TheWildInside
Posts: 24 +0
I haven't been out here in a while; but as a result of previous forays on Tech Spot, I regularly update and run AVG free 9.0, Malwarebytes' Anti-malware, Super Anti-Spyware, Ccleaner and Easyclean - I additionally run Threatfire and Comodo, which take care of themselves. None of these applications have detected anything more than "potentially dangerous objects" (in super Anti-Spyware) .. even when run as "full" scans.
However, lately I've been encountering all manner of intermittent minor but annoying issues:
- no response when I click on anything in a browser while online .. though not a firm "lock up" situation necessarily. I've discovered that during these non-responsive episodes, that opening Windows Task Manager "unlocks" the situation and I can once again click on something and it will work. However, many times I will have to leave Task Manager open and repeatedly click anywhere on its open window to "toggle" on a response mechanism in my browser so that I may continue with whatever I was doing. How weird is that?!?
- I don't set up a screensaver on my desktop, so when a set amount of time has gone by without activity, the screen will just go black. All I have to do is touch a key to restore the desktop. But I've occasionally noticed that this doesn't happen .. the desktop just remains visible, often for hours, without any action from me (and I haven't changed any desktop display settings).
- Occasionally after the machine has completed booting up, a double click on an icon will not open that application but instead a menu will appear, as if I had right-clicked on the icon instead of double clicked on it. This annoying condition will remain until I reboot.
- The Operating System (Windows XP Professional) will sometimes not complete Shut Down .. all that will be left is a pale blue screen with the cursor still visible (and movable). I've shut it down before going out for a walk with the dog only to find it in this condition upon my return 30 or 40 minutes later. My only recourse is to complete shut down manually, which I hate doing.
- I use a Sierra Wireless modem to connect online .. many times while online everything will become unresponsive and I receive the kind of message from my browser(s) that indicates I've been disconnected. I initially thought that this had something to do with the network .. but often the network signal is still quite strong when this happens (and there are many times when the signal is a bit weak and I can still browse unimpeded). So now I'm wondering if it's more to do with the laptop rather than the modem or network signal strength.
Again, these issues are intermittent .. but they happen often enough now that ease of use is becoming the exception rather than the rule. The machine was purchased in late spring, early summer of 2004, so it doesn't really owe me anything. But I can't really afford a new system at the moment .. or probably not until after next year at this time. If my system is becoming unstable, I'm wondering if there's anything (short of regular backups, for safety's sake - it's my business machine) that I might do to keep it going for another 12 months or so.
Any ideas, suggestions, or recommendations would be greatly appreciated!!
Many thanks,
Karan
However, lately I've been encountering all manner of intermittent minor but annoying issues:
- no response when I click on anything in a browser while online .. though not a firm "lock up" situation necessarily. I've discovered that during these non-responsive episodes, that opening Windows Task Manager "unlocks" the situation and I can once again click on something and it will work. However, many times I will have to leave Task Manager open and repeatedly click anywhere on its open window to "toggle" on a response mechanism in my browser so that I may continue with whatever I was doing. How weird is that?!?
- I don't set up a screensaver on my desktop, so when a set amount of time has gone by without activity, the screen will just go black. All I have to do is touch a key to restore the desktop. But I've occasionally noticed that this doesn't happen .. the desktop just remains visible, often for hours, without any action from me (and I haven't changed any desktop display settings).
- Occasionally after the machine has completed booting up, a double click on an icon will not open that application but instead a menu will appear, as if I had right-clicked on the icon instead of double clicked on it. This annoying condition will remain until I reboot.
- The Operating System (Windows XP Professional) will sometimes not complete Shut Down .. all that will be left is a pale blue screen with the cursor still visible (and movable). I've shut it down before going out for a walk with the dog only to find it in this condition upon my return 30 or 40 minutes later. My only recourse is to complete shut down manually, which I hate doing.
- I use a Sierra Wireless modem to connect online .. many times while online everything will become unresponsive and I receive the kind of message from my browser(s) that indicates I've been disconnected. I initially thought that this had something to do with the network .. but often the network signal is still quite strong when this happens (and there are many times when the signal is a bit weak and I can still browse unimpeded). So now I'm wondering if it's more to do with the laptop rather than the modem or network signal strength.
Again, these issues are intermittent .. but they happen often enough now that ease of use is becoming the exception rather than the rule. The machine was purchased in late spring, early summer of 2004, so it doesn't really owe me anything. But I can't really afford a new system at the moment .. or probably not until after next year at this time. If my system is becoming unstable, I'm wondering if there's anything (short of regular backups, for safety's sake - it's my business machine) that I might do to keep it going for another 12 months or so.
Any ideas, suggestions, or recommendations would be greatly appreciated!!
Many thanks,
Karan
