[Cool_Torpedo]

Before blaming on the HDD and reinstalling the whole Windows, I'd suggest you to:

- Getting into the BIOS adjustments and checking that you have DISABLED everything related to power management but keyboard and mouse allowed to "wake up". Leave power management and idling to XP. Also make sure you have ACPI enabled.

- Update your graphic card and motherboard (chipset) drivers.

If this doesn't solve the problem, look for your mobo latest BIOS version. Some mobos come with an early BIOS version which gives power management issues that are solved on later updates.

If you still can't resume after idle, then get into power settings on XP and disable the monitor, HDD and whole computer going idle when not in use.

 

[Omega]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cool_Torpedo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Before blaming on the HDD and reinstalling the whole Windows, I'd suggest you to: - Getting into the BIOS adjustments and checking that you have DISABLED everything related to power management but keyboard and mouse allowed to "wake up". Leave power management and idling to XP. Also make sure you have ACPI enabled. - Update your graphic card and motherboard (chipset) drivers. If this doesn't solve the problem, look for your mobo latest BIOS version. Some mobos come with an early BIOS version which gives power management issues that are solved on later updates. If you still can't resume after idle, then get into power settings on XP and disable the monitor, HDD and whole computer going idle when not in use.

All good advice! I'd also suggest running a RAM check. It could be that your computer is going to hibernate/sleep/whatever and dumps working memory to your hard drive. If your ACPI power settings aren't screwing stuff up, the next place I would check is RAM. I believe you can download an .iso for a program called Memtest, then you burn a disc with the .iso image, and boot off that disc. It will do a full diagnostic on your RAM and report errors.

 

[Joshatdot]

Try these:

Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool
Hard Drive Testing Tools - Top 4 Free Hard Drive Testing Tools - Hard Drive Diagnostics
Video Card Stability Test - Stress Testing & Benchmark the speed of your 3D graphics video card

 

[fordgtlover]

I would have to agree with those who are pointing you in the direction of a power management problem.

If it were a virus or malware or a hardware problem I would expect to see symptoms other than just hanging after being idle for 20 minutes.

Has the problem only recently started?

If it has only recently started doing it, a corrupt XP driver is the likely cause. In my experience, corruptions in Windows drivers happen far more frequently than hardware failures. It is also interesting to note that the deafult Windows XP Home/Office power setting is ... 20 minutes.

The problem with corrupt drivers and such is that even if you try to turn off the setting, it won't work properly - because the driver is corrupt. So, while you think you have turned a setting off, it may not be.

If you search the web you will find that power management issues are pretty common in XP. It might be worth searching Google for XP power management problems. Alternatively, these problems can sometimes be caiused as a result of specific driver combination - video drivers are notorious for these types of problems.

Back in the day, screensavers would cause these sorts of problems very regularly.

Have you recently installed a new video card or updated your video drivers, or installed a new screensaver?

Of course, the other advice offered here about backing up and checking for virus and malware is very good advice anyway - whether or not they are the cause of this particular problem.

 

[hentai]

Folks , thanks for your suggested solution and advices. You guys are very helpful. I have reformated my com and installed windows again. No such problem now. I have also updated the graphic card driver. If anything happens to the windows again , i will consider of getting another copy of windows xp or vista.

 

[fordgtlover]

Glad to see you got it sorted and it wasn't a HW problem.

 

[hentai]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fordgtlover /img/forum/go_quote.gif Glad to see you got it sorted and it wasn't a HW problem.

Yes , it is not a hw problem. Phew....

The com is only a year old and i just upgraded the graphic card.

Anyway, i need to monitor the computer for some time b4 i can consider the matter to be settled.

 

[Cool_Torpedo]

Nice to know you solved the problem. You had most likely solved it by just updating the graphic card drivers, but doing a clean install of Windows is also a good fix. Only more time consuming hehehe

IME this type of crashes when recovering from idle status are most frequently related to graphic cards and their drivers. Unfortunately sometimes are for the own graphic card being about dying. The ones using big chips get very hot and are prone to suffer damage. I hope this is not your case

 

[hentai]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cool_Torpedo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Nice to know you solved the problem. You had most likely solved it by just updating the graphic card drivers, but doing a clean install of Windows is also a good fix. Only more time consuming hehehe IME this type of crashes when recovering from idle status are most frequently related to graphic cards and their drivers. Unfortunately sometimes are for the own graphic card being about dying. The ones using big chips get very hot and are prone to suffer damage. I hope this is not your case

Yah it's time consuming esp the formatting part. I hope my asus en9600gt is fit as i just bought them not long ago.

 

[apatN]

Lol.. Actually.. Did you completele remove your old video drivers with drivercleaner and all before installing your 9600GT?

I'm glad for you it's not a hardware problem. Always a lot of hassle and a waste of money.

 

[Cool_Torpedo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hentai /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yah it's time consuming esp the formatting part. I hope my asus en9600gt is fit as i just bought them not long ago.

Good luck with it. Asus makes good hardware, but I regret to inform you that I had two Nvidia chipset based cards from them that burnt out after less than a couple of years

And I have 5 exhausting fans in my computer enclosure...

Now using a modest ATI based which is proving very reliable. A matter of luck I guess.

 

[hentai]

Quote:

Originally Posted by apatN /img/forum/go_quote.gif Lol.. Actually.. Did you completele remove your old video drivers with drivercleaner and all before installing your 9600GT? I'm glad for you it's not a hardware problem. Always a lot of hassle and a waste of money.

Yeah i rather spend money on headphones. Myself not a pc fi.

 

[hentai]

Just to update on this topic. The problem actually did not stop after i reformated it. Upon feeling helplessness i have decided to call for some pc repairmen. Now the computer is fixed and according to the repairman, the harddisk has bad sectors. In the end i am advised to replace the harddisk and tada .... solved.

 

[paradoe]

any hardware collision?

 

[hentai]

Quote:

Originally Posted by paradoe /img/forum/go_quote.gif any hardware collision?

Don't think so. Only the hdd has problems.