Emergency - Wife's laptop is hanging and she's getting fed up with it!!!

[mikeprice]

Hi all

 

My wife's laptop has started hanging recently - Windows seems to still work - you can swap programs, start task manager etc etc

the only program that she normall runs are Firefox - mostly on news websites

and a Majong and Microsoft Solitaire

 

That's it

 

and it was fine until a couple of weeks ago - around that time it did a Windows Update and Solitaire started having some ads

 

 

It did crash proerly once and the messages seemed to imply the video driver

 

So I have done the obvious - updated WIndows properly

updated all the drivers

swapped the Majong program from one using Flash (inside Firefox) to a standalone one

deleted all the carp that build up

run an anti virus scan

 

also run hardware checks on memory and hard drive

 

no problems reported

 

nothing obvious in the event log

 

 

 

So - before she totally looses all confidence in my ability to fix computers (which I have always wondered about - she normally asks her son to fix things - and he works in the NHS in operating theatres?????) I could do with some clues as to where to go next

[6Foot2]

Clues may be required: Current machine spec?

[mikeprice]

Clues may be required: Current machine spec?

 

Sorry - i5 with hard drive - haven't got the detailed spec but I will get it when it is no longer nailed to her lap - as it often is

network is via wifi - I am on same wifi and have no problems with it (virgin if it matters - via supplied box)

memory is OK - will find out how much but it is never struggling

 

generally it is never stretched - memory has lots of headroom and the CP is generally just bumbling along

network does some work on Firefox - but nothing dramatic

 

if I can'1t find anything else I might get a USB wifi and see if that helps

 

 

 

She has just reminded me that this started happening a year or more ago - it was fixed by moving from Chrome to Firefox

I thought at the time that it might be linked to flash

[3s-gtech]

Hard drive, or SSD? Starting to hang can be a sign of read errors or other faults if it has spinning rust - if it has, you know what the answer is.

[mikeprice]

Hard drive, or SSD? Starting to hang can be a sign of read errors or other faults if it has spinning rust - if it has, you know what the answer is.

 

tested the hard drive - no errors logged

[3s-gtech]

Worth replacing it anyway! SSD prices are still good - half decent 120GB models are £23.

[XiJ]

Don’t bother with 120 - especially with home use. 240gb min and not much price difference.

[hallb15]

Could be heat related, especially if she always uses it on her lap. Despite the name, laptops can overheat when not on a flat, hard surface. Overtime, they get clogged up with dust which restricts airflow in the already small space which makes them overheat.

Take it apart, clean the fan and any airways with compressed air if you have it, and try again.

[mikeprice]

Could be heat related, especially if she always uses it on her lap. Despite the name, laptops can overheat when not on a flat, hard surface. Overtime, they get clogged up with dust which restricts airflow in the already small space which makes them overheat.

Take it apart, clean the fan and any airways with compressed air if you have it, and try again.

 

Yeah - could be - but it doesn't seem hot but I may take it apart anyway as it hasn't been done since we got it several years ago

 

Thanks

[jmak]

Yeah - could be - but it doesn't seem hot but I may take it apart anyway as it hasn't been done since we got it several years ago

 

Thanks

Make sure she doesn't see the screws you have left over afterwards.