Computer is randomly freezing

[mestizo122]

Within the last week, my mom's computer has started to randomly freeze up. Ctl+alt+del does not work, and neither to the mouse it stays in one position no matter what. I did the basics:

I ran adaware, norton antivirus, and used Trendmicro's online antivirus, and nothing was found.

I ran memtest86 and let it run for 2.5 hours (8 passes) and no errors were found. However when I set it to check BIOS-All instead of BIOS-std, it gave me a lot of errors, I am not sure whether is is normal or not though because it shares ram with the video card. Before running the test, I changed the settings in the BIOS to use only 8 MB as VRAM instead of 64.

It froze on me once in safemode when I was running memtest (I found a windows version, from a different place) so I just turned it off.

I opened the case and reseated the RAM just in case it is a bad slot, or was not pushed in all the way. While it was opened I removed some of the dust. I didn't have any canned air, so I was not able to blow it out, but I was still able to remove some of the dust bunnies. The case was not that dirty, the fans were fairly clean and the openings were not clogged. The computer was blowing out relatively cold air, so I do not think that this is an overheating issue.

The computer is a Compaq S4000v
P4 2.2
512 MB DDR333 PC2700 EDIT: It is only a single stick
on a Sis 651
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&cc=br&product=327889&dlc=pt&docname=c00026600

Also when I was running memtest86 I noticed that it said that my ram speed was only 99 mhz, is that normal for ddr333?

Please help.

Thanks

mestizo122

 

[talldude123]

randomly freezes?

i would try
- updating windows, drivers, antivirus, etc.
- make sure nothing is running that doesnt need to be (in processes)
- try using other spyware-preventing programs, such as spybot and MS defender

 

[cobalt817]

try reseting the bios to safe operation default.

 

[mestizo122]

Windows is updated, so is the antivirus and adaware. I have removed everything from msconfig startup, I have checked the taskmanger and there is nothing that seems out of the ordinary.

As for the bios, there is no fail safe operation selection. It will allow no overclocking, it looks as if HP/Compaq locked it.

Thanks for the help,


mestizo122

 

[silentex]

I would go into the BIOS and check the Hardware Monitor ... see what the temperatures are running at. See if it is heat related at all.

 

[JA01]

I'm having the SAME issue!!! but I have tried all the above, and nothing is working!

 

[mjpaquette]

I've got similar issue with an eMachine T1400 (Athlon 1600+ and 256 MB ram). The cmputer ran fine for 4 years until the past few months when it freezes just like you described. I have reinstalled XP Pro fresh and have no software running other than graphics drivers. The setup utility won't give me temp info or really any adjustability. I cleaned out the case - it was pretty bad - but it still freezes. Any thoughts?