Windows Vista Computer random stuttering problem

My computer has been stuttering randomly for the past week and I have no idea why or how to fix it. The stuttering occurs randomly whether I'm on microsoft word or playing a game or watching a video. Any help is appreciated.

 

Need more info. Do the system Specs as this will help us. What OS, amount of ram, on or off line?

PS
Welcome to Windowsbbs.

 

i have vostro 220, intel core 2 duo, 4 gb ram vista 32-bit, 9500gt, 290W PSU. i've been scanning with AVG, Malwarebytes and spybot but the problem persists.

 

Could you explain in more detail what you mean by stuttering. Are you talking about the mouse pointer, a delay when you type or some other behaviour like a glitch in the graphics on screen.

If you have all the AV software active that can cause problems, you should only have one running at a time.

If it is typing or mouse pointer behaviour try a different mouse or keyboard.

 

Not sure what you mean by stuttering.

But obvious thing to check is overheating.
Open up computer and blow everything out with canned air.

BTW "“ Like most stock computers - the power supply is barely adequate to begin with.
Minimum recommendations for most 9500GT boards is 350w PSU with 12v rating of 18amps.

To check if that’s the current (instead of future) problem. Remove the board and go with onboard graphics.

ps - Mark ypes faster - leave you in capable hands - off to go shopping

 

its like mini freezes where everything stutters for like 2 seconds, sound, video, mouse etc. and i don't run them all at once.

 

A bit more information is needed. Like, how often does it do this stutter and how long has the PC been running before it starts?

Run the PC in safe mode to see if the problem persists.

You have not confirmed that you are only running one of your AV programs.

If you have more than one stick of memory installed run the PC with just one installed and see if it still jitters. If it does, swap the sticks around so that you get to run the PC on each stick individually.

If that does not produce the desired result then you should test your hard drive. You will need to find out the make and model number of the drive then follow one of these links to the manufacturers web site and download and burn the image file for Dos to a CD. Reboot the PC with the CD in the drive (having set the CD to boot first in the bios) and it will test your hard drive.

ExcelStor: http://www.excelstor.com/eng/support.php?sub_id=3

Hitachi/IBM: http://www.hitachigst.com/support/downloads/

Samsung: http://www.samsung.com/global/business/hdd/support/utilities/Support_HUTIL.html

Toshiba: http://sdd.toshiba.com/main.aspx?Path=ServicesSupport/FujitsuDrivesUSandCanada/SoftwareUtilities

Seagate, Maxtor & Quantum:http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/downloads

Western Digital:http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?lang=en

_________________________________________________________________

Also, check all your external and internal connectors are securely plugged in. If you have a graphics card, remove it and plug the monitor into the onboard graphics connection.

Please respond to all comments and suggestions or we will not know if you have carried out our suggestions and will have to keep asking the same question.

Others have asked you to fill in your system specs, please do so. Follow this instruction.

 

i'm thinking about doing a complete system restore. will that ensure that it is a hardware problem? I only run AVG. The stutter happens once every 20 minutes or so give or take a few, i've changed my graphics card to the original HD3450. Will start on the other tasks.

 

A system restore may fix the issue if it is due to file corruption. The symptons you describe sound more like hardware, memory or hard drive. The tests I described above should not take very long to perform and there are other things to look at, but if you wish to restore the system to a time before the fault started please do so.

Before we go any further will you please enter your system details, you have already been asked four times. You have to help us so we can help you.

 

ok so i updated my system details. i tried running my computer on safe mode and the stuttering seemed to stop. however this is hard to confirm because safe mode is such low resolution. for about 45 minutes i was watching a video and there seemed to be no stuttering(i got the audio from my zuneHD). i may have missed the stuttering but im not sure.

 

So, are you saying that this stuttering fault is actually very small jitters on the screen, maybe just a few pixels?

Remember this from a previous post and all the instructions I gave for you to test the hard drive. Please respond as asked in the bold text or I cannot help you.

You must tell me what you have done and what the results are. If you do not wish to follow any of my suggestions then there is little I can do to assist. A little more concentration on your part and we may get your PC back to normal

The instructions to make your system details visible to others is crystal clear in post 9. We need to see what is in your system.

 

sorry about that. as for testing the hard drive, i am not sure what i am suppose to download. the stuttering affects my whole screen. thanks for being so patient with me

 

OK, you need to go here:

http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/downloads

You will find a download named Seatools and there is another download for instruction on how to use it. This link will give you free software to burn the image file.

http://www.isoimageburner.com/