PC keeps freezing

[Shearergol]

I'm having problems at the minute with an XP machine. Every couple of minutes it will freeze completely (not just the software, cd drives won't open for example). After about 45 seconds it goes back to normal.

Strange thing is, it remembers key strokes and mouse movements; and also ejects the cd tray when it comes back to life if you press the open button whilst it's frozen. I don't think it's software as I've reformated and re-installed, and it did it again just as XP finished installing.

I'm using a Intel Pentium 4 2.54gb with 1gb DDR RAM. It's been running fine for about 4 months, the problem has only started this weekend. Processor temperature looks fine.

I don't have to restart to get it working, it just unfreezes itself. it's driving me a bit mad to be honest. Anyone got any ideas on this, or has anyone seen it before?

Cheers

Mark

 

[jdemmi]

The list of possibilities on this are endless....you're trying to corner a rat.

1. You mentioned that this "started this weekend"....has any new hardware, software, patches been added or changed?

2. Have you tried disabling or even uninstalling (TEMPORARILY) your virus software?

3. Any task setup to run in task scheduler?

4. Any scheduled scans on your virus software?

5. You could leave task manager opened to Processes tab sorted by the CPU or Memory fields (highest at the top) so when it locks up again you can see what process did so.

6. Remove non-required hardware a piece at a time and see if the lockups stop.

 

[Shearergol]

I've worked in IT for 12 years and I've never seen anything like this.

As I say, I even went to the point of re-installing everything, so all that was on it was XP Pro (problem still happened before any other software was added).

I'm beginning to suspect it's actually heat related, as the only thing that has happened this weekend is my room has got a hell of a lot hotter.

I'm gonna try taking the side off the case and running it with a desk fan blowing on it, just to see if that makes a difference, then I'll have to invest in a new fan of some sort for the case.

The bit I can't understand is the way it remembers keystokes, so it's not entirely shutting down the system.

 

[jdemmi]

I admit...it IS very strange....I could see it being heat related but usually that causes the pc to blue screen or reboot. Oh well, you fan test will rule that in or out.

 

[bullhlms]

Something is using all your processing power, so keystrokes are not acted upon immediately. Follow Jdemmi's 5th suggestion and see what it is. Start/run/taskmgr.

 

[Shearergol]

Task Manager won't respond at the time though, so not the easiest thing to do?

Worked out that if I detach my CD writer then the PC works fine (writer has been working fine for ages, so not sure what's happened).

The writer also works perfectly in a different machine, and I don't get the problem if I replace it with a spare drive (so it's not the IDE cable or port)

Wierd one. At least I've solved it, even if I'll never know the real problem.