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XP locks up when online, virus?
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Posted by: Umbral
Hello Everyone,
I am new to this board and I am very grateful for it and you. I have searched this board to so I don't think my question has been asked before.
My PC was running smoothly for 3 years until a few days ago. I recieved a message that I was being logged off when I started up windows. I immediately thought of the blaster virus and downloaded AVG's free virus scanner. It found about 5 or so files and got rid of them. I ran another scan and it was clean. Ever since that after about one and a half minutes of me being online my computer locks up. I tried waiting it out but nothing, I have to hard boot it. I went to another computer and read up on blaster online at microsoft's website and followed the instructions to disable DCOM in the registry and downloaded the two updates and put them on my computer. I also did a scan with Stinger. I called Microsoft's PCsafety line too. The only help they could give me was that I need to update windows online... but I can't stay online more than one minute. They seemed to ignore that answer and restated their solution with more conviction the second time. 
Nothing was working so I decided to do sytem recovery. It deleted all files and put my computer back the way it was when I bought it. This didn't fix the problem either. I still lock when I am online. I don't have to have internet explorer open or anything. If I just leave it online at my desktop it will still lock up. Everything works perfectly offline.
My specs are:
Windows XP
1.4 ghz AMD Athlon
224 MB ram
Posted by: redwench
how are you connected, including hardware?
do you have a cd with the full version of xp?
Posted by: Umbral
I am connected with a modem to Earthlink. I don't use any ISP software. The modem is Lucent winmodem 56k internal. I don't have a windows XP cd of my own. The machine came with the restore cd stored in an inaccesible partition on the hard drive. A friend of mine has the windows XP cd (retail).
Posted by: redwench
youll need to update the modem drivers, and earthlink software in the same way you did windows, download to another computer and transfer.
you can give a shot to a repair installation from the xp cd, but thats a long shot. i would like to say that a complete format and install of xp retail (youd have to buy it) would fix it. it quite likely would, but its not guaranteed. your modem or motherboard might be going out. at 3 years, things do start dying. try to test a different modem.
Posted by: Ack1027
No no no. I don't think that's it at all.
I had the exact same problem. Here is how I fixed it. But there is good and bad news.
Good News: You disconnect from the internet. You do NOT connect to the internet under any circumstances. Reboot your computer with no internet connection. This will allow your computer to stay running until YOU want it to shut off. The solution to this problem is in Microsoft's Windows Update. Just install all those ' CRITICAL ' Updates. [ Everyone should do that once in a while ]
Bad news: The bad news is that to download those things you need a fast connection. I've used 56k for 4 years and I know how that goes. [ I have cable now though ^^ ] so the way you can fix this is get another computer and download all the install files. Then burn it to a cd, then boot up your computer again with NO internet connection and install them.
I'm 90% sure that's what's going on. The way I'll know for sure is if a warning message pops up with a 2:00 minute countdown timer in which it gives you to shut down your programs. Because that's what happened to me.
Posted by: redwench
he already did all that.
Posted by: Umbral
Thank you for the two opinions. I will try another modem, they aren't terribly expensive after all. I am pretty sure I had all the critical updates, I don't know for sure. The problem with the updates is that you have to update it online with your own computer. If there was a way I could download the individual update files from microsofts site so I could pick and choose all the critical updates and burn them to cd, I could do that easily at a lan cafe. ::crosses fingers on modem situation::
Posted by: redwench
you can download them manually. you can also get a cd with them. you just need to look 
Posted by: Ack1027
What? Where does it say he did all that...?
And Umbral, what you said about having your own pc online to do the suggested steps is what I was referring to. Burning the install files onto a cd from another computer then installing it onto your own.
Anyway, does staying offline permit your computer to stay on longer?
Posted by: Umbral
Redwench, I will give Microsoft a thorough look. Thanks.
Ack, When I am offline I don't have any problems with my pc whatsoever. Only when I am online does it lock up completely after about a minute or so of being connected to the internet.
Posted by: Umbral
OK, I tried the new modem. Man it was DUSTY in my pc. Now my computer freezes when the new modem is trying to dial in to the ISP, instead of connecting and then freezeing shortly after with the old one. Does this mean my motherboard is shot?
Posted by: redwench
nope. even if you installed it properly, including software, youve still got choices for blame 
do a repair installation of xp
Posted by: lboogie
might wnat to test the modem socket on your motherboard as well, switch it to another pci socket, i have had issues with that in the past.
hope that works.
Posted by: Umbral
Ok, I will try switching it to a different slot. In running a repair installation of XP does that mean going out and buying the retail version of XP?
Posted by: redwench
no, you can use a borrowed disk for a repair installation.
Posted by: exnavyseal37
you may also be having a compatibity issue. If you say that your computer is 3 years old it be an issue with your dial -up modem. most, if not all internet providers are always updating software on a daily basis including earthlink. by todays standards your modem is old and probably cant communicate with earthlinks severs any longer, but this is just a suggestion.
Posted by: Umbral
I tried a new modem and that didn't work. I also plugged it into a network at a lan cafe. It would stay online for a bit on the network but eventually would lock it up. I have a strong feeling the these random lock ups could be caused by a broken power supply. But I don't have any software to monitor my motherboards voltage and temperature. Could anyone recommend some?
Posted by: redwench
sisoftsandra is good for snapshot values. your motherboard manufacturer should have monitoring programs available.
although, i cannot imagine how a power supply would affect only your online capabilities. faulty power supplies have a nasty habit of causing restarts, memory dumps, and other random internal errors. none of which you have. no harm in looking at it, but i suspect you have something a bit closer to a motherboard problem, or software.
Posted by: Umbral
Oh, it's not happening just online anymore. If I leave it idle for half an hour or so or I even try to access my modem it locks up. SO the problem is getting progressively worse it seems.
Posted by: redwench
ah, that helps.
motherboard, hard drive, ram, power supply. possibly the modem, so remove it and let the computer idle for a few hours.
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