Hello all;

I have been reading some posts here with similar issues, mine however, has got me stumped.
You can view my system specs in my profile.
I have a very clean running machine and never had any issues with viruses, malware, spyware, etc:
My event viewer shows no warnings/errors
I do not receive any error codes/messages
I have done a "chkdsk /r", "chkdsk /f" and "chkdsk /p" all results were clean
I have also done "fixboot" "fixmbr" didn't resolve the issue
My system will, after being off for 5 hours or more, freeze at the Windows Logo (the bar) and I have to do a hard restart and choose "last known configuration that worked" which 8 of 10 times will work, the 2 times it doesn't I choose "start windows normally" and all is fine and at that point I can restart anytime without problems, it's the sitting off for 5 hours or so that's got me stumped.
I am just wondering if it might be my video card, I have heard that video cards do sometimes cause boot hangs, random reboots and restart loops.
It's a Diamond Stealth S120 ATI Radeon 9550 256mb
I know I cannot use the most current driver for it as an ati2mag error shows up in my event viewer.

Any thoughts or suggestions will be greatly appreciated
Thanks to all in advance

please advise
in your signature you list zone alarms
which version of zone alarms do you have

http://www.zonealarm.com/store/content/home.jsp

also
avast antivirus;

http://www.avast.com/

and threatfire

http://www.threatfire.com/



you MAY have THREE antivirus programs installed?

and if so you are really running UN protected;

please clarify which ARE installed?

I have them all installed and running and protecting with no issues.
Zone Alarm Firewall
All are the free home versions, which all can be obtained thru the links or Majorgeeks.com
"ThreatFire's ActiveDefense technology does, and has proven to provide up to 243% more protection when combined with traditional AntiVirus products"
Read the entire article from the link.
Sorry for any confusion, I have updated my sig to reflect the proper downloads

maybe others will disagree with me; but the way I for one 'read ' this you have TWO antivirus protection programs installed

avast and threatfire

this is NOT recommended computer practice and you may well BE infected without actually knowing it

I have had a HJT Log reviewed by Juliet and my system was clean as I have stated and this was running the same programs and that was done due to having some program scan my system from a search result looking for an answer to my boot issue.

for clarity, would you kindly give a link TO that log which I presume is on an HJT log section on a forum?

I have to agree with Ruby about the feasability of running Threatfire and Avast AV...one or the other should be sufficient and eliminate the possibility of conflicts between the two.

It's the same situation as having 2 firewalls attempting to do one job at the same time...not recommended.

Louis

Here ya go;
http://forums.pcpitstop.com/index.php?showtopic=153680

Please note that I was not running Avast at the time which I have been using for over a year. I wanted to try out McAfee again as I had used it years ago with AOL and shortly after this log was taken I switched back to Avast.

thanks;
please also clarify

you have Zone alarms firewall ; have you turned OFF the XP firewall?

which NOW is your installed antivirus program and how did you remove the others?

also; who is your ISP and by what method do you connect to the internet, ( you could even have an antivirus protection method in that connection )

Did you check the Event Viewer for anything strange looking that happens at about the same time as your problem

If your motherboard has on-board video you could try pulling the video card out and see if that solves the problem.

XP Firewall is disabled in services
My programs are removed thru add/remove or program uninstall, any left over files are removed manually, then I perform a system clean, defrag and restart, then checked in safemode.
I have MSN Premium thru Qwest/DSL which has available Spysweeper by Webroot and McAfee Security Center, but I do not use them.

The MOBO does not have on board video.

As stated in original post, Event Viewer shows no warnings/errors

Generally speaking, freezing can be a sign of heat problems (although I cannot say that's a good suspect, based on what you have provided).

It would not hurt to check the status of fans and CPU temp. Fans can be checked visually, CPU temp can be monitored in BIOS.

The fact that you maintain there are no error messages of any sort...but that freezes occur...leads me to suggest this direction.

Louis

Thanks Louis, I'm pretty sure it's not a heat issue. I clean the inside on a regular basis. I have my CPU Fan, 3 Case Fans, Dual Fans in the PSU and Dual Fans on each Hard Drive.
Here are the temps;

CPUID Hardware Monitor 1.0.8.0
-----------------------------------------------------

Mainboard Vendor ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
Mainboard Model P4P800S/SE (0x286 - 0x1679AD08)

LPCIO
-----------------------------------------------------
Vendor Winbond
Model W83627THF
Vendor ID 0x5CA3
Chip ID 0x82
Revision ID 0x84
Config Mode I/O address 0x2E

