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| Thread ID: 103897 | 2009-10-10 02:27:00 | Diagnose problem | georgenz (11379) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 818848 | 2009-10-10 02:27:00 | We have an Ultra PC which is about 6 years old, running XP sp3. It is only used occasionally and has nothing added or subtracted recently. Last week when it was being used (Word) it locked up solid so that even the reset button did not work, a hard reset (power off) and then a start ended up at a blank screen, you could here the HD spinning up and then nothing. Turning the machine off again and the power off again and leaving for 1/2 an hour then restarting and it went ok. This has happened a couple more times, once when it was being used and once when it was just sitting there for a while and went to wake it up and it was frozen. To me it sounds like something is dying inside, something that when it is allowed to 'rest' for a while it comes right for a while? Is there a way, a log, or something I can download and leave running that will maybe record what is happening when the problem occurs. The only other alternative seems to be to take it to a tech which in itself would be an expense. If it was going to cost several hundred to fix we would not bother as most of us use laptops and connect wirelesly so probably would replace it with another laptop when the need arose, generally we just switch it on if we wish to use the printer but that can be overcome as well. tks for any advice. |
georgenz (11379) | ||
| 818849 | 2009-10-10 02:30:00 | It sounds like it could overheating. Open the case and check the CPU fan/heatsink to see if they are full of dust. | CYaBro (73) | ||
| 818850 | 2009-10-10 06:14:00 | Either overheating, or possibly a memory problem. | Blam (54) | ||
| 818851 | 2009-10-10 09:44:00 | Either overheating, or possibly a memory problem. tks, am I right that you can download a program that shows the CPU temp, and there are others for testing RAM? |
georgenz (11379) | ||
| 818852 | 2009-10-10 09:50:00 | Download realtemp, which you can easily google. What CPU have you got? Realtemp should detect it if you don't know. As for RAM Windows has a memory diagnostic tool you can access before booting the OS. | qazwsxokmijn (102) | ||
| 818853 | 2009-10-10 19:49:00 | Is there a way, a log, or something I can download and leave running that will maybe record what is happening when the problem occurs. The only other alternative seems to be to take it to a tech which in itself would be an expense. If it was going to cost several hundred to fix we would not bother as most of us use laptops It might not be an expense. I for instance, diagnose without charge. Check Event Viewer and see if there are nay errors there as well. Take the side of the case and clean out any dust and fluff for starters. |
pctek (84) | ||
| 818854 | 2009-10-10 23:52:00 | Tks to everyone (and pctek pity you dont live further north). Ok so I have cleaned the box out and it certainly needed it, when I took the CPU fan off I could not believe how clogged up the heat sink was. Anyway put it all back together and it booted ok :clap which of course was a relief and it was a lot quieter, went to Event Viewer and it locked up, but this time hitting the reset button worked, went back into Event Viewer and could not see anything problematic. Went to open FF and it locked up again, but rebooted fine. Went into FF had a look at a few things and everything is going ok (but am writing from my laptop as Bathurst is on) so have left the machine running. Would the next step to be to run http://www.memtest86.com/ and if I download the ISO image for creating bootable CD do I need anything special to burn it to a CD? Appreciate your help so far. |
georgenz (11379) | ||
| 818855 | 2009-10-11 00:00:00 | This one will burn your ISO. http://www.imgburn.com/ |
Sweep (90) | ||
| 818856 | 2009-10-11 01:50:00 | Thanks Sweep downloaded and it worked a treat. Ran Mem86 2x's with no reported errors so will just see what happens from here on in unless anyone has any good ideas. |
georgenz (11379) | ||
| 818857 | 2009-10-26 01:35:00 | Ok so I am still having problems and they are beyond me, sometimes you power on and I can hear the fans spinning up and then nothing. A soft reset does nothing you have to hard reset and this can happen 4 or 5 times and then next time around you hear the 'beep' and the boot sequence starts to come up on the screen, sometimes it stops part way thru sometimes it goes all the way to Windows and you able to use the machine. Not sure if you are allowed to ask on here but I would like to take the machine to someone (I live in Mt Roskill in Auckland) to have a look at and realise that even a diagnosis will probably cost but as it is its beyond me. Any suggestions where as there are a million people that advertise. tks |
georgenz (11379) | ||
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