Random Freezes w/No Error Messages Aurora 7700m

Have a vexing problem with random lock-ups on this machine, Windows XP Pro SP2 (comp specs are in my sig; I'm also running the original bios). Every now and then the machine locks up. It doesn't seem to matter what applications I have open or if the machine is idle or in the middle of something heavy. Sometimes the lock-ups are a few days apart; sometimes they're within 5 minutes of each other. It's seemingly random. The lock up is eventually supplemented by a continuous beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep tone from the speakers. Only solution is to power down and back up to clear it.

Sometimes the lock-up starts out as a partial one where CTRL-ATL-DEL will bring up the taskman/shutdown menu, but clicking on any of the letter/number buttons results in a full keyboard freeze. Otherwise, typing keys does nothing, but I can move the mouse (touch pad) and oddly enough some of the function keys (fans, wireless, etc.) work for a little bit before it totally locks up.

I've checked the Event Log (app/system): no errors noted. There's never a blue screen or a crash dump. Temps are normal--no overheating. This leads me to think that there's some sort of hardware conflict, but device manager reports no conflicts and everything is installed and ok. I ran a memory tester for over 5 hours and not one error was found. I uninstalled the synaptics touch pad driver, but that didn't solve it.

Has anyone run into something similar or have any other suggestions?

Hey hulioni, thanks for the come-back.

Given that there are never any error messages and that the freezes seem independent of the software in use, I wouldn't think software would be the issue. Normally lockups like this are hardware related, but I know that with computers, you can't rule anything out.

On the software side, the potential culprits are Opera and Remote Desktop. I'm running without Opera right now to see what happens.

It's rare that I'm able to exceed 30 hours of system idle CPU time before one of these freeze ups. They've been happening for awhile, so system restore really won't help. It's possible that the Audigy soundcard drivers might have something to do with this, but I haven't heard anyone else with the Audigy card complain.

I may just have to bite the bullet and do a wipe/reinstall (maybe try an XP repair installation first), but I'd really like to figure out the cause of the problem before I take such a drastic action. Curiosity has the better of me.

Thanks for your suggestions.

2 x 1GB

I don't remember it happening at first, but then everything was new and I was doing a lot of "experimenting", putting the machine through its paces.

I wound up wiping/reinstalling XP Pro SP2 because of driver issues with the Creative Audigy PCMCIA sound card. I started noticing the freezes some point after this wipe/reinstall, but I can't say how soon afterward. At first, it seemed like a freak Windows thing, but then it became apparent that it was a real problem that was not going away.

Do you think a loose motherboard would cause the problem if the freeze happens after the computer has been stationary and idle for some time (say 30 minutes)? I have a feeling another drive wipe is in my future, but I really don't want to go down that road if I don't need to...ugh.

Thanks; I'll give this a shot.

What current driver version are you running now?

Excellent; thanks. I've installed this version as well. If I still get lock ups, then I'll test the CPU.

The thing I hate about this type of problem is even four or five days from now if my rig hasn't locked up, I'm not sure I'll be out of the woods. It'll take a good two weeks or so to feel confident. No instant gratification here.

When you got your lock ups, were they like mine: seemingly no rhyme or reason,/no error message or BSOD? Also were they hardware-sequential, such as the keyboard becoming not respsonsive but the mouse still working for 10 or 15 more seconds before it froze too?

Thought I'd post an update for anyone still following this thread.

Unfortunately, neither the nVidia driver update nor the cpu stress test shed any light on things. I just got another random lockup a little bit ago. Guess my only recourse is a drive-wipe and reinstall now. Not sure what else to try.

Ewww! Did you do a "repair" installation of Windows, or did you wipe the entire drive, reformat/re-partition and then reinstall the operating system?

Can you explain in more detail the freezing process on your machine? I'd just like to compare notes. Thanks.

When you get the freeze, does your touchpad still work for a few seconds after the keyboard locks up? My keyboard locks up first (except I can still press CTRL-ALT-DEL and get to the shutdown/taskman screen although I can't interact with anything on the desktop, and I can turn on/off the wireless connection, Fn-F11). I can use the touchpad for maybe 10 or 15 seconds after this before it finally freezes and I have to power off.