[scatgreen2]

I'll often open files/programs and nothing will happen. My computer doesn't freeze, but the hard drive does not engage. Ctrl+Alt+Del does nothing at this point. Then a few minutes later, everything comes alive. Sometimes it will freeze when a file is already open.

I already looked for malware, but there is none: http://www.geekstogo...D=in&MSID=73473

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

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have you defragmented your hard drive recently? (or ever?) if the answer is no,
then open up my computer > right click on the c: drive and choose properties > go to the tools tab > and click on the button that says check now under the error checking section...this may ask you if you want to schedule the scan on next reboot...if it does say yes and reboot then let that run to completion (usually 30 min to an hour) after that completes log back into windoes and get back to the same tools menu as above, now click the defragment now button...this will open up the windows defragmentation utility, press the defrag now button and let that run (depending on drive size and amount of fragmentation this can take up to 2 hours to run ) let that run undisturbed until completion

report any errors

[dsenette]

have you defragmented your hard drive recently? (or ever?) if the answer is no,
then open up my computer > right click on the c: drive and choose properties > go to the tools tab > and click on the button that says check now under the error checking section...this may ask you if you want to schedule the scan on next reboot...if it does say yes and reboot then let that run to completion (usually 30 min to an hour) after that completes log back into windoes and get back to the same tools menu as above, now click the defragment now button...this will open up the windows defragmentation utility, press the defrag now button and let that run (depending on drive size and amount of fragmentation this can take up to 2 hours to run ) let that run undisturbed until completion

report any errors

[scatgreen2]

Thanks - I'll let you know if the problems persist.

[scatgreen2]

It's still freezing up - especially when in Word. When I restart, saving setting takes a long time and I sometimes have to just pull the battery.

[dsenette]

have you cleaned out the inside of your computer lately? (sounds stupid but if there's alot of dust in there...that can cause heat whcih can cause lockups)

also...is it JUST office programs that are locking up or everything?

[scatgreen2]

It seems like there are two main times when it freezes. First, when I'm using Word. A few minutes ago, it kept freezing several times when I would press enter in a certain place while columns were on and automatic numbering was being used. When I went to the task manager, the CPU for word was 99 and the CPU usage history was a flat line at the top. I don't really know what means, but it looked bad.

Second, when I take it out of sleep mode and it's trying to connect to a wireless internet signal. This doesn't seem to happen as often though.

It will sometimes go a while without doing any of these things though.

How do I clean the inside of a laptop? Just unscrew everything?

I would normally just reformat, but I can't find my windows cds.

[scatgreen2]

any other tips?

[Retired Tech]

If you have Norton, click options, misc options, remove tick from Office plug in

[scatgreen2]

Don't have Norton. I have symantec.

The problems persist. Alt+ctrl+del (when it works) will sometimes show that svchost is using a lot of memory. I don't know if that means anything to you.