Clueless

soymilrayita · #1 08-21-2005, 03:35 PM

I have a problem with my old PC.
It works for just two minutes ( usual time, although it ran for hours a couple of times) and freezes, I mean, the keyboard, the mouse, the screen; but CDs playing through the sound card keep on working as usual. If I restart it inmediately the fans work but the screen stays dark. If I wait for a couple of minutes the PC works as it usually does ( meaning it freezes after 2 minutes).
I'm clueless, I was told it was the power supply, but the CDROM keeps on working. Could that be?

Thanks in advance.

PS: DATA:
Pentium I 100MHz
WIN 95
HDD Seagate 1.2 GB

mercman90 · #2 08-21-2005, 04:50 PM

How long has this problem been occuring?
Have you installed any new hardware on your computer?
Your CMOS battery may also be dead.
I have a similar problem on a Windows ME computer (but I did install new memory; a switch back to the old memory didn't help either). It works fine from anywhere between 1/2 hr to 2 hrs before everything slows down and the computer must be manually booted. I suspect that it could be the power supply on my computer, but I don't know if the upgrade is worth it. The problem used to happen occasionally, but it seems to happen every time I use it now.

soymilrayita · #3 08-21-2005, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mercman90

How long has this problem been occuring?
Have you installed any new hardware on your computer?
Your CMOS battery may also be dead.
I have a similar problem on a Windows ME computer (but I did install new memory; a switch back to the old memory didn't help either). It works fine from anywhere between 1/2 hr to 2 hrs before everything slows down and the computer must be manually booted. I suspect that it could be the power supply on my computer, but I don't know if the upgrade is worth it. The problem used to happen occasionally, but it seems to happen every time I use it now.

It has been going on for 2 weeks or so, but in my case it happened overnight. I didn't install any new hardware, and my computer doesn't slow down, it just freezes; and doesn't last more than a couple of minutes. By the way, do you happen to know how much is a CMOS battery?. What is truly astonishing is that the CD playing through the sound card keeps on working. I first thought it was the video card, but the keyboard doesn't work.
You know what, you must be right because I had the "CMOS checksum error, defaults loaded" sign on my computer a couple of times.

Thanks.

mercman90 · #4 08-21-2005, 10:08 PM

A CMOS battery is about $5 at a hardware or electronics store. Just make sure that you know what type of battery you need before you buy. The CMOS checksum at startup means that your battery is dead, so you need to replace that. I had a Windows 95 computer whose battery was dead, and the floppy drive driver was loaded in DOS mode. After replacing the battery, it loaded as a normal driver. Hopefully a new battery will fix your computer's issues.

soymilrayita · #5 08-22-2005, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mercman90

A CMOS battery is about $5 at a hardware or electronics store. Just make sure that you know what type of battery you need before you buy. The CMOS checksum at startup means that your battery is dead, so you need to replace that. I had a Windows 95 computer whose battery was dead, and the floppy drive driver was loaded in DOS mode. After replacing the battery, it loaded as a normal driver. Hopefully a new battery will fix your computer's issues.

I was talking to this friend of mine who told me it could be an overheating or maybe a memory issue. If it was an overheating, the computer will shut down, but it doesn't. If it was a memory issue, it wouldn't freeze when I'm in the BIOS. Can that shitty battery be so much of a pain in the ass?. Anyhow, the CMOS checksum error sign doesn't appear any more. I will start by changing the battery, but my chances increase:
1 Battery
2 Memory
3 Overheating
4 Power supply
5 Buy a new computer

TopFarmer · #6 08-22-2005, 11:33 PM

I likely am clueless also but if the cd still playes music than would say the comp has not stopped workeing, you just can't see anything due to display is not being updated. First would try a different display or try turning it off for a min. or 2, if that does not work try a different video card. On the keyboard if you press num lock or cap lock does the little light turn on/off ?

Due to the CD working can not see a power supply or memory problem, overheating mybe for the video card or display unit. But we are talking about comps so it could be anything.

soymilrayita · #7 08-23-2005, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TopFarmer

I likely am clueless also but if the cd still playes music than would say the comp has not stopped workeing, you just can't see anything due to display is not being updated. First would try a different display or try turning it off for a min. or 2, if that does not work try a different video card. On the keyboard if you press num lock or cap lock does the little light turn on/off ?

Due to the CD working can not see a power supply or memory problem, overheating mybe for the video card or display unit. But we are talking about comps so it could be anything.

As a matter of fact, the CAPS LOCK light does not turn on nor off when I press it, it stays as it was; it freezes just like the screen. Another weird fact, if I'm playing music from the HDD and the PC freezes, I hear the last 2 seconds of sound over and over until I turn it off ( this might be because of a continuous buffer reproduction).