Computer locks up after 20 to 30 mins of doing anything like typing this message, viewing Youtube video or running a malware/virus scan. When this occurs I can move mouse curser but, can not click anything or use key board (not even control, alt, delete). I occasionally get the dreaded "Windows had to shut down to prevent damage to your machine" blue screen. I have posted this on this site under the direction of Ken545 of your sister site Safer-Networking Forums (here is the link to that thread) Puter Locks Up (who has been very patient with me).
After helping me remove much malware he is not finding "anything bad" and has advised me to post here and link back to that thread.
Puter specs:
Dell Dimension 8400
Intel
Pentium 4 CPU 3.4GHz
3.39GHz, 1.GB of RAM
Windows XP Professional ver. 2002
Service Pack 3
Mozilla Firefox/3.5.8
Thank you for your time.
John
Welcome.
Most likely we will benefit from looking at your Safer Networking Topic, particularly because Ken is a fine expert.
But your link doesn't work.
Please give it another shot.
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And in the meantime, head over to PCPitstop to run their OverDrive Full Tests and then post a link to your results back here with your next reply.
Well get a good overview of your machine's present functioning and level of performance from the Full tests.
Here's how:
You must use your Internet Explorer for this procedure. (doesn't work so well in Firefox or others)
Go to: http://www.pcpitstop.com
Click on "Free Computer Check-up" listed below PC Pitstop OverDrive
In the User Login - Click on "Sign up FREE!"
You'll need to submit a valid email address and create your own password, then click - Create Account(button)
Now enter your email address and password to Log in, Select - Scan this system Now!(button)
You will then be asked to download an ActiveX component and allow it to install.
It is safe and does not compromise your privacy.
Follow the on-screen prompts to install the ActiveX and to allow the Full Tests to be run on your machine.
The Full Tests take about 2 1/2 - 3 minutes on most machines.
When complete, a Results - Summary - Recommended Fixes will be displayed.
Please post the URL internet address from your Results, back here into this Topic Thread so that we can review the configuration and present performance levels of your machine.
Note: During the graphics 2D and graphics 3D testing, your screen will display some rapidly moving objects.
If you are sensitive to visual flashing, it may cause dizziness. Therefore, look away from the screen during that portion of the testing.
After reviewing the results we will be more informed and may be able to provide better recommendations for you to work towards improving your machine's performance.
I can not install the PC Pitstop due to an error message during setup (Microsoft Visual C++ Unable to find the installation package vcredist.msi). I performed a search for this file and for Microsoft Visual C++ and could not find either.
Run System File Checker: You need a XP CD at the same service pack level as the XP installed on your hard drive or you need the I386 directory tree from a XP CD on you hard drive.
Click on Start then Run, type sfc /scannow and press Enter or click GO.
For the time being, I will presume that you did complete the instructions to run sfc /scannow per Ztruker above.
Please let us know if you did.
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You appear to have excessive programs and processes running from Startup.
CPU Utilization at resting state: 13%
RAM utilization at resting state: 55%
While these values may appear intuitively reasonable, they represent that much of your system resources is already being consumed even before you launch any specific applications and activities.
In a well configured machine, these values should be quite close to 0%, freeing your machine resources for tasks you wish to engage.
Follow the recommendations in the PCPitstop Results - Software - Processes to see which items may be consuming your resources excessively.
Or if you are already familiar with such processes, user your System Configuration Utility - MSCONFIG - to temporarily disable processes that you don't need.
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You appear to have multiple AntiVirus and AntiSpyware utilities installed:
–McAfee
–Windows Live Essentials (a rather dated version of it)
–AT&T Yahoo! Applications
Having multiple AntiVirus utilities installed can create conflicts as they scan each others data base and compete for processing when scanning
Pick one AntiVirus product and uninstall or disable all others.
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You appear to have recently installed PCMatic
But either you have not run it, or did not allow it to complete the configurations that it should have already identified.
I draw this observation from the Summary - Fixes, which indicate some needed changes that PCMatic should have already handled.
I've been using PCPitstop OverDrive Full Tests for several years.
I've also investigated PCMatic and other PCPitstop paid products.
In general, they are competent and amongst the best in the industry.
However, I don't use them, and I am not a fan of "automatic scan and configure" utilities.
We can help you with effect your machines configuration more directly and manually in most circumstances.
Please consider the above recommendations. We can follow up with additional steps progressively after the above is handled.
In your next reply:
Please Run a fresh instance of PCPitstop OverDrive Full Tests and post the fresh Results link
this will help us observe the benefits of the above suggestions and identify additional steps.
