Computer CONSTANTLY freezes - Very frustrating problem.

[pharbehind]

Just recently my computer started doing this. Every 15-20 seconds or so, the computer will hang up for about 3 seconds, just did it right now, then has to catch up to what I'm typing or doing. As I watch it in the performance tab in the Task Manager, and it just did it again, the CPU Usage spikes from 10%-ish all the way to 100%. The page file usage memory remains constant. And it just froze again. Three times for typing just several sentences!! ARGHH!!!

Another thing to note is that my HDD LED light always stays on now, it used to flicker and go off, now it's on all the time, but the drive isn't making any kind of noise.

I have NOD32 anti-virus, Spybot S&D, and Webroot Spysweeper and they're all up to date and just ran them. I also have O&O Professional and just defragged as well.

No errors were found, yet I still get this VERY frustrating error.

I sure hope someone can help me or offer advice. Thanks in advance...

[Dodge]

What are your computer specs? Sounds like a memory issue and not software. Do you ever get a beep when it wakes up from this freeze?

Just a quick guess from the info you have given so far. But sounds like you either dont have enough memory to do what your doing with the system, or you have some memory going bad.

[pharbehind]

No, the computer hasn't made a Beep when coming back from the hang up.

Here's my specs:

AMD Athlon 64 x2 4200
2 gigs of DDR2 ram (4 512 sticks)
WD Raptor 75gb HDD


It's not a crappy computer by any means, I'm bewildered by this problem

[pharbehind]

Speak of the devil.

Just now, the computer must have frozen at the exact time I was making a click with my mouse, and during the freeze it was beeping all the way through... Then the beep stopped when it unfroze.

[Dodge]

try taking out 2 sticks of the ram. Start with 2 sticks, then swap them out if the problem continues. Make sure it is a pair at a time. Sounds like you may have some bad memory.

[pharbehind]

Ok... back in a bit.

[pharbehind]

Hmmm... so far so good. I would think the freeze would have happened by now, but it seems cool.

I took two sticks out, so now I'm left with 1 gig.
I need to have more RAM for the type of 3D and art software I use on my computer. Do you recommend that I buy all new RAM now? My mobo can support up to 4 gig of DDR400. Can I mixmatch 2 512 sticks with one 1gb stick, granted they're all the same type?

And how were you able to spot that it was a ram issue?

Thanks a ton for your help, I hope I don't jinx this and the problem is going to come back all of a sudden

[Dodge]

I've ran into this problem many times. When a PC freezes, then in a few seconds to a minutes, it unfreezes and runs great. And usually a beep along with it. Then it is usually a memory issue. Which can be not enough or bad memory. In your case, I'd say one stick is going bad and was causing your problems.

I'm not sure on mixing the 1gig stick with the 512 though. I've been out of this game for a bit and haven't kept up with the DDR2. I'm thinking they have to match though.

As for New ram. If you want to play around with it and find the bad stick, then you could just replace it. But, I'd got with 2 new sticks and not waist the time.