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Hanging Computer

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by spk

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Last April I built the following computer:
Operating System: Windows 98 (se 4.102222A)
Computer Make: Self Built
Processor: 850 MHz AMD Athlon
Memory: 512 MB
Screen Resolution: 1024 by 768
Web Browser: Internet Explorer 5, AOL, Netcaptor
Other Information:AOL 6.0, e-Trust Antivirus 5.3.7.1, ZoneAlarm Pro 2.6.357, Olivetti JP170 Printer, Memorex Twelve MAXX CD-RW, Creative PC-DVD Blaster 12x, K7VZA motherboard, Hayes V.92 voice fax PCI Modem, ATI Video Drivers
However, in October the following occurred. Very frequently and sometimes continually in the space of only minutes the mouse pointer froze as did the keyboard. CTRL-ALT-DEL did not work so I had to switch the computer off and back on again.
This occured at anytime and evenoccurred when I was using Windows Explorer with no other programmes running!
It also happened when on the internet and before the above happened I thought it might have had something to do with the number of windows open in Netcaptor or the number of pop-ups in AOL but as I say it had also happened with only the OS and Windows Explorer running."
Since then I have Scandisked and defragged and formatted and reinstalled twice. I have also added another 256Mb of Ram so I now have 512Mb. The computer still hangs but not as ofted.
Problem is that when I try to create a CD now the computer it hangs before the CD is anywhere near completed and of course the blank CD is then rendered useless.
I am now desperate. It is fast becoming a very expensive paperweight! Before I give up altogether does anyone know of anything else I can possibly try or or know of any software I could buy to detect the cause of my problem.
I do have Norton Utilities 2001 but this has not helped unless it has some function I have not found yet?
Please help!!

9 replies

by dmiles

Troubleshoot by using MSCONFIG from the RUN box,and do a process of elimination
Check that Anti-Virus or Zone Alarm are not causing the problem by scanning the sytem while in use
Open the Control Panel and right click on Fast Find and Power Management and select disable,one at a time.
Update the Video card drivers
It reads as though you are haveing a software conflict in the system

by spk

Though the suggestion re a software conflict may be true. I have uninstalled the copy of Adaptec Easy CD Creator 4 that came with my Memorex CD-RW and so far so good though it cannot have been that causing the problem when it wasn't running can it? ie the problem sometimes occurred when only Windows Explorer was running as I always ensured Easy CD did not automatically launch at startup through MSCONFIG. At least it's an improvement!

by thechas

I agree that you likely have some software conflicts.
Did this problem start after a software installation or update?

You also may have too many background applications running. To aviod making coasters, when I burn CDs, I shut down every program that I don't need at that time. Close everything in the tray, then use alt-ctrl-del to see whats left running. You can shut down just about everything except explorer and your CD burning software.
You can restore all of your programs by re-booting.

If new drivers are available for your video card, be sure to check for updates to the AGP miniport driver for the mother-board, and install that first.

How are you doing on free drive space? If you are running low on space for virtual memory, that can also cause the system to hang.

How big is your power supply? You have a lot of hardware in this system, you could be overloading a 250 Watt supply. Which could also cause the system to hang.

by spk

Though the suggestion re a software conflict may be true. I have uninstalled the copy of Adaptec Easy CD Creator 4 that came with my Memorex CD-RW and so far so good though it cannot have been that causing the problem when it wasn't running can it? ie the problem sometimes occurred when only Windows Explorer was running as I always ensured Easy CD did not automatically launch at startup through MSCONFIG. At least it's an improvement!

by danpiers

The description you provide sounds a lot like you are having DMA problems with your CD-ROM drive(s). Start the system and open the device manager. Under the CDROM heading, open each CD, go to PROPERTIES, then SETTINGS. Un-check the DMA checkbox for each CD-ROM drive in the system. Re-boot and see if the system acts better. If the system "hangs" before you can get this accomplished, try to do it in SAFE mode. Good luck.

by curacao_dejavu

for cd burning part follow these links.
http://www.pcnineoneone.com/howto/cdburn1.html
and http://www.pcnineoneone.com/howto/cdburnadv1.html

to make sure your system is clean from registry and advertsing programs use regclean 4.1a (at download.com) and ad-aware 5.62)

Check make usre the ribbons are 1 quality ribbons , that they are properly attached.
It's prefered that the cd is on it's own ide cable.
Also change brands of the cdr (it does make a difference).
And make sure nothing else is running burning the cd. Disable power options, sleep, screensave etc.

Leopold

by danpiers

After re-reading your question and your feedback, I had a bit of info to add for you:

Adaptec EZ CD Creator is one of a two-part package. The other part, "Direct CD" is a TSR constantly running in the background that has been known to cause problems in many systems. If you do not intend to use the "drag and drop" feature when using your CD-Writer, I recommend that you uninstall this section of the software.

In new systems my company builds, we do not install this feature.

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