System keeps locking up

[Techna]

I'm working on an HP Pavilion A1620N with XP MCE. It keeps locking up after running anywhere around 20min to about 2hrs without anything being used on it. Just sitting there powered on. I cleaned up a few things and then I tried to run process monitor from Sysinternals (Microsoft), unfortunately when it locks up the log file doesn't have a chance to close properly and isn't readable. I'm hoping there is another monitoring program that can write a log file that will be readable after a lockup. Are there any suggestions out there?

 

[frostbyte5014]

Overheating power supply. Try replacing it and test for a while.

 

[drewster]

Have you done basic troubleshooting steps such as running diagnostics from a boot CD?
Results?

If it is locking outside of Windows, then the next step is to determine which piece of hardware is causing the problem.

As frostbyte5014 said, try power supply. Disconnect the drives. Check CPU temperature. Try different RAM, etc.

 

[Methical]

Have you looked @ the event logs @ all ?
Does it do this in Safe Mode ? Or from a bootCD ?

 

[JeffersonPCMedic]

This is a pretty basic problem, and I am sure that one of the above responses will aide in your repair. If you are having problems figuring this out, perhaps you can direct your customer to another, more experienced technician.

Good Luck to you.

Gee ACG, Why is it you are always quick with the cutting remarks??? I suppose you were born with all the answers to PC problems. Remember ACG...."What goes around, comes around".

 

[PcTestCard.com]

Could be the semi faulty mainboard or PSU.

When PC just powered on, holding down F8 key and select from the boot menu, "Last Known Good Configuration" and hit enter.
This will run the working profile.

Check the CPU anf teh VGA fan as well.

Hope this helps!
Bill

 

[NYJimbo]

Gee ACG, Why is it you are always quick with the cutting remarks??? I suppose you were born with all the answers to PC problems. Remember ACG...."What goes around, comes around".

Well, he could have been a little softer on the slap but he is right.

This is just another thread of a "Tech" doing very little diags and then all the other techs coming in and offering "Diag 101" ideas. Why do we have to tell him to check thermals, memory, pull hardware, boot to last known good, and so on.

If the OP already did this he should say so, but he didnt and then just asked for help, so here we go again.

 

[bagellad]

Hi there, You need to run some tests. How about HDtune on the hard drive, Cclean on the registry and stuff like that. Check the fans for dust and build up incase its a heat issue. There are so many things that could be causing that problem you really need to reduce the possible things of what it could be.. because right now I am at the "It could be pretty much anything" status.



In regards to ACG, I don't think you would be happy if people responded to any of your posts in the same manner, Please try not to be insulted by people asking for help.. in the help forum.