[martens24]

Not sure if this should be posted here or not but here goes:

For the past two weeks, my computer has been locking up / freezing after a few minutes after turning on. The computer will start normally and just randomly lock up. Whether I'm working at the computer or it is just sitting there. It will lock up anytime between two minutes and ten minutes. The only way I can restart the computer is to hold down the power button and force a hard restart. This happens even if I'm running in safe mode. I've looked at some fixes and have attempted these to no avail. I did a system restore to before the problem occurred. I've opened the tower and cleaned off any dust. I've run McAfee and Avast and both say there is no virus. I even disabled the sound card as a recommendation but that didn't seem to help either.

The computer is a Dell Studio XPS 7100 and is running Windows 7. I don't know a ton about computers so don't really know where to go from here or what to do. The computer is around a year and a half old.

Any help is GREATLY appreciated as I have to work really fast to get anything done! :-)

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Hello martens24

Couple of things for you to do for us if you will please;

Download Speedfan and install it. Once it's installed, run the program and post here the information it shows. The information I want you to post is the stuff that is circled in the example picture I have attached.
If you are running on a vista machine, please go to where you installed the program and run the program as administrator.


(this is a screenshot from a vista machine)

To capture and post a screenshot;

Click on the ALT key + PRT SCR key..its on the top row..right hand side..now click on start...all programs...accessories...paint....left click in the white area ...press CTRL + V...click on file...click on save...save it to your desktop...name it something related to the screen your capturing... BE SURE TO SAVE IT AS A .JPG ...otherwise it may be to big to upload... then after typing in any response you have... click on browse...desktop...find the screenshot..select it and click on the upload button...then on the lower left...after it says upload successful...click on add reply like you normally would.

Depending on the results we may need to run further software for comparison.

Screenshot instructions are provided to assist those that may read this topic but are not yet aware of the “how to”.

Please Run the PCPitstop.com OverDrive Full Tests

Here's how:

You must use your Internet Explorer for this procedure. (doesn't work so well in Firefox or others). If your machine is running Vista or Windows 7, you must Select IE to “Run as Administrator”. After completing PCPitstop OverDrive you can close your IE browser and re-open it Normally so that you are no longer running as administrator.

Go to: http://www.pcpitstop...pit/default.asp
Click on "Free Computer Check-up" listed below PC Pitstop OverDrive
In the User Login - Click on "Sign up FREE!"
You'll need to submit a valid email address and create your own password, then click - Create Account(button)

Now enter your email address and password to Log in, Select - Scan this system Now!(button)
You will then be asked to download an ActiveX component and allow it to install.
It is safe and does not compromise your privacy.
Follow the on-screen prompts to install the ActiveX and to allow the Full Tests to be run on your machine.

The Full Tests take about 2 1/2 - 3 minutes on most machines.
When complete, a Results - Summary - Recommended Fixes will be displayed.

Please post the URL internet address, from your Results, back here into this Topic Thread so that we can review the configuration and present performance levels of your machine.

Note: During the graphics 2D and graphics 3D testing, your screen will display some rapidly moving objects.
If you are sensitive to visual flashing, it may cause dizziness. Therefore, look away from the screen during that portion of the testing.

After reviewing the results we will be more informed and may be able to provide better recommendations for you to work towards improving your machine's performance.

While PCPitstop does offer a variety of Paid Products, the PCPitstop OverDrive testing is FREE. Please ignore the references to Paid Products. We prefer to provide manual solution instructions that you can apply directly to your machine.

Thanks to rshaffer61 for the PCPitstop information.

[phillpower2]

Hello martens24

Couple of things for you to do for us if you will please;

Download Speedfan and install it. Once it's installed, run the program and post here the information it shows. The information I want you to post is the stuff that is circled in the example picture I have attached.
If you are running on a vista machine, please go to where you installed the program and run the program as administrator.


(this is a screenshot from a vista machine)

To capture and post a screenshot;

Click on the ALT key + PRT SCR key..its on the top row..right hand side..now click on start...all programs...accessories...paint....left click in the white area ...press CTRL + V...click on file...click on save...save it to your desktop...name it something related to the screen your capturing... BE SURE TO SAVE IT AS A .JPG ...otherwise it may be to big to upload... then after typing in any response you have... click on browse...desktop...find the screenshot..select it and click on the upload button...then on the lower left...after it says upload successful...click on add reply like you normally would.

Depending on the results we may need to run further software for comparison.

Screenshot instructions are provided to assist those that may read this topic but are not yet aware of the “how to”.

Please Run the PCPitstop.com OverDrive Full Tests

Here's how:

You must use your Internet Explorer for this procedure. (doesn't work so well in Firefox or others). If your machine is running Vista or Windows 7, you must Select IE to “Run as Administrator”. After completing PCPitstop OverDrive you can close your IE browser and re-open it Normally so that you are no longer running as administrator.

Go to: http://www.pcpitstop...pit/default.asp
Click on "Free Computer Check-up" listed below PC Pitstop OverDrive
In the User Login - Click on "Sign up FREE!"
You'll need to submit a valid email address and create your own password, then click - Create Account(button)

Now enter your email address and password to Log in, Select - Scan this system Now!(button)
You will then be asked to download an ActiveX component and allow it to install.
It is safe and does not compromise your privacy.
Follow the on-screen prompts to install the ActiveX and to allow the Full Tests to be run on your machine.

The Full Tests take about 2 1/2 - 3 minutes on most machines.
When complete, a Results - Summary - Recommended Fixes will be displayed.

Please post the URL internet address, from your Results, back here into this Topic Thread so that we can review the configuration and present performance levels of your machine.

Note: During the graphics 2D and graphics 3D testing, your screen will display some rapidly moving objects.
If you are sensitive to visual flashing, it may cause dizziness. Therefore, look away from the screen during that portion of the testing.

After reviewing the results we will be more informed and may be able to provide better recommendations for you to work towards improving your machine's performance.

While PCPitstop does offer a variety of Paid Products, the PCPitstop OverDrive testing is FREE. Please ignore the references to Paid Products. We prefer to provide manual solution instructions that you can apply directly to your machine.

Thanks to rshaffer61 for the PCPitstop information.

[martens24]

Thanks, Phill for the help. Here's what's happening. I have been able to run the SpeedFan program and have attached the screen shot. I am running into a problem with the PCPitStop website. I have tried to run the OverDrive Tests a few times and the computer keeps locking up before I can complete. The weird thing is that it always locks up at the same spot. It locks as it is scanning the Drive Health Section and Checking Fragmentation in Drive C. It locks up at 27% four times in a row. Three times running the my computer regularly and once in safe mode. I thought it was kind of weird that four times it locked up at 26%! That said, I've attached a pic of what the screen looks like when it locks (I took it with my phone). I also attached the link to the partially completed test below. Thanks again for your help!!!

http://www.pcpitstop...&report=Summary

Attached Thumbnails

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[phillpower2]

Thanks for the updates

There are a couple of things of note in the test results but due to the problem checking the HDD I would suggest that before we proceed further you back up any important data on the HDD as a precautionary measure (in case of HDD failure) once you have done this or if there is nothing on the HDD that you wish to keep let us know and we can continue.

You are welcome BTW