Hardware monitor
-----------------------------------------------------

Winbond W83627THF hardware monitor

Voltage sensor 0 1.58 Volts [0x63] (CPU VCore)
Voltage sensor 1 11.98 Volts [0xC5] (+12V)
Voltage sensor 2 3.30 Volts [0xCE] (+3.3V)
Voltage sensor 3 5.04 Volts [0xBD] (+5V)
Voltage sensor 4 2.99 Volts [0xBB] (VIN2)
Temperature sensor 0 29°C (84°F) [0x1D] (SYSTIN)
Temperature sensor 1 35°C (94°F) [0x45] (CPUTIN)
Temperature sensor 2 48°C (118°F) [0x1A0] (VTIN)
Fan sensor 0 2596 RPM [0x82] (FANIN0)
Fan sensor 1 2813 RPM [0x78] (FANIN1)

Dump hardware monitor

Hardware monitor
-----------------------------------------------------
Maxtor 6 G160E0 hardware monitor

Temperature sensor 0 31°C (87°F) [0x1F] (HDD)

Hardware monitor
-----------------------------------------------------
MAXTOR S TM3160812AS hardware monitor

Temperature sensor 0 31°C (87°F) [0x1F] (HDD)

I know this might take up some space and I'm sorry if it does, but here is a copy of my event log which was just done.
Please note that when I turned my system on this morning, it froze as I described.

5/15/2008 11:01:12 AM Service Control Manager Information None 7036 N/A ASUSP4P800SSE The Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) service entered the running state.
5/15/2008 11:01:11 AM Service Control Manager Information None 7035 NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM ASUSP4P800SSE The Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) service was successfully sent a start control.
5/15/2008 11:00:01 AM Service Control Manager Information None 7035 ASUSP4P800SSE\Adamsappleone ASUSP4P800SSE The cpuz129 service was successfully sent a start control.
5/15/2008 10:24:24 AM Service Control Manager Information None 7036 N/A ASUSP4P800SSE The Messenger Sharing Folders USN Journal Reader service service entered the running state.
5/15/2008 10:24:24 AM Service Control Manager Information None 7035 NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM ASUSP4P800SSE The Messenger Sharing Folders USN Journal Reader service service was successfully sent a start control.
5/15/2008 10:18:00 AM Service Control Manager Information None 7036 N/A ASUSP4P800SSE The avast! Mail Scanner service entered the running state.
5/15/2008 10:17:59 AM Service Control Manager Information None 7036 N/A ASUSP4P800SSE The IMAPI CD-Burning COM Service service entered the stopped state.
5/15/2008 10:17:58 AM Service Control Manager Information None 7036 N/A ASUSP4P800SSE The HTTP SSL service entered the running state.
5/15/2008 10:17:58 AM Service Control Manager Information None 7035 NT AUTHORITY\LOCAL SERVICE ASUSP4P800SSE The HTTP SSL service was successfully sent a start control.
5/15/2008 10:17:55 AM Service Control Manager Information None 7035 ASUSP4P800SSE\Adamsappleone ASUSP4P800SSE The SASENUM service was successfully sent a start control.
5/15/2008 10:17:53 AM Service Control Manager Information None 7036 N/A ASUSP4P800SSE The SSDP Discovery Service service entered the running state.
5/15/2008 10:17:53 AM Service Control Manager Information None 7035 NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM ASUSP4P800SSE The TfNetMon service was successfully sent a start control.
5/15/2008 10:17:53 AM Service Control Manager Information None 7036 N/A ASUSP4P800SSE The Network Location Awareness (NLA) service entered the running state.
5/15/2008 10:17:53 AM Service Control Manager Information None 7035 NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM ASUSP4P800SSE The Network Location Awareness (NLA) service was successfully sent a start control.
5/15/2008 10:17:53 AM Service Control Manager Information None 7035 NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM ASUSP4P800SSE The SSDP Discovery Service service was successfully sent a start control.
5/15/2008 10:17:53 AM Service Control Manager Information None 7036 N/A ASUSP4P800SSE The IMAPI CD-Burning COM Service service entered the running state.
5/15/2008 10:17:53 AM Service Control Manager Information None 7035 NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM ASUSP4P800SSE The aswRdr service was successfully sent a start control.
5/15/2008 10:17:53 AM Service Control Manager Information None 7035 NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM ASUSP4P800SSE The IMAPI CD-Burning COM Service service was successfully sent a start control.
5/15/2008 10:17:52 AM Service Control Manager Information None 7036 N/A ASUSP4P800SSE The Remote Access Connection Manager service entered the running state.
5/15/2008 10:17:52 AM Service Control Manager Information None 7036 N/A ASUSP4P800SSE The Network Connections service entered the running state.
5/15/2008 10:17:52 AM Service Control Manager Information None 7036 N/A ASUSP4P800SSE The avast! Web Scanner service entered the running state.
5/15/2008 10:17:52 AM Service Control Manager Information None 7035 NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM ASUSP4P800SSE The Network Connections service was successfully sent a start control.
5/15/2008 10:17:52 AM Service Control Manager Information None 7035 NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM ASUSP4P800SSE The avast! Web Scanner service was successfully sent a start control.
5/15/2008 10:17:52 AM Service Control Manager Information None 7035 NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM ASUSP4P800SSE The avast! Mail Scanner service was successfully sent a start control.
5/15/2008 10:17:52 AM Service Control Manager Information None 7035 NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM ASUSP4P800SSE The Remote Access Connection Manager service was successfully sent a start control.
5/15/2008 10:17:52 AM Service Control Manager Information None 7036 N/A ASUSP4P800SSE The Telephony service entered the running state.
5/15/2008 10:17:16 AM Tcpip Information None 4201 N/A ASUSP4P800SSE The system detected that network adapter \DEVICE\TCPIP_{BDCF8565-0018-40C8-B998-B41158448724} was connected to the network, and has initiated normal operation over the network adapter.
5/15/2008 10:17:26 AM EventLog Information None 6005 N/A ASUSP4P800SSE The Event log service was started.
5/15/2008 10:17:26 AM EventLog Information None 6009 N/A ASUSP4P800SSE Microsoft ® Windows ® 5.01. 2600 Service Pack 3 Multiprocessor Free.
5/15/2008 2:21:53 AM EventLog Information None 6006 N/A ASUSP4P800SSE The Event log service was stopped.

