# Poll: How often has your computer crashed in the last 40 hours of use? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 5, 2001, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-often-has-your-computer-crashed-in-the-last-40-hours-of-use/48536 "2001-01-05T05:49:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2001, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-often-has-your-computer-crashed-in-the-last-40-hours-of-use/48536/1 "2001-01-05T05:49:29Z")
I did a search to see if anyone else had asked this question - didn’t find anything. (Doesn’t mean it’s not there, though! :D) I got this idea from Mac Fixit’s home page, which is asking the same question. I thought I’d broaden the scope a bit: **How many times has your computer crashed (prompting a re-start) in the last 40 hours of use?** Not at all? A few times? 5-10 times? More? **What Operating System are you running?** Windows 95, Windows 98, Mac OS 7.6, Mac OS 8.6, Linux? **If you recall, what made the computer crash?** Was it Netscape, Photoshop, Internet Exporer, AOL? Some random thing that you are not sure about? **If you wish to share, how powerful is your computer?** An old 486, or a super-fast Athlon? A old '040 Mac, or a G4? How much RAM? (No need to go through the whole list of your fabulous hardware, unless you wish to, of course!) ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2001, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-often-has-your-computer-crashed-in-the-last-40-hours-of-use/48536/2 "2001-01-05T05:56:26Z")
Hmmm… I suppose question #3 (what made your computer crash) is too vague. If your computer has crashed more than one time, I don’t expect you to recall each different reason! If you can recall the most common culprit, or the latest thing that was to blame for a crash, that’s fine. I suppose I should answer my own question: I can’t recall that my iMac (266 MHz, 160 RAM, OS 8.6) has crashed once in the last 40 hours of use. Oh, it’s not crash-proof, it’s just been on its best behavior for the last 40 hours! 🙂 My PC (AMD K6-2 450 MHz, 128 RAM, Win98) has crashed about 10 times. Damned Napster. It is buggy. I also think that maybe something is funky with my secondary HDD, which is where most of my MP3s are stored. ---
**Author:** ![Adventurious82](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e495f1/32.png) [@Adventurious82](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Adventurious82)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2001, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-often-has-your-computer-crashed-in-the-last-40-hours-of-use/48536/3 "2001-01-05T06:00:52Z")
None. The only time my computer has ever crashed was when I downloaded a flawed upgrade from AOL and then it only glitched when on-line and searching the web. I use Win95, though since it has a lot of stuff I have no use for, I’ve stripped out a lot of program parts, like most of publisher, spreadsheet, Mathcad, and a chunk of the original Microsoft Internet Explorer. Most of MS stuff is interconnected, so I could not pull out everything I wanted to. I have MS office installed, but have doctored it a bit also due to not having a tremendous amount of HD space. ---
**Author:** ![tshirts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@tshirts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tshirts)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2001, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-often-has-your-computer-crashed-in-the-last-40-hours-of-use/48536/4 "2001-01-05T06:02:38Z")
**[Computer locks up](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=50333)** ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2001, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-often-has-your-computer-crashed-in-the-last-40-hours-of-use/48536/5 "2001-01-05T06:03:38Z")
Win 95. Laptop. Don’t know about the speed of Memory(never looked to find out) About 4 times. 1 was a unexplained crash. I was just surfing and then got the blue screen of death. 3 where when I shut down my dialup connection. When the connection broke the comp. just froze. Then I get “You may not have shut down you comp. correctly” AAARRRRGGGHHH :mad: ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2001, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-often-has-your-computer-crashed-in-the-last-40-hours-of-use/48536/6 "2001-01-05T06:03:55Z")
Uptime 3 days 28 minutes Windows 98. But it didn’t crash - I rebooted cause I installed some new SW. My Sun Ultra 10 at work only reboots if the power goes out. ---
**Author:** ![Primaflora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Primaflora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Primaflora)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2001, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-often-has-your-computer-crashed-in-the-last-40-hours-of-use/48536/7 "2001-01-05T06:34:09Z")
Win 95. I have a 3 yo. The 3 yo loves the computer. We get lots of loverly crashes courtesy of him The 7 yo for some bizarre reason has decided that he is the household expert on the computers. He’s responsible for the other rash of crashes. I may need to kill him soon… Without the input of my dearly beloved offspring my system is fairly stable. I disabled the screensaver and that made a huge difference. So I was vague 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2001, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-often-has-your-computer-crashed-in-the-last-40-hours-of-use/48536/8 "2001-01-05T07:18:49Z")
I’ve had my newer Win98 system since early June, and it has not crashed once. I have another Win98 system that is almost 18 months old, and it has crashed once. ---
**Author:** ![OrcaChow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e47c2d/32.png) [@OrcaChow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OrcaChow)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2001, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-often-has-your-computer-crashed-in-the-last-40-hours-of-use/48536/9 "2001-01-05T07:36:59Z")
None. IBM Thinkpad 770. Pentium II-266, 32Mb RAM, Win95, IE. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2001, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-often-has-your-computer-crashed-in-the-last-40-hours-of-use/48536/10 "2001-01-05T07:51:45Z")
You’re a lot of bastidiges 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2001, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-often-has-your-computer-crashed-in-the-last-40-hours-of-use/48536/11 "2001-01-05T08:19:00Z")
