movement of mouse turns on pc
in [Windows XP]
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From: Paul on 10 Apr 2010 14:17 Jack B wrote: > Thanks guys -- a lot of info. I'll need to work on it. BTW, I've switched > CPUs with no different results. > > Just for the record, NO, the machine was not merely sleeping. It was a > hard, 3 second, push-the-button power off shut down. It is incredible that > movement of the mouse afterwards actually turned the machine back on, with a > boot-up and the check disk routine it goes thru after a hard shut down. > > The pc has been super stable ever since I bought back in 2001, until > recently. Obviously, it is getting on in years and I should replace it. > However, I don't want to go thru that hassle until I complete a project that > should be done in the next 2 weeks. And that's the rub -- Do I (1) take > time to try and fix the pc, (2) just hope it will keep going till I'm done > with my project, or (3) take time to buy a new pc and learn a new operating > system and repopulate the pc with the programs I need etc. I'm pressed for > time and need the next stage of my project done in the next 5 days. > > When I say the pc is crashing, I mean total lock up -- no BSOD, just total > freeze -- it doesn't respond to anything -- no mouse movement, no > CTL-ALT-DEL, nothing. > > Here is the pc info: > > OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition > Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3 Build 2600 > OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation > System Name ......... > System Manufacturer SNC302EEH > System Model VIA_K7 > System Type X86-based PC > Processor x86 Family 6 Model 6 Stepping 2 AuthenticAMD ~1466 Mhz > BIOS Version/Date American Megatrends Inc. 062710, 10/8/2001 > SMBIOS Version 2.3 > Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS > System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32 > Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1 > Locale United States > Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2111)" > User Name ............. > Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time > Total Physical Memory 1,536.00 MB > Available Physical Memory 1.00 GB > Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB > Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB > Page File Space 2.11 GB > Page File C:\pagefile.sys > > > Thanks, > Jack Do you have the ability to check the processor temperature ? If there is a temperature readout, perhaps Speedfan can read it. For an Athlon or AthlonXP, you'd generally want to stay below 65C. The Athlon has a relatively small die, which makes coupling of the CPU heatsink to the silicon die, important for good cooling. http://www.almico.com/speedfan440.exe On some freezing cases, you may find that the computer is not actually frozen. I've had computers, where the keyboard and screen are unresponsive, but it is just the interface part of the software that stops working. If you go to a second computer, and use the ping command, you can test to see whether the frozen computer can respond to a ping packet. I've had computers I thought were frozen, only to find they were actually alive inside. ping 192.168.100.23 where the IP address would be the address of the computer that is frozen. If you're using a home router, it may be a little difficult to figure out the exact IP address if the router is using DHCP. Just out of curiosity, why is "Total Physical Memory 1,536.00 MB" and "Available Physical Memory 1.00 GB". Have some built-in (chipset) graphics been assigned 512MB of memory ? Perhaps you can lower that setting a little bit. Enter the BIOS and check to see how it is set. Some BIOS will have settings for integrated graphics, where the memory allocation is adjustable. Whether your problem needs to be fixed instantly, will depend on the freeze frequency, and whether the things you're doing on the computer, have autosave, so no work is lost. A good autosave feature would reduce work loss to perhaps 5 minutes worth. Paul
From: mm on 10 Apr 2010 14:44 On Fri, 9 Apr 2010 20:17:10 -0700, "Richard in AZ" <me(a)mailinator.com> wrote: >Define "hard Shut down". >Sounds like you have the power-on button set to put the computer to >sleep. >Check settings in the Power applet in the control panel. Re-grouped. This is what it sounds like to me too. What happens if before it freezes a) you put your computer in standby. Does it start the same, with the mouse? b) you shut off the computer the proper way, Start/Turn off/ turn off, before it freezes. Does the mouse do anything then? It sounds like this is normal for the settigns you have. So it's no clue. Why your computer freezes is another story. You have to pay close attention to what you're doing. In win98 I would freeze if I had too many firefox tabs open, more than 20. In XP on the same computer, I coudl go over 60 and still didn't have a freeze for that reason. >Is the computer a laptop? or Desktop? > >"Jack B" <jslimp01nospam(a)earthlink.net> wrote in message >news:%23JyyljF2KHA.5880(a)TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl... >>I thought I licked my pc crash problem, but apparently not. >> >> The pc locks up and I need to give it a hard shut down. >> >> But if I move the mouse afterwards, the pc powers on just as if I pushed the >> power on button! Does this give anyone a clue as to what the problem is? >> >> Jack >> >> > -- Posters should say what U,S. state they live in. Why do so many keep their state as secret as their own name?
