help with xp random freezes and reboots

  • Thread starter Thread starter Paul
  • Start date Start date
P

Paul

Hey all,
I have been having a problem with my pc and have not been able to figure out
exactly what is causing it.
Out of nowhere, either the computer will just reboot, or freeze, it's pretty
strange.
I just did a fresh install of xp pro, as for software, I was using zonealarm
pro, now am trying sygate (thinking that the problem was coming from the
true vector monitor), plus I have Norton antivirus 2002. My system specs are
below, thanks for any help.
Paul

My system config is:
Windows XP Pro (sp1)
AMD ATHLON XP 2000+
512MB DDR SAMSUNG PC 2700 (333)
ALBATRON GeForce 4 TI4200P TURBO
SB AUDIGY 2 sound card
SHUTTLE AK35GT2 mainboard (latest Via 4 in 1 drivers)
ENERMAX EG465P-VE(FC)
LITE-ON 40x12x48 CD-RW
CREATIVE 12X OVATION DVD
SMC 10/100 NIC
HITACHI Super Scan Pro 800- 21 incher
 
First, be sure your antivirus software has the latest definitions and run a
virus scan.

If your system is clear of viruses, open Control Panel, open System, go to
the Advanced tab, click Settings under Startup and Recovery, remove the
check from "Automatically Restart" under System Failure. This will cause
the system to blue screen instead of restarting on errors and the
information on the blue screen may give a clue as to the source of the
issue.

Open Control Panel, open Administrative Tools, open Event Viewer, look for
errors corresponding to the crash, double click the error, the information
contained within may give a clue as to the
source of the problem.

Assuming you have an XP CD and not a recovery CD, place the XP CD in the
drive, when the setup screen appears, select "Check System Compatibility,"
the report it generates may point to problem hardware or software on your
system. If you do not have an XP CD, you can download this application
known as the Upgrade Advisor from the following site:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/howtobuy/upgrading/advisor.asp
Note: If you have access to a broadband connection it might be best to
download using that as this is a rather large download.

Check for the latest drivers for your hardware, especially your graphics
card and soundcard and all peripherals connected to your system. No not use
Windows Update for this, go to the device manufacturer's web sites and if
you install updated drivers, ignore the message about drivers being unsigned
by Microsoft.
 
Hi Michael,
I with you on all of this.
I unchecked auto restart, but I have yet to see a blue screen, which is why
I'm thinking that this may be a hardware based problem.
As for the event viewer, the only thing I was getting were "true vector"
crashes (zone alarm), but I do not think this is the cause of the crash.
My system is virus, trojan, spyware free, all drivers up to date.
ANOTHER THING, maybe this is related....
I've noticed that once in a while my computer date setting gets messed up
and it goes to the year 2000, then I go back into the bios and change it.
I did change the cmos battery last week, thinking this was the cause of my
problems.
Thanks for any advice
Paul
 
Nonetheless, True Vector is a known source of crashes. This is a part of
Zone Alarm. You should try removing it and see if you still have the issue.
You'll need the full instructions on how to do so from the Zone Labs site,
www.zonelabs.com as Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel does not fully
remove it. Once removed, see if you still have the issue, if you do, check
the error log again to be sure True Vector is not still the cause. If it is
not the cause but you see another corresponding error, then True Vector was
a symptom, probably conflicting with whatever else you find.
 
Michael,
It has been completely removed for a bit now and it still restarts, no
rhyme or reason.
Also, sometimes when booting, the hard drive light goes on, but nothing
happens, the screen never kicks on and the hdd light stays static.
Did you see what I wrote about the date thing as well?
Any help welcomed
Paul
 
If you are still getting errors related to True Vector, that's a sign
there's some remnant of it somewhere on your system and we can't rule it out
as a potential cause until it has been completely eradicated.

More on the date which I don't believe is related to random freezes or
restarts. You might want to try turning off time synchronization or look
for a different time sync server than you are currently using. Double click
the time in the taskbar, go to Internet Time and remove the check from
"Automatically Synchronize."

More on the random freezes and restarts. Upon checking the specs on your
system, you need to be concerned about heat. Heat can cause exactly the
problem you have described so be sure the system is getting plenty of
ventilation for it and you may want to check the system fan and/or possibly
install a more powerful fan; you'd need to have the system checked to see if
it is overheating. Also, a bad or failing system power supply can also
cause this type of issue so you might want to have that checked.
 
