h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi Prof, you probably have a long conversation somewhere about your conputer but I don't know where it might be. Wassa marra with the 'puter, I've done a bit with 'em, can I help?

thank you my friend, to start

what is happening is that over the last 3/4 week or so, some of the programs on the comp' when run, either act very slow and have a few seconds pause, as if the ram memory is working out what to do next, even when on Microsoft update site.
Plus at times, the boxes "program not responding"/"Windows has found a problem and needs to shut etc pop up."

I have 3@512mb ram memory cards in the comp'
(Crucial-scanned before hand,via their website check, to make sure frequency etc correct)had them in about 6 month.

Gave the inside a clean/hoover out(as in dust accumulated over time)still no difference, so I've reinstalled xp, using my son's disc, so I know mine is not at fault.

We have just set up a Linksys wireless router, inline with a netgear dg348 router for my sons new pc, via mine to the net etc.

What I am doing, is hopefully a process of elimination, by using 1 memory card at a time, in slot 1 and then move to slot/3. To see if any of the contacts could be at fault(not making good contact)or even if one of the cards is at fault.

There are not many programs running at start up, as to slow things down, so at the moment, it's a bit trial and error and fingers crossed that I don't have to take it to a shop for maintenance or whatever

OK Prof, a few of things worth considering...

Straight away it sounds like processor overheat to me. These things perform best at sub zero temperatures, the hotter you get 'em the slower they run, that's why you have a heatsink with a fan to keep it cool.

I know you said that you vacuumed the insides but did you pay special attention to the processor?

Do you smoke, if so do you smoke at the computer? If you do then it could be that the processor heat sink is clogged, I'm not preaching, I smoke and mine gets gunged up summat rotten. Even if you don't smoke they get blocked with all sorts of "stuff", dust; cooking fumes; road grime if it's near a window, it's just that tobacco/wood/coal smoke does it quicker.

Do this with the computer switched OFF but with the plug in the wall socket (switched OFF) that will give you an electrostatic earth if you keep touching the metal case before you touch any electronic components (to discharge any static build up in your clothing).

To do a proper check you will have to remove the little fan on top of the heatsink, it's usually just four little screws and a small plug to the motherboard (which only fits in one place) then have a look into the fins underneath, use a torch. If you haven't had a look for a month or two I'll almost guarantee that it's pretty clogged. If it's dry, use a fine nozzle on your hoover and a CLEAN, NEW long bristle sash paintbrush (half inch) to brush out the clog. If it's gungy, you might have to remove the heatsink and scrub it deep with a solvent or strong detergent to get it back to bare metal.

All processors have different fans and heatsinks so I can't advise you on removal and replacenment (they are usually a fairly tight clamping fit) DON'T TOUCH THE TOP OF THE PROCESSOR!.

When you have a good clean heatsink, make sure it's properly dry and smear some heat transfer compound thinly on the point where it makes contact with the top of the processor. If there'e old and hardened compound stuck on the heatsink then scrape it off and polish with fine wet n'dry, making sure it's clean again before you re-fit. DON'T TOUCH THE TOP OF THE PROCESSOR, IF THERE'S DRY COMPOUND ON THERE IT WILL BE ABSORBED BY THE NEW STUFF.

A small tube of heat sink compound will cost you a few pennies from a computer shop or ebay. You need to use just enough, most of them are based on silver and transfer heat very efficiently between two surfaces.

I know it sounds like a pain in the bum but it shouldn't take long, honest.

If you haven't got the manual for your motherboard, it might be an idea to take a digiphoto of how the heatsink fit before you remove it, but...please print it off before you take the danged thing to bits

Quack (Bob)

many thanks Bob


I don't smoke and the comp' is in the box room upstairs, but the heatsink/fan, is something I had not checked, I'm ex tv engineer, but last tv was 1972 and valvesinside pc's is a different kettle of fish. I am printing your post off and in in the next few days, I will have a gander.
Again thank you

Good luck Prof, a couple more things...

Have you loads of stuff on your desktop (photo's/downloaded programs and suchlike)? they will really drag the system down. The only things you should have on there are shortcuts which are tiny files. If you have anything more than about 10kb as an individual file should put it in a hard drive folder and create a shortcut on the desktop.

I assume you have an adware/spyware checker already but I recommend this one, it's found stuff on mine that the others (including microsoft) missed. I have a clean install on a new hdd following a hardware upgrade and it found a malware trojan after three days of running. Plus it will remove them COMPLETELY.

http://www.superantispyware.com/

A "fresh" install won't always get rid of viruses if you are just overwriting a previous version. You need to remove the old system first which is almost impossible on XP if it's a full version (not an upgrade). There is a long complicated way of doing it which you can find on microsoft's pages but the quickest method is to delete the partitions using something like "pzapper" which you can download from their website for about $5.00. "F disc" won't do it.

