Computer Completely Locks Up At Random Times

So I just built a new computer, and I've been having a bit of trouble. I'll be using the computer, doing normal stuff (chatting on MSN, browsing the web, playing a game, listening to music etc) and at random times the computer just seems to stop. Everything freezes and I can't move my mouse cursor, my music stops etc. It seems like everything just froze in place. My first thought is that I need to update my BIOS since I have a new Socket479 N4L-VM DH motherboard from Asus. I have heard that they have some problems, but I don't know exactly what those problems are and I'm thinking this might be it.

My hardware is:
Asus Socket479 N4L-VM DH motherboard
Intel T2600 2.16ghz Core Duo processor
Seagate 320gb hard drive (I forget the model number)
TSSTcorp CDW/DVD SH-M522C DVD/CD drive
NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GS graphics card
and I'm running Windows XP Home Edition with SP2

Hopefully that is enough info, and if not I can post more. Thank you in advance for your help.

 

Hello lobsterninja and welcome to the Board

Might be hardware, but first, how much RAM is installed and how much "stuff" have you running?

Have you tried disabling processes one by one to see if one of them is hanging your system?

Have you looked at your startups? Look at what can be on demand and not needed at bootup.

This post links to data bases on processes http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=39425

Regards - Charles

 

Hi, and thanks

Currently I have 2gb of RAM installed. I did a HiJackThis scan and here is the log file (hope this helps) I don't know how I could test which one (if any) hangs my system, because it happens at random times, so process of elimination would be tricky.

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 8:01:39 PM, on 8/30/2006
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgamsvr.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgupsvc.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgemc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\RTHDCPL.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\RUNDLL32.EXE
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe
C:\Program Files\A4Tech\Mouse\Amoumain.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgcc.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\Google Talk\googletalk.exe
C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\MsnMsgr.Exe
C:\Program Files\Steam\Steam.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\Google Updater\GoogleUpdater.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Gravity\RO\Evolution.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\Devers Talmage\Desktop\HijackThis.exe

O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [JMB36X Configure] C:\WINDOWS\system32\JMRaidTool.exe boot
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RTHDCPL] RTHDCPL.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Alcmtr] ALCMTR.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nwiz] nwiz.exe /install
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvMediaCenter] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvMcTray.dll,NvTaskbarInit
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TkBellExe] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe" -osboot
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WheelMouse] C:\Program Files\A4Tech\Mouse\Amoumain.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_CC] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgcc.exe /STARTUP
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [googletalk] "C:\Program Files\Google\Google Talk\googletalk.exe" /autostart
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MsnMsgr] "C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\MsnMsgr.Exe" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Steam] "C:\Program Files\Steam\Steam.exe" -silent
O4 - Global Startup: Adobe Reader Speed Launch.lnk = C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\Reader\reader_sl.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Google Updater.lnk = C:\Program Files\Google\Google Updater\GoogleUpdater.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O18 - Protocol: livecall - {828030A1-22C1-4009-854F-8E305202313F} - C:\PROGRA~1\MSNMES~1\MSGRAP~1.DLL
O18 - Protocol: msnim - {828030A1-22C1-4009-854F-8E305202313F} - C:\PROGRA~1\MSNMES~1\MSGRAP~1.DLL
O20 - Winlogon Notify: WBSrv - C:\PROGRA~1\Stardock\OBJECT~1\WINDOW~1\wbsrv.dll
O23 - Service: AVG7 Alert Manager Server (Avg7Alrt) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgamsvr.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Update Service (Avg7UpdSvc) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgupsvc.exe
O23 - Service: AVG E-mail Scanner (AVGEMS) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgemc.exe
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Display Driver Service (NVSvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe

 

Hi lobsterninja,

Took a look at your HJT log and don't see anything bad - I or somebody else will look at it more closely tommorrow.

In the meantime, you can test your memory with MS's memory diagnostic utility:
http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

Windows Memory Diagnostic

Regards - Charles

 

Hi lobsterninja,

Found this item which is spyware, not malicious.

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Alcmtr] ALCMTR.EXE

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/startups/ALCMTR.EXE-240.html

The mouse is a "usaul suspect" in lockup problems.

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WheelMouse] C:\Program Files\A4Tech\Mouse\Amoumain.exe

Regards - Charles

 

Ok I disabled those programs to run on stratup, but I haven't been able to run the memory test yet because I don't have any CDs in my house right now. Hopefully it was one of those programs that was causing the problem, and if not I will post an update. Again, thanks for the help.

 

Hi lobsterninja,

Remembered you use NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GS graphics card

As an FYI, this thread is about a nvidia driver causing problems: http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=57323

Regards - Charles

 

This might be a possible cause of the problem because I usually seem to freeze (I just noticed this) when I am playing a game (Ragnarok Online). I play this game a lot, so it's hard to tell if the computer only freezes when it's running, but since you metioned the nVidia driver it got me thinking. I'll try some links posted in the other thread. Thanks again.

Edit: I redownloaded the newest nVidia driver from their website, since it didn't seem like I was having the problems you posted. I also redownloaded and installed direct X 9 and adjusted some minor settings in Ragnarok Online. I'm noping this helps, but seeing how my luck has gone so far, I'm not making any bets.

Re-Edit: So the last time my system locked up, after I rebooted, I got a "Overclocking Failed" message before windows loaded. I know for sure I wasn't trying to overclock it. I looked online to see if other people had this problem and came up with this: http://www.motherboardpoint.com/t57308-quotoverclocking-failedquot-messeage-after-suspend-but-i-not-overclocking.html
which lead to this: http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx?id=20060815232950234&board_id=1&model=N4L-VM+DH&page=1&SLanguage=en-us which describes my problem perfectly. I'll get back to you once I try out what they suggest. Again, thanks for the support.