PC Kinda Locks Up

[Simple Simon]

Greetings Everyone,

Not been here in quite a while, so first off all the best for the New Year!

I could do with a little input from the experts I know frequent AntiOnline. I have been experiencing a problem recently with my PC. It boots up and runs perfectly fine but then seems to lock up at some random point.

Now I say seems to as the mouse pointer just doesn't move but the keyboard responds to num lock and caps lock. Interestingly, at intermittent points the mouse pointer will unfreeze and allow me to briefly move it, but then freezes again. If I stick at it long enough I can get to the point where I can shutdown safely.

I have got AVG and SpyBot S&D and AdAware and A2 and HijackThis and done scans (in safe mode) with upto date definitions etc and turned up nothing, narda, zilch.

Any suggestions?

TIA

[gore]

Have you checked the temps? Heat can do this and much much more.

[Linen0ise]

I tried to reply here early but was on a different system and couldn't remember my password here

I will assume the OP is using XP, Vista, or maybe Windows 7. If you have your operating system handy, try the following command on a comand prompt:

1. sfc.exe /scannow
a. reboot

then

2. Windows update;reboot

[wolfman1984]

The Wolfman would suggest trying a bootable linux distribution, like Knoppix (http://www.knoppix.net/). If your mouse is still not working in an alternative operating system, you probably have a hardware issue.

[gore]

Lol where have YOU been? I haven't seen you since I did that Werewolf song and had you check it out.

Anyway, I was going to reply yesterday but I've been a little busy, I wanted to add to what Wolfman was saying;

If you ever have trouble where you aren't sure if it's OS or Hardware, your best bet is to take his advice about something you can boot live. Knoppix seems very popular, and I also keep around a few extras in case hardware works better somewhere else, like the OpenSUSE Live disks which have served me well as well.

There is a Windows Live CD too, I just can't recall what it's called because I've never really had to use one, but I know someone here has posted about it before so I won't flood you with where to look, but a different OS like Linux, or BSD, or even a live Solaris disk, could help you determine if the problem is the hardware having an issue, which has happened before, or if you have a real problem.

My first thought was heat because of you saying that you've kept the machine at least checked with scanning things and coming up blank, which I've seen before (My Laptop runs hot sometimes, and I have AntiVirus, Spyware Scanners, and others I use to check it and when it comes up blank, heat will still mess with you)...

I try keeping machines cool for a lot of reasons, but heat can in fact destroy hardware, or make it malfunction, and even cause an OS freeze.

I'll wait for a reply to continue with my ideas about heat, but if you look at what everyone here has said and still having problems, see if the machine is running warm!

Back years ago people here would say "Just take off the case and see if it improves" but today, fan and internal heat sensors are so common place I'd just recommend you get a reputable temp control application, run it, and see if anything seems a bit to hot for normal.

My Cousin had problems like yours, and I didn't even think Spyware, my first thought was heat, and sure enough, the thing was at like 150 Celsius and it was quite a bit above the temps the manufacturer said was normal.

You can find usually online, or sometimes in a book for the hardware documentation, for the temps that your hardware should have.

Also, you could try another Mouse if you have it just to rule out that particular mouse. Also, if it's USB, try switching it to another USB port just to rule out THAT hardware problem too.

[wolfman1984]

Hey Gore!! It's nice for The Wolfman to be back after all this time. I don't want to hijack this post so I'll PM you.

Good call on checking the mouse though. That would obviously be the easiest solution.

[nihil]

Hi,

When your system freezes such that it won't accept input from HIDs it frequently indicates that you have 100% CPU usage. I am not surprised that the keyboard locks work, as the mouse lets you move it every now and then, indicating that both HIDs are still in contact with, and being recognised by the system.

When this happens next, please try ctrl + alt + del, and use the Windows Task Manager to see what your CPU usage is, and the processes responsible. Please be patient, as it could take quite some time to load

Another possibility is that you have two or more processes running that don't play nice together. Not quite a deadly embrace, but close to it.

You use the words "random" and "intermittent", which suggests to me that it is probably not the mouse or a fundamental heat problem. The mouse would act up right from the start, and heat problems tend to be fairly consistent with elapsed time?

Does this happen when you are running particular applications or doing something intensive like graphics or games?

Also, are you overclocking anything?............that can produce your heat problem, but apparently randomly because it is dependent on your usage rather than time.

The comments on testing USB devices on different ports is very valid as I have never found USB to be the most reliable physical connection. To add to that, try it on a port managed by a different controller if you can.

[Linen0ise]

Phoney azz cop...bitchin at contracters working for a demon. FU

[Simple Simon]

Sorry, for not updating sooner - my work seems to never be done! LOL

I did suspect heat at first, however, I'm now confident it is not - I've left ABIT EQ temperature monitoring utility running and none of the temperatures get much above 30 Celsius, even when the problem re-occurs.

I have swapped the keyboard and mouse for ps2 varieties and still got the problem - drivers?

I have also had it lock up in the BIOS screens when viewng the BIOS temperature monitoring screen for a long time.

Operating system is Windows XP Pro SP2.

I've today managed to spend some spare time on it and reset the BIOS (due to the lock up when in BIOS screens) as per the user manual - power off > power cord out > CMOS jumper setting changed > discharged for at least 1 minute > jumper reset > power on.

I have a bootable Fedora disk. Will give it a go, although I don't hold out much hope due to the lock up when viewing the BIOS.

Will also try to get task manager to run next time - there does seem to be disk activity when it occurs.

Thanks for the input so far - esp. Gore and nihil

[wolfman1984]

Sounds like a hardware issue. You should run a full systems diagnotic to detrkine what is failing. The Wolfman runs Eurosoft's PC Check and sometimes the open source GRML bootdisk at grml.org. The diagnostic tools will help you pinpoint your hardware issue.