BleepingComputer.com: Desktop freezes sporadically emerging from standby

XP Home SP 3
Dell 2200 laptop
Wireless stand alone
Netgear WGR 614 v6
FF 3.6 default browser, IE 8
Everything fully Patched & up to date--100% Secunia score
Avast 5 free
OA Free FW

Have MBAM SASW CCleaner Revo HJT Autoruns if scans/info needed


There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason as to why and when this occurs, other than when my cordless phone disrupts connectivity---even then sometimes it emerges from standby normally, sometimes not. No error messages, nothing obvious to me in event viewer logs, although my knowledge and tech savvy are less than intermediate. I haven't done anything as far as changes recently, although I have experimented with many different programs and utilities fairly recently. I switched from Avira to Avast, installed SASW, SpywareBlaster and MVPS Hosts recently, but I was experiencing the random freezes before that and it doesn't seem to be happening with any more (or less) frequency lately.

I have done many "tweaks", too many to mention or remember, but have ALWAYS been very very careful and followed instructions to a tee, especially when doing Registry tweaks. Most of what I've done in this regard comes from reliable sources, like the Tweak guide that's pinned to this forum's topics, and from sources like The ElderGeek on XP, AuHma, Geeks to Go, Black Viper, etc.

No malware problems, save for a visit from the "Windows PolicePro" last August, which is the first virus I had gotten in about two years. I run Avast 5, MBAM & SASW on a weekly basis at different intervals, a boot-scan w/Avast monthly and once every 2-3 weeks I'll use Avast/MBAM or Avast/SASW scans back to back.

No problems with disk space or RAM, I don't have much installed, I'm not a gamer, no photo apps, etc--about 75% free disk space. I use CCleaner regularly to do what it's designed to do...clean out the crap.

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated!


Edit to add: It just happened again. I was browsing, the phone rang and knocked my connection off...when I hung up it started acquiring a signal, froze....but only for about 20 seconds this time. Now signal strength is low

?????

This post has been edited by Union_Thug: 17 February 2010 - 08:16 PM

How much RAM do you have?

Total Physical Memory 512.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 157.93 MB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB

Anyone?

Bueller...Bueller...Bueller...

Union_Thug, on Feb 17 2010, 09:46 PM, said:

You need more RAM. 2Gig is what I recommend or any computer now adays regardless of what the user is doing.

Thank you.

Your best bet is to disable all Windows power saving features. You really don't need them in desktop case and they often bring nothing else but problems.

Broni, on Feb 20 2010, 11:29 PM, said:

Thank you for your reply.

Does one accomplish this by going to Start>Control Panel>Power Options> Under power schemes select "never" to all then go to each available tab and "unticking" any available option?

Do I need to disable/stop or delete any currently running services or change anything in the BIOS settings?

Quote

Yes.

Quote

No.

Thanks again, I'll give that a try and see how it goes.

This post has been edited by Union_Thug: 21 February 2010 - 12:57 PM

OK

Nope. Still took 2:10. Desktop loaded in fits and spurts, taskbar in sections, icons a few at a time, didn't start looking for a signal until 1: 55 and didn't connect until 2:10.

This is a 4 yr old notebook. It appears to be dying a slow death to this inexperienced user. I don't know if it's even worth the trouble of adding memory at this point, even though it's cheap. I am planning to but a new box, I'm just trying to keep this one functional until things get a little better financially (I'm not holding my breath, though lol).

Thanks again @Broni.

Now wait a sec. What did take 2:10?

D'oh. 2 minutes 10 seconds to go from standby to connected.


Sorry! (blushes profusely from embarrassment)

I thought, you disabled all power saving features???