desktop PC help... IT help please

[Redneck Archer]

ok guys. this is one of those little things I hate.

we have a pc. its a newer dell. optiplex 760. dual core/2gb ram... XP SP3

The PC freezes randomly 2-3 times a day (maybe). I have played around with this machine for hours. I made it freeze once. looked at the users history. She streams KJ97 all day, and when it freezes the speaker cracks the last audio bit like a frozen computer does.

the way I made it freeze was combine kj97 streaming/youtube vid playing/facebook up at the same time. There is no recovering it. have to manually power down, and start back up.

OK, so i check the event viewer. no problems. one application hang IE (big surprise). So I install google chrome, and try that for a day. it froze again. Still no new event errors. I check the CPU temp, and run a memory test. passes fine.

I run malwarebytes. 41 infections. I clean all those. have her try that for a bit. freezes an hour later. The VP doesnt want to replace the machine because I cant justify that its a hardware issue. When does it freeze he and HR ask. well when kj97 is streaming and youtube is running... Humm, but are they "supposed" to be doing that at work? not technically. we do have official rules about it, but up until now no one made a big deal about it.

Will it freeze if it just runs the terminal server session and the work related sites necessary? I dont know.

This is where I am at. Something is wrong. it shouldnt freeze, but would it freeze if we werent streaming audio and video? I dont know. User hasnt tried.

what should my next step be?

[Eagles1181]

Try updating to the latest version of media player (or whatever KJ97 is using) and flash player (what Utube uses), and see if that helps.

Eagle

[Charles]

Terminate said user and replace with new user that doesn't complain

Wish I had answer for you. Let us know if you figure it out.

[Redneck Archer]

Terminate said user and replace with new user that doesn't complain

Wish I had answer for you. Let us know if you figure it out.

lol...
I like your thinking

[Redneck Archer]

Try updating to the latest version of media player (or whatever KJ97 is using) and flash player (what Utube uses), and see if that helps.

Eagle

that is a good thought. I can give it a shot.

sometimes its good to step away, and ask a fresh persons perspective.

[Eagles1181]

If updating the software does not fix the problem, the audio on the two differant programs might be causing the conflict. Tell said worker that she is not allowed to multitask while wasting company time (has to do radio OR Utube, but not both).

Eagle

[Arlington BowHunter]

Block streaming audio and You Tube.

[Redneck Archer]

thought about it, but cant...

[Splitting Hairs]

u may want to enter the service tag on the dell website and see if the there are any bios updates or any updates available for your hardware. what company do you work for in san antonio. i noticed that you are an it manager. just curious i am in IT myself

[systemnt]

yank the sound card/remove the audio drivers, and buy her a radio.

[Loneaggie]

Check for bios updates, run any driver updates, update flash, update windows media player. sounds like a memory leak. More than likely its just a codec conflict though that is exposing some odd bug in an old .dll somewhere. Those are the issues that drive me nuts as IT.

[cfortner]

I've seen malware/bloatware cause similar symptoms when flash is in use. I'd get a copy of hijackthis, and see what all is running, get rid of anything that wasn't necessary and see if the problem still occurs.

[Redneck Archer]

ok, so I was in my monthly IT meeting with my IT director (who is in denver).

the end user emailed me. "are you going to fix this" I said I am on a conference. would you mind not using kj97, and youtube to get through the afternoon, and I will get there as soon as possible.

She went to her branch manager. who called the VP of the company locally, and said why isnt her computer fixed. He calls me. says whats going on. I told him it was freezing. he said why. I said not 100% sure yet I am on a conference call, but it seems to happen when kj97 and youtube are open...

So while I am still in meeting HR girl goes over to that office, and talks to branch manager, and end user. Asks that we try not using kj97 and youtube "for trouble shooting" purposes. Branch manager then says if you want to listen to radio then buy a radio...

Its frustrating when people go around your back when you are in the middle of something else more critical, but its always nice when your HR department has your back!!!

[Redneck Archer]

Check for bios updates, run any driver updates, update flash, update windows media player. sounds like a memory leak. More than likely its just a codec conflict though that is exposing some odd bug in an old .dll somewhere. Those are the issues that drive me nuts as IT.

agreed 100%!!!

Its a little tough troubleshooting it to because I am running around texas so much that I dont have time to try to pattern anything.

I have to rely on the end user making things that much tougher to trouble shoot. I sat on that machine goofing around for hours trying to make it "freeze" then I asked her to make it freeze. first two visits she couldnt.

finally she told me about kj97 and youtube, and I tried and sure enough.

What I may end up doing is switching her PC with mine, and troubleshooting it when i am in my office.

My machine works great though!

[visdata]

I would read into the 3rd or 4th page and see if this helps?

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/desktop/f/3514/p/19288109/19530730.aspx