias toward whatever was the last thingto be installed/ updated.

[Andy Inman]

A system restore back to a point before the last thing was installed would be easy to try.

[Nitro®]

Run ccleaner from piriform

's freeware and spyware free)

Clean up your hard disk and check for registry errors.

[F Murtz]

Instead of pulling plug, hold off button for a while and it will usually shut down. (although will not fix your problem just saves pulling plug)

[Robin]

Does it not even respond to your holding in the power button for 4+ seconds?

Have you used the Event Viewer to look at the logs? (I don't have much experience with the black art of interpreting the logs but they should at least show if it is a consistent source.)

[Adrian C]

Also check the hard drive for 'smart' recorded errors?

free version of HDTune lists those and might show some bad sectors that might be either siting in your application directory, or worse in the disk cache (if periodically short of system memory).

[Adrian Brentnall]

Thanks - I'll give it a try.... Adrian

[Adrian Brentnall]

I'm trying to avoid the grief of a complete reinstall - if it get that bad then I'll probably buy another PC and migrate across!

Was 'piling system' a typo ? made me chuckle! Adrian

[John]

It's already been said but I'd be strongly suspecting the power supply unit. If you've got a spare one, stick it in and see (if not, they're cheap as chips to buy these days).