Big problem at the moment. Basically, I turn my computer on and everything loads up as usual. For example, I would then go on the internet. However after about 5 minutes the computer freezes. The Mouse wont move and alt/ctrl/del wont work on the key board as it stops working as well. The only way I can get the computer working again is if I reset it.
This is happening all the time now. Does any whizzkid out there know whats wrong with it?
When you reset it, put up task manager - look at cpu see what is eating up your resources!
The computer is only 3 years old. How the fcuk could it be fcuked? a virus maybe?
Were you looking at naughty things? 8)
Quote from: DoYerJob Linesman on November 01, 2008, 11:25:59 PM
Were you looking at naughty things? 8)
Is that what usually happens?
YES. :'(
Could be a Virus/spyware problem.
Do you have anti-virus software?
Boot up in Safe mode and see how it goes.
(Tap F8 when you turn computer on and Select Safe Mode with Networking which will still give you internet access when you boot up)
Do a full scan of antivirus software.
If you don't have any you could downlaod the free version of Avast.
Also might be worth downloading SuperAntiSpyware and running it also.
I may have delved in to that area of art now and again :-[
Cheers Mhic. Ill give this a go.
Quote from: DownFanatic on November 01, 2008, 11:37:02 PM
I may have delved in to that area of art now and again :-[
Well put. :D
Have you Gogle desktop installed ? .... it may make a laptop unusable if you have huge amounts of files and an excessive 'filtering' turned on in Google desktop
Quote from: DownFanatic on November 01, 2008, 10:57:54 PM
Big problem at the moment. Basically, I turn my computer on and everything loads up as usual. For example, I would then go on the internet. However after about 5 minutes the computer freezes. The Mouse wont move and alt/ctrl/del wont work on the key board as it stops working as well. The only way I can get the computer working again is if I reset it.
This is happening all the time now. Does any whizzkid out there know whats wrong with it?
What browser do you use? Have you tried an alternative? Does it freeze if you're not on the internet? Maybe you should try messing around with msconfig and try disabling some of the start-up programmes to see which might be causing the problem e.g. if you disable your virus scanner or something and that solves the problem, perhaps you will have found your culprit. Have you downloaded any new security software that coincide with the appearance of this problem and might be causing a conflict? For example, certain virus scanners are incompatible with certain firewalls and so on.
It sounds like you'll just have to follow many of the suggestions given here until you isolate what the problem is. Probably some kind of malware that's kicking in.
If it is doing this after 5 minutes regardless of wether its the internet you are using or any other application, you CPU might be heating up too much. Open up the computer and check that the connections of the fan around the cpu are still intact. Also when restarting go into the BIOS and check the temperatures of the CPU. Im not too sure off the top of my head what they should be but i think 0ver 30 degrees might be too hot. If your processor gets too hot it will just come to a complete halt.
Download and run spybot and adaware. Both are free and should sort your problem out straight away.
What's the best antivirus software to buy? Laptop has started being very sluggish and I think my free antivirus software isn't cutting it anymore.
Quote from: under the bar on November 02, 2008, 11:14:28 AM
Download and run spybot and adaware. Both are free and should sort your problem out straight away.
Not necessarily, in my experience, but worth a go.
Quote from: downgirl on November 02, 2008, 11:20:05 AM
What's the best antivirus software to buy? Laptop has started being very sluggish and I think my free antivirus software isn't cutting it anymore.
Some antivirus or internet security packages are resource hogs and certainly could account for slowing down of startup. Norton has been notorious for this, although I am currently using Norton 08 and it is much improved.
Do you do general maintenance on your computer e.g. defragmenting, cleaning out the cache and registry and so on? If these aren't done on a regular basis, that will slow you down. Download Ccleaner, which is excellent for cleaning up. It does a registry clean up as well.
Right, Ive been working on this problem now for a week. Ive finally isolated it. The CPU is overheating. Now, what should be my next step? PS - No sarcasm please Hardstation 8)
Buy a fan and attach it in the vicinity of the CPU. These are cheap little things you can buy at any comonent supplier. You could also check where yuo have your pc, can air get in at it of is there loads of stuff clogged all around.
Rather than start a new thread I may resurrect one.
Right, a couple of probably minor problems but here goes.
First off, I turned on the computer recently it tells me that the boot.ini is missing and proceeds to run from c:\Windows. I'll edited the boot.ini to a typical XP one, saved it and that was it ok. Then it proceeds after 2 or 3 more log ons to repeat this and it has been doing it since.
I've also a problem with AOL in that it won't load. I've uninstalled and reinstalled with different versions and similarly to the boot.ini problem, it works the next time after the reinstall but every other time after I get the same error message about reinstalling the software.
