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keyframeone

8 Posts

17773

July 14th, 2006 18:00

computer running slow/lock up Dimension 8300

Hello I hope I'm in the right forum!  Couple of days ago my pc starting locking up and slowing down, way down.  I ran a dell diagnostics express test and this is the error it came up with:
ofoo:136c - media with digital data.  Also at the bottom of the page this was present:  3c90x NICS is not installed on this computer, isn't this a networkcard?  I thought I already have that installeded?   Sorry, I'm not a computer geek,  I have no Idea what this means or where to look for a fix for it.
Also I can't access the link that will scan my pc for trouble within this dell site.  I have at one time reinstalled xp on this system.  I've had it for 2 years now and no really major problems.
Also wondering if dirty dusty's are inside my pc and would this also cause some problems.  As I looked in the back to see if the fans were running and they are.  I don't want to call anyone at dell as I can't understand the accent and that would be more frustrating.  Cuz if I have to reinstall I can do that also.
Thanks
keyframeone 

the_natural

31 Posts

July 16th, 2006 05:00

well you can start to run again another diagnostics since the error message that you received in the Express Test is a bit vague (for which device is the return code? probably with the optical drive) for the hard drive by pressing F12 on the Dell Logo screen and choosing Hard Drive/IDE Drive diagnostics. any error code would mean that you need to replace the hard drive.
 
and btw, when you say slow and locking up, is it slow during startup? or shut down? or is it slow all the time? and does it lock up whenever you open a specific program? or does it lock up randomly inside windows?
 
you can start troubleshooting inside Safe Mode (press F8 on the Dell Logo) and see if the problem would persist there. you can also check your available disk space on the Hard Drive. also check the number of programs that you have running and see if your memory can handle those programs. clearing up the Startup Programs (Start > Run > type MSCONFIG > go to Startup Tab > uncheck the boxes) would also help determining if there's a single program causing the problem. just make sure that you would not be disabling the Anti-Virus/Spyware programs that you have there.
 
you can also start running a virus/spyware scan first..
 
also please post your System's Configuration.

Message Edited by the_natural on 07-16-200601:01 AM

keyframeone

8 Posts

July 16th, 2006 16:00

Thank you for your responds. I'm running XP home edition, version 2002 SP2, Pentium (R)

4 cpu 3.00GHz 2.99GHz 1:00 GB of Ram.  The hard drive is 400GB Serial ATA (7200rpm).

I have a floppy drive and 16x DVD-ROM drive.  One other thing is that my operating system

enhancements: are Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition.  I wonder if this would be the error with the media digital data?

But still if that wasn't installed that wouldn't give me the slow problems I'm encountering.   By slow I mean moving from page to page or moving from applications, the page would just hang, normally it would be there instanly. I do have enstalled on my system Norton Security, Spy Sweeper, and until day before yesterday I

had Lavasoft Ad-Aware which kept locking up in the middle of the scan.  Then everything would stop I had to hard boot to exit and then I got a dialog box saying that ccApp is not responding and internet explorer not responding.   So I uninstalled lavasoft and will leave it off. Then when I start up it seems to be ok. 

I'm also networked to the main pc downstairs.  also not hearing the fans running as loud as they were a couple of days ago.  sorry I have no clue!

So thank you for responding. 

the_natural

31 Posts

July 17th, 2006 17:00

keyframeone:
 
the dell diagnostics only tests the Hardware of your computer so basically the error code that you received does not refer to the programs that were installed on your computer. as i've said, it might be a code for the Optical Drive Test, though it does not literally mean that the Optical Drive failed the test.
 
your computer's specs should do ok, but you can still check how many programs are running when you're using the computer. you can also check how many startup programs do you have. you can also try to run another diagnostics for the Hard Drive. if the hard drive would prove to be fine then go run a virus/spyware scan.  btw are you running dual core? if you do then you can check this article from microsoft: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/896256/en-us
 
if the problem would still persists, then you can try to run the full diagnostics (not the express) on the system. i think that one would go for around 5 hours.
 
if all else fails then go for the Ultimate Resolution: Operating System Reinstall
 
 
 
 

keyframeone

8 Posts

July 18th, 2006 12:00

the_natural, Thank you for all your help, I appreciate that!  This could be a number of things, one I know it not the hard drive failing.  Could be due to the wiring in the house as my power cords run up to the ceiling and down to the main floor. The pc is in the attic. we are experincing a heat wave in our part of the country.  I will soon be rewiring this also.  I have update some of my drivers and systems seems ok.  So will do a physical cleaning and go from there,  and may reinstall os for a over all cleaning.

Thanks, oh I'm not sure what "duals" your taking about, if it's the processors I do have two Intel (R) Pentium(R) 4cpu 3.00GHz.

so will check out the link.

again thanks for your info! and help!

Keyframeone

the_natural

31 Posts

July 18th, 2006 15:00

if you have to Processors inside that computer then that has to be a dual core.. better check out that article from microsoft regarding degraded performance on dual core systems.
 
btw, can you also check the CPU Usage on your task manager. you should see two graphs there for the processor. if you have one stuck at a 100% and the other is pretty stable, then there's something wrong with one of those processors.
 
do you also have a nVIDIA Geforce 6800 as your video card? if you do then you can also check that as i've heard that a failing video card of that type also results to that kind of dual core behavior.

keyframeone

8 Posts

July 19th, 2006 12:00

I forgot about the video card.

my video card is: 128MB DDR GeForce FX 5200 Graphics Card with TV-Out and DVI

how does one check the preformance on this?

the_natural

31 Posts

July 19th, 2006 17:00

keyframone,
 
looks like all your hardware are working fine. just run an virus/spyware scan. also try to defrag your hard drive, you can also disable the Background Intelligence and Indexing Services using MSCONFIG. clearing the  NVRAM (go to BIOS, make sure that the Num Lock, Caps Lock and Scroll Lock lights on the keyboard are all lit, then press ALT + E, ALT + F and ALT + B. you should hear the computer beep) can sometimes improve the performance. also check your CPU Speed in BIOS, it should be set to Normal.
 
lastly, OS REINSTALL.
hehe..
 
good luck and happy troubleshooting!

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