# Tech support / freeze up **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 6, 2003, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tech-support-freeze-up/173529 "2003-05-06T22:21:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tech-support-freeze-up/173529/1 "2003-05-06T22:21:30Z")
Okay, I’m running Win98 and I’m getting a really -weird- freeze-up problem. The mouse cursor will still move, but everything else will be frozen. I can’t get a keyboard response, clicking on anything won’t even produce a response along the lines of changing the highlit (is that a word?) window or icon. Even the cursor type won’t change if it should. Happens maybe once or twice a week. Any ideas what could be causing this and / or what could be done about it? Thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tech-support-freeze-up/173529/2 "2003-05-06T23:22:51Z")
I would say its time to rebuild windows, back up the important stuff and put your windows cd back in and hit run. It does not solve that problem , but it always made it go away for me for a few months. After re-installing , if you have done so , set your task manager to scandisk and defrag your system monthly. Declan ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tech-support-freeze-up/173529/3 "2003-05-07T01:03:20Z")
It is probably a [conflict between your display driver](http://support.microsoft.com/common/canned.aspx?R=d&H=Windows%2098%20Video%20Display%20Adapter%20Hangs/Hibernate/Shutdown%20Related%20Articles&LL=kbwin98search%20or%20kbwin98sesearch&Sz=hwdishhs) and another piece of hardware or software. For the quick fix, go to **Control Panel/Display** , select the **Settings** tab, hit the **Advanced** button, select the **Performance** tab, and move the **Hardware Acceleration** tab to the left, to **Basic Acceleration** , and reboot. This will fix most freezing problems, though if it persists, try sliding it all the way down to **None**. You won’t notice any difference unless you play a lot of 3D games, or use a 3D animation or CAD program. The alternative is to go through the [Clean Boot](http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;192926) procedure, which basically is turning off drivers and programs one by one and rebooting until the problem disappears. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tech-support-freeze-up/173529/4 "2003-05-07T01:24:21Z")
Sorry. After sliding the **Hardware Acceleration** down to **Basic** , hit **Apply** , then **OK** , and reboot as instructed. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tech-support-freeze-up/173529/5 "2003-05-07T14:32:21Z")
Could be heat related too, when did you clean out the dust & vents & clean your fans? ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tech-support-freeze-up/173529/6 "2003-05-07T15:29:52Z")
Hasn’t been all that long. I’ve got a monitor for my CPU heat, which has remained safely in the ‘okay’ zone. I did the preferences change thing, and I haven’t had a freeze since (although it’s only been a few hours), but I did have a -near- freeze. Everything started going very very very slowly (like, any command took literally over a minute to respond.)- after a while of this, my command buffer got full (anything I did just produced clicks), so I rebooted. Dunno if it’s at all related or not. ---
**Author:** ![Daizy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@Daizy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daizy)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tech-support-freeze-up/173529/7 "2003-05-07T16:14:31Z")
Hi ArrrMatey Have you checked the simple stuff first? Do a ctrl/alt/del after a fresh boot, and list for us what you have running in the Close programs dialogue box. Recent and updated virus scan? If not…Maybe start with one of the free online virus scanners then? [Housecall](http://housecall.antivirus.com/) [Panda](http://www.pandasoftware.com/) [Symantec](http://security2.norton.com/us/home.asp?j=1&venid=sym&langid=us&plfid=20&pkj=RXKPTGUSDJNRNJWDJZD) [Grisoft](http://www.grisoft.com/html/us_index.html) And for Trojans…might I suggest: [Tauscan](http://www.agnitum.com/download/) Checked for [Spyware](http://www.lavasoft.nu/)? Perhaps go into msconfig, and under the start up tab, uncheck any unneccessary things from running at start up. (start…run…type in: msconfig click ok…and check under the start up tab) Here are two links to tell you what those items are: [Msconfig entries](http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_pages/startup_full.htm) [More Msconfig entries](http://www2.whidbey.net/djdenham/Uncheck.htm) and And as Handy’s already said: Dusted your computer out lately with canned air? Daizy