[Meddle]

Have to do this quick before it freezes again. It keeps freezing and I can't run a virus scan because that freezes too. I need to know what's wrong and how to fix it. Running on an XPS M1530 with a Geforce 8600 GT on Vista.

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An easy way to determine if your computer is in this situation is by pressing the Num Lock button on the keyboard and watching the Num Lock led (light) to see if it turns off and/or on. If you're able to get the light to turn off and on and are running Microsoft Windows, press CTRL + ALT + DEL and attempt to end task the program. You may have to run thru this many times to see if any of the programs in the Processes are causing the problem. Depending on if you have vista or XP, some programs like explorer, and systray( no systray in Vista) you do not end task on.

You might try getting into the BIOS and letting it sit there to tell you if it is a hardware( overheating) problem causing the freezes.

You can also try hitting the F8 key while the computer is booting up and pick safe mode to see if it freezes in safe mode.If it does not it is probably a drivers or software problem.

If the freezing started just lately, what was the last driver or program you installed on the computer just before the freezing started. I personally would look at the video drivers as they are the usual culprits.

SRX660

[SRX660]

An easy way to determine if your computer is in this situation is by pressing the Num Lock button on the keyboard and watching the Num Lock led (light) to see if it turns off and/or on. If you're able to get the light to turn off and on and are running Microsoft Windows, press CTRL + ALT + DEL and attempt to end task the program. You may have to run thru this many times to see if any of the programs in the Processes are causing the problem. Depending on if you have vista or XP, some programs like explorer, and systray( no systray in Vista) you do not end task on.

You might try getting into the BIOS and letting it sit there to tell you if it is a hardware( overheating) problem causing the freezes.

You can also try hitting the F8 key while the computer is booting up and pick safe mode to see if it freezes in safe mode.If it does not it is probably a drivers or software problem.

If the freezing started just lately, what was the last driver or program you installed on the computer just before the freezing started. I personally would look at the video drivers as they are the usual culprits.

SRX660

[Meddle]

It froze in safe mode once. Lately I downloaded but not installed a bunch of new drivers, but deleted them to see if that was the problem.

Once I'm in the BIOS, what exactly do I do?

Also, I ran a diagnostics and the tests checked out, except for the hard drive, which ran into errors.

[SRX660]

Usually if the computer will freeze While you are sitting with the BIOS open a bad power supply would be suspected. Also if you could not even open the BIOS then a bad motherboard would enter my thoughts.

A freeze in safe mode does tell me you have a hardware problem somewhere.

Now would be a good time to check the hard drive with the HD manufacturers utilities.

HD UTILITIES

Western Digital has the Data lifeguard Diagnostics program.
http://support.wdc.c...ndex.asp?swid=1

Seagate has the seatools for seagate and maxtor drives.
http://www.seagate.c...loads/seatools/

Samsung uses the ES-Tool
http://www.samsung.c...es/ES_Tool.html

Fujitsu has their own tools here.
http://www.fujitsu.c.../utilities.html

Hitachi has tools for IBM HD's also.
http://www.hitachigs...rt/download.htm

I would check with Dell about the HD warranty as most have at least a year from the manufacturers.

SRX660

[Meddle]

How do I check who manufactured the HD?

[SRX660]

The easist way is to go to Start, All Programs, accessories, system tools, system info.

SRX660