PC Freezing question..

drezian · Apr 30, 2008, 02:51 AM

Okay I looked around for this but I couldnt find a definite answer. My pc that I built is about 4 years ago, and it will randomly freeze when I go surf the net, play games, or whatever from random times mostly from 5-10 minutes in. I cannot alt+ctrl+del I need to manually turn the power button on and off again. I have no viruses, I keep my computer very tweaked and clean and it's very fast but I dont know what this problem is. It has happened to me for about 1 year now and I cant stand rebooting it SERIOUSLY 5 times a day so I switched to my Dell=/ Well, I thought it would be the power supply, but any other ideas?? Thanks!

**kris23** · Apr 30, 2008, 02:53 AM

errored registry, find some kind of registry cleaner

drezian · Apr 30, 2008, 03:05 AM

Do you prefer any good ones that are free?

**kris23** · Apr 30, 2008, 03:07 AM

i tend to use System Mechanic 7 to do full system clean outs then remove it, but its too bulky for such a small operation....

maybe someone else that sees this has something.... in the meantime, ill go look around

**kris23** · Apr 30, 2008, 03:11 AM

heres one that sounds good and is tiny.... good rating and pretty recent too

PCDoctorReviews - Ratings & Reviews of Registry Repair Sites & Services: Buying Guide

Vikingod · Apr 30, 2008, 03:24 AM

First, you should give us your system information.

Have you tried running any memory diagnostic programs? Try memtest 86, burn it to a CD, and boot up to let it run.

I'd also check the hard-drive for issues. All amjor HDD manufactures have their own testing utilities, go the your manufacturers website to download it.

Let us know how things turn out.

Russ · Apr 30, 2008, 03:25 AM

Such problems can be really hard to track down as there are many possible causes (hardware and software).

I doubt it is a virus, but you should scan your system anyway (if you have not already).

Try updating, or reinstalling drivers for your motherboard and expansion cards, etc.

Test the memory (you can probably find a utility on the internet to do this, though passing the tests does not always mean that there is not a memory problem) or try swapping it out if you have any other memory that you can use for testing, etc.

If your BIOS shows the motherboard voltages, check it to verify that they are in the correct range (refer to the manual for the motherboard). A faulty (or underpowered) power supply is a good candidate for such problems.

Check your motherboard/CPU temps (if your BIOS shows such info) as well. If your system/CPU is overheating it can cause all kinds of problems (and lead to pre-mature hardware failures, etc).

To rule out software issues, a clean install of the OS is best (If you do not want to wipe out your current install, and have the free space, you could install a second copy of Windows to test with).

Apr 30, 2008, 02:51 AM	#1
drezian DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 8 Rep Power: 0	PC Freezing question.. Okay I looked around for this but I couldnt find a definite answer. My pc that I built is about 4 years ago, and it will randomly freeze when I go surf the net, play games, or whatever from random times mostly from 5-10 minutes in. I cannot alt+ctrl+del I need to manually turn the power button on and off again. I have no viruses, I keep my computer very tweaked and clean and it's very fast but I dont know what this problem is. It has happened to me for about 1 year now and I cant stand rebooting it SERIOUSLY 5 times a day so I switched to my Dell=/ Well, I thought it would be the power supply, but any other ideas?? Thanks!

Apr 30, 2008, 02:53 AM	#2
kris23 Going Insane..... Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 6,018 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	errored registry, find some kind of registry cleaner __________________ Hardwareheaven Super-Moderator Building a new computer system and not sure where to start? Click Here! last updated (5/18/11) Rosewill FUTURE case replaces CM 690 II with its greater interior length. Building a PC: Step by Step Guide Written by Kristopher Pedemonte and Nathan Marks-Forder Edited by Allan Campbell Questions or Comments? feel free to post them in the forums!

Apr 30, 2008, 03:07 AM	#4
kris23 Going Insane..... Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 6,018 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	i tend to use System Mechanic 7 to do full system clean outs then remove it, but its too bulky for such a small operation.... maybe someone else that sees this has something.... in the meantime, ill go look around __________________ Hardwareheaven Super-Moderator Building a new computer system and not sure where to start? Click Here! last updated (5/18/11) Rosewill FUTURE case replaces CM 690 II with its greater interior length. Building a PC: Step by Step Guide Written by Kristopher Pedemonte and Nathan Marks-Forder Edited by Allan Campbell Questions or Comments? feel free to post them in the forums!

Apr 30, 2008, 03:11 AM	#5
kris23 Going Insane..... Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 6,018 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	heres one that sounds good and is tiny.... good rating and pretty recent too PCDoctorReviews - Ratings & Reviews of Registry Repair Sites & Services: Buying Guide __________________ Hardwareheaven Super-Moderator Building a new computer system and not sure where to start? Click Here! last updated (5/18/11) Rosewill FUTURE case replaces CM 690 II with its greater interior length. Building a PC: Step by Step Guide Written by Kristopher Pedemonte and Nathan Marks-Forder Edited by Allan Campbell Questions or Comments? feel free to post them in the forums!

Apr 30, 2008, 03:25 AM	#7
Russ HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 5,563 Rep Power: 62	Such problems can be really hard to track down as there are many possible causes (hardware and software). I doubt it is a virus, but you should scan your system anyway (if you have not already). Try updating, or reinstalling drivers for your motherboard and expansion cards, etc. Test the memory (you can probably find a utility on the internet to do this, though passing the tests does not always mean that there is not a memory problem) or try swapping it out if you have any other memory that you can use for testing, etc. If your BIOS shows the motherboard voltages, check it to verify that they are in the correct range (refer to the manual for the motherboard). A faulty (or underpowered) power supply is a good candidate for such problems. Check your motherboard/CPU temps (if your BIOS shows such info) as well. If your system/CPU is overheating it can cause all kinds of problems (and lead to pre-mature hardware failures, etc). To rule out software issues, a clean install of the OS is best (If you do not want to wipe out your current install, and have the free space, you could install a second copy of Windows to test with). Last edited by Russ; Apr 30, 2008 at 03:41 AM.

Apr 30, 2008, 03:05 AM	Thread Starter #3
drezian DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 8 Rep Power: 0	Do you prefer any good ones that are free?

Apr 30, 2008, 03:24 AM	#6
Vikingod Int'l Fish Liaison Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: By the light of lamp I sit and type... Posts: 16,197 Rep Power: 112 System Specs	First, you should give us your system information. Have you tried running any memory diagnostic programs? Try memtest 86, burn it to a CD, and boot up to let it run. I'd also check the hard-drive for issues. All amjor HDD manufactures have their own testing utilities, go the your manufacturers website to download it. Let us know how things turn out.