[tychobarnard]

"I've had a look at your HJT log and I don't see any malware there at all. This doesn't sound like a malware problem, more likely hardware and in particular overheating. Can I suggest that you post in the hardware forum (no HJT logs allowed)."

I have had a problem with my pc for a couple of months now. Whenever i leave my pc for a couple of hours, when i come back it wont respond anymore. Applications take ages to load and nothing responds really. I thought formatting and re-installing windows XP would help but it didn't.

any suggestions?

thanks in advance!

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Do you have any programs that monitor your computer temperatures? If not, try downloading Speedfan <http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php> this is a cool little program that can be used to tell you the temperatures of your cpu, hdd's and rpm of fans etc... This also is a very advanced program, so do not muck around with the settings on it unless you know exactly what you are doing. Read the information on the webpage before downloading. If Speedfan reports that your system (or a component) is running too hot (shown by a little flame symbol), then you need to take action to fix this (ie. add more fans, change to more efficient fans etc...). Attached is a little picture of my speedfan program running currently. Notice that the CPU fan is the only one with an RPM, this is because other fans in my system are attached directly to the power supply and not through the motherboard. Thus the sensor cannot pick them up. And I'm not exactly sure what AUX is, or why its temp is heaps higher than the others, but it's still got a tick. I think my comp is running too cool, I'll have to put it to good use

If that's not the problem, what settings do you have for your computer to do when not in use? Open Start menu > Settings > Control Panel, and then open the Power Options icon. I've noticed that sometimes Windows XP decides not to respond too well to settings like "turn off hard disks" and "system standby". If you have any of these enabled, try disabling them and see what happens next time you leave your computer unattended for a while. In particular, if you have faulty memory these can stuff up. Happened to me the very first time I purchased a new computer. I didn't know what was going on, I had this problem and others too, just various errors here and there. Of course, the ram was replaced and everything's sweet now, but...

Edited by ruthandtroy, 14 May 2007 - 08:42 AM.

[Troy]

Do you have any programs that monitor your computer temperatures? If not, try downloading Speedfan <http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php> this is a cool little program that can be used to tell you the temperatures of your cpu, hdd's and rpm of fans etc... This also is a very advanced program, so do not muck around with the settings on it unless you know exactly what you are doing. Read the information on the webpage before downloading. If Speedfan reports that your system (or a component) is running too hot (shown by a little flame symbol), then you need to take action to fix this (ie. add more fans, change to more efficient fans etc...). Attached is a little picture of my speedfan program running currently. Notice that the CPU fan is the only one with an RPM, this is because other fans in my system are attached directly to the power supply and not through the motherboard. Thus the sensor cannot pick them up. And I'm not exactly sure what AUX is, or why its temp is heaps higher than the others, but it's still got a tick. I think my comp is running too cool, I'll have to put it to good use

If that's not the problem, what settings do you have for your computer to do when not in use? Open Start menu > Settings > Control Panel, and then open the Power Options icon. I've noticed that sometimes Windows XP decides not to respond too well to settings like "turn off hard disks" and "system standby". If you have any of these enabled, try disabling them and see what happens next time you leave your computer unattended for a while. In particular, if you have faulty memory these can stuff up. Happened to me the very first time I purchased a new computer. I didn't know what was going on, I had this problem and others too, just various errors here and there. Of course, the ram was replaced and everything's sweet now, but...

Edited by ruthandtroy, 14 May 2007 - 08:42 AM.

[tychobarnard]

hey

thanks for the reply!

i downloaded speedfan and it's running right now, but i dont seem to have an awfull lot of fans (2 to be exact) and stuff, and it only shows the temperature of my HD (which is 36).

is there anything in the settings that should be changed? (Don't worry, im not trying anything)

i checked the pc's powersettings, and the things you mentioned were both disabled already so that can't be a problem i guess... So i don't know what to do really

[Titan8990]

Speedfan isn't compatable with all hardware. Try checking in your system BIOS (usually F2 or Del during startup). In your BIOS there should be some form of "hardware monitoring". That should display your tempatures.

A major cause of heat problems is dust. Most office and computer stores sell cans of air for around $6. When you clean your fans make sure to hold them still when you blow air on them because spinning them manually causes them to burn out faster.

Have physically checked to see that all your fans are running? Does your case have room for an additional fan?

There is a few things to check and get you started.

Edit: Also it is odd ruthandtroy that it says AUX there. I have the same version of speed fan and it lists as follows (top to bottom): CPU, Internal Temp, Remote Temp, and HD0.

Edited by Titan8990, 15 May 2007 - 02:27 PM.

[SRX660]

This can also be caused by not having enough memory to save all the data in hybernate mode, which causes a lockup of the computer. I usually run at least a gig of memory with XP. XP will run on 256 Mb of memory but it runs poorly. 512 Mb of memory is better but if you have a lot of applications running in the background , even that much is not quite enough. My XP computers generally use 250-260 MB of memory for basic running. One Media center computer i have has only 512 MB of memory with about 60 Mb dedicated to the on-board graphics so i am usually left about 127 MB of memory which is just not enough and i can see the computer slowing down at times, like when i'm burning CD's. Something that will help with memory problems is turning off some services that microsoft seem to like leaving on.

http://www.jasonn.co...s_on_windows_xp

36 degrees is slightly high for a HD. It should be more around 30 degrees but that temp is not out of range in any way.

SRX660

[tychobarnard]

system specs:

intel pentium 4 CPU 3.20GHz
1,00 GB RAM

should be enough, right?

[Titan8990]

Yes, it should. Were you able to find out your temperatures? Pentium 4s are notorious for running hot.

[macten]

Does Speed Fan show a reading for Temp1. That's the cpu reading.

When a P4 over heats it automatically slows down to protect itself.

[Troy]

Yeah well, I don't even know what AUX is, but it just might be some sensor on my particular motherboard. My CPU used to run heaps hotter, and the intel fan was so noisy I cracked the !%&@*$ with it and grabbed a new Thermaltake Blue Orb II from the bargain bin at my local computer shop. I said to the attendant "Why is this in the bargain bin - is it new?" and he said "Yeah, I just can't sell it. Been on the shelf for months" so now that's why my fan speed is so low too, cause this thing is huge. It's so big, I couldn't fit it in my case, so I thought "Bugger, I'm not going to just give up and put the intel fan back in". In the end, my PSU sits on top of my case with the side panel off and cords going in through the side. Dangerous, sure, but I'm not bumping it anytime soon. I set my office up real good and told my wife "NO TOUCHY!" The only thing she's allowed to press on the case is the on button and the dvd burner eject button, and she's cool with it.

[tychobarnard]

Does Speed Fan show a reading for Temp1. That's the cpu reading.

When a P4 over heats it automatically slows down to protect itself.

no, speedfan doesn't show Temp1. Only HD0: 35C

[macten]

I use a infrared thermometer to determine the temp of a cpu. I'll look around and see if there is another way to do it. Did you ever look in the BIOS to see if temps are listed?

[macten]

I've never used this one. Scroll down for the download:

http://www.hmonitor.net/

I think I'll try it right now....

[macten]

I just installed that hmonitor. It gives me the temp of the motherboard and the hardrive. I noticed that the motherboard temp is pretty close to the cpu temp that speedfan shows. Give it a try....

edit....I closed hmonitor and ran speedfan. cpu temp on speedfan = motherboard temp on hmonitor...for my pc.

Edited by macten, 16 May 2007 - 06:57 AM.

[tychobarnard]

again, with hmonitor, it only shows the HD temp.

[macten]

pull the sides off and aim a fan right at it. If the problem persists, it's probably not a heat issue....