Mine crashes all of the time, but that’s because I’ve maxed out my hard drive with rare music files. I’ll live with it. (Time for another hard drive!) ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2001, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-often-has-your-computer-crashed-in-the-last-40-hours-of-use/48536/12 "2001-01-05T08:29:13Z")
Too many times to count - but then I’m a multitaskin’ fool! At any given time, I’ll have 5 or 6 browser windows open, perhaps an FTP or IRC client, Napster, etc, etc, etc. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2001, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-often-has-your-computer-crashed-in-the-last-40-hours-of-use/48536/13 "2001-01-05T09:03:01Z")
A lot of stable computers here. And they are _Windows_ computers, to boot! (There is a dreadful pun there…try to ignore…) Zenster - tell me about the MP3s! I am sure I have less than 1 GB stored on my PC (so far) but the amount is growing. And growing… Scary, huh? Tell me, all of you with your amazingly stable Windows boxes - what _is_ your secret?!? I had a computer geeky friend (an MSCE) do a fresh install of Win98 on my PC, and it is more stable than before. But it still crashes. Maybe it’s all that CRAP I have installed on it. Ya think? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2001, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-often-has-your-computer-crashed-in-the-last-40-hours-of-use/48536/14 "2001-01-05T10:35:14Z")
I run FreeBSD. I’ve had this computer for nearly two years now. It’s on 24 hours a day. The operating system has **never** crashed. Xwindows has frozen up twice and crashed once. Damn, I love this machine 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2001, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-often-has-your-computer-crashed-in-the-last-40-hours-of-use/48536/15 "2001-01-05T11:48:32Z")
**How many times has your computer crashed (prompting a re-start) in the last 40 hours of use?** About 5 times, I’d say. **What Operating System are you running?** Windows 98 **If you recall, what made the computer crash?** Windows 98 :rolleyes: It keeps giving various errors such as “VSmon”, “Rundll32”, etc. Eventually, it’ll crash. I really want a better OS, but I’m too dumb for Linux (I think). Can I install Windows 2000/ME over my current 98? Will it fix all those bloody errors? _Help me!_ **If you wish to share, how powerful is your computer?** Clone Pentium III 550 MHz, 64 MB RAM, 16 MB VooDoo, 44X CD Rom, HP 8100 CD Writer, Panasonic 17" monitor, etc. ---
**Author:** ![soulsling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@soulsling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulsling)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2001, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-often-has-your-computer-crashed-in-the-last-40-hours-of-use/48536/16 "2001-01-05T12:45:42Z")
**How many times has your computer crashed (prompting a re-start) in the last 40 hours of use?** None, Unless I make them happen myself… **What Operating System are you running?** Windows 98 If you recall, what made the computer crash?\*\* Windows98 **If you recall, what made the computer crash?** Didn’t I just tell you? Me! **If you wish to share, how powerful is your computer** PIII 500MHz, 320 MB RAM, 32 MB All in one ATI video, 10x/4x/32x CD-R/RW, DVD, Primary 10Gig Drive, Secondary 30Gig drive (for the storing of MP3s and files and such…), Internal Zip, 328k Throughput DSL (Flowpoint Modem)… [sub] **Alternative Answer** [/sub] Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound? (sometimes I feel my computer at work is actually able to fall out of tall buildings with a single shove…) ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2001, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-often-has-your-computer-crashed-in-the-last-40-hours-of-use/48536/17 "2001-01-05T13:43:33Z")
No crashes. None. Zero. I am using an “iPaq” by Compaq. It runs Windows2000. The machine is powered up 24/7, except in the event of a power failure and we haven’t had one lately. The machine is supplied by my employer and is equipped with Office2000 plus Visio2000. I use Visio, Word, and Excel daily, and Access maybe once or twice a week. I use the Web Access version of Outlook for e-mail. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2001, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-often-has-your-computer-crashed-in-the-last-40-hours-of-use/48536/18 "2001-01-05T14:23:17Z")
> [@](#): > > Can I install Windows 2000/ME over my current 98? To the best of my knowledge, you can’t install Win 2000 over Win 9x. You can install Me, but I don’t know how much more stable it is than '98. Plus it just came out a couple months ago and you really don’t want to get an OS that’s only been out for a couple months. I suppose your best bet would be to back up all your data files and install Win 2000, formatting the drive with NTFS. I use both 2000 and '98 at school. '98 crashes constantly, but I have yet to see 2000 go down. Then again you could just wait for the next version of Windows, which promises to meld the business (NT/2000) and home user (9x/Me) OSs into one. Of course, that’s what MS once said that Win 2000 would do, and they went back on that, so who knows. ---
**Author:** ![Jet\_Jaguar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jet_jaguar/32/3562_2.png) [@Jet\_Jaguar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jet_Jaguar)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2001, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-often-has-your-computer-crashed-in-the-last-40-hours-of-use/48536/19 "2001-01-05T14:26:02Z")
My computer is an old Pentium 200 running Win95, and the last time it crashed was in August '98. I use it every day, and typically have a half dozen or so windows running at any one time. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yosemitebabe \* > > Tell me, all of you with your amazingly stable Windows boxes - what _is_ your secret?!? I wish I could tell you, but there’s nothing I could really pinpoint that made it stable. I just started with a fresh install, and it took a few months to beat it into submission. Windows can be made stable, you just have to break it’s spirit. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2001, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-often-has-your-computer-crashed-in-the-last-40-hours-of-use/48536/20 "2001-01-05T15:31:10Z")
Mac Beige G3 desktop (upgraded to 466 mhz cpu) Never really crashes except for Netscape 4.7 When I use IE5or iCab, it never crash, but Netscape 4.7 crashes every few days… I love my DSL though 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-often-has-your-computer-crashed-in-the-last-40-hours-of-use/48536.md?page=2)