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laptop freezes up

bigdavey

Likes # 0

Posted November 5, 2011 at 4:00PM

What is the most obvious cause of a computer freezing up and not responding? all I can do is hold down the power on/off button. This happens if I leave it alone for 5 minutes or so. Its my netbook emachines Atom N270 windows XP. I know of other machines with N270's doing the same in Windows 7. Any obvious causes please.

Thanks everybody.

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Fruit Bat /\0/\

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Posted November 5, 2011 at 4:25PM

FReeezing PC

  1. Overheat due to faulty / blocked fans (most likely cause)

  2. PSU voltages

  3. Household power surges fridge etc switching on/off if only freezes when connected to mains

  4. faulty memory stick try memtest http://www.memtest86.com/

  5. virus or spyware scan for both especially if shutting down with in a few minutes of switch on or internet use

  6. driver conflicts especially graphics cards get the latest drivers for your equipment

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bigdavey

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Posted November 5, 2011 at 5:04PM

Thanks, most of these can i think be ruled out as the machine is fine in normal use, i can have it on all day working, its when I leave it for 5 or ten minutes, doing nothing, then it freezes up and wont respond to mouse or kess, and in fact i get a wandering cursor drifting about the screen!

I was wondering if its anything to do with "power management", but I have tried various settings (and I always use it plugged in anyway).

Thanks again

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