Computer Problems

[lo_res_man]

My computer is 800 mhz
                        128 mb Ram
                        S3 internal video card with 8 mb ram
                         Windows ME
My problem? The computer freezes up if if set for any length of time above 640-480, and sometimes even then. As well, if you put it in sleep mode, it with go  into a "coma' and not wake up unless you restart manualy. And by freeze up I don't mean just an unresponsive screen. No, the screen gets garbled, and corrupted, ad the computer stops working.
can anyone help?

[R4L]

Well for one, Windows ME.... 

Im not sure what the problem is, might be a virus?

[GarageGothic]

It sounds like your video card is overheating, which makes sense if it happens more frequently on higher resolutions. Open the cabinet and check if the video card fan is running or not. If it is, perhaps there's just not enough air circulation inside the machine (cables and stuff can get in the way).

Edit: Sorry, didn't notice that you wrote "internal video card", which I take to mean an on-board card? In that case it probably doesn't have a fan. But overheating is still a large probability. Another cause, which is more related to the sleep mode freezing, could be that the power supply isn't big enough to power everything.

Edit 2: I hate to say it, but I should probably add that with a machine this old, you'd probably be better off getting a new one than pay to have it repaired, if it's something you can't fix yourself.

[lo_res_man]

As far as I know, it's not a virus, though the only virus protection this computer has is an expired version of Norton.
I only know its an internal system by looking at the system resources

[Mr Flibble]

Hahaha, I have the exact same set up and the exact same problem! The only difference for me is 1024 ram and a graphics card, but the processor and OS are the same.

I suffer from random reboots, often during the boot up process, so I'm guessing its either the ram or the power supply.

[lo_res_man]

oh joy, I was hoping it was a software problem, I understand software, but damn, I can't get me head around hardware problems.

[woodz]

check the capacitors havent popped around the CPU.. the tops of them should be shiny.. most have a cross engraved into them, if they over heat the cross splits so they don't explode, quite often they split and leak if the CPU over heats
look at this image
http://heliosstudios.net/temp/DSCF0646_small.jpg

a friend of mine HADÃ,  a 18 month old Fujitsu computer and the vdeo card fan siezed, changed the card and like Mr Flibble pc, it would shut down half way thro boot up.. ran every test under the sun...Ã,  Ã, and it in theory it should of ran, it never showed up the problem with the capacitors but thats what had blown


if it helps i have a P3 motherboard with a proccessor, dunno what mhz it is tho or what the onboard video is, ...



edit:
it a compaq p800 probably this:
http://developer.novell.com/yes/61980.htm

i also have the new video card we bought for the fujitsu, its a 256 meg NVIDIA i think the guy wants £30 for it

[Da_Elf]

My computer is 800 mhz
Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  128 mb Ram
Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  S3 internal video card with 8 mb ram
Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã,  Ã, Windows ME

theres your problem right there

[Nostradamus]

Windows ME is the buggiest, most unstable and worst OS ever.
Though adding fans and RAM could help, it's pointless in such an old computer with such a bad OS. It is not worth to invest one nickel in such a computer. It is time you get yourself a new PC.

[voh]

check the capacitors havent popped around the CPU.. the tops of them should be shiny.. most have a cross engraved into them, if they over heat the cross splits so they don't explode, quite often they split and leak if the CPU over heats

I had that happen - it was causing random reboots and hangups here too. Replaced the mobo, used all the other old parts - system's happily running at my dad's now

[pato2747]

LOL, Windows ME? I can't say that it's the BEST operative system EVER...

Anyways, seems that your computer got "stressed", so to say. It happened the same to me; the drivers lock up, you have problems with res, and the computer flips out each time you want to put it on sleep mode, or changing the res. The video card must be corrupted, or maybe you just put too many things into the hard drive (imagine it like putting three 3 1/2 disks at once on the slot, the floppy drive will just stop working). My solution to this, was a full format of both of the disks. I've also put a second operative system (XP and 98), in case something went wrong : If the computer is still working badly, then the video, or, in the worse of the cases, the motherboard is corrupted. Maybe, you are lucky, and it's just dust on the fans, making it to overheat. But if it's not...
Well, time to change the computer 

Good luck with your problem!

-Pato

[Mr Flibble]

I maintain that this is a hardware issue. Don't do anything drastic until you've tried a change in power supply or ram.

Have you updated your motherboard drivers lately? I know it seems like a pointless endeavour but you'd be surprised how many other issues this cleared up for me.

[woodz]

I maintain that this is a hardware issue. Don't do anything drastic until you've tried a change in power supply or ram.

Have you updated your motherboard drivers lately? I know it seems like a pointless endeavour but you'd be surprised how many other issues this cleared up for me.

i second what Mr Fiddle is saying..
personally i'd visiually check the motherboard,fans etc, check the ram hasn't detached, take them out and refit them one at a time boot after you install each one, check the HD plugs, swap the power one for one that isn't used

update the BIOS and drivers

if it still does it i'd install win98 se which isn't as fussy as ME or even try win2000 the compaq i have ran 2000

[lo_res_man]

oy vey... totally in over my little pigie head. I also looked at the system profile, under conflicts it mentioned the graphics card and some other thing been allegidly in conflict.
will post the specs asap (tomorrow)