[Solved] Computer locking up

[mij]

OS :- W7

Mem :- 4GB (IIRC)

Hard disk:- 465GB of which 363 is free

 

Recent activity:- Change of router and ISP, left BE-there and gone to plusnet. Had to remove the Dell files for the printer and re-install it to get it working again.

 

It started doing this when I switched it on this afternoon and tried printing a document. Then I found that any program started would take ages to respond.

I found the only way out was ctr/alt/del and switch off.

jim

[Plastic Nev]

Hi Jim,

As you will know there are a lot of things could be the cause of this, faulty RAM, Something hogging resources, some odd incompatibility between two running programs, malware and maybe some other things not thought about.

 

First would be a scan with Malwarebytes and scans with antivirus and other security products.

 

Second is to have a look in Task Manager (Run box and copy and paste taskmgr then check processes that nothing is hogging the CPU or RAM also check performance and see how much RAM is actually being used)

 

Next would be to check the RAM sticks, take them out, clean contacts and replace just one, check the system, no change try another and so on.

 

Just in case something is wrong in the printer software, remove it and uninstall again and try without printer or software.

 

Let us know what you find, if anything, after that,

 

Nev.

[mij]

computer locking up

 

Thanks for the reply Nev, this has gone fine for a few months.

 

I have managed to download MBAM and have done a complete scan ... it found nothing

 

I started up and chose repair fom the menu offered. It scanned the memories and all was ok. Both of these took some time to complete.

 

I had already used spybot to scan the computer.

 

When I looked in My Computer it showed the hdd with total memory and free memory quoted above, does that mean the hdd is ok?

Now it wont show the desktop at all. I have a blank screen and a mouse arrow. I have to use the three fingered salute to shut it down.

Pressing the del button on booting updoes not get me to the safe mode menu either.

What is next?

jim

Edited March 24, 2013 by mij

[mij]

I looked for the Windows 7 disk hoping to use that to boot the machine and cannot find it - meantime the desktop appears. Perhaps it is something at start-up that stops somethings from working. A f'rinstance is task-manager. It has opened and shows a CPU usage of 0to 1% whilst typing this in openoffice. It jumps almost to 100% when I drag the window across the screen. The memory is showing 732 MB ATM. The tabs at the top are sometimes unresponsive and I cannot alter my choice.

I could try restore but that might mean re-installing the ISP and printer software.

Hmmm now I recall updating java yesterday.......I wonder!

Perhaps I'll try that.

jim

PS Have just found that options tab is now active and have chosen to 'always be on top'

Edited March 25, 2013 by mij

[mij]

'Restore' seems to have done the trick. It did scan for affected programs and came up with the dell toolbar and the java update. The printer seems to be working fine as well with out the toolbar.

Thanks for the pointers Nev.

Jim

[mij]

Success! I have been wandering around the 'net for about an hour and the computer seems to be working fine. So I don't know which of those two (dell toolbar or java update) it was but it disappeared when I restored it to a previous date like two days ago. Thanks again.

jim

[KenB]

Success!

 

Good to hear that you are up-and-running again Jim :)

I will mark this one "Solved" :)

[Plastic Nev]

Hi Jim, glad it is sorted, even though it turned out to be something entirely different to what I thought.

 

Nev.