Help needed

  • Thread starter Shannon
  • 16 comments
  • 721 views
Shannon

Shannon

15,799
Alright, heres the problem. For some unknown reason, my computer will stop and start again. This is kind of hard to explain so I'll give you an example:

  • When I play a UT2003 for example and move my mouse around, it'll freeze for a matter of milliseconds and then resume. This constantly happens about every 3 seconds.
  • When I play music it'll freeze for a matter of milliseconds and then resume. This also happens about every 3 seconds. This also happens when a sound event occurs, like the Winodws chime when you log onto Windows.
  • Even when I move the mouse from one end of the screen to the other, it still happens.

This is very annoying. Any help would be appreciated - to try and save me paying for a doctors visit.
 
Check to see that you haven't got any interrupt conflicts. The mouse and keyboard interrupts are some of the highest in the priority, so if your mouse is freezing, it's a good indication that either your interrupts are conflicting and it can't read the mouse, or the processor is at 100% and cannot process the mouse movement.

However, you say it happens in UT, so are you online at the time? If so, it could be that there's an issue with your connection bandwidth dying every so often - perhaps someone's trying to ping you. Try connecting to different servers. If you have a firewall, try disabling it - I could never get Quake III to work with the firewall up.

You say it also happens when the sound card's running, so that would point to the processor utilisation, although if the sound dies at the same time as the mouse, then there's your problem.

You have Win XP don't you? If so, bring the Task Manager up, set it to show processes, then set it to order the processes by the amount of CPU they're using. Then try and replicate the fault, although you won't be able to start UT unless you can start it windowed.

Anyway, there are a couple of suggestions for you!
 
is the mouse USB by any chance. A long shot, but it could even be a power supply that is causing it. run the computer in safe mode and seeing if it happens. if you got the same problem in safe mode as when you normally boot the computer, it is a software issue. Also, while in safe mode go into the device manager and see if anything is splatted, a yellow circle with a slash on it.
this will help pin point the problem hopefully
 
Does your computer have an adaquate amount of RAM? If it doesnt, the little amout of ram you have may be choking the processor. That or the cd drive is killing it.
 
Originally posted by GilesGuthrie
Check to see that you haven't got any interrupt conflicts. The mouse and keyboard interrupts are some of the highest in the priority, so if your mouse is freezing, it's a good indication that either your interrupts are conflicting and it can't read the mouse, or the processor is at 100% and cannot process the mouse movement.

However, you say it happens in UT, so are you online at the time? If so, it could be that there's an issue with your connection bandwidth dying every so often - perhaps someone's trying to ping you. Try connecting to different servers. If you have a firewall, try disabling it - I could never get Quake III to work with the firewall up.

You say it also happens when the sound card's running, so that would point to the processor utilisation, although if the sound dies at the same time as the mouse, then there's your problem.

You have Win XP don't you? If so, bring the Task Manager up, set it to show processes, then set it to order the processes by the amount of CPU they're using. Then try and replicate the fault, although you won't be able to start UT unless you can start it windowed.

Anyway, there are a couple of suggestions for you!
Click to expand...
No, I'm not online when I playing UT.

How to I set them to order the processes by the amount of CPU they're using? I can bring up the Task Manager and get to Processes no probs.
 
Originally posted by Matrixhasu77
Does your computer have an adaquate amount of RAM? If it doesnt, the little amout of ram you have may be choking the processor. That or the cd drive is killing it.
Click to expand...
512mb.
 
Originally posted by Eddy
How to I set them to order the processes by the amount of CPU they're using? I can bring up the Task Manager and get to Processes no probs.
Click to expand...

Click on the column header in the utilisation column. (I can't believe you don't know this - it's a fundamental Windows thing - to sort a window by a column in Windows, click on the column header. Click on it again to reverse the order)

Had another idea though... Is the computer hot? My laptop's really hot at the moment, and is running like a dog in the way you describe.
 
Hmm I can't explain it then. I have noticed recently when I play Half-Life on mine it sometimes will totally crash and reboot, at least your not having my problems. I think I know why though.
 
Originally posted by GilesGuthrie
Click on the column header in the utilisation column. (I can't believe you don't know this - it's a fundamental Windows thing - to sort a window by a column in Windows, click on the column header. Click on it again to reverse the order)

Had another idea though... Is the computer hot? My laptop's really hot at the moment, and is running like a dog in the way you describe.
Click to expand...
I am a Windows n00b alright. I am just learning all this stuff about Windows.

It shouldn't be hot. The side panels are off and there is a gap where the CD player needs to go.
 
Put your side panel back on! I don't care if it's overheating or not. A slight discharge of electricity can fry every single component in your system. If it is overheating, make sure you have a fan and heatsink on the CPU and a fan for the case. If this is your Athlon system, a heatsink and fan should have been included with the CPU.
 
Where would the electricity come from? The PC is right next to a wall and the only other electrical equipment in the room is the fan which is about 3-4 metres away.

I can see a big arse green fan but I'm not sure if there's a heatsink because I don't know what they look like.
 
It comes from anywhere. Most of the time, it comes from your own body. The heatsink is a big silver cube with fins that direct heat away from the CPU.
35-106-017-01.JPG
 
I looked at the processes but I don't exactly know what the hell I'm supposed to do there. Yes it is occuring all the time.

I think I might just get the doctor to have a look at it...
 

Latest Posts

Back