- System Lockup -
Nothing is quite as annoying as a computer that locks up right in the middle of a big project or exciting game! We've all had this experience and many of you are probably having it happen on a regular basis even now. It's often difficult to diagnose since there are literally dozens of different things that can cause it to happen. If you want specific information about your lockup problem, click here to send me an email. Include as much information as possible, especially what you were doing when it locked up, what other programs you had running, any error messages your received, any noises you noticed at the time, and what you did to resolve the problem. We often have customers ask us to fix their computer that is locking up and they don't have any of the above information available for us to use. That's about like going to the doctor and telling him "I don't feel well. Would you please fix it while I wait?".....
Hardware Solutions
One of
the most common problems that causes systems to lockup (except during cold boot)
is component overheating. Most people don't think about this when
trying to diagnose this problem even though it is often the primary cause of the system
lockups. While any overheated component can cause this problem, the CPU is
the component that is most sensitive to heat related problems. The high speed processors
in use today generate enough heat under normal use to cause an instant 3rd
degree burn to your finger if touched! This heat must be transferred out
of the computer case rapidly and continuously for the system to function
properly. The 2" wide data transfer cables inside your computer could also
be interfering with the airflow or could even stop the fan from turning at all
if not secured properly! Since overheated system components don't always
give off a tell-tale odor, it can be an easy problem to overlook. One way to test for overheating is to turn your computer off and let it set for at
least an hour to cool down. You can even remove the case cover and set a
table fan to blow into it if you like (leave the table fan running during the next
part of the test). After the computer is completely cooled down, start it
up and try to duplicate the lockup problem again. If you have removed the
cover, now is a good time to check the cooling fans to be sure they are working
properly. At a minimum, you should have a cooling fan built into the power
supply and one connected to the CPU. If there is not a secondary case
cooling fan, you should have one installed!
Typical Case Cooling Fan
They cost less than $10 and are an absolute necessity in today's computers. All the fans should be turning at relatively high speeds and you should not hear any noise from them other than the air movement. If a fan is making any other noise or seems to be turning slower than it should, it must be replaced immediately.
And don't overlook the power supply itself. If
you have several devices connected to you computer (like a USB scanner, camera,
printer, etc.) and/or are running a system with two hard disk drives and two CD
Rom drives, you should have at least a 300 watt power supply and possibly
more, depending on the devices you have installed or connected to your computer.
If you have you computer tower installed in an enclosure that limits the
airflow, you may be adding to the overheating problems without knowing about it!
A big powerful server in a large network will be mounted on a rack system that
is open to allow maximum airflow and the case will house as many as 6 or 8
cooling fans! While you don't need to go to that extreme for your home or
small office system, you have to remember your computer must breathe!
All the computers I use at my home or office have no less than 2 extra case
cooling fans installed to prevent overheating. Believe it or not, this
also helps keep your computer cleaner since the airborne dust particles have
less time to settle on the sensitive components since the air is moving through
the system so quickly.
Software Solutions
03/10/2008