There is a handy little tool called "freemem" which you can download free for the standard version. It just sits on your toolbar next to the start button and gives you a running total of available memory, it also allows you to bully the system in freeing up memory by moving stuff to the hard drive if you think it's clogging up. XP is notorious for being greedy and lazy with memory. Just google for "freemem std" (zip file).

My plan for what it's worth would be (1) check and clean up desktop. (2) run antispyware. (3) install freemem so that you can see what's going on. (4) check cooling fan/heatsink (you need to do this regularly anyway).

Hope this helps.

Quack.

TQ, all the stuff on my desktop are shortcuts, I have ad-aware/spybot s&d/spyware blaster/A Squared anti trojan(free version)/avg anti spyware(free version)ccleaner and also system mechanic 6(bought).
After the trouble I had last year with a virus and information received, I use the free version of this
http://www.killdisk.com/
it can do partitions or whole disc and overwrites the hard drive with "0"'s, wiping out everything
I have removed and cleaned the heatsink etc, apart from 2 side clips, it was held by to cable ties, but I've snipped them, I reckon that they were there for transit purposes, there was a white paste type stuff around the centre of the "large" copper plate, my son is going to check computer shops for the compound you told me about and then we can redo it.
I have now re-put in my 3 ram memory cards and will see how it runs .
Again my friend, I thank you most kindly for you advice

I also have a free version, past by bro-in-law of thishttp://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php
I am going to look at the link and Freemem

thursday teatime, heatsink compound put on, now sits back and watches, I'm also a bit baffled, a mate said that having wireless set up can slow the net down and programs, but I can't see how it can effect running programs while not on the net, even though it's always connected ??

PS: TQ, got Freemem on (pro version)

well TQ, in the short term, no significant improvement, do you have any idea what the symptoms of a processor going down are please ??

Hi Prof, I don't know about processors "going down", I always thought they either worked or they didn't.

You should be able to tell how fast it's running by using the little program you mentioned in one of your earlier posts. Bear in mind that they never run at the speed they're listed as, my new one is an AMD Sempron 64 (Newcastle) listed as 3.2Ghz but it actually runs at 2.2Ghz which is what it's supposed to do. If you RIGHT click on "my computer" and select "properties", the front tab will show you the details of your processor and also the speed it's supposed to run at, if you compare that to the displayed speed on your little program it should give you a good idea.

If you have freemem installed then you should know what's happening with the memory.

To be honest it's beginning to sound like a system problem and nothing to do with hardware.

I can't see the wireless connection causing any problem, how was the system running beforehand?

Is there a program running in the background that you aren't aware of? some of them like Limewire or 360 Pro carry on running in the system tray even even after you've shut them down. Check with the task manager (RIGHT click on a blank part of the system tray) and select from the list, that will tell you what's running.

About the only thing left after that is a system conflict, have you unwittingly installed the same program twice? are all your drivers up to date (check manufacturers home pages).

I'll keep my thinking cap on.

Quack.

thank you TQ, those will be checked out.
I have a proper bought program called "Driver Detective",it scans the PC and then lists if the drivers are up to date and also the places for updating them.
My friend next door seems to think it could be programs conflicting, another thing he thinks is that I have a Netgear DG834 router and when my son got his PC he got a Linksys wireless router, in the info/installing instructions, it has to go inline with the netgear router.ie tower-linksys-netgear-phone line. He thinks that because both have a firewall, that they might conflict, but if I remove the linksys, the programs still run slow etc.
the process on elimination will continueat least I am learning more about computers in the process

Aha! now there's a thing Prof. What were you running as a broadband connection before you installed the router, and is it still running?

If it is, that might be the cause of the conflict, you shouldn't be running two internet connection systems together.

Quack.

morning TQ, 1st modem I had for broadband, was a binatone adsl 500(ok up to 2mg), but had to get the netgear router, when B/Band went to 8mg etc,

PS binatone was USB conection, netgear is now Ethernet

OK Prof, but is the software for the binatone still installed on the drive?

just checked in connections..LAN via rhine II fast ethernet adaptor

only one running

no TQ, I removed the binatone driver etc

Well that's one avenue closed at least, I'll keep thinking.

sunday morning, thought I'd have another poke aboutflaming server went down, checked their website this morning on a mates pc and one of THEIR computers ?? had a card go duff, connection only back this afternoon, can't win

just loaded a program, from the motherboard driver disc, its a asus probe for temp etc.
it shows cpu ok, but power and chassis fans below threshold ??, is that that they are not running fast enough ??.
it shows threshold for them at 600prm, but doesn't show what they are running at