Computer tracking program to diagnose frozen computer

[kenimpzoom]

My desktop computer is having major issues. Everyonce in a while it completely freezes up with no response to anything, then after several minutes, it comes unfrozen and is all fine.

Is there some sort of tracking program I can use to find out what is triggering the freezing issue?

Thanks, Ken

 

[TommyA]

Re: Computer tracking program to diagnose frozen computer

What operating system are you using?

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: Computer tracking program to diagnose frozen computer

Win XP SP2

During the frozen time, the hard drive is mostly quiet, only one little tick every second or so.

It really likes to freeze when I first turn it on, then it un freezes, then ocassionally freezes again.

Ken

 

[Xcusme]

Re: Computer tracking program to diagnose frozen computer

I'd Control-Alt_Delete and go into Task Manager and have a peek at Processes. These are the processes and programs that load up at startup and are running at any one time. I suspect you have a ton of processes loaded , the startup programs that don't NEED to run, slowing things down.

 

[TommyA]

Re: Computer tracking program to diagnose frozen computer

That pretty much what I was going to say. You will need to have it opened and maybe in the background of what you are working on in order to bring it up for a look see.

 

[Plainsman]

Re: Computer tracking program to diagnose frozen computer

Go to Start>run and type msconfig. When the window opens go to the startup tab and click on Disable All. This will disable your antivirus too, but see if it helps. If it does, you can go back into msconfig and start selecting things one at a time to try and find the program(s) that are causing you trouble.

 

[codertimt]

Re: Computer tracking program to diagnose frozen computer

Win XP SP2

During the frozen time, the hard drive is mostly quiet, only one little tick every second or so.

It really likes to freeze when I first turn it on, then it un freezes, then ocassionally freezes again.

Ken

IMHO, you're hard drive is dying. The computer "freezes" when it's trying to access some program data or the swap space and is unable to. It continues to attempt to access(the little tick every second or so) until if finally manages to read what it needs.

I would try running chkdsk from the command line first...and see if that tells you anything. Of course, I could always be wrong, but with what you're describing that's what is sounds like to me...

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: Computer tracking program to diagnose frozen computer

Been trying task manager, when frozen, it wont come up. I leave task manager on all the time, and it freezes, and task manager doesnt update until it unfreezes.

I am gonna disable antivirus and zonealarm and see what happens.

Ken

 

[zaroba]

Re: Computer tracking program to diagnose frozen computer

i agree with coder. it sounds like your hard drive is failing to me.

the tell tale 'ticking' is a common sign that a hard drive is dieing.
its also one i've always heard a day to a week before a hard drive of mine died.

it might not be the problem, but it never hurts to back up your important data just in case.

 

[dchris]

Re: Computer tracking program to diagnose frozen computer

I'm on the hard drive band wagon, but check in admin tools,event viewer and look for system errors. There might be some clues there.

 

[i386]

Re: Computer tracking program to diagnose frozen computer

This type of problem is a real PITA to track down. If the task manager "trick" doesn't work, I'd disable everything in startup and turn them back on one by one. It's a process of elimination.

It COULD be the hard drive. In my experience though, when there's a read/write problem with a drive that causes a lockup, it stays locked up. Also it's not uncommon to take a few tries to get a successful boot/reboot when a drive is about to fail. Then again, sometimes they go without warning.

I'd backup my important stuff before I start troubleshooting. If it craps out on you, at least you won't lose any data.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Computer tracking program to diagnose frozen computer

I have that same problem when accessing IE on one of my computers. It will do it with other components also, but more with IE. I have narrowed it down to the memory. Seems that some of my memory is dying ... gotta order some and install ...

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: Computer tracking program to diagnose frozen computer

I think I have it fixed.

I uninstalled AVG antivirus and installed the newest version. So far no frozen issues.

I am scanning my hard drive anyway and plan to backup all my data.

Thanks for the ideas.