Boards.ie

JMSE · 04-03-2012, 20:56

My desktop is shagged. Its a HP pavillion slimline running vista 32bit. It freezes constantly and when it does, thats it, you can only proceed by plugging out. I've run everything, dozens of times .... diagnostics checks, system restore/recovery, startup repair, returned PC back to factory condition by formatting and reinstalling windows. Still freezing, at any stage once I'm passed the initial HP menu screen whereupon Microsoft starts to install itself and then it open season for freezin.

It happens 9 times out of ten because if you stay on long enough, it will happen.

I dropped the unit into Tech Fixers who ran their stuff through it, and a day later they rang me to come and collect unrepaired as they found nothing wrong.

Still doing it. This is the first time this weekend I've got online. So far today, I've had to switch off at the wall maybe 15 times but now I've got through and its working so far. In Safe Mode it did it (froze) at the main desktop screen with nothing else happening.

Main time that it freezes is when I switch on, HP offer 4 options (boot menu, system recovery, diagnostics) and after about 10 seconds these expire and the words 'Microsoft Corporation' appear and a moving bar above this indicates that the windows files are booting up - this bar will then freeze and thats it, she's gone. Power off time.

Anybody suggest a way past this? The pc is only 4 years old.

**5uspect** · 04-03-2012, 20:59

Could it be overheating? Is the heatsink full of dust and crap?

JMSE · 04-03-2012, 21:01

5uspect it was overheating up to Christmas, I came on here, got advised to vacuum inside, did that, got great results. But after only a few weeks of cool runnings, this started up.... Reckon theres a link?

chin_grin · 04-03-2012, 21:02

Can you check event viewer for any further information before it crashes (right click on computer and click "manage" then click on the event viewer option on the left).

JMSE · 04-03-2012, 21:09

Ok, event viewer says...

No critical events in last 24 hours !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Errors, 5 in last hour, 47 in last 24.
Warning, 3 in last hour, 11 in last 24.
Information, 144 in last hour, 324 in 24.
Audit success, 49, 145.

chin_grin · 04-03-2012, 21:14

If you click in to the errors what are they about?

(By the way I know I sound like one of those Indian support calls...........believe me I'm not!

)

**5uspect** · 04-03-2012, 21:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMSE

5uspect it was overheating up to Christmas, I came on here, got advised to vacuum inside, did that, got great results. But after only a few weeks of cool runnings, this started up.... Reckon theres a link?

Possibly, check the CPU temps and post them up here.

JMSE · 04-03-2012, 21:22

Errors in the last 24 hrs :

nvstor32 - 1
ACPI - 3
Plug-play manager - 1
Time service - 1
Event system - 1
WerSvc - 2
Eventlog - 3
Service Control Manager Eventlog Provider - 21
VSS - 2
Distributed COM - 9

(still here so far

ament I)

JMSE · 04-03-2012, 21:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5uspect

Possibly, check the CPU temps and post them up here.

Will do. How

?

JMSE · 04-03-2012, 21:36

HD temp is mean 46 celcius.
Core is mean 46.

edit**** still hasnt crashed after a full hour, mad.
I think its coz Windows knows I googled the words linux and 'alternative operating system' before I came on here.

Overheal · 05-03-2012, 04:21

I would think that it sounds like the motherboard is starting to kick it in. If the Southbridge is going down, it drags the peripherals with it - primarily, the hard drive. Could be wrong though.

**5uspect** · 05-03-2012, 09:51

Temperatures seem fine. Could be another hardware fault alright.

JMSE · 17-03-2012, 00:31

Just to update and close out, everything is working fine again. Went further on the cleaning by unscrewing and removing the heat sink off the top of the processor. Unscrewed the fan from that and cleaned all thoroughly - had thought that I had cleaned already but only on removing do you see the hidden dust carpet that had formed down in there. Used a small artists brush to get all dust off the fan parts too. Problem solved.

Thanks for all the help and suggestions.

Overheal · 17-03-2012, 03:38

taking out all the old/existing thermal compound on the heatsink and CPU and replacing it with new compound, or silver, will help you out as well. When cleaning - well there are eHow steps online, but I use isoprophyl rubbing alcohol and q-tips to clean both surfaces thoroughly, then "wash" each surface (heatsink and CPU) with silver (spread with an old plastic card like a credit card or something), wipe with a chamois cloth or microfiber (you will ruin it, so dont use your favorite cloth) and then apply the recommended amount of compound which is usually a pea sized amount on the center of the CPU before reinstalling the heatsink.

