wtf! Computer Stops responding.

Cyclone · Post by **Cyclone** » Mon Apr 19, 2004 10:01 pm

Well last week i got this dos error message when starting up my computer. It said that it couldn't load my system files and that it would load a previously backed up version.

Well none of my programs worked and stuff after that so i decided to reformat my computer. So i did that and installed the latest drivers and programs i usually have on my computer.

After I did that my computer allways pauses, like it hangs for a few seconds. I can't move my mouse or do anything untill it unhangs. It does this about every 10 seconds.

I decided to reformat again and everything worked find no more hanging. I installed most of my programs and it was fine. Then just a few minutes ago i installed microsft office and it configured some settings and now the hangings are back.

Does anyone know why i would be experiencing this very anoying problem. Thanks for the help.

I am using Windows 98SE
Windows is installed on my 20gig HD c:I also have a 160gig hd with two partitions of about 80gigs each. I have been installing all/most of my programs to this drive. drive D:Drive E:\ is used for backup.

Mobius · Post by **Mobius** » Mon Apr 19, 2004 10:58 pm

Best Advice: Install Windows XP Professional.

But before you do that - find what process is causing the system to hang. It'll be something using 99% of the CPU. Open Task Manager and view the Processes tab, and sort by CPU usage so the highest ones are at the top. Then you'll see what process is causing the PC to stop responding.

Oh wait - does 98 even *HAVE* that? DOH!

Krom · Post by **Krom** » Mon Apr 19, 2004 11:14 pm

Why would you even bother suggesting that mobius? You HAVE to know that 98 doesnt have that kind of task manager.

Cyclone · Post by **Cyclone** » Mon Apr 19, 2004 11:31 pm

well for one thing i don't have 300 bucks to spend on an os. and i don't want a pyrated os.

are there any progys that i can dl that have that advance task manager thing. I'm sure theres ways to figure out whats causing my problems

Krom · Post by **Krom** » Mon Apr 19, 2004 11:39 pm

If you have your orignal windows disk I would just go ahead and boot into DOS safe mode, move/rename the windows directory, boot from the 98SE disk and install a new copy. Then all you have to do is set up your programs (most will need to be reinstalled) and copy your settings from the old windows install. Once your finished you can just delete the old windows dir.

-Krom

MD-2389 · Post by **MD-2389** » Tue Apr 20, 2004 12:29 am

By any chance, have you run any tools to check your 20 gigger for errors? The pauses could be the OS trying to read or write to a bad sector.

Top Wop · Post by **Top Wop** » Tue Apr 20, 2004 11:35 am

Cyclone wrote: are there any progys that i can dl that have that advance task manager thing. I'm sure theres ways to figure out whats causing my problems

Indeed there is:
http://www.wekasoft.com/taskmanager/

JMEaT · Post by **JMEaT** » Tue Apr 20, 2004 2:04 pm

I think he wants a fix not an OS upgrade suggestion...

Mobius · Post by **Mobius** » Tue Apr 20, 2004 2:34 pm

Yeah Krom - that's why I put the last sentence in there. Been so long since I've had to fux0r with 98 I couldn't remember. I do remember it being a complete and utter POS though - and anyone running 98 deserves exactly what they get: frequent crashes, crap performance, poor start-up times, major windows corruption issues, no security, sad Disk File Systems, - the list goes on and on.

There *IS* a way to fix the problem - no doubt about it - but simply upgrading the OS to Windows XP (and it works VERY well - forget that sh!t about "Never upgrade an OS"!). Look at it this way - even if you only pay yourself $10 an hour (ACK) then you got precisely 12 hours of wasting your time before it becomes uneconomic to fix. (See below)

$300? Where the hell you live man??

Look, I can get Windows XP Home edition in New Zealand for $119 USD (inc.tax) - if you'd like me to ship it to you. Maybe $10 US for air-freight and 5 day delivery.

Top Wop · Post by **Top Wop** » Tue Apr 20, 2004 6:49 pm

There is always another reason besides not affording an OS upgrade so SHUT UP MOBIUS. We cant help it if you were such a noob at 98.

Sorry for off topic ill shut up now.

Krom · Post by **Krom** » Tue Apr 20, 2004 8:51 pm

Strangely enough when I used to have 98SE on my computer (in the days before XP was out) I could go weeks without a crash. I guess the operating system only crashed if you were a newbie and had a POS computer with crap hardware configured poorly.

