TSGL: How I got my broken down computer working again.

[Steve Locke]

All of a sudden my computer started freezing up, mostly after 1 or 2 seconds into boot up, sometimes after several minutes running.  I did not load any new programs and going to a Systems Restore point did not help.  

Even the MemoryTest86 froze up and this does not load Windows as this boots up from a 3-1/2 floppy.  This indicates a hardware problem.  Reseating memory and IC cards did not help.

I thought about this a long time and then remembered some advice:  strip everything off the computer you can, and see if that helps.  

With Microsoft's Plug and Play this is easy to do, so I unplugged the two printers, and the scanner.  I still had freeze ups.  I opened the case and unplugged my second drive and my DVD recorder, but still had freeze ups.  I took out my USB2 card (my computer came with 4 USB1 ports, but this was not enough for all the stuff I had, so I added this IC card which added 3 more USB2 ports).  RESULT, NO MORE FREEZE UPS.

I replaced the card in another location (I had a spare slot) in case there was a problem of making an electrical connection.  I plugged everything in except those going to the USB2 card, and let Plug and Play do its thing.  When it came to the USB2 card a Microsoft window popped and asked if I wanted to go to the internet to get the driver, and I said yes.  Then I plugged the peripherals that went to the USB2 card, and Plug and Play did its thing.  Everything works fine now.  

It was probably an electrical connection problem, although there is an outside chance the new USB2 driver did the trick.

Happy Computing,
Steve