Thinkpads Forum

So, I have a new laptop (Got it at begining of year) and I have been having some trouble with it.

It has already been formatted a few times.

This is the current problem;

After about 5 minutes or 3, my computer just 'freezes' I can't type anything or click on anything but I can move the mouse around and usually when I press start, the start menu comes up.

Sometimes it won't stuff up after 5 minutes, but after an hour or something like that, usually when I am running to many programs, it stuffs up, yet again.

Firefox.exe runs at startup as well, but the browser doesn't.

I can still go ctrl alt del, but when I press on task manager task manager freezes.

Please help me, as this is my work laptop and I need it to do work on (duh!).


Thanks in advanced,

Panarchy

Had the same thing, couple months ago. the motherboard was defect, ibm replaced it and everything is good now.
before sending it in, i would try to exclude all possible error-sources like, usb devices, cd/dvd drive etc..if it still freezes send it in...

Good advice.

Thanks... I will think on that.

I have had it formatted quite a few times now, that could be it. I am using ThinkPad T60 by the way.

Thanks in advanced,

Panarchy

PS: If there is an alternative to sending it in please tell!

Did you HAPPEN to upgrade your memory yourself?

The T60 is becoming notorious for NOT liking certain brands of memory (Kingston is really bad with some of these machines).

Download, UNZIP, and burn this program into CD (use something that burns ISOs):
http://www.memtest.org/download/1.70/me ... 70.iso.zip

Then boot from the CD and let it run for at least 2 hours.

Report back if there are any memory errors.

Panarchy wrote: It has already been formatted a few times.

Make sure that you have all the proper drivers installed.
Installing Lenovo System Update, should make sure that you have the latest drivers/software.

There shouldn't be any installation errors as there have been over 200 bought for my workplace, some people like me, got a RAM upgrade, I now have 1GB of RAM.

You said Firefox run at start-up?
Disable it on start-up and you should see an improvement.
Basically, on start-up, if you have lots of programs to start-up, they will put queues on the hard drive. Norton, AS, and AC is very well-known for causing this. Try disabling them and see if anything changes.

Did ANYONE happen to read my post? (scratches head)

This is CLASSIC behavior for a memory problem. And the OP already stated he upgraded the memory himself.


GO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS I prescribed for testing the memory and report back.

Or try pulling out the memory upgrade and see how it acts.

I have 2 sticks of 1GB DDR266 memory, none of T4x series behaves right, after you put it in.

T40 hangs, T42 very rare hangs randomly and won't shut down, or hang during last Windows shutdown screen

I ran http://www.memtest.org/ for a whole 24 hours no errors found...

It is only with that mysterious memory module I have the problem. Any other case http://www.memtest.org/ always helps.

Just a possibility. I downloaded and installed firefox and had freeze problems afterward (and before adding more ram). I did a google search and found that firefox admits to having vista issues that they have not resolved yet. The freezes only happend while running firefox though. Still happens occasionally.

install the latest BIOS from IBM. It addresses an Intel code issue that is probably causing the problem. We have had nothing but issues with out T6x laptops and it seems to be related to that.

The issues have gone away now that we have updated them

^Link please, and could you also tell me if updating the BIOS is dangerous?

brentpresley wrote:Did you HAPPEN to upgrade your memory yourself?

The T60 is becoming notorious for NOT liking certain brands of memory (Kingston is really bad with some of these machines).

Download, UNZIP, and burn this program into CD (use something that burns ISOs):
http://www.memtest.org/download/1.70/me ... 70.iso.zip

Then boot from the CD and let it run for at least 2 hours.

Report back if there are any memory errors.

Nope.

I ran it for 5 hours, no memory issue found.

Please help.

Also how do I update the BIOS?

I also want to do it on my PC!

Download the newest BIOS from Lenovo support website and just follow the instruction.

Panarchy wrote: Also how do I update the BIOS?

Run the Thinkvantage system update. If you don't have it, download it from here.

Also look into this page if you would like to download it manually, according to your choice of OS.

I've applied this bios update and still have the issue of intermittently having portions of my apps and OS unresponsive - despite being able to still interact with some apps and OS functionality. I've had my T60P for a few months now, but I only remember having this problem for the last couple of weeks.

Get any Live CD of linux distro (preferably OpenSuse 10.2 or Ubuntu 7.04) and boot via it. Run it for a while, if the problem persists then it would be time for you to call lenovo if not then reinstall your Windows or go back to factory state.

It sounds like the svchost.exe problem to me. There is a bug regarding windows update that after you downloaded a certain update, automatic update goes bad. Every time you connect to the internet, automatic update searches for update and makes one of the svchost.exe occupies 100% CPU resource. This happens in just a few mintues after you log into windows.

