Strange freeze up w/ win2k...

[Rargh]

That s the second thread i post about win2k (sorry about it i m still learning)

Well, to say the truth, I ve just experienced one and only bug (a quite annoying freezing) w/ always the same programs running:

Winamp; ie 5.5 ((happened also w/ IE 5) and Mirc.
the mouse doesn t respond as well as the keyboard...

It happens since I ve installed the Service pack 2.(I had a problem w/ the find command: it just bugged and stopped all my programs, but know it s over)

So, anyone has experienced the same prob as this one?
Or maybe know something about it?

I would really appreciate some help.

Thanks.

[cluthu]

If possible, try disabling USB in your system's BIOS (just temporarily, of course) and see if the problem still persists. Secondly, are you using a USB-based mouse/keyboard?

[Rargh]

Well ^^ it s kinda embarrassing to do that :D cuz' my DSL modem is USB linked.

BTW, no i m not using USB keyboards or mouse (only the modem is using the usb device...)

Thx anyway

(BTW, i ve heard some rumors that DSL could provide some OS instabillity. I know it s sounds stupid, but win98 used to bugs a lot more when i used this one on it...Could it be true?)

[Raziel]

I know someone who would tell you to use Besirc 'coz he thinks mirc sucks,guess who?:D

[Rargh]

Perhaps its due to my system specs.
I don t have enough RAM for win2k (infortunately only 128MB, and i have one Ram stick running at 100 mhz on a 133 mhz FSB ;\ )

Thx

[cluthu]

128 Mb is enough to run Win2k. Hell, my school uses computers running Win2k with only 64. True, they're slow, but it works. Of course, most people that make use of their Win2k systems suggest 256.

>i have one Ram stick running at 100 mhz on a 133 mhz FSB ;\
That sounds like a potential culprit to me. Do you have another that's speced to run at 133? Alternately, can you change your FSB to 100 and checking it out?

[Rargh]

I tried to change the FSB long time ago (I believed that it would be dangerous to run my comp w/ a Ram stick like that on a 133 FSB) when i was trying to overclock my p3 -yes trying- :

I just began w/ my new comp to change the the cpu multiplicator from 5.5 to 5 (damn,l I didn t know it was impossible at that time) and changing the FSB from 133 to 100.
Of course i didn t manage to succeed
All i had was a 700 mhz processor w/ bad results in sandra 2000 and 3dmark

(I didn t win2k tough, just win98)
So i stucked w/ the previous settings.

So that could be that nasty Ram stick of mine.
Maybe this one can t handle anymore the amount of speed of the FSB...(Well I was prepared for that)
Time to buy a new one mm?

But a friend of mine who has no RAM problems does have this problem too w/ a comparable system.

then...

Thank U very much Cluthu

Bye

update: sorry i ve forgotten one question:
Yes I have a 64 mb stick w/ 133mhz clock.

[Dan]

Hummm... Your problem could very well be winamp. I stoped using it after ver 2.7 because it still had a tremdous memory leak. You can see if it is still there if you ctr-alt-del , go to task manager , then performance. Note where the "MEM Usage" is at. Have that window open while playing music with winamp. Run some songs for a while. Then, note where the memory level is now at. Has it risen (20-30 megs)? If so, when you close winamp, does it free atleast half of that up?

I know version 2.7 ate about 300 to 400 megs (after a few hours)of memory that was not turned back over to the system when you exit the prog.

This my friend, could be your problem. Thats if winamp has not adressed that issue yet.

[Rargh]

Well, i ve just read ur post, posting a screeshot in the appropriate section and then it freezes...I wasn t running winamp, just mirc.
:(

But i m beginning to guess if it s not a memory problem like u two said..

ahh guess it s time to upgrade...

bye

[cluthu]

When it freezes I'm assuming the whole computer just stops, right? You can never regain control of it? After rebooting (assuming that it doesn't freeze again), try going to

Start->Settings->Control Panel->Administrative Tools->Event Viewer

And click on "System Log" Perhaps there's an error reported there that might be of use. Alternately, you'd said that SP2 seemed to cause the problem. Had it been running correctly prior to SP2? Assuming you selected a particular checkbox prior to installing it, you can always uninstall SP2 for now, at least.

If it's not too much trouble, would you mind posting the type of motherboard you have, your clock speed and if you're OCing?

[Rargh]

Well i ve just created the log (it didn t existed before).

Let s wait for another freeze up.

BTW, when the comp freeze, it just....freezes:
I can hear the music playing (if the program is opened of course)
and it s as if i was viewing a screenshot of my monitor...
(nothing is responding)

I had that kind of problem before w/ 98 but it was the Geforce overclocking fault. And I haven t done that since that time.

bye

[cluthu]

When you installed Win2k, did you select France in the locale section? I was looking through Deja to see if anyone else has had a similar problem and I spotted this:

"OK now I have done a reinstall. Instead of choosing the language settings during setup, I allowed it to use the defaults (English, US) Once the system started I changed all the local settings to english Australian for keyboard and for user locale in regional settings. This has solved my freezing problems."

Granted, you'd probably want to change Australian with French here, but you get the idea. I really don't know if this would make any difference, but I figured I'd mention it.