04-03-2012, 20:56	#1
JMSE Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: beyond the pale Posts: 578 Adverts \| Friends	Desktop freezes My desktop is shagged. Its a HP pavillion slimline running vista 32bit. It freezes constantly and when it does, thats it, you can only proceed by plugging out. I've run everything, dozens of times .... diagnostics checks, system restore/recovery, startup repair, returned PC back to factory condition by formatting and reinstalling windows. Still freezing, at any stage once I'm passed the initial HP menu screen whereupon Microsoft starts to install itself and then it open season for freezin. It happens 9 times out of ten because if you stay on long enough, it will happen. I dropped the unit into Tech Fixers who ran their stuff through it, and a day later they rang me to come and collect unrepaired as they found nothing wrong. Still doing it. This is the first time this weekend I've got online. So far today, I've had to switch off at the wall maybe 15 times but now I've got through and its working so far. In Safe Mode it did it (froze) at the main desktop screen with nothing else happening. Main time that it freezes is when I switch on, HP offer 4 options (boot menu, system recovery, diagnostics) and after about 10 seconds these expire and the words 'Microsoft Corporation' appear and a moving bar above this indicates that the windows files are booting up - this bar will then freeze and thats it, she's gone. Power off time. Anybody suggest a way past this? The pc is only 4 years old. Last edited by JMSE; 04-03-2012 at 20:59.

04-03-2012, 21:14	#6
chin_grin Closed Account Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 10,396 Adverts \| Friends	If you click in to the errors what are they about? (By the way I know I sound like one of those Indian support calls...........believe me I'm not! ) Last edited by chin_grin; 04-03-2012 at 21:16.

04-03-2012, 21:36	#10
JMSE Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: beyond the pale Posts: 578 Adverts \| Friends	HD temp is mean 46 celcius. Core is mean 46. edit**** still hasnt crashed after a full hour, mad. I think its coz Windows knows I googled the words linux and 'alternative operating system' before I came on here. Last edited by JMSE; 04-03-2012 at 22:05.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

04-03-2012, 20:59	#2
5uspect Moderator Join Date: May 2006 Location: Back from Abroad. Posts: 8,112 Adverts \| Friends Mod: Digital Art & Design	Could it be overheating? Is the heatsink full of dust and crap?

04-03-2012, 21:01	#3
JMSE Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: beyond the pale Posts: 578 Adverts \| Friends	5uspect it was overheating up to Christmas, I came on here, got advised to vacuum inside, did that, got great results. But after only a few weeks of cool runnings, this started up.... Reckon theres a link?

04-03-2012, 21:02	#4
chin_grin Closed Account Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 10,396 Adverts \| Friends	Can you check event viewer for any further information before it crashes (right click on computer and click "manage" then click on the event viewer option on the left).

04-03-2012, 21:09	#5
JMSE Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: beyond the pale Posts: 578 Adverts \| Friends	Ok, event viewer says... No critical events in last 24 hours !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Errors, 5 in last hour, 47 in last 24. Warning, 3 in last hour, 11 in last 24. Information, 144 in last hour, 324 in 24. Audit success, 49, 145.

04-03-2012, 21:22	#8
JMSE Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: beyond the pale Posts: 578 Adverts \| Friends	Errors in the last 24 hrs : nvstor32 - 1 ACPI - 3 Plug-play manager - 1 Time service - 1 Event system - 1 WerSvc - 2 Eventlog - 3 Service Control Manager Eventlog Provider - 21 VSS - 2 Distributed COM - 9 (still here so far ament I)

05-03-2012, 04:21	#11
Overheal Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: South Carolina Posts: 34,442 Adverts \| Friends Mod: Facilitators, Feed Forward Private, Feed Forward Public, FeedForward	I would think that it sounds like the motherboard is starting to kick it in. If the Southbridge is going down, it drags the peripherals with it - primarily, the hard drive. Could be wrong though.

05-03-2012, 09:51	#12
5uspect Moderator Join Date: May 2006 Location: Back from Abroad. Posts: 8,112 Adverts \| Friends Mod: Digital Art & Design	Temperatures seem fine. Could be another hardware fault alright.

17-03-2012, 00:31	#13
JMSE Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: beyond the pale Posts: 578 Adverts \| Friends	Just to update and close out, everything is working fine again. Went further on the cleaning by unscrewing and removing the heat sink off the top of the processor. Unscrewed the fan from that and cleaned all thoroughly - had thought that I had cleaned already but only on removing do you see the hidden dust carpet that had formed down in there. Used a small artists brush to get all dust off the fan parts too. Problem solved. Thanks for all the help and suggestions.

17-03-2012, 03:38	#14
Overheal Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: South Carolina Posts: 34,442 Adverts \| Friends Mod: Facilitators, Feed Forward Private, Feed Forward Public, FeedForward	taking out all the old/existing thermal compound on the heatsink and CPU and replacing it with new compound, or silver, will help you out as well. When cleaning - well there are eHow steps online, but I use isoprophyl rubbing alcohol and q-tips to clean both surfaces thoroughly, then "wash" each surface (heatsink and CPU) with silver (spread with an old plastic card like a credit card or something), wipe with a chamois cloth or microfiber (you will ruin it, so dont use your favorite cloth) and then apply the recommended amount of compound which is usually a pea sized amount on the center of the CPU before reinstalling the heatsink.