'puter problem

[Gator]

i have a 10 mth old Dell Latitude d620 that has all of a sudden started freezing, usually unfreezing a few minutes later. I can't think of any software i've recently installed that would be causing this, but i believe it started upon returning from the PI (people there were using it to check email and such). I ran Norton Anti V (it's self updating) and showed no spyware or virus issues. I was looking at buying Norton Systemworks to use it's diagnostic tools to see what the problem is, but definitely could stand some advice, this system has never acted like this before. thanks

 

[tkoepp]

Users other than youself can wreck havoc on a pc, I wouldnt trust a single spyware program alone, the 100% way to get rid if it (assuming it is not a hardware problem) is to reload back to the factory specs. If this is not an option then you might want to try multiple virus / spyware removal tools. Check your processes and see whats running that shouldnt be, check your config file for startup commands that shouldnt be there.

Hope that helps

 

[AVB]

If you are using Windows Defender see if the updates are loading when you have your freeze problems. There are reports of this happening.

 

[grateful1]

Upon starting your pc.....open 'task manager' and look to see if svchost.exe if running amuck. It should be running but not taking up 99% of the cpu nor large/sudden swings in memory.


Microsoft update service had a problem but NOT all pc's have been effected. Here's the linky

Turn off 'Automatic Updates" and run this linky

Then reboot and make sure 'Autoupdate' is active.

If this does not work...I have detailed steps (requiring re-regisration of .dlls ...prolly more tha is needed)...but let me know.

 

[Gator]

If you are using Windows Defender see if the updates are loading when you have your freeze problems. There are reports of this happening.

don't have that. It acts like a spyware problem, which makes sense seeing how 20 different people used it to check their email. Any advice on a free spyware finder / nuker?

to make matters even more of a pain in the ass, i was downloading system works last night (actually installing) and my 10yo shut the laptop lid, leaving partially installed programs, and i couldn't re-install, had to delete all norton products and start over, after spending 30 min with the Indian tech person ( :angry: )

i have the top of the line Dell protection plan, i can always back things up, then throw this b-word in a pond (sounds appealing right now)

 

[grateful1]

Keep It Simple - Check for the SVCHOST issue first!
This sounds very familiar ...and it would be better to have this than malware issues.

It takes a minute to diagnose..and under 10 (5 if your really good) ...to fix.

I've had that problem on 10% of the systems I work with - including my own.

Good luck.

 

[mysterea]

hold on guys, hold on a sec here, we don't even know what the problem is yet, assuming you're using XP:

When you hit Ctrl+Alt+Del and go to 'Task Manager', select the 'processes' tab, how many processes are running?
40 is about 'clean' for a desktop, you'll see something like this:

That being said, how many processes are you currently running?
When I hear of this issue on a call first thing I do is shutdown extra apps from running all the time. If you want a program to run you'll run it for christs sake!

If you have over 40, it's probably a good idea to check this out:
go to Start>Run and type 'msconfig'
click the 'startup' tab (be careful anyplace else in here!)
turn everything off in here except:
hkcmd
igfxtray
vptray (if existing)
ccApp
pointer (if existing)

You may want to edit this again later, but for now let's just stick with the above list.

Note: When your machine comes up next you'll get a rediculous popup with paragraph of text poorly exaplining what you just did, click 'do not show me this again' and hit ok.

Click 'ok' on the bottom of the msconfig window, and 'reboot'

Let us know how this worked!

~R

 

[Smitty]

agree - do the links above first.

then run down the malware road with

hijackthis

and

spy ware programs to remove

 

[grateful1]

hold on guys, hold on a sec here, we don't even know what the problem is yet, assuming you're using XP:

When you hit Ctrl+Alt+Del and go to 'Task Manager', select the 'processes' tab, how many processes are running?
40 is about 'clean' for a desktop, you'll see something like this:

That being said, how many processes are you currently running?
When I hear of this issue on a call first thing I do is shutdown extra apps from running all the time. If you want a program to run you'll run it for christs sake!

If you have over 40, it's probably a good idea to check this out:
go to Start>Run and type 'msconfig'
click the 'startup' tab (be careful anyplace else in here!)
turn everything off in here except:
hkcmd
igfxtray
vptray (if existing)
ccApp
pointer (if existing)

You may want to edit this again later, but for now let's just stick with the above list.

Note: When your machine comes up next you'll get a rediculous popup with paragraph of text poorly exaplining what you just did, click 'do not show me this again' and hit ok.