From: Jack B on 10 Apr 2010 15:12 Paul, >why is "Total Physical Memory 1,536.00 MB" and "Available Physical Memory 1.00 GB". Have some built-in (chipset) graphics been assigned 512MB of memory< Interesting question. There are 3 RAM slots. The pc cam with 2 256 MB chips. Later I added a 1 GB chip in the 3rd slot. >Do you have the ability to check the processor temperature?< Do you mean does the pc have the capability? I don't know; is there a way to find out? >On some freezing cases, you may find that the computer is not actually >frozen.< Well, one freeze I got was different than the rest -- it was running fine when I left to do other things, but when I came back to the pc the screen was black, and as usual there was no response. Using another pc on the LAN, I tried to find the share folder on this pc, but that pc could not read this frozen one. So far today, the pc has not failed -- knock on wood. Jack -------------------------------------------------- Do you have the ability to check the processor temperature ? If there is a temperature readout, perhaps Speedfan can read it. For an Athlon or AthlonXP, you'd generally want to stay below 65C. The Athlon has a relatively small die, which makes coupling of the CPU heatsink to the silicon die, important for good cooling. http://www.almico.com/speedfan440.exe On some freezing cases, you may find that the computer is not actually frozen. I've had computers, where the keyboard and screen are unresponsive, but it is just the interface part of the software that stops working. If you go to a second computer, and use the ping command, you can test to see whether the frozen computer can respond to a ping packet. I've had computers I thought were frozen, only to find they were actually alive inside. ping 192.168.100.23 where the IP address would be the address of the computer that is frozen. If you're using a home router, it may be a little difficult to figure out the exact IP address if the router is using DHCP. Just out of curiosity, why is "Total Physical Memory 1,536.00 MB" and "Available Physical Memory 1.00 GB". Have some built-in (chipset) graphics been assigned 512MB of memory ? Perhaps you can lower that setting a little bit. Enter the BIOS and check to see how it is set. Some BIOS will have settings for integrated graphics, where the memory allocation is adjustable. Whether your problem needs to be fixed instantly, will depend on the freeze frequency, and whether the things you're doing on the computer, have autosave, so no work is lost. A good autosave feature would reduce work loss to perhaps 5 minutes worth. Paul
From: Ken Blake, MVP on 10 Apr 2010 16:13 On Sat, 10 Apr 2010 14:17:40 -0400, Paul <nospam(a)needed.com> wrote: > Just out of curiosity, why is "Total Physical Memory 1,536.00 MB" > and "Available Physical Memory 1.00 GB". Have some built-in > (chipset) graphics been assigned 512MB of memory ? No, that's not what it means. Total Physical Memory is the amount of RAM installed. Available Physical Memory is Total Physical Memory minus the amount currently in use. At the time the above statistic was presented, he was using about 512MB. -- Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003 Please Reply to the Newsgroup
From: Jose on 10 Apr 2010 17:53
On Apr 10, 11:18 am, "Jack B" <jslimp01nos...(a)earthlink.net> wrote: > Thanks guys -- a lot of info. I'll need to work on it. BTW, I've switched > CPUs with no different results. > > Just for the record, NO, the machine was not merely sleeping. It was a > hard, 3 second, push-the-button power off shut down. It is incredible that > movement of the mouse afterwards actually turned the machine back on, with a > boot-up and the check disk routine it goes thru after a hard shut down. > > The pc has been super stable ever since I bought back in 2001, until > recently. Obviously, it is getting on in years and I should replace it.. > However, I don't want to go thru that hassle until I complete a project that > should be done in the next 2 weeks. And that's the rub -- Do I (1) take > time to try and fix the pc, (2) just hope it will keep going till I'm done > with my project, or (3) take time to buy a new pc and learn a new operating > system and repopulate the pc with the programs I need etc. I'm pressed for > time and need the next stage of my project done in the next 5 days. > > When I say the pc is crashing, I mean total lock up -- no BSOD, just total > freeze -- it doesn't respond to anything -- no mouse movement, no > CTL-ALT-DEL, nothing. > > Here is the pc info: > > OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition > Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3 Build 2600 > OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation > System Name ......... > System Manufacturer SNC302EEH > System Model VIA_K7 > System Type X86-based PC > Processor x86 Family 6 Model 6 Stepping 2 AuthenticAMD ~1466 Mhz > BIOS Version/Date American Megatrends Inc. 062710, 10/8/2001 > SMBIOS Version 2.3 > Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS > System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32 > Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1 > Locale United States > Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2111)" > User Name ............. > Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time > Total Physical Memory 1,536.00 MB > Available Physical Memory 1.00 GB > Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB > Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB > Page File Space 2.11 GB > Page File C:\pagefile.sys > > Thanks, > Jack You can figure out why it is locking up if you want to pursue it. Just because your system appears "frozen" or "locked up" does not mean XP is not still running. This is one of the reasons the ability to force a BSOD to see what is running when it is locked up is so helpful. If XP was really, really hung and off into space and not running, it would not be able to interpret that particular key sequence and then execute a graceful memory dump. XP is still running, it is just not responding to your input or updating your monitor or whatever you think it is supposed to be doing. Mark Russinovich, author of many helpful Microsoft Sysinternals tools like Process Explorer, Autoruns, etc, says in one of his many technical blogs (with video) regarding effective Microsoft OS troubleshooting, making that adjustment in XP is just about the first thing he does when he gets a new system so that if/when it ever hangs on him, he will be able to have XP perform a memory dump, examine the dump and quickly figure out the problem. There will be no guessing about what it might be - you will know. (I wonder if he really does that or not). I would say that is why this valuable feature was invented but I am not sure. You don't need to ping the box, but you can of course - if it is on a network and you know the IP address and let's say you could figure all that stuff out and it does respond to a ping. What would you do next to figure out what the problem is? What do you have selected in Power options for: When I press the power button on my computer? If XP is behaving as configured when you press the power button, it is obvious XP is still running and paying attention to the power button - it is just not paying attention to you. Stand By perhaps? Of course XP will not be happy if it is unable to conduct it's business properly when you press the power button, hence the chkdsk on restart. So far, everything makes good sense. Your msinfo32 info looks fine to me. You can learn a lot about a system with just one query and a good response. None of this - what is your OS, Home or Pro, what is your SP, how much RAM do you have, laptop or desktop, what is your motherboard, what is your BIOS... Zzzzzz. Now that you know all about the CPU, you can look it up to see what kind of temperature readings it puts out, what the limits are, what sotware you need to download to get the most information out of what you have, etc. But when it hangs, any temperature measuring software you choose will probably not be accessible either, right? |