Help! My Windows XP stucks

[manjularcfi]

Hi all,
I am using windows XP OS and my computer is an old one(pentium 4). It used to work without any trouble. But from several months it stucks when working. At the movement I can't use the computer because it stuck within few minutes from strat. Processor temperature is indicated as 70 C(aproximately). I have installed 3 RAMs(512,256,256). Motherboard is gigabyte. If anyone can help, I am so gladful. It is not possible buy a computer at the movement.

Thanks
Manjula

 

[buzznut]

I'll give this a try.
I think you have probably built up a lot of junk on your hard drive. How often to you scan for viruses? How about regular defrags? Tried spyware removal?

Also if you right click on your hard drive, it will give you a drop down menu. Choose properties and go to tools. Here you will see options for defragging, and disc cleanup. Choose disc cleanup and let it do its thing. it will take a while. reboot after disc cleanup and defrag.
I have to clean up my sisters' pcs about once a year because they don't do regular maintenance.
I would try that first.
Also your processor temp is quite high. It may be that the thermal grease between the CPU and heatsink has dried up. This can be easily fixed by removing the heatsink and applying a good Thermal grease such as Arctic silver 5.
If you can get the TIM (thermal interface material) then write back for directions on how to use.

 

[croc]

...And last, (but not least) after you have followed Buzznut's suggestions if there are still issues then reinstall the OS from scratch...

 

[manjularcfi]

Hi all,
I am using windows XP OS and my computer is an old one(pentium 4). It used to work without any trouble. But from several months it stucks when working. At the movement I can't use the computer because it stuck within few minutes from strat. Processor temperature is indicated as 70 C(aproximately). I have installed 3 RAMs(512,256,256). Motherboard is gigabyte. If anyone can help, I am so gladful. It is not possible buy a computer at the movement.

Thanks
Manjula

thanks buzznut and croc,
This not a that kind of stuck. I meant that it is not because of performance issue or something. I think that is a hardware problem. When the computer stuck I can do nothing. Even I can't move the mouse pointer. Just only a image on the screen. It may remain hours and hours and won't be OK. Sometimes it happens when the computer is booting and booting process stop with an image on the screen. My doubt is that this is problem or VGA or processor. Becase both are getting very high temperature

Thaks

Manjula

 

[croc]

thanks buzznut and croc,
This not a that kind of stuck. I meant that it is not because of performance issue or something. I think that is a hardware problem. When the computer stuck I can do nothing. Even I can't move the mouse pointer. Just only a image on the screen. It may remain hours and hours and won't be OK. Sometimes it happens when the computer is booting and booting process stop with an image on the screen. My doubt is that this is problem or VGA or processor. Becase both are getting very high temperature

Thaks

Manjula

I think that Buzznut and I both went with troubleshooting solutions that do not cost money, and tend to fix a large # of systems with similar issues. Buzznut's solutions are less radical, and I concur with trying them first. My addition is a 'last resort' solution prior to troubleshooting a hardware problem.

Really sounds like a graphics driver issue to me, but following the above will start narrowing down the real issue.

Further, assuming that it might be a hardware issue, a listing of your system's hardware would be helpful.

 

[buzznut]

I concur with croc. Sometimes Win XP just needs to be reinstalled. I have friends that would regularly reinstall XP every six months, just to have a clean fast running system, I did this as well.
I also agree it should be a last resort. Backing up everything and reinstalling is a lot of work, but in some cases it is necessary.

 

[ankton]

"Also your processor temp is quite high. It may be that the thermal grease between the CPU and heatsink has dried up. This can be easily fixed by removing the heatsink and applying a good Thermal grease such as Arctic silver 5."

I think buzznut is on the right track here as I had a similar problem a few years back with my p4 machine and when I replaced the grease on the cpu fan all was peachy once again.