No data recorded in the Application tab of Event Viewer?

You need to try to look at times approximating your freezes...in all 3 EV tabs. You are looking for errors.

Louis

Thanks again Louis, but the only error that showed up in app's, was at 12:33 am this morning when I entered Safe Mode and clicked Admin. I checked all the other tabs and they were also clean.
I have been dealing with this for quite a while, it doesn't seem to effect anything else and it's more of an annoyance. I could leave it in stand-by or hibernate, but if it's not in use I'd prefer to shut it down.
I really appreciate all the input from you guys, I'll just keep shuffling along and continue my quest for the mysterious boot thingy.

Thanks again, Don

Suggestions provided easily , let us know if you resolve it (just post to this thread).

Louis

I will certainly post back if and when this is resolved as I know I'm not the only one with this problem.

Thanks again, Don

lets try a wee bit of another tack if we may ?


when you turn OFF the computer do you shut it down completley or just hibernate it? does it show any signs to tell you TO turn off the power or to turn off the comp ?

do you turn it off when it is NOT in use or leave it running ?

when you turn it ON how well ( or NOT) does it boot up?

Yes we may

Read my post #17, I shut it down and no

Read my post #17, I shut it down

If it doesn't freeze, my normal boot time from Post to my Desktop only takes 15 seconds, give or take 5 seconds.

Forgive me, but I'm not following your line of questioning, with what you're asking now and what you asked previously about my security programs, please elaborate.
My shut down procedure has not changed for the past 10 years and have never had any issues with my security programs.
Don

couple of ideas; when did you last run a defragment on your computer?

you were instructed to run the combofix tool on the computer in the HJT thread; was the freezing problem happening before you ran that or has it 'appeared' SINCE running that tool?

1st ?
Read Post #1, I might not have specified, but when I said "I have a cleaning running machine" that included daily maintenance, defragmenting once a week and frequent cleaning of dust inside to prevent heat issues.
2nd ?
Read Post #5
"I have had a HJT Log reviewed by Juliet and my system was clean as I have stated and this was running the same programs and that was done due to having some program scan my system from a search result looking for an answer to my boot issue."

Again forgive me and I mean no disrespect or offense and I know you're trying to help, but I have supplied answers to all of your questions before you have even asked them.

Referring back to your reply in Post #4, "Maybe others will disagree with me; but the way I for one 'read ' this you have TWO antivirus protection programs installed, avast and threatfire, this is NOT recommended computer practice and you may well BE infected without actually knowing it."
Read Post #3
"I have them all installed and running and protecting with no issues. Zone Alarm Firewall
All are the free home versions, which all can be obtained thru the links or Majorgeeks.com
"ThreatFire's ActiveDefense technology does, and has proven to provide up to 243% more protection when combined with traditional AntiVirus products"
Please take note in the last sentence where it says "combined." Threatfire was designed to do just that.
I know a few Admin's, HJT Advisors, Mod's from various forums and everyday users like me who use this combination with NO adverse effects and it works.
I have been building, repairing, servicing and selling computers for almost 7 years now, never had any complaints, problems, call backs and/or returns and although I am not an expert nor claim to be, I'm not a dummy either. I am however somewhat relieved that this mysterious issue has occurred on my machine and not a customers.
Thanks, Don

Hello all,

I have not resolved my issue yet, but I would like to throw something out here and possibly get some feedback.
I just finished up running memtest and there were no errors.
While it was running, I was thinking of this freeze issue, (naturally) now, as I stated in the OP, it only freezes after the computer has been off for 5hrs or more, anytime under 4-5 hrs, I can reboot and/or turn it off, let it sit, turn it back on no problem.
Now, and this is the reason I ran the memtest, is it possible, that the sitting off for the 5 or more hours, Windows is somehow forgetting or losing the startup configuration, which is why "Last Known Configuration That Worked" works or am I just going off and grabbing at straws here?

