Question: PC locks up and clicks!

[shotgun666uk]

Bit of a weird one this..

every so often my PC will 'lock up' (no apps will open or close and you cant ctrl, alt & del) the mouse will work but whenever you move it a clicking noise comes from the internal speaker (the noise sounds like your holding a key down on the keyboard). The only way to get round this is to turn the PC off at the power button!

My first thoughts are its a hardware problem, maybe motherboard but to be honest I just dont know!

Any help advice would be appreciated.

 

[Taurus]

sounds like hardware. dunno what, though.

you have the latest chipset drivers installed? video and sound too, for that matter?

bios update might be in order, too.

 

[albybum]

If you can still move your mouse, it was not likely a hardware lockup.

It seems that is a windows system failure. If you cannot control-alt-delete then explorer must have bit the dust. I would check drivers, and then windows services.

You may have to format and reinstall windows to be sure you are completely rid of the problem.

I have had a similar problem from Windows 98 and XP with software lockups and related system sounds when trying to use the keyboard and/or mouse.

[Add] Bad or unseated ram can cause this too. You might want to check that if you can.

 

[shotgun666uk]

Originally posted by taurus
sounds like hardware. dunno what, though.

Could the processor overheating cause this problem? That was my other idea.... I does seem to be happening when I'm giving it a lot of work to do.

Ive tried re-installing the OS (Win98) but this didnt help.

 

[albybum]

Minor excess heat can sometimes cause strange system behavior. Explorer gets funky when the hardware environment is not acting correct.

The typical strange windows behavior with heat and ram problems, you would see the registry ocasionally reset and strange unexplained blue screens of death with no cause listed or obscure .sys files.

What does your bios say your current CPU and Chassis temperatures are?

 

[shotgun666uk]

the CPU temp reads 40 degrees... ive reseated the heatsink and put some fresh thermal compound on... and all though I havent used the machine much over the weekend it hasnt faulted since... fingers crossed