help is this a hardware problem?

[StazzieJones]

I had to reset my computer to factory settings awhile back. I've done nothing to it except download advanced system optimizer and windows antivirus. This was a miracle alone due to the fact that my Computer locks up for extensive periods of time and will barely ever finish a task; such as transferring a picture to USB drive, scan, or any click command. It has never done this before the reset. I've had to reset my laptop several times before, it got to a point everytime I slipped up and left the battery unplugged with it running, start up repair would start and just about everytime could not fix itself leaving me no choice but to reset. Quite aggravating. With spurts of patience here and there I've managed to update all drivers, scan, use windows solution and nothing works. Sometimes it will run smooth for two minutes, then it's waiting and quite possibly never accomplish anything. I can't get my pictures which is my own fault for not backing up. I've tried linking my other laptop to get the pictures and the bar never moves once it gets towards the end. Any ideas?

 

[whs]

With a laptop you do not have a lot of hardware debugging choices. But I would try this:

1. Take one of the memory Dimms out and run it on just one Dimm. If it is still on the blink, try the other Dimm. If it runs OK, you know it is the memory Dimm in question and can change that.

2. Burn a Linux CD - e.g. Puppy because it is small. Run that from the CD reader (change the BIOS boot sequence). If that works well, you know it is a Windows problem and we can dig further.

You can also run step 2 before step 1 if that is more convenient. If none of those steps shed any light on the problem, we'll have to regroup. There can be many other causes.

 

[gregrocker]

In addition work through these troubleshooting steps.

It may well be an OS problem if you did much tweaking with that optimizer as Win7 will not tolerate compound tweaking - it is too lean of an OS already.

 

[StazzieJones]

I'm not very computer smart to start I'm fixing to try taking out the dimm. what is compound tweaking?

 

[whs]

I think Greg was referring to this:

except download advanced system optimizer

Those so called 'optimizers' are bad news indeed.

 

[StazzieJones]

yea I understood that, I'm curious as to what compound tweaking refers to. I use the advanced system optimer mainly as a registry cleaner, defraggger, and spyware removal. I haven't messed with anything else except for the driver updates. I use it on my other laptop as well do I need to get rid of it?

 

[StazzieJones]

OK I have removed both dimms one at a time and it still locks up. however it did seem like there was a performance improvement with just the second one in. is it possible both could be messed up? I don't have a disc to burn onto at the moment to try the link. I should have a USB somewhere.

 

[essenbe]

You can download Universal USB installer and burn the ISO file to a USB drive, then boot from the USB

 

[StazzieJones]

is the ISO file the puppy link? I've never done this before If I can ever manage to download it (can barely load a page at the moment) how do I boot it from that file? As I'm trying to navigate around now it seems to be getting worse, my mouse is lagging and the sound is crackling....

 

[StazzieJones]

I have downloaded the USB installer and chose windows 7 installer but I don't know where to select my ISO file for step 2

 

[StazzieJones]

I've answered my question to the puppy files. I'm downloading the ISO file now from my other computer. still unsure of my next step once I have puppy

 

[gregrocker]

Tweaking is turning off Services, editing the Registry beyond normal system settings, basically modifying the OS beyond normal parameters. It is completely unnecessary because Win7 is already as lean an OS as can be - many experts here don't even think it needs cleaning or defragging, although many others use CCleaner and the native defragger, Auslogics or Puran.

Wolfgang wants you to run Puppy Linux OS from it's CD to see how its performance compares to Windows, which will tell us if you have a hardware problem or a Windows problem.

 

[essenbe]

You need to chose Puppy Linux if that is what you are installing, then it will have a line about the location of the ISO file. Click the box next to that line which will bring up a search box, and go to where the iso is located and select it, and press OK. Also when you select your USB drive, check the box to format the drive. Be sure the one you select is your USB drive.

 

[essenbe]

Also, whatever you select to install, it will only show that iso file. if you check Windows ISO, it will not show puppy Linux iso when you search for the ISO, unless you select unknown ISO from the very bottom. But try selecting the correct distro you want to install.

 

[StazzieJones]

okay, I have booted using puppy and it seems to be running like a dream...wow at the difference. what would be my next step?

 

[PeaB4YouGo]

Compound Tweaking refers to tweaking three or four different parameters before trying out the system to see what happened. If you tweak one or two things, there are only one or two things to change back when they don't work. Three or four, and the next thing you know, you forget which ones you messed with...

yea I understood that, I'm curious as to what compound tweaking refers to. I use the advanced system optimer mainly as a registry cleaner, defraggger, and spyware removal. I haven't messed with anything else except for the driver updates. I use it on my other laptop as well do I need to get rid of it?

 

[CB]

Hi StazzieJones.
I don't mean to interrupt. Just curious, what do you mean by reset to factory setting? Is it you loaded it back using recovery DVD (or hidden drive)?

I got friends had their notebook occasionally stalled for long period in the middle of doing things, sit for minutes to have it done with the task. There are many things can cause it. But let me share some of mine.
Try to observe if the HDD led is busy while it freezes. It can be caused by massive background activities that makes you work have to wait till it's done. Another common problem is that probably your HDD has an extensive bad sector (surface problem). The HDD reading time out from one sector to another make it looks like a busy work.
That is what I can share by now. Hope it helps.

Cheers

 

[gregrocker]

Depends on if you want to try to troubleshoot the problems with the existing OS, in which case I'd work through these steps: troubleshooting steps

Or you can jump directly to a clean reinstall with the latest Win7 installer for your licensed version: Win7 Home Premium x64 SP1 English Official ISO download.
Download and burn to DVD or write to flash stick using Windows 7 USB-DVD Download Too.
Then follow these steps to get a perfect clean reinstall: Reinstalling Windows 7

http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/151566-reinstalling-windows-7-a.html#post1300819

 

[whs]

okay, I have booted using puppy and it seems to be running like a dream...wow at the difference. what would be my next step?

That is good news. It means your hardware is in top shape. Now we have to focus on /7.

Since you destroyed Win7 with that dumb optimizer, I would suggest you reinstall the system. I assume you have no images to which you can fall back. Reinstalling will be a lot faster than trying to identify and repair all the damage that was done.

Make sure you save your files first. For that you can use Puppy too. The partitions are sitting on the bottom left of the Puppy screen. Just double click on them and yopu will see what they are. In the process you will learn a bit of Linux. Here is a helper for starters: http://puppylinux.org/main/Manual-English.htm

 

[StazzieJones]

I'm starting to get discouraged here I was so sure...now that I'm actually saving files to my USB it seems to be acting the same but files are actually making it over slowly. I'm hoping its just because of the moving files but I don't think so. if I move a box everything behind it is blank and takes a minute before it shows up. I do thank y'all for all your help this has been a great learning experience as well.