Click 'ok' on the bottom of the msconfig window, and 'reboot'

Let us know how this worked!

~R

LMAO - friggin' newbie!










:sign:

 

[Rob_k]

AVG free (http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1) is a great spyware/anti virus proggie and it is free, auto updates it self. if your puter is freezing, go the route of checking what is running in the backround like myterea suggested. also, you may have a bad memory module, this happened to me a long time ago, i pulled a memory stick (had it tested) and low and behold, was a bad chip on the stick. hope this helps.
Rob

 

[mysterea]

LMAO - friggin' newbie!

So by newbie, you mean someone who's been online with a 300 BAUD back when they were new, fixing machines professionally for the last 14 years, and on a computer for the last 22 years, then yeah, I suppose you're right.

Don't MAKE me pull out my geek-cred. We can talk DOS memory allocations if it has to come to that!

~R

 

[AVB]

I think I have an AST card populated with 1024KB of 64KB chips somewhere. Never know when you might need that XMS or EMS memory.

 

[Infinity]

:sign: :sign: Get a MAC.

After years of windows problems, at times losing important data from crashes, systems that slow down fast, I plucked up the courage and bought a MacBook Pro.
No viruses, no spyware - Hey Mon, no problems no worries.

On a serious note though, I'm impressed, you guys really know your shit.

Brian

 

[sonuvabum]

LMAO - friggin' newbie!

So by newbie, you mean someone who's been online with a 300 BAUD back when they were new, fixing machines professionally for the last 14 years, and on a computer for the last 22 years, then yeah, I suppose you're right.

Don't MAKE me pull out my geek-cred. We can talk DOS memory allocations if it has to come to that!

~R

Oooohhhh....Testy testy testy....

LMAO!!

Seriously...got to agree with the others here, particularly Rob. We see this occasionally and 9 out of 10 it is some kind of "auto-update" routine that was loaded automatically by one of your apps or some other startup item in the system tray. Adobe is one of the worst but they all do it. Between that and all the resident stuff they leave in the system tray, it's a wonder more machines don't just cave under the weight. Another one I've had lots of trouble with is Norton Systemworks. Get that b!tch off your machine. Norton Corporate AV however is very good but it is only Anti-Virus, not any of that other fluffy stuff. We use it on all our 'puters. It's worked great for years.

One last thing, how much mem you got? What you describe sounds to me like a system resource issue, specifically running low on memory. Killing some of the startup crap and cleaning out the system tray will go a long way towards stopping that.

Also, I've had pretty good luck with this utility...
TUT Linky..

Best of luck...

 

[mysterea]

I think I have an AST card populated with 1024KB of 64KB chips somewhere. Never know when you might need that XMS or EMS memory.

Sounds like a cool looking board, shine a light through that and you've got an art installation!

 

[davidr2340]

:sign: :sign: Get a MAC.

After years of windows problems, at times losing important data from crashes, systems that slow down fast, I plucked up the courage and bought a MacBook Pro.
No viruses, no spyware - Hey Mon, no problems no worries.

On a serious note though, I'm impressed, you guys really know your shit.

Brian

Damn... Look at the Mac user!!!
Seems like yesterday, you were thinking about makin' the jump!!! Glad to see you like it Brian!!!

:thumbs:

 

[preembargo]

Help2go.com is the first forum I ever joined. Those guys really know their stuff. Start out here and follow the steps to download and use the spyware removal tools, then go here to use their 'Net Detective". Basically you run a simple program called 'HijackThis", the program generates a log, you paste the log into Net Detective and it tells you what more you need to do if anything.

It really makes things pretty easy.

edit to add: If you follow the steps and still have problems, post the hijackthis log in the forum with a description of your system and your problems and someone like Rob will get you back on track in no time.

 

[Horse]

The svchost post was a good one...also I've found suddenly freezing machines (recently anyway) were due to a file called yupdater.exe running amuck. That one is easily fixed by stopping the process, search for yupdater.exe and delete it. It's yahoo's corrupted updater.
And yeah, part of my job is to keep 900+ desktops running for a local government agency.

 

[Smitty]

I blocked my users from yahoo downloads (mainly so they dont install messenger and such) to avoid that yupdater.exe bs. That resolved 75% of my workstation lock ups about 6 months ago.

I run hijackthis monthly on every workstation and eliminate the useless crap they tried to install over the last month

 

[Horse]

LOL, if I had control of the filter...they would be sooooo screwed :sign: But alas, I don't. We do run websense and have the majority of the baddies blocked though.