Random lockups - New install

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dan
  • Start date Start date
D

Dan

First I don't know everything, Second I do know
somethings. I have run XP Home at home for 18 mos. or so
and done alot of different things to it. I recently
convinced my boss to give up WinME for XP Home to use at
the office. System ran good before (hardware good, ME
bad). I did the install with a new hard drive so it was
clean to start. Install went good. Did the usual driver
Windows 18 billion updates routine. Installed Norton AV,
MS Office, and a few simple office apps that we use.
Problem is this:
Since install the system will lockup at random always
requiring a hard reboot. No input devices work, no
anything! (Oops, I forgot to mention the frozen video
display on the screen. Most common time is when installing
new software (User supplied and MS updates). But that
isn't the only time it happens. Sometimes opening a
document, sometimes launching the browser.... I began to
track down utilities and log files today. Then I realized
that the system won't record anything from the lockup
because it freezes solid (I checked the log files).
I have verified all the drivers and BIOS updates. Shut
down all but necessary services for boot up. The icing on
the cake is that after spending nearly $100 M$ tells me
they don't provide customer support for OEM copies (like
the software is different or something). Yeah I know the
rules, but I have worked systems where we spent $5k+ and
still got customer support after we loaded it up
ourselves. Rant ends here.
I don't know where to go next but if I don't find an
answer I'll be going to the unemployment office.
Sure am glad I loaded Linux on my home system last month.
Any recommendations, aside from throwing the machine out
in the dumpster?
Thanks to those who care to suggest,
Dan
 
General rule of thumb: If it runs OK in SAFE mode it's a
driver (or software) problem, if it doesn't run OK in SAFE
mode it's a hardware problem. So try booting in SAFE mode.
And what is M$ ? Are you talking about Microsoft. If you
mean Microsoft, say Microsoft, otherwise you won't be
understood. Good Luck !
 
Dan said:
First I don't know everything, Second I do know
somethings. I have run XP Home at home for 18 mos. or so
and done alot of different things to it. I recently
convinced my boss to give up WinME for XP Home to use at
the office. System ran good before (hardware good, ME
bad). I did the install with a new hard drive so it was
clean to start. Install went good. Did the usual driver
Windows 18 billion updates routine. Installed Norton AV,
MS Office, and a few simple office apps that we use.
Problem is this:
Since install the system will lockup at random always
requiring a hard reboot. No input devices work, no
anything! (Oops, I forgot to mention the frozen video
display on the screen. Most common time is when installing
new software (User supplied and MS updates). But that
isn't the only time it happens. Sometimes opening a
document, sometimes launching the browser.... I began to
track down utilities and log files today. Then I realized
that the system won't record anything from the lockup
because it freezes solid (I checked the log files).
I have verified all the drivers and BIOS updates. Shut
down all but necessary services for boot up. The icing on
the cake is that after spending nearly $100 M$ tells me
they don't provide customer support for OEM copies (like
the software is different or something). Yeah I know the
rules, but I have worked systems where we spent $5k+ and
still got customer support after we loaded it up
ourselves. Rant ends here.
I don't know where to go next but if I don't find an
answer I'll be going to the unemployment office.
Sure am glad I loaded Linux on my home system last month.
Any recommendations, aside from throwing the machine out
in the dumpster?
Thanks to those who care to suggest,
Dan
Click to expand...

Could be memory errors. Download memtest86 from
http://www.memtest86.com and run it for a few cycles.

-- Bob Day
 
Hi

May be the problem is from the ram sticks
First, make sure the ram sticks are firmly and properly seated into the DIMM slots
Secondly, if you have more than one ram stick, make sure they are fully matched
Lastly, the ram sticks may be faulty, buy a new ram stick and replace the old ones. Make sure it is at least 256MB and must be matched with the spec of the mobo. I prefer to use at leat 512 MB for XP

BTW, if the mobo is more than 3 years old, try update the mobo BIOS as well as the chipset drivers
Also, download and install the latest XP compatible drivers for all hardware devices, especially for the vedio card and sound card

Good luck

Pete


----- Dan wrote: ----

First I don't know everything, Second I do know
somethings. I have run XP Home at home for 18 mos. or so
and done alot of different things to it. I recently
convinced my boss to give up WinME for XP Home to use at
the office. System ran good before (hardware good, ME
bad). I did the install with a new hard drive so it was
clean to start. Install went good. Did the usual driver
Windows 18 billion updates routine. Installed Norton AV,
MS Office, and a few simple office apps that we use.
Problem is this
Since install the system will lockup at random always
requiring a hard reboot. No input devices work, no
anything! (Oops, I forgot to mention the frozen video
display on the screen. Most common time is when installing
new software (User supplied and MS updates). But that
isn't the only time it happens. Sometimes opening a
document, sometimes launching the browser.... I began to
track down utilities and log files today. Then I realized
that the system won't record anything from the lockup
because it freezes solid (I checked the log files)
I have verified all the drivers and BIOS updates. Shut
down all but necessary services for boot up. The icing on
the cake is that after spending nearly $100 M$ tells me
they don't provide customer support for OEM copies (like
the software is different or something). Yeah I know the
rules, but I have worked systems where we spent $5k+ and
still got customer support after we loaded it up
ourselves. Rant ends here
I don't know where to go next but if I don't find an
answer I'll be going to the unemployment office
Sure am glad I loaded Linux on my home system last month
Any recommendations, aside from throwing the machine out
in the dumpster
Thanks to those who care to suggest
Da
 
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