Warlock · Post by **Warlock** » Tue Apr 20, 2004 10:10 pm

Mobius wrote:Look, I can get Windows XP Home edition in New Zealand for $119 USD (inc.tax) - if you'd like me to ship it to you. Maybe $10 US for air-freight and 5 day delivery.

★■◆●

i get XP Pro for 15 a pop

Avder · Post by **Avder** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 1:17 am

Where? Can you get me a few licenses?

Warlock · Post by **Warlock** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 9:37 am

its my MS connection

and no cause im limited to 3 per year

Avder · Post by **Avder** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 10:01 am

MD-2389 · Post by **MD-2389** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 2:38 pm

MD-2389 wrote:By any chance, have you run any tools to check your 20 gigger for errors? The pauses could be the OS trying to read or write to a bad sector.

Well?

Mobius: You know, how about actually troubleshooting the problem instead of recommending OS upgrades.

Your rampant trolling is really starting to get old. If you can't bother to actually try to help without pulling OS upgrade recommendations out of your ass, then just STFU and move on.

Cyclone · Post by **Cyclone** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 4:28 pm

Thanks for the suggestions.

hmm I noticed when I paused my nortan antivirus the pauses stoped. I don't know why.

I tried scanning drive C for errors and defragging it but it didn't make much difference.

Here are the things that are different from when I last reformatted my computer.

1. Everytime I format I always install the most recent driver versions.

2. Could installing programs to different drives cause problems? I have windows installed to drive c:\ so all the settings are on that drive. I have been installing all of my programs to drive D:\. could there be some kind of conflict from installing to this drive. cuzz the program files are installed to drive D:\ but theres also refences to those programs on drive C:
3. I baught a new 160gig hd a few months ago.

4. I also baught a DVD burner a few months ago.

5. I was using IE 5.5 and windows media player 7 before a formated and now i'm using the newest version of IE and windows media player 9. I also installed all the fonts so I can view all the different languages in IE. I never installed those before.

Thats basically all that is different from my previous installs of windows.

MD-2389 · Post by **MD-2389** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 1:59 pm

Cyclone wrote:Here are the things that are different from when I last reformatted my computer.

1. Everytime I format I always install the most recent driver versions.

Smart move.

2. Could installing programs to different drives cause problems? I have windows installed to drive c:\ so all the settings are on that drive. I have been installing all of my programs to drive D:\. could there be some kind of conflict from installing to this drive. cuzz the program files are installed to drive D:\ but theres also refences to those programs on drive C:\

No, I've done it on multiple occasions. Not the first problem.

5. I was using IE 5.5 and windows media player 7 before a formated and now i'm using the newest version of IE and windows media player 9. I also installed all the fonts so I can view all the different languages in IE. I never installed those before.

Again, unlikely to cause a problem. Your problem is most likely something hogging up memory or your 20 gigger going south. I really suggest you download whatever diagnostic tools the manufacturer has and scan that sucker for problems.

Krom · Post by **Krom** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 2:18 pm

Actually for windows 98 I say stick with IE5.5, 6.0 was really meant for windows 2000/XP and never seemed to work all that well with the 9x series.

WMP9 shouldnt be a problem tho.

Cyclone · Post by **Cyclone** » Mon Apr 26, 2004 7:00 pm

OK this is getting very frustrating. I think I have narrowed the problem down to my Norton Anti-Virus program. I formatted my computer one last time and installed all my programs etc. I installed IE 5.5 and WMP 7 and did all the windows updates. My computer was running pretty good. No more hangings....

I then installed Norton. After I installed the program my computer was still running decently. After a day of no problems I decided to run Norton’s Live Update program and download the latest virus definitions. Right after I did that my computer started to hang again and won’t stop until I pause Norton.

Does anyone know what cause such a problem or of a fix?

Krom · Post by **Krom** » Mon Apr 26, 2004 9:03 pm

latest version of norton?

Cyclone · Post by **Cyclone** » Mon Apr 26, 2004 10:09 pm

no I am not using the latest version of norton. I am using "Norton AntiVirus(OEM) 2000 6.10.01"

KompresZor · Post by **KompresZor** » Tue Apr 27, 2004 7:22 am

Try this
1. Right-click the My Computer icon on the Desktop, then click Properties. The System Properties dialog box appears.
2. Click the Device Manager tab.
3. Click View devices by type.
4. Expand the System devices tree.
5. Double-click Direct memory access controller.
6. Click the Settings tab.
7. Check "Reserve DMA buffer"
8. In the "Kbytes reserved" box, enter 64
9. Click OK and then OK again.
10. Restart the computer.