Hey Michael,
Yeah I'm still getting these true vector errors, but even when I uninstalled
za, the comp would crash.
I turned off the time synchro when I reinstalled xp (last week).
As for the heat, I've been carefully monitoring it with sisandra and the
proc is at a healthy 45c.
Not sure what is wrong with my once healthy box,
Paul

Michael Solomon (MS-MVP Windows Shell/User) said:
If you are still getting errors related to True Vector, that's a sign
there's some remnant of it somewhere on your system and we can't rule it out
as a potential cause until it has been completely eradicated.

More on the date which I don't believe is related to random freezes or
restarts. You might want to try turning off time synchronization or look
for a different time sync server than you are currently using. Double click
the time in the taskbar, go to Internet Time and remove the check from
"Automatically Synchronize."

More on the random freezes and restarts. Upon checking the specs on your
system, you need to be concerned about heat. Heat can cause exactly the
problem you have described so be sure the system is getting plenty of
ventilation for it and you may want to check the system fan and/or possibly
install a more powerful fan; you'd need to have the system checked to see if
it is overheating. Also, a bad or failing system power supply can also
cause this type of issue so you might want to have that checked.

--
Michael Solomon MS-MVP
Windows Shell/User
Backup is a PC User's Best Friend
DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/

Paul said:
Michael,
It has been completely removed for a bit now and it still restarts, no
rhyme or reason.
Also, sometimes when booting, the hard drive light goes on, but nothing
happens, the screen never kicks on and the hdd light stays static.
Did you see what I wrote about the date thing as well?
Any help welcomed
Paul

Michael Solomon (MS-MVP Windows Shell/User) said:
Nonetheless, True Vector is a known source of crashes. This is a part of
Zone Alarm. You should try removing it and see if you still have the issue.
You'll need the full instructions on how to do so from the Zone Labs site,
www.zonelabs.com as Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel does not fully
remove it. Once removed, see if you still have the issue, if you do, check
the error log again to be sure True Vector is not still the cause. If
Click to expand...
it
is
not the cause but you see another corresponding error, then True
Click to expand...
Vector
was
a symptom, probably conflicting with whatever else you find.


--
Michael Solomon MS-MVP
Windows Shell/User
Backup is a PC User's Best Friend
DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/

Hi Michael,
I with you on all of this.
I unchecked auto restart, but I have yet to see a blue screen, which is
why
I'm thinking that this may be a hardware based problem.
As for the event viewer, the only thing I was getting were "true vector"
crashes (zone alarm), but I do not think this is the cause of the crash.
My system is virus, trojan, spyware free, all drivers up to date.
ANOTHER THING, maybe this is related....
I've noticed that once in a while my computer date setting gets
Click to expand...
messed
up
and it goes to the year 2000, then I go back into the bios and
Click to expand...
change
it.
I did change the cmos battery last week, thinking this was the cause
Click to expand...
of
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
I can only say, you didn't get rid of all of Zone Alarm. A simple uninstall
from add/remove in Control Panel won't do it and we can't rule out True
Vector as the cause until you can get rid of those errors which are
definitely a sign, some parts of it are still lurking somewhere on your
setup.

--
Michael Solomon MS-MVP
Windows Shell/User
Backup is a PC User's Best Friend
DTS-L.Org: http://www.dts-l.org/

Paul said:
Hey Michael,
Yeah I'm still getting these true vector errors, but even when I uninstalled
za, the comp would crash.
I turned off the time synchro when I reinstalled xp (last week).
As for the heat, I've been carefully monitoring it with sisandra and the
proc is at a healthy 45c.
Not sure what is wrong with my once healthy box,
Paul

Michael Solomon (MS-MVP Windows Shell/User) said:
If you are still getting errors related to True Vector, that's a sign
there's some remnant of it somewhere on your system and we can't rule it out
as a potential cause until it has been completely eradicated.

More on the date which I don't believe is related to random freezes or
restarts. You might want to try turning off time synchronization or look
for a different time sync server than you are currently using. Double click
the time in the taskbar, go to Internet Time and remove the check from
"Automatically Synchronize."

More on the random freezes and restarts. Upon checking the specs on your
system, you need to be concerned about heat. Heat can cause exactly the
problem you have described so be sure the system is getting plenty of
ventilation for it and you may want to check the system fan and/or possibly
install a more powerful fan; you'd need to have the system checked to
Click to expand...
see
Click to expand...
 
Back
Top