# Computer question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 25, 2001, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/83796 "2001-09-25T21:59:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/83796/1 "2001-09-25T21:59:08Z")
My computer freezes up for a few seconds precisely every 10 minutes. I’ve done a recovery boot and reloaded everything twice, but it only clears it up for a little while. Anybody know what gives? Is it doing some scheduled task or something? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/83796/2 "2001-09-25T22:05:14Z")
Likely it’s in the Power Options. Control Panel -\> Power Options. There are options to turn off the hard disk and/or monitor after a set time of inactivity, and also to standby or hibernate after a set time of inactivity. You can disable these settings or set them for a longer interval. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/83796/3 "2001-09-25T22:10:08Z")
pohjonen, what type of computer? What operating system? Need more details. ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/83796/4 "2001-09-25T22:13:22Z")
PC, windows 98 Hewlet Packard Going to check power thingy (ha) now. ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/83796/5 "2001-09-25T22:15:14Z")
Nope it’s set for power always on and the other setting are to never turn anything off. ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/83796/6 "2001-09-25T22:21:01Z")
What happens is if you’re typing the keyboard freezes, or the mouse will freeze just for a few seconds. This is exactly 10 minute intervals. ---
**Author:** ![NutWrench](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nutwrench/32/20193_2.png) [@NutWrench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NutWrench)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/83796/7 "2001-09-25T22:50:39Z")
I used to have a Hewlett Packard Scanner that came with power-saving software that would kick in at exactly 5-10 minute intervals and lock up everything for a few seconds. The offending program was called hppwrsav (I think). Try ctrl+Alt+Delete and see if there’s something like that in the task list. Whenever I shut that program down, the problem went away. –Nut ---
**Author:** ![Obvious\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Obvious\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obvious_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/83796/8 "2001-09-25T23:06:56Z")
It could possiblely be the beginings of a failing power supply. Has it always frooze like that since you got it? If not, I would look at any software you installed previously and try uninstalling that. ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/83796/9 "2001-09-25T23:30:22Z")
Hey thanks. Did a ctrl-alt-dlt and a program was running called POWERSAVE, turned it off and no freezing up. Now I just need to find out where the damned thing is… Muchos Gracias! ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/83796/10 "2001-09-26T02:28:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pohjonen \* > \*\*…Now I just need to find out where the damned thing is… > Muchos Gracias! \*\* START -\> Run… -\> msconfig -\> startup tab You should find something in there to disable. ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-question/83796/11 "2001-09-26T02:38:36Z")
Hey, that was it. And it was a power saver for the scanner. Found it, disabled it. Thanks a bunch. That has been annoying me for months. On to pause free computing!