Thanks for any thoughts on the matter
Don

Well...since XP freezes during boot...it's safe to guess that it's probably a driver issue or corruption of something in the boot process.

If it were me, I would probably just run the fixboot command from the Recovery Console and see if that changes anything. I would also try to (over a period of time) either update or uninstall/reinstall all drivers, including the ones for AV, malware programs, video/audio programs, and firewall.

Might also take a look at the bootlog file, using a tool like http://www.greatis.com/utilities/bootlogxp/download.htm .

Louis

couple of other thoughts; I cannot see anywhere on this thread a note of when this freeze problem first started?

could it be related to any Windows updates you have done?


does the freeze bear any relation to the infection in Feb 2008 that tried to attack you? you were then asked TO run combofix? one assumes your computer did completely recover FROM running that strong tool?

also; you may wish to again look at the tools you have on there and see if any of them ARE clashing ?

as you got clobbered BY a drive- by infection it is possible you do have corruption on there ,

as hamulis is suggesting, have you yet tried uninstalling each of your security programs and reinstalling from compleltey FRESH downloads?

XP is normally a good platform
one assumes you have already tried a system restore to a date you beleive WAS working correctly ?

Hello Louis,

Yeah, I've done the "fixboot" thingy a number of times along with "fixmbr" didn't really change anything.
All my drivers are up to date as I constantly check them, I did however, remove the "Catalyst Control Center" and the drivers for my vid card and just reinstalled the latest driver and did find that the one I just installed is an updated one from the one I removed, so we'll see if that has made a difference.
Before I removed anything, I did try and run "bootlogxp" as suggested (tried 3 times) only for it to freeze on reboot each time, so I did not get any info from that.
I really appreciate your input thus far and I'll repost if what I've done for the vid card changed anything.
Thanks again, Don

The problem with checking for updates on drivers...is that the driver versions may be the most current...but if they are damaged, they create problems with the system functions.

That's why I suggest the uninstall/reinstall procedure for all of them.

Louis

Completely understood and TY.
I just turned my computer on about 30 minutes ago, from being shut down shortly after my last post here and it booted no problem, however, the ati2mtag error in my event viewer has returned since updating the driver. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and see what happens on the next boot. At this point, I think I'm going to start looking for another video card. Going to go back to nVidia.
I'll let you guys know what happens later today.
Thanks again
Don

That particular ATI file is troublesome and I believe it stems from a startup entry (that is unnecessary). The file is not essential to anything that I'm aware of...it's a miniport driver (if valid) and I fail to see the need for such for a video card.

You can use AutoRuns for Windows - http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinte...s/bb963902.aspx to disable it safely and see what the result is. If no luck with autoruns, I would just search and delete...that's my approach .

http://www.file.net/process/atimtag.sys.html AND http://www.softwaretipsandtricks.com/sys/175-Atimtagsys.html

Louis

Well, 2nd day and no freeze.
Louis, I tried the AutoRuns (nice tool btw) and disabling the ati2mtag, but what happens is the drivers revert to XP and dragging windows around the screen makes them all wobbly as you're moving them, not good.
So, for now I'll put up with the error and as long as it doesn't freeze, I'm happy.
The ati2mtag error in the event viewer doesn't seem to be causing an issue other than just being there.
We'll see what happens over the next week.

Thanks for all your input and advise, greatly appreciated

Don

You are welcome .

Louis

OK, 4 days and no freeze problem at all.

In case anyone is interested this is what was done outside of everything talked about in this thread;

Video Card, Diamond Stealth S120 ATI Radeon9550 AGP 8x 256mb
Original Driver installed 8-4_xp32_dd_60999 with and without ATI CCC, problem/freezes and random reboots and ati2mtag error, Removed this driver and installed this one; 7-6_xp32-64_wdm_48640 with and without ATI CCC, fixed random reboots and ati2mtag error, still had freeze problem, but only after the computer was off for 5 hours or more and had occurred only at the Windows Logo, removed this driver and ATI CCC and installed this driver which was just released 5/24/08; 8-5_xp32_dd_63030 without ATI CCC, freeze problem corrected.

The drivers can be obtained here;

http://ati.amd.com/support/driver.html


I am confident enough that my freeze problem is resolved and this thread can be closed

Thanks to all and myself
Don