PC Freezes while idling ?

E

Euro98ITR

Big Geek
PC Specs :

P4 1.7GHZ
GeForce 4 MX 440
768 MB SDRAM
Generic PSU
WIN XP PRO SP2 with all latest updates

I have this 5 year old PC @ home which my dad uses for wordproccessing etc. When the PC is left on and unused for about 15 mins or more it freezes !
Red line s come on the screen and it wont respond to CTRL+ALT+DEL . NAV 2005 with all latest updates doesnt find any viruses either.
I hit the restart button and it boots normally, no error messages and works fine. The problem seems to occur while the pc is left idling.

I was going to start by changed the graphics card . Any other suggestions ?
 
Try running Memtest86+ overnight and report the results. Also, check the motherboard for bad capacitors. I've attached a picture to give you an idea of what to look out for.
 

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    Bad Caps.jpg
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There is one capacitor which seems to be leaking a bit.. but the others all seem fine. What does that show ? I will try the memtest 86+ later.
 
Euro98ITR said:
There is one capacitor which seems to be leaking a bit.. but the others all seem fine. What does that show ?
Click to expand...
It shows that your motherboard is bad and needs to be replaced. If it is still under warranty, RMA it.
 
Christ, I never knew they leaked!! :eek: Is the leaking happening on top of the capacitor? What is it thats actually leaking?

What causes that to happen?
 
Normally they don't leak. Leaking capacitors are leaking because they have failed, much like batteries. Whether they have simply reached end-of-life or they are defective is another matter, but if a capacitor is leaking you have a bad motherboard. Effectively you either replace the capacitor (assuming you are extremely skilled in such things and have the proper tools) or replace the motherboard. Usually it is not cost-effective to refirbish the motherboard, so the smart choice is to replace it.
 
megamaced said:
Whats the substance that's leaking? Some kind of electrical fluid? Is it harmful to touch!
Click to expand...
It's not toxic, but it might eat through your clothes. Think of capacitors like little batteries, because this is basically what they are.
 
I changed the graphics card and the problem seemed to be solved.. Didnt freeze once in 5 days always on.. But it seems that the mobo needs to be changed soon. Thanks for your advice.
 
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