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Brief Black Screen & Lockup


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So earlier today I was just surfing in Opera and for no apparent reason the PC locks up, I try to move the mouse, doesent work, so I try the keyboard, nothing. the GUI is still appearing on the screen but it is locked-up. I kinda shrug it off as just a lockup, but I think I restarted and it did it again, except it might have been at the Login screen or the Desktop. I reboot again and it doesent happen, I go about my buisness in Opera and later I see the screen quickly flash to black for a few seconds and then the screen comes back (to Opera) but it is locked up and I cannot move anything, again I reboot and then I see it has locked up at the Logon screen so I reboot yet again and now I'm posting this.

Ok so heres the deal - I've been gone for the last two weeks and my PC has either been used once or not at all, so nothing much has happened. I got back yesterday, the wiring under the PC has been moved around because the telephone was out while I was gone but otherwise the PC is fine, and I think everything has a good connection. Software wise I installed a game called "Rock Tour Tycoon" which runs entirely in Flash. I also updated AVG and I ran Windows Update. It should probably be noted that the problem appeared to happen after I installed the Updates although it remains to be seen if that has anything to do with it. I usually try to rule out anything I've done that may have triggered it but seeing as how the PC has either been run only once or not at all for 2 weeks and I dont recall having the problem before, I dont know what it could be.

It appears that all of the fans in my PC are running, I have x2 80mm Intake x1 120mm Outtake, 120mm (I think) PSU Fan, Zalman Heatsink, Video Card Fan. Unless the Video Card fan went and I dont know, I dont think heat is an issue. I also just cleaned out the heatsink and case a few weeks ago so that shouldnt be an issue either.

PC Specs

Windows XP Pro SP3

ASUS A7N8X-E

Corsair 450w PSU

AMD Athlon 3200+ 2.2GHz

Nvidia GeForce 7600 GT

x2 512mb (1 GB) Corsair RAM

x3 Various HDDs

Pioneer DVD Burner

Edited by Foxtrot360
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Okay this is weird. I might do a AV & Malware scan, but my monitor just turned off so I put my hand behind the case and I think I moved a wire and that may have made the monitor come back on. I read someone say something about cords being to close to the monitor cable.. I might try getting some of those away from it.

Also my Icons keep resetting on the desktop which is getting pretty annoying.

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I got back yesterday, the wiring under the PC has been moved around because the telephone was out while I was gone but otherwise the PC is fine

I would suggest you check each and all components and cables. Unplug PC, check graph card is fixed correct, same with ram sticks and all power connectors. Also check the AC outlet plugs.

:unsure:

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I'm starting to suspect either HDD, OS or Virus/Malware problems. I open the case and the HDD sounds like its making a buzzing noise, its either the HDD or the front mounted fan making that noise but I turned down the fan speed and I still heard it. Windows also wanted me to run Error-Checking the other day (Which I did).

I'm backing up stuff to DVD right now since that sounds like what it might be. ( I need to back up anyway )

My PC just did it again. Except it didnt lockup - the monitor just displayed a black screen (nothing on it) and went into standby mode. I turned the monitor off and back on and it just stayed black. Moved some wiring and nothing happened, so I turned it off for a few minutes and now I'm posting this. Windows has been acting a bit silly lately IIRC, so thats probably the reason I mention viruses. I guess it could also be video, I have a adapter for the digital port on my card since I use a CRT, I figured it was worth noting that.

But the buzzing is what makes me think of the HDD. That and Windows acting pretty stupid, freezing, lockups, etc.. I had it freeze the other day where I couldnt click anything but the cursor was moving, then suddenly I think it unfroze and resumed, the actions I tried during the freeze then happened (windows being closed, etc.).

Edited by Foxtrot360
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The "asprox" virus is apparently a real pain in the neck but if our AV is up-to-date you should be safe. You can quickly check your registry and files as mentioned on this site:

http://www.2-spyware.com/remove-asprox.html and of course run a full scan.

Furthermore: run antispyware as well as anti-malware:

http://www.superantispyware.com/

http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

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I'll run all that, and I have Windows Defender.

It looks like some Cookies have.. dissapeared, dunno if thats just Opera or what but the other day I hard-shutdown my PC and when it comes back on I think it was telling me some cookies or something were corrupt. I dont know if it was the power-down or another problem.

Funny thing is it does this in Windows, and I dont know if I've had it happen ingame.

I looked for Asprox virus but didnt see it in registry or processes and I dont think AVG or Windows Defender found anything yet.

Edited by Foxtrot360
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