• Welcome to Poasters Computer Forums.
 

News:

Welcome to the ARCHIVED Poasters Computer Forums (Read Only)

Main Menu

Computer keeps crashing...

Started by Paul I, April 25, 2005, 01:24 hrs

Previous topic - Next topic

Paul I

Hi,

Just developed a problem over the last couple of weeks. The computer sometimes shuts down as if the plug has been pulled out and has to reboot via a systems check.

There seems to be a connection to the crashes and pictures. several times it happened when opening multiple pictures on Photoshop or the internet. I increased the maximum for the virtual memory, this didn't help.

I haven't done a whole lot major to the computer lately. A new version of AVG and Windows Media Player.

Anybody got an idea....?


Thanks
In the tradition of Ned Ludd!

scuzzy

I would suspect faulty RAM. Download Memtest86+ to test the RAM. If you have 2 or more RAM modules, you can also try removing them one at a time to narrow down the bad one.
Antec Performance TX640B Case | WinXP Pro SP3 & Win7 64-bit | Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R | Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale LGA 775 3.16GHz Dual-Core | 8GB (4x2GB) PC6400 G-Skill RAM | eVGA 7600GT 256MB PCI-E | 74GB WD Raptor SATA 16MB Cache | 74GB WD Raptor SATA 8MB Cache | 320GB Seagate Barracuda SATA 16MB Cache | External 640GB WD Caviar SATA 32MB Cache | Sony DRU-V200S DVD/RW | PC Power & Cooling Silencer 500W | Samsung SyncMaster 2494 (24") LCD Monitor | LG Flatron W2361V (23") LCD Monitor

Paul I

Thanks, tried the test, my RAM is fine. Not too sure whether it's good or bad news though. :-\
In the tradition of Ned Ludd!

Whizbang

How much memory do you have?  I do not have PhotoShop, but I do know that program specific images often can have upwards of 25Megs per image.  That could quickly create a memory starvation unless you have  minimum of 512Megs RAM.  If you have recently added another program or two to Startup, that could push it over the top.

Paul I

#4
Thanks now you could have hit the nail on the head.

I only have 256k of RAM. I have open multiple docoments for years in photoshop and the browser no problem but, my start up is getting pretty crowded lately. It seems everything you download these days wants to go in your start up file. I usually stop them, but all those microsoft upgrades and so on... it must be getting quite busy. 8)

I'll clean out the start up and see if it helps... thanks again
In the tradition of Ned Ludd!

HeddaLora

Try a little maintenance. You might have too many temp files or whatever.  A checklist you can use:

-- Delete all temp files (c:\windows\temp\*.tmp, or on XP C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Temp)

-- Delete temporary internet files (c:\windows\temporary internet files\*.*, or on XP C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files)

-- If you use I.E., click on Tools, Internet Options, Delete Files, select "delete all off-line content", click OK

-- Click on Start, Programs, Accessories, Systems Tools, Disk Cleanup

-- Download AdAware, check for updates, run it and remove whatever it finds

-- Periodically empty the browser cache and the java plug-in cache

-- Download Diskeeper and defrag

-- Download, update and turn on SpywareBlaster and SpywareGuard (or your spyware removal tool of choice).


Paul I

Thanks for the advice,

Alass that's not the problem, I have some pretty good spyware and clean up software running, and the first thing I did when the problem started was defrag the the disk.


I thinks it's more a problem with an overloading memory. For example yesterday I surfed for a while then started up MSN and it crashed. After a reboot it went into MSN no problem.
In the tradition of Ned Ludd!

Whizbang

What operating system are you running?

Paul I

I'm running XP, the computer's only 3 years old and came with XP.
In the tradition of Ned Ludd!

Whizbang

You definitely will need to plug in more memory if you are going to do any serious work with PhotoShop.  Any high quality photo editor requires a lot of memory for its specific format.  Even the free Adobe programs can consume a hundred megs on one photo if you scan it and try going high definition.  There might be another problem, but you never will tame this horse without feeding it a lot more memory.  I have scanned a photo and have had 100megs before.  It was a one time thing because I did not want to crash the computer, but 100megs is easy to achieve on a high-definition print.  How much more is enough?  The more the better is my answer for serious photo work.   :-\

Igloo

also, i have found that my problems with my asus board were due to north bridge overheat. i found this out too late though, and it fried :(

find a program that is able to tell you the temperature of everything that has a probe.... i dont know the name of the one i had off hand...

Igloo
AMD 64 4400+
2gb PC 3800 RAM
Asus a8n-Sli Premium
Nvidia 7800GT
5.1 creative Speakers
2x 250gb Maxtor S-ata drives
Windows XP Pro
32x DVD,
Dual Layer DVD Burner.

Server:

Amd Athlon xp 2400
1gb pc 2700 RAM
1x 40gb 1x 60gb IDE drives.
DVD - Rom.
Ubuntu Linux 5.10

Whizbang

If you run ZA as a firewall, you can choose to stop all Internet activity by right-clicking on the taskbar icon.  My only problem with that is that I invariably forget to re-engage before trying to go on line.  Age is not the problem here.  I have always been a bit dense, as in dunce.   :-[

Whizbang

Quote from: QuadZero on May 05, 2005, 17:25 hrs
Well, yes, that would stop Internet traffic, but Zone Alarm would still be loaded into RAM.

Try to get ALL programs out of RAM except the photo program.

(With firewall down, I have been known to get on the net without ZA even loaded, so don't feel badly, WB!  Fortunately, I have not done that recently.)


Yes, but that would allow you to sit there with a "naked"   :-[  computer and not have to worry about any furry varmints attacking you.  (Note:  I have always assumed that hackers never take the time to bathe or shave and so are therefore furry, rather odoriferously detectable too.)   ;D