PC Freezes

Amy,

Whenever posting questions on these forums, please give us as much information as possible about your computer. Depending on your issue, we might need the operating system, processor speed, amount of RAM installed, brand name of the computer, (if there is one), and any EXACT error messages you are receiving, and any other information you think might be helpful. The more information you give us, the better informed our answer will be.

In the meantime, have you cleaned out the computer of "junk" files and stopped some of the unnecessary start up programs. If not, try using the links below to get that done:

How To Shut Down Unnecessary Start Up Programs

How To Clean Unwanted Files From The Hard Drive


After following the above instructions, make sure to run Scandisk/Chkdsk and Defrag to optimize the hard drive.
________________

In addition, have you tried checking the computer for Spyware/Adware/parasites? Please use the free programs below to do that. After download and installing the first two, make sure to update them from within their user interface. The third program can simply be downloaded to your destkop, then run.:

Ad-Aware 6 Spyware Removal Tool

?Spybot Search & Destroy? Spyware Removal Tool

CWShredder Hijack Removal Tool

HOpe this helps and let us know more about your computer.

Grif

Do you have up to date anti virus software? If not get some fast. If that does not help, (and personally I do not think it will but there is an off chance that it will) then I suspect that you have a hot fault on your system.

With my Compaq and Win98 os, the last resort is to save all files and data of importance on the partitioned drive or on a cd, and them quick restore to the last system save, as long as it was error free.
If you don't have a restore or backup, you may have to reload everything after a format of the main drive and then reload programs one-at-a-time to see if any one program causes conflicts. For example, I've noticed more errors and freezes using IE6 than IE5 and may reinstall IE5.

If the problems are pesky enough, scandisk/ defrag sometimes makes things worse and wierder things begin to happen. Also, removing some programs with shared resources can also cause conflicts if necessary shared files are inadvertently removed. You'd be amazed at what a missing dll can do to add to the misery. Add/ Remove is supposed to prevent this, as well as a program's uninstall, but I'm sure you already know this. In any case, never delete shared files.

The other suggestions are the first way to go except I would go the route of a clean restore before changing memory. Once the system is restored and error free, check resource % in the Properties of My Computer and then run the loaded programs . Check resource % again and see if it drops below 70 in the course of normal use. A resource hog could make things mighty unstable if memory is inadequate. My internet answering machine drops me from 90% to 83% and right now I'm at 66% with many programs and unsused/unnecessary files removed and startup files unchecked in msconfig! Scandisk/ defrag have also been done.

Good Luck
newbie Sam