While the 2 problems probably aren't related, I thought I'd do a system restore just to be on the safe side in case it was a virus. However the system restored hasn't been turned on and now I'm stumped. Any ideas?
Go to run and msconfig. See under the General Tab. Try using the Normal Startup radio button? See if that gets rid of your issue.
Quote from: Muzz on June 30, 2009, 01:17:58 PM
Go to run and msconfig. See under the General Tab. Try using the Normal Startup radio button? See if that gets rid of your issue.
Didn't work unfortunately.
Have another symptom now to throw into the mixer. Checked my AVG log and it hasn't run a full scan in a while. Tried running it a few times today but the computer kept turning itself off - not even shutting down, just completely powering off mid scan. Tried running it again but this time looked at the CPU usage, and the virus scanner was consistently at 100% in the processes before it shut itself off. Any other ideas?
Sounds like a bugger of a clever virus that I've heard about.
Download a program called malware bytes. It seems as good as any about. (recommended on here)
Not sure that'll solve things but give it a go. It may be intelligent enough to detect it too...
Download HijackThis and post the log file it generates here and I will go through it
The log is clean.
Try malware bytes as imtommygunn suggested
Cheers lads.
Tried them both, seem to have sorted the virus checker and the boot.ini problem - AOL is still up the left but not too worry.
In keeping with the problems I had previously, is there any possibility that Service Pack 3 could be the cause? When I look at my updates, things only really started going wrong after installing it. I still have the problem with the computer cutting out and with AOL
tyrone86 I'd scan the disk for corruption. Open My Computer and right click on your hard disk and select properties. Click the Tools Tab and click the Check Now button. Check Automatically Fix Errors and Scan for and attempt repair of bad sectors. Click Start. A message will pop up telling you that the disk is in use and asking do you want to schedule a disk scan. Say yes. Reboot your PC. Chkdsk should kick in when its booting and let this run, you don't need to do anything. It could take a couple of hours depending on the size of your disk and how much damage there is. When the scan is finished Windows will boot as normal.
Let us know how you get on.
Cheers, will do
A few weeks ago i came home from work to find that the power had tripped due to lighting. When i had left for work my pc was of but when i went to switch it on, it wouldn't and the normal green power light was flashing. I have disconnected the power supply to the mother board which when i googled it was one of the responses it said to fix it but it didn't
Any suggesions would be great as using the net with my phone is a pain.
Did you google for the make of your computer with power button flashing.
The power button flashing means something.
The power source could be goosed.
Quote from: gerry on August 09, 2009, 08:10:21 PM
A few weeks ago i came home from work to find that the power had tripped due to lighting. When i had left for work my pc was of but when i went to switch it on, it wouldn't and the normal green power light was flashing. I have disconnected the power supply to the mother board which when i googled it was one of the responses it said to fix it but it didn't
Any suggesions would be great as using the net with my phone is a pain.
Usually when the Computers power supply unit (PSU) is toast you wouldn't see any light.
The sudden power off has done something to the motherboard settings.
These are important settings stored in a little battery on the motherboard.
If the disconnecting the power plug fix doesn´t work,
check out on what you have to do to reset the computer.
That might help clear it.
Do you have a reset button beside the power button?
Last resort is to open up the case and take out the motherboard battery, little silver disc
and leave it out for at least 5 seconds - 30 seconds
You can also check battery voltage while its out - must be healthy.
BUT you have to then manually set the Motherboard BIOS settings before the computer boots up, holding down the DEL button at power up will give you access to BIOS settings.
Refer to computer manual or have somebody who has experience hold your hand.
Or be prepared to experiment many times until you get the settings just right.
Can you hear the fan when you turn your computer on ?
cheers main street will give that a go. no dennis when i put in the power lead all is dead
I have just put the memory card from my camera into what I thought was the right size slot on my new dell laptop. its the wrong size and the card has disappeared. Can you easily take the back off a laptop, can i get to the chip? Is it off to f**king PC world with my story that the youngest lad madaged to jam the card into the slot
Maybe your memory card account was just overdrawn.
I have no idea of the mechanics involved in card retrieval but if you have to take it somewhere, just stare them in the eye and own up to the deed.
Quote from: gerrykeegan on September 10, 2009, 09:18:29 PM
I have just put the memory card from my camera into what I thought was the right size slot on my new dell laptop. its the wrong size and the card has disappeared. Can you easily take the back off a laptop, can i get to the chip? Is it off to f**king PC world with my story that the youngest lad madaged to jam the card into the slot
If you have a small pair of tweezers you could pull it out yourself. I wouldn't recommend anyone open a laptop unless they know what they are doing and have the appropriate tools