[Rargh]

Questions to the updates:

Sure i can post my those specs:

I ve a VIA 694x (called also as an VIA Appolo pro 133)
and I m not overclocking anything just yet.
The FSB is at 133 mhz
The GPU core clock is at 120 mhz and the VRAM is cadenced at 150mhz (defaults settings)

Before i had installed SP2, I had a major problem but no freezes at all:

When I started searching something using the FIND command
(Start>find>files) Win2k just said to me that this program has caused an error (the classic text u know.) and it just all the programs running and it s as if i ve disconnected win2k to make a new session of it.

And i haven t installed the SP1 before. (I d/L the full install of the SP2.Perhaps a leak of system files?)

Well, thx a lot anyway, i really appreciate ur help.
;)

[Rargh]

oh damn!
I ve already deleted the sp2 install executable.

But it s ok i ll try it.

(after d/l it a third time)

thx i ll give a try right now.

bye

[cluthu]

>I ve already deleted the sp2 install executable.
If you'd checked the box you can remove it with Add/Remove Programs, I believe. Of course, if it takes you a considerable amount of time to download I'd try some other options before removing it.

[Rargh]

oh u mean the backup?
yup i ve checked it during the installation.
Let s just remove sp2 then...

See ya

[Rargh]

Well....
Here s the problem:

I already reinstalled the sp2 before starting this thread but all it could have done was uninstall it to replace the previous sp2 and now, it seems my basis version of win2k IS the sp2 :\

However I think i ll d/l the sp2 again and reinstall it w/ the advices u ve given me.

I ll tell ya if it worked.

sincerely®,
Rargh

[Rargh]

BTW, I didn t remember that the sp2 was asking for languages.
I d/l ed it at microsoft.com and before getting it, i must choose a language first...

Must i choose the english one?
and then change the settings in the cfg pannel?

I d like to know before d/l ing it.

Thx again

[cluthu]

>BTW, I didn t remember that the sp2 was asking for languages.
They're referring to the option you select when you install Win2k for the first time. It's just after copying all the files (the DOS-like section) and the reboot. There's a little globe icon on that particular page, if memory serves.

[Rargh]

ok

i ll perform the reinstall tomorrow then.
Choose the language to english, restore my beloved french settings in the locale settings pannel and then upgrade w/ sp2.
or upgrade w/ sp2 before changing the language?

Hope i m not boring. but i m really annoyed by these freezes,
The fear of it makes me save my work all the time :( .

Thx

[cluthu]

>or upgrade w/ sp2 before changing the language?
Though I'm not certain, I'd think it'd be logical to install using English, do an install of SP2, then change your locale settings. My reasoning is that if there's any changes introduced to the Regional Settings through SP2 it'd make sense to change them after installing the SP.

>Hope i m not boring. but i m really annoyed by these freezes,
You're not boring at all. I'm just sorry that I don't know the exact cause of your problem. I can totally understand how you feel though. A few months ago just about every emulator I'd used would crash. Nothing else, just emulators. I thought my computer was possessed or somesuch ;) It wasn't until later that I realized that one incorrect setting in my BIOS was the cause of the problem. So as I'm sure you realize, when people have computer problems I try to provide any sort of help I can.

[Rargh]

ok thx ;)

I can also feel the way u are feeling cuz' i like to help people about computer when i can tough.
Thx again, u re really a nice person.

bye

[Dan]

damned microsoft....

If what cluthu said doesnt work, i hope it doesnt get much more complicated.

So your problem is IE and winamp right? err..

[Rargh]

Well i ve got a little question (I know it s annoying, no matter what u say ;) )
where can i change the language after the insatallation s complete??
in the locale sttings of the cfg pannel, I ve found settings like:
how to change my keyboards settings or my locale situation...

thx

[cluthu]

>where can i change the language after the insatallation s
>complete??
Is your version of Windows in French (that is, the dialog boxes and such are written in French, as opposed to having English text but French keyboard definitions)? If so, I really can't say, never having installed any foreign versions of Windows. I know Regional Settings will let you change your keyboard layout and such, but I doubt it can change the text of your entire interface (of course, I'm not certain). Perhaps what you *could* do is install your copy of Win2k normally but have it use English/US key mappings when installing. Then, after installing SP2, you could switch the locale back to French. That is, you'd have an install of French Win2k that's *in* French, but with US/English keymappings.

I realize that's sort of confusing, but that's the only thing I could think of ;(

To be quite honest with you, all of that's uncharted waters for me, so perhaps there's someone French that'd be better able to help you. I dunno.

By the way, did you try changing your FSB settings yet?

[Rargh]

well, i ll perform the reinstall (when i ll find some space to save my data: my hard disk is full :( )

yes my Win2k is french, and i doubted (as u think) that i can change the language.
BTW, it s not confusing at all: It was i were thinking of too.
I ll give it a try sooner or later.

Yes, i ve changed my FSB settings and now i m waiting for a freeze (honestly, i ll hope this is going to occur, cuz it ll proove that the memory stick isn t involved in this.)

i ll upgrade my computer soon and change this stick too.
So guess I ve nothing to do but waiting now ;)

I ll let u know if something happens....or not.

Bye

[cluthu]

Best of luck to you, I hope things work out. Of course, it'd be cool if it really were the memory, at least then you could define just why the problem was occuring.