computer freezes up randomly, mostly when using firefox
 

(original topichttp://www.bleepingcomputer.com/foru...0#entry2316050)

My computer, early in boot-up, freezes up randomly, mostly when firefox is used for more than 5 minutes (sometimes even before firefox shows up), and in some boots, Vista won't even open anything, then later freezes,Theres like a 1/50 of a working boot up, but I've been trying since about 3:00 AM EST 6-30 (posted this at 4:50 AM 7-1 EST) today after it eventually froze up from printing from Acrobat Reader, with no luck (and even one boot, didn't even show the Compaq splash screen), previously, on working boots, I've done virus scans with Malware Bytes' Pro, with no results, never (this computer only got a virus once).I'm forced to boot in safe mode for the computer to work, im afraid its some sort of virus thats unknown by Malware Bytes', so im posting a HiJack This log (later, when i try to run normal mode again) with my DxDiag (please note, my brother installed a facemoods.com thing on this computer, since i think its spyware, i deleted all the traces of it i spotted). I'm using a unmodified Presario CQ50 209WM on the lastest version of Vista, which had already had one reinstall after getting hacked while a relative was using it.Please hurry i just rented a 3 Day Elite weapon in Battlefield Play4Free yesterday which set me back over 100 games worth of getting credits for (now its been 2 days since this, and my M60 Elite's going to waste).

I've done a virus scan with AVG and it found 8 instances of Win32/heur so i deleted them and the programs that had the infected file, but that didn't help, ran CCleaner, didnt help, ran CHKDSK, no help...

please note this is AFTER the computer's started up

Firtst of all, if any overclock, turn down.
Second thing you should do after a thorough malware/spyware/virusscan and the problems are ongoing:
http://www.memtest.org/
(do a longtime run, speaking about 1-2 hours)
After that (if no errors) check compy voltages, CPU,GPU,PSU andcase temps
http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/...-Edition.shtml
And do a HD check.

If all looks good, try a live Linux (Ubuntu) boot CD, don't be afraid, nothing is changed on your HD, but it as Ubu does a syscheck when booting it can point to eventual hardware problems.

Also: try to lower the CPU MHZ a notch, same for your RAM/GPU

If all fails, hehe, a fresh install can do wonders.
And stay away from pron sites.

im confused, first, just looking at the page for memetest cofuses me, how do i use it, and how do i do a linux boot disk (checking google too)

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/ubuntu/download
Number 2, works also fine from USB key (however that's kinda slow ....)

Since you seem to encounter random malfunctions, first thing I would check is over heating. Is you fans working in you rig? Is it really hot in your house recently? More importantly, is your powersupply fan working? (Modern) Browsers use a lot of ressouces, especially if you have add-ons.

If everything is fine... Then yeah, malware check.

It's rather definitely not software, seeing that he got a kernel panic when running Memtest.

Its not heat, i have a clip-on fan blowing on my computer

EDIT: I just got the idea, system restore
edit: CCleaner cleaned the system restore points
edit:btw i ran memtest for 9 hours, 14 passes, no fails

It's implied in the other answers, but if the whole OS freezes (or BSOD) it can't be caused by Firefox or any other client application. Either it's hardware (including temperature, check HWMonitor nevertheless), or drivers (some programs such as AV use drivers too), or the OS is damaged (including virus).

If the problem appeared while using Firefox, it may be the graphic card overheating because of Flash?

I don't think that would change anything. Make sure the fans inside your computer are working. Especially the power supply.

i have a box of dominos raising my laptop so the fan can blow UNDER the computer, and my computer doesn't have a fan inside of it, and also, I got the Ubuntu boot disk up, put it on test ubuntu, and it isn't freezing, and im using FF, so it must be windows related!