**URGENT!** Laptop Problems

[hadley_59]

Hello.
I just bought a used Gateway Solo 5100 notebook. Unfortunately, I'm having some trouble. It seems to REGULARLY freeze up. It doesn't actually lock up, and it comes to itself after about a second, only to do it again in about 5 seconds. (I MEAN THIS LITERALLY) It always freezes after exactly the same amount of time, stays frozen for the same amount of time, etc... My gut feeling is hard drive, but if you have any other suggestions, please post them here. Any information would be appreciated.

-Thanks

 

[dopefisher]

post some of your specs here to help us out

 

[RealBlackStuff]

Open it up, check that whatever fans and cooling is working and that all the ventilation openings are cleared of dust etc. Your laptop may suffer from overheating.

 

[hadley_59]

No definately not overheating. It starts doing it as soon as i turn it on.

 

[elfinster]

Have you checked for spyware/adware/viruses? If you have a whole bunch of stuff running in the background that keeps accessing the hard drive, it could slow/freeze your computer.

Did you format it after you got it?

 

[hadley_59]

Thanks for the tip. I'll try running some anti-spyware scanners and see if that fixes it.

 

[hadley_59]

The thing didn't come with a CD-Rom drive like it was supposed to either, and now the screen's messed up. I've come to the conclusion that i was ripped off! So i'm sending it back. Thanks for the help though.