[Lwood]

Hi,

I have been having a problem with freezes lately which I thought might be hardware related, but after uninstalling NOD32 and installing AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic (which I have used in the past with satisfaction), the freezes seem to have stopped and I can't get the freezes to reoccur by using methods that would reproduce the problem reliably. (minimizing programs to taskbar then clicking on their placeholders repeatedly 3 or 4 times, now I can do it 10-15 times or more and no freeze).

During a freeze like this, keyboard, mouse, system tray clock were all unresponsive, therefore, no ctrl+alt+del to possibly find out what might be hanging. The freezes did not occur when performing graphics intensive tasks (3DMark 2001SE benchmarks, games etc.), but occurred when the computer was idle or performing maintenence (scandisk) or sometimes when I clicked on a link, but since removing NOD32, they have not occurred at all (surfed and performed other tasks for 17 hours straight yesterday).

This problem only manifested itself fairly recently, after I had paid for a second year subscription to NOD32 virus updates (or slightly before).

I also run BOClean, Kerio Personal Firewall 2.1.5 with remote administration disabled, ScripTrap, RegistryProt and I use Gecko based browsers, Firefox 1.5.0.7 and SeaMonkey 1.0.5.

I had excluded BOClean's executables from NOD32's AMON (file system monitor) using both long and short path names and I had excluded NOD32's exe files from BOClean's scanning using it's program excluder (as well as excluding scanregw from both).

I have a Compaq Presario 5005R, 1.1ghz Athlon T--Bird, 512MB pc133 Mushkin SDRAM, Ti4200 AGP 8X (running at 4X, 56.64 drivers), SoundMax integrated audio, USR 5610B hardware modem with latest bios (no broadband in my area).

I have customized and tweaked my OS somewhat and it has run well for the past several years.

I was wondering if anyone else running ME and NOD32 together has had any problems lately. There have been several updates to the advanced heuristics module in the past several weeks as well as many "normal" virus definition updates.

Thanks for any info or advice you may provide.

Running processes:

[Lwood]

Had another freeze last night without NOD32 installed, so I guess I'm blaming the wrong thing.

I downloaded and installed MS Intellipoint Software 4.12 even though I don't have a MS mouse (Logitech optical wired wheel mouse) and hoping maybe this fixes it.

If this doesn't help, I guess it's my "ancient" hardware? Can't afford anything newer though.

This post has been edited by Lwood: 04 October 2006 - 10:58 PM

[Lwood]

Had another freeze last night. I then decided to test my RAM with memtest86+, hung 89% through the sixth pass (zero errors up to then).

Keyboard not responding (esc did not work), power button wouldn't auto-shutdown, had to hold it in for however many seconds to shut down hard. No scan disk when I powered back up, guess that's because I wasn't in Windows when the freeze occurred. I figure it just about has to be a hardware problem since I wasn't in Windows.

One thing different, the cursor kept flashing, usually when I have a freeze like this, all animation etc. freezes also.

Decided to reflash my bios. Nothing available newer than I already had so I flashed it with the same one. If no joy, I figure my mobo or psu is on its' last legs.

Probably take one stick of RAM out at a time and test if I get another freeze, doubt it's the RAM though, can't hurt to try it at this point though.

[oscardog]

It might be worthwhile to use motherboard monitor and see what your cpu temperature is along with your psu`s voltages, see if they are within tolerance. Might be overheating.
Take out all but 1 of your ram and run memtest if ok replace the ram and repeat, if the fault only occurs on 1 stick theres your problem
If they are ok it might be advisable to run a full scandisk on your drives including surface test. Download a win98se boot floppy (hopefully you have a floppy drive) and type scandisk /all /surface.

[Lwood]

Thanks for the reply,

I've found that the freezes occur with either stick of RAM in slot one and nothing in slot two.

I don't think my motherboard has sensors, but I'll download and install motherboard monitor and see for sure.

I'll try running scandisk /all /surface, but it froze during a regular thorough scan last time I tried it a few days ago.

[oscardog]

If you can take the sidecover/cover off and after discharging yourself to earth, feel the heatsink on your cpu, if it feels hot to the touch check your cpu fan is running constantly, examine between the fins for any particle ingress. Over a period of time they soon get clogged up and reduce the cooling capacity substancially, also clean the power supply input vent.After this if you can run the pc without the cover and in safe mode f5 and see if any improvement happens, ideally after the system has had chance to cool down. It would be nice to know the psu output voltages via motherboard monitor,speedfan etc as I have known power supplies on their way out creating quite a few gremlins.

