System Freeze Ups

Windows Millenium
Old Avast AntiVirus
Sony Vaio (am using an old laptop while dealing with hard drive failure on another computer)

Experiencing system freeze ups off and on (several times daily). Each time the computer recoveres/restarts just fine. Seems to be related to something 'hanging'. When I click 'control/alt/delete', I often see msgserv (that's not exactly it, but close) 'not responding'. I read up on that, and Microsoft said that it's happening because a program is not responding to some power scheme command. So went in to power schemes and changed settings so the power is always on. Also removed an old battery that was not charging anyway (physically removed it). These changes did not solve the problem because the freezeup happened again today.

I then hit start/run/misconfig and under the startup tab I see two identical entries. Could that be the problem? They are both named 'loadpwrprofile' and the box is checked next to each of them. Under 'loaded from' one says 'registry (machine run)' and the other under 'loaded from' says 'registry (machine service)'. Oops, so maybe they are different. In each case, the 'command' reads as follows:

rundll.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrenPwrScheme

Microsoft instructions also describe a second disabling power scheme step (where one goes into start/settings/controlpanel/system/device manager/systemdevices/ then names something to disable, but the instructions were for different operating system than Windows ME. Does anyone know how I would disable Windows automatically handling the power scheme in ME? The only thing I see here that looks remotely related (in system devices that is) is:
VIA Tech VT82C686 Power Management Controller
and also
some sort of VIA Tech (same number as above) ISA 'bridge'
and this too
Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) BIOS
plus plenty of other entries but as far as I can tell not specifically related to power management

My guess is it's the VIA Tech VT82C686 Power Management Controller that needs to be disabled. Can someone please confirm? I don't want to do something where, afterwards, my computer won't start.

Thanks for any replies/info.

I think I located the problem. Because I am working off an older operating system and browser (old Firefox), for security reasons, I was unplugging my broadband ethernet cable when access to the 'net was not needed. The older antivirus (AVAST) on here had a webscanner that was running a process (which shows in task manager), and that process would then 'hang'. So now I just close that AVAST process before unplugging the cable.

Thanks for letting us know the solution

Roger

Im glad ya got things taken care of,it feels good when we can figure stuff out ourselves doesnt it?

I have Avast! Home Edition 4.8.1368 on my old WinME computer as this is the last version that works on Win9x/ME. My system doesn't hog resourses you have to select which options you want when you install it. Do you Avast updates still work as I downloaded them manualy and tried to install them but it says the registration has expired but its not worth registering if the newer systems don't work.

Now mine doesn't have a network connection but I was thinking of getting a WIFI Wireless LAN Network PCI Card I bought one of fleabay that said it was Win98SE/ME compatible but when I tried to install the drivers it said this OS is not supported. I emailed the seller and he gave me a link to more drivers and those were exactly the same so I had a refund. I've asked all the 18 other sellers that say its Win98SE/ME compatible and only one still says it compatible. All the other say sorry that should be in the listing and will be removed ASAP but they are still there. Only PCI 54Mbps 802.11B/G Wireless Network Lan Adapter Card for desktop this one says it is.

. I've asked all the 18 other sellers that say its Win98SE/ME compatible and only one still says it compatible. All the other say sorry that should be in the listing and will be removed ASAP but they are still there. Only PCI 54Mbps 802.11B/G Wireless Network Lan Adapter Card for desktop this one says it is.

I ordered this card but I had a message the next day saying I have been refunded as its not suitable for Win98/ME. These cards are very hard to find now. Does anyone have any suggests apart from hardwiring it?