I'm really no big expert on it, because I occasionally get a freeze of
my own. They are far enough between now that I can just ignore it. I was
doing a lot of Step (1), when it was briefly more frequent. Two nights
ago, I did freeze on the NET. That one might have been a NetZero
shenanigan.
A quick thing might be to try Safe Mode, to see whether it freezes
there. If not, then it is likely something in the Startup Group or a
32-bit Normal Mode driver doing it. Then, there is an MSCONFIG
troubleshooting method for that, explained in "START, Help, Contents,
Troubleshooting, Windows 98 Troubleshooters, Startup & Shutdown
section". (If you encounter blank Help screens there, then "START, Find,
F&F, Tshoot.inf"; R-Clk it & select "Install". Your screens will
return.) Also...
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;281965
How to Troubleshoot Using the Msconfig Utility with Windows 98
(281965) - This article describes how to use the Microsoft System
Configuration (Msconfig) utility to troubleshoot configuration errors in
Windows 98 and Windows 98 Second Edition.
To get to Safe Mode, hit F5 as you boot. Or hit Ctrl for the Startup
Menu, if not already enabled at "START, Run, MSConfig, Advanced button".
(1) The mouse & keyboard are the ones with moving parts, & they are
"hooked", meaning tasks will run each time you touch one. Therefore,
with the computer off, unplug the mouse & hold by it's tail until it may
stop spinning & squawking. Also, open & clean the ball & rollers. That
is not a design you may see on the rollers-- it is a band of dirt
running round the center! Also, unplug the keyboard, turn it round &
spank it.
(2) If disabling your virus checker's auto-"System" scan, using it's
Tray button, leaving the other types on, gives immediate & dramatic
relief, I have further info. This supposedly applies to Scan Engine
4.1.60.
(3)
http://support.microsoft.com/default...51&Product=w98
USB Mouse May Hang When the Computer Is Idle for a Long Time
So, if you have "Find Fast", try disabling that.
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=199787
OFF2000: How to Turn Off the Find Fast Indexer
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;158705
OFF97: How to Disable the Find Fast Indexer
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;135476
OFF95: Office for Windows 95 Find Fast Indexer Overview
(4) First pick one of these to identify what loads at boot. Next, see
whether there is an option in it's menus to disable it from starting up.
If you really want to rid yourself of it on a more permanent basis, then
look for it in "Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs". However, it isn't
often easy to know what is what in there. One of these URL's may say.
Only last, go to StartUpCop.
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;EN-US;q137367
Startup Items
http://support.microsoft.com/support.../q179/3/65.asp
Startup Group
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;en-us;Q282107 Startup
http://aumha.org/a/loads.htm
http://users.westelcom.com/rogersr/clean.htm
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/sheppard.p/startup.htm
http://www.answersthatwork.com/Taskl...tasklist_a.htm
http://www.djbdesigns.com/wtvzone/startup.html
http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml
http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.htm
http://www2.cajun.net/~theriots/blk/start.htm
http://www2.whidbey.com/djdenham/Uncheck.htm
http://www.3feetunder.com/krick/startlist.htm
http://www.pcmag.com/ 's StartUpCop has "undo", and it is more than a
combination of "START, Run, MSInfo32, Software Environment, Startup
Programs" and "START, Run, MSConfig, Startup tab". It can even do a
permanent delete. Of course, first see whether the app has an option in
it's own menus to remove itself from the Startup Group. This is
configurable, and one may maintain multiple configurations.
Update definitions & check for viruses, and
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm Parasite advice
http://patrick.kolla.de/spybotsd.html SpyBot- Search & Destroy. SpyBot
is gabby in it's "Checks" & "Fixes" logs. Turn them off in "Settings".
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/ AdAware
http://www.lavasoftusa.de/ Also AdAware
http://www.merijn.org/cwschronicles.html CoolWebSearch Chronicles
http://www.merijn.org/files/cwshredder.zip & CWShredder
http://www.merijn.org/files/hijackthis.zip Finally, Hijack This
may find something. (Actually, they certainly will.)
--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR
pcrrcp@netzero.net
<anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:0bdd01c3d6d3$a0dc46e0$a601280a@phx.gbl...
| I'm using Win 98. My computer hasan AMD-K7 processor
| running at 800Mhz and 256Mb SDRam. Over the last few
| weeks my system seems to freeze completley for no apparent
| reason. It could be at boot up or when a window opens up
| or even when I move the mouse. I've loaded the latest
| drivers for my graphics card, monitor etc, but it makes no
| difference. It's driving me mad. Anyone have any ideas
| on what to do? I've just reformatted the 40Gb hard drive
| which is only two months old and reloaded windows 98 but
| it's just the same.