I don't know why I don't face this problem on my old desktop. But on another 2 machines that I recently reinstalled windows, this happened to them after I downloaded and installed all the updates. This means that they don't happen to all PC, so it may not apply to your case. Try pressing alt-ctrl-del to list the application by CPU resourses and see if there is a svchost.exe occupying your CPU 9x%.

There is a patch to fix this on microsoft website, but they admitted that it does not fix all PC (at least that was the case I looked at that page several weeks ago) and it didn't fix my PCs. The temporary solution to this problem is to turn automatic update off. But manual update doesn't work too...whenever I go to windowsupdate website to check for update, it trigers the svchost.exe problem again...

If it applies to your case, check this two pages out.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932494/en-us
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/916089/

They didn't solve my problem though...but you may try.

I have 6 svhost.exe running


Taking varying memory, from 3420 K to 48,464 K.


So, could it be the svhost problem? I don't KNOW!


Please reply,

Panarchy

PS: I will update the BIOS now!

Having a multiple of svchost.exe running is normal. It is not normal when one of them taking all cpu resources away (not memory usage).

Because you said you can still move around your mouse when your pc "freezes", it sounds like a software problem rather than hardware problem to me (otherwise you won't be able to move the mouse cursor around).

To check (you have to be patient...because you probably have to wait for a few mins in each step), when you PC start to freeze next time...press alt-crtl-del, list the task according to CPU resources they are using (click the "CPU" at the cpu column twice, clicking just once will list them according to the least resouces they use). If one of the svchost.exe pop up to to top and stay there, you are having this problem. I am still not able to sovle mine though.

Another easier way to check, turn automatic windows update OFF. If after a day or two you don't experience the freezing problem, it's likely that you are having the same problem as mine.

I think your problem is related to software (Automatic Updates hotfix or something). For example, when you do a Factory Restore, do you leave ON Automatic updates? Try disabling it (also in Services: go to Start Menu, run, type 'services.msc', browse for Automatic updates, disable it).

Install all your software, newest version, and try to download only the apps you use from Lenovo for example. And see how it develops, if it starts again freezing then is a memory or motherboard issue.

PS. Oh and I have 4 svchost.exe processes running (3,600kb, 4,600kb, 20,600kb & 3,280kb).

Okay thanks. I will try that now.

PS: I never updated the BIOS

Brentpresley wrote;
Did ANYONE happen to read my post? (scratches head)

This is CLASSIC behavior for a memory problem. And the OP already stated he upgraded the memory himself.


GO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS I prescribed for testing the memory and report back.
_________________
Custom T60p
2.33GHz 4MB 667MHz Core 2 Duo (Merom)
2GB PC2-5300 DDR SDRAM
Bluetooth / Atheros ABG
100GB 7k100 7200RPM Hard Drive
8X DVD Multiburner
15" UXGA - ATI FireGL V5200 (256MB)
Windows Vista Ultimate

EXACTLY RIGHT!
I was happily running on 512 RAM for years. Now I have added 1 GIG KIngston (a Lenovo dealer recommended Kingston!!!!) so I have 1250 RAM BUT R51 keeps freezing. Mr BrentPresley you are axactly right! easy to prove it by swapping back to the lower RAM - no freeze. i downloaded Microsoft MEM checker recommended on another Thinkpad Thread - NO PROBLEMS. Mr BrentPresley I dont need to download the program you recommended I know you are correct. WHAT MEM DO YOU RECOMMEND PLEASE ?- I WILL try to see if the shop will exchange the Kingston.

^Read what I have written! I did that test for 5 hours!

Please help me!

PS: I am download the ultimate boot cd (that is the actual name of it ) and I will run all the tests on that and report any problems back to you.

PPS: In the meantime, please continue to help me!


Note:

I was happily running on 512 RAM for years. Now I have added 1 GIG KIngston (a Lenovo dealer recommended Kingston!!!!) so I have 1250 RAM BUT R51 keeps freezing.

^Try keeping just the kingston RAM on, and don't put in the other RAM, same problem happened to me once, the shop just said I should stick with just the new thing.

First of all, you need to know exactly whether it is a hardware or software problem. If it is hardware problem, it will happen on every OS, not exclusively your current OS. The best way to test this is to download Ubuntu Live CD and let it boot to Ubuntu. Play around with it about 2-3 hours to see if there is any more freeze.
If it does, post back.

Sorry, can't try that, don't have enought disk space (or bandwith space to download that)


Please suggest something else

Have you tried removing the 512mb memory upgrade? Sometimes they act up even if the memory test comes out OK.

Nah, it aint the RAM. And I will void my warranty if I open it up.