Computer freezes randomly, help :(

[mikeyr]

Lately, after almost 2 years of having this computer, my computer has gotten extemely weird lately.

What happens the most is even though I turn turn the computer on and hear it powering up, the screen wont come on. It takes a few restarts and it'll finally start working. Other times it will boot up fine, but a couple of minutes afterwards it will just randomly freeze up completely, the mouse and keyboard as well as sound stops working.

At first I thought it had something to do with the cooling, I got the dust out of the computer and it seemed to work for a little longer before crashing. But when I managed to get the temperature screen open, I saw it was 35 degrees celcius and it crashed while looking at it.

I just find it weird that after such a long time of the computer working normally, it decides to act up now, even though I haven't changed anything recently.

I have an intel p4 3.0, nvidia 5950 ultra, 80 gig hd, 1 gig of ram (if that helps)

[wolflmg]

When it crashes, do you get any error messages?
Have you ran any spyware and virus scans?
And have you downloaded any updates for your BIOS or drives?

[mikeyr]

No error message, it just completely freezes with whatever I have up. I've ran a spyware scan as well as a virus scan, and I haven't downloaded anything but a macromedia flash update, and I've system restored hoping maybe it was that, but it wasn't.

[ANZAC_ELITE]

Seeing as how the first clean up produced positive results I wonder if there is accumulated dust still in the fans/heatsinks? both cpu and gpu.

You state you have removed the dust, but did you get right in there and clean the fan vanes and heatsink slots? both cpu and gpu.

Reseating both cpu and gpu heatsinks with new thermal compound would be a good idea if it hasn't been touched in 2 years.

I would also suggest running Memtest86 to rule out failing ram.

Do you get any blue screens at all?

I'll wait until you reply with some more detail before continuing.

[mikeyr]

I'm pretty sure I cleaned the inside well enough, and no blue screens at all.
I'm running a scandisk right now (currently on a laptop) hoping that maybe it's some dumb error. But I'll run the memtest when I get the chance.

[ANZAC_ELITE]

35 isn't really hot for an Intel cpu, and nowhere near temps that would cause throttling, I'd also check the amps on the psu 12v rail just to make sure the psu isn't failing. What forceware driver are you running for your video card?

[mikeyr]

the most recent.

[sp_100]

Is it the same in Safe Mode?
Did you try manufacturers' (on the entire system or piece by piece) hardware diagnostic utilities (if any)?
Did you check Event Viewer?
Did you try unplugging and removing all components except the most basic once?

[tangok]

Its seems to me you have a RAM problem. Try to clean the RAM connectors. If your 1GB RAM is two modules, try to take out one and see if it's ok. Then swap in the other one. One of them may be dead (or both). If your 1GB is one module, try to find another RAM module for testing.

Good luck!

[P_J_G]

sounds like the hard drive may be on it way out. Dose it ever reboot? when it dose freeze can you hear the drive spin up again? (thats if it is the problem).

[yoni5002]

Have you checked the battery in your motherboard??? It could be time for you to replace it. Try changing the Bios battery, CMOS, RTC... I had a similar problem in my friend's computer. that was the cure to such a problem... could be yours as well

Hope this help

Yoni5002º
_________

[Shadowcra]

I found the problem, it's the graphics card driver, you must be without it... They have issues lately. I don't know how to solve it yet though.