Computer seizes up

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Guest

My computer seems to seize up quite a lot since I installed Xp and I recently
saw an advert for software which counteracts my problem but cannot find it
now. Has anyone had a similar problem and found software that sorts out the
problem?
 
in order to solve your problem in a more effective way could you expand on
"seize up". Does it just freeze? slow down? What do you do in order to course
this problem etc.
 
Hi there - thanks for responding. My computer freezes sometimes at start-up,
sometimes when I am on the internet. There doesn't seem to be a particular
reason.
 
'''need more info'''

what is the spec of your pc?
does it totally freeze, does ctrl/alt/del work
does it freeze at random or when doing something in particular?
was it a 'clean' install of xp or an os upgrade?

need more info tbh
:
 
is it a freezes up like you cant move anything or a very bad slow down? if
you leave it does it resume itself?
 
That is correct, I cannot move anything and I have to close my computer down
and re-start/re-boot it.
 
Diane, additional software is not likely to solve your problem.
Troubleshooting your system is what you need to do.
Here are a few questions for starters:

How much RAM memory do you have on your machine (in MB)?
What is the speed of your CPU (in GHz)?
To find this, look in Start - Control Panel - System - General Tab - lower
right area of window

What programs are you using when your computer seizes up?

Look in the Task Manager under Processes to see what is using the CPU the
most.
Task Manager: ctrl-alt-del
Click twice at the top of the CPU column to see the heavy CPU consumers.

Do you have current Antivirus?
Do you have current anti-Spyware?
 
Hi there - sorry I didn't reply before. My anti-virus and spyware software
is working and completey up-to-date. My pc is an Athalon 1.20 Ghz and I have
376 mB of RAM. Having checked my windows task manager, the heaviest
consumers are my internet provider, avg and svchost.exe - although I'm not
sure what that is.
 
Yes, it was a clean install. There does not seem to be any particular
pattern when it freezes; sometimes it freezes when I turn it on.
 
Well, your hardware is up to the job, certainly. There is a slight chance
that it has an intermittent problem, so please be sure to keep removable
backups (like CD's) of your important files, just in case of a hard drive
failure.

Did you do a clean install of XP or an Upgrade Install over another version
of Windows?

I am a bit surprised at the processes that are using the most of your CPU.
My computer lists System Idle Process (in other words, unused CPU) in the
high 90's most of the time, which is the norm. My ISP is pretty inactive
most of the time, as is AVG most of the time except during a scan. svchost
is OK if it is around 2%. Is your system Idle Process 98-99% most of the
time?
 
dianej said:
Hi there - sorry I didn't reply before. My anti-virus and spyware
software
is working and completey up-to-date. My pc is an Athalon 1.20 Ghz and I
have
376 mB of RAM. Having checked my windows task manager, the heaviest
consumers are my internet provider, avg and svchost.exe - although I'm not
sure what that is.
Click to expand...

Go to: http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
Download "Hijack This!" [freeware]

Unzip, double-click "HijackThis.exe" and Press "Scan".

When the scan is finished, the "Scan" button will change into a "Save Log"
button.
Click: "Save Log" (generates: "hijackthis.log")

Next, go to the below location:
http://forums.spywareinfo.com/

Sign in, go to the "Malware Removal" section.
Press "New Topic" and post a description of your symptoms. If they need to
see your log they will ask for it.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
Please respond in Newsgroup only. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com./athome/security/protect/default.aspx
http://defendingyourmachine.blogspot.com/
 
Thanks for your help. Having used computers for a long time now, I know the
benefits of back-ups and I do them regularly.
 
Many thanks Frank - I will certainly try your suggestions.

Frank Saunders said:
dianej said:
Hi there - sorry I didn't reply before. My anti-virus and spyware
software
is working and completey up-to-date. My pc is an Athalon 1.20 Ghz and I
have
376 mB of RAM. Having checked my windows task manager, the heaviest
consumers are my internet provider, avg and svchost.exe - although I'm not
sure what that is.
Click to expand...

Go to: http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
Download "Hijack This!" [freeware]

Unzip, double-click "HijackThis.exe" and Press "Scan".

When the scan is finished, the "Scan" button will change into a "Save Log"
button.
Click: "Save Log" (generates: "hijackthis.log")

Next, go to the below location:
http://forums.spywareinfo.com/

Sign in, go to the "Malware Removal" section.
Press "New Topic" and post a description of your symptoms. If they need to
see your log they will ask for it.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
Please respond in Newsgroup only. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com./athome/security/protect/default.aspx
http://defendingyourmachine.blogspot.com/
Click to expand...
 
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