[Anamacha]

I have an XP machine running SP3 that won't wake up from stand by. Well, it WILL wake up from stand by, but between 5 and 30 seconds after I type in my password I hear a <cronk> noise from the speakers and then the whole thing locks up tighter than a drum. No mouse, no keyboard, no front panel power button, nothin'. The only way I have found to recover from that is to remove power and then reapply.

After this crash, sometimes the fans in my machine spin up to jet-taking-off volumes. I can't tell if this is the case fan making the noise or the graphics card fan (I'm using an ATI Radeon X1650).

I never had this problem when I was running SP2 -- it seemed to start a month or two after I installed SP3. I don't know what else I installed on top of that that might have caused this. I don't beleive it's hardware related as I haven't touched the hardware in this machine in several years.

The good folks at Geeks to Go helped me out with a crashing/BSOD in win32k.sys issue that I was having ... I mentioned this issue in that thread since I didn't know if it would be relevant or not. That thread can be found here: http://www.geekstogo...-crashes-bsods/

If you need any information from me, feel free to let me know.

[Advertisements]

<bump>

[Anamacha]

<bump>

[edge2022]

Could you describe the cronk noise better; are you sure it is coming from your speakers? As for the fan noise, I strongly feel that it is your graphics card that is causing it.
I suggest you try to boot into safe mode, and try standing by and then waking your computer. If you have integrated GFX, then pull the card from your mobo, and hook up the integrated graphics.
I would also try updating your display (GFX card) drivers.
Good luck, and be sure to post back on troubleshooting attempts.

[Anamacha]

the noise is never quite the same twice. Yes, it comes from the speakers -- that is, I hear it in stereo, as opposed to localized in the case.

You may be right about the fan noise. I have not yet been able to tell. If this happens again, perhaps I will have the presence of mind to listen to where it's coming from.

I will try booting into safe mode and making it stand by. I have not tried that yet. I have also not tried pulling the card, but I view that as a last resort.

[edge2022]

All right then... post back your results from safe mode.

[phillpower2]

I don't believe it's hardware related as I haven't touched the hardware in this machine in several years.

Also consider the psu as a possibility they do not last forever, worn fan, irregular voltage, dust build up inside the psu housing etc.

[diabillic]

The noise he is describing is probably the windows error prompt.

The SP3 upgrade could have damaged critical system files, try running a chkdsk and sfc /scannow to verify.

Seems like its most likely a software issue since it started after the SP3 upgrade.

Edited by diabillic, 22 October 2010 - 07:31 AM.

[Anamacha]

Also consider the psu as a possibility they do not last forever, worn fan, irregular voltage, dust build up inside the psu housing etc.

yeah, there is that. I did blow everything out a little while ago, but that might be it.

The noise he is describing is probably the windows error prompt.

The SP3 upgrade could have damaged critical system files, try running a chkdsk and sfc /scannow to verify.

Seems like its most likely a software issue since it started after the SP3 upgrade.

the noise I'm hearing is not any sort of regular noise, any sort of .wav file I have heard before. It's kind of a crackling, crunching noise that lasts maybe half a second. It's hard to describe but it's very distinctive at the same time.

I have already done chkdsk and sfc /scannow ... see the other thread I linked to in my OP. Those were some of the things I did when I was trying to fix BSODs caused by a video driver over-upgrade (I put version 9.8 or something on there when that version didn't support my video card and I should have stayed with 9.3 instead)

I too think it's a software issue but I don't know where to start or how to troubleshoot this.

[edge2022]

Did you try safe mode yet?
I suggest you remove your video card (remember to take precautions against ESD), and try the onboard graphics on your motherboard. If you don't have any onboard GFX, try to get another video card and see if it works fine.
I agree that the PSU might be a factor in all this. Do you know the make/model of it. If you don't know that make or model, try to find the total wattage, and amps on the +12V rail(s). They should be listed on your PSU.