HTH

[Philco]

Lwood, on Oct 3 2006, 09:06 AM, said:

Hi,

I have been having a problem with freezes lately which I thought might be hardware related, but after uninstalling NOD32 and installing AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic (which I have used in the past with satisfaction), the freezes seem to have stopped and I can't get the freezes to reoccur by using methods that would reproduce the problem reliably. (minimizing programs to taskbar then clicking on their placeholders repeatedly 3 or 4 times, now I can do it 10-15 times or more and no freeze).

During a freeze like this, keyboard, mouse, system tray clock were all unresponsive, therefore, no ctrl+alt+del to possibly find out what might be hanging. The freezes did not occur when performing graphics intensive tasks (3DMark 2001SE benchmarks, games etc.), but occurred when the computer was idle or performing maintenence (scandisk) or sometimes when I clicked on a link, but since removing NOD32, they have not occurred at all (surfed and performed other tasks for 17 hours straight yesterday).

This problem only manifested itself fairly recently, after I had paid for a second year subscription to NOD32 virus updates (or slightly before).

I also run BOClean, Kerio Personal Firewall 2.1.5 with remote administration disabled, ScripTrap, RegistryProt and I use Gecko based browsers, Firefox 1.5.0.7 and SeaMonkey 1.0.5.

I had excluded BOClean's executables from NOD32's AMON (file system monitor) using both long and short path names and I had excluded NOD32's exe files from BOClean's scanning using it's program excluder (as well as excluding scanregw from both).

I have a Compaq Presario 5005R, 1.1ghz Athlon T--Bird, 512MB pc133 Mushkin SDRAM, Ti4200 AGP 8X (running at 4X, 56.64 drivers), SoundMax integrated audio, USR 5610B hardware modem with latest bios (no broadband in my area).

I have customized and tweaked my OS somewhat and it has run well for the past several years.

I was wondering if anyone else running ME and NOD32 together has had any problems lately. There have been several updates to the advanced heuristics module in the past several weeks as well as many "normal" virus definition updates.

Thanks for any info or advice you may provide.

Running processes:

AVG control??? Conflict with NOD32.....

[Lwood]

Thanks for the replies.

That screenshot was taken after I had removed NOD32 (which I have since reinstalled after removing AntiVir). I don't have BOClean running right now (I do not think it was part of the problem).

I think I may have "fixed" the problem though. I restored a Ghost image from before the last critical updates immediately before "support" was dropped for ME.

The first time I restored the image, I then went to Windows Update and installed the critical updates and the problems returned, so I then restored the image and have not installed those updates and my computer seems to be running fine now.

I hope I'm not speaking too soon, but I haven't had a freeze in two days (I restored the image two days ago). I don't plan on installing those "time-bomb" updates again.

I use Firefox and SeaMonkey for surfing, so I don't think I'm as vulnerable as if I used IE. The only time I used IE was for Windows Update anyway.

I would appreciate any input as to how vulnerable I am without the graphics engine update that added a running process (KB918547.EXE).

Here's a new screenshot:

This post has been edited by Lwood: 12 October 2006 - 10:36 AM

[Lwood]

After doing a little reading, I think if you're not using IE, you really don't need that KB918547 update (KB891711 either?). Seems to have only to do with WMF files and Firefox or SeaMonkey shouldn't have a problem because they don't know how to handle those files anyway. Maybe get a download prompt is all?

That's how it seems to me anyway.

[added]

The KB891711 update might be a needed update since it has to do with cursor and icon handling, it doesn't seem to cause me any problems anyway (unlike the first version of KB891711 that was released by MS)

I still have the WMF patch that Paolo Monti made a long time ago, might install that since it didn't cause problems either (had it installed for several months, but read that 9x was not vulnerable to that particular WMF vulnerability).

[second edit]

Update; still running good today so far, seems like old times.

This post has been edited by Lwood: 15 October 2006 - 10:31 AM

[Lwood]

I think I've finally tracked down the problem to a loose connector on the motherboard. I had already checked this connection (connector on the motherboard seems to lead from the power button), but while going over it again (after having another freeze without the update) and found that after touching the connector the power wouldn't come on (no lights, nothing), so I laid the tower on its' side and pushed as hard as I thought was safe and it's been running fine ever since.

Sure has been frustrating to track down, but I've been running several days now without freezes so I think it turns out not to have been the update(s), but just a "minor" hardware problem that was so off and on that it was very hard to track down. At least now I know the first place to look if it happens again, I think.