Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Technical Help and How To's laptop trouble

My Toshiba laptop has been acting up again, I'm running windows Vista Basic but only have 512mb and I've had to reload Vista twice in just over the year that I've had this laptop about every 6 months I get before it starts acting up and I have to reload once again. I've been holding it off for awhile now by system restores.

This time around I keep getting the laptop getting frozen up when I have more then one window open of Internet Explorer. I've run virus scans and come up with nothing even run Windows defender which comes up with nothing as well.

Right now I'm using Firefox as a browser hoping this will keep my laptop running longer.

Has anyone else been having any troubles like this? I'm hoping I don't have to reload Vista again because this time I won't be able to call Toshiba for help with the reload.

I strongly suggest a memory upgrade. 512 MB is the bare minimum required to run Vista, and when you open more than one window of Internet Explorer, your computer gets very slow (it might be using your computer hard drive as extra memory space). You should try to upgrade to 2 GB, if possible.

I have Vista Home Basic in my current Dell laptop with 4 GB of memory, and the only strange thing that has been happening is that when I put it on Hibernation and leave it plugged in, it tends to turn itself on at odd moments (middle of the night, five minutes after hibernating, etc.). But I can live with that (just unplug the power cord).

malu

Assuming that you're using x32 version of Vista, try out Google Chrome - their web-browser. I find that it works a ton faster than either Explorer or Firefox. Might work on x64, but I haven't tried it.

The memory is definitely needed! Try for 4 (or 8), if you can. Seems to run Vista better.

If all else fails, buy XP, especially if the warranty's up!

Right now my family and I are watching ever dime but as soon as I can free some money up I will get a memory upgrade. I've wanted to get more memory since getting the laptop and most likely would have when I brought it if I hadn't have had to return 3 laptops before I get this one.

By the time I finally got one that worked right the extra cash for the memory upgrade was spent lol. I have to go to best buy and get it done there because I brought a extra warnt. there. So between waiting for memory to go on sale there it seems to only go on sale when I just spent the extra cash I had saved up on something else lol. that's how life is though.

Vista is getting replaced in the fall for a reason according to my computer guru neighbor [he owns a computer store and has a radio call in show]. He's been running Beta versions of the new Windows and likes it a lot more.

Malu - my Acer had been doing that since last summer - but all the time, while using it, when sitting on the table not in use, all the time. Turning Windows Defender off helped. I finally gave it to my neighbor who couldn't figure out what was wrong with it. He sent it to Acer who fixed it and sent it back - it's supposed to get to the store today but with our nasty weather I don't think he went in today so I doubt I'll get it back . It's been gone for a month total now [he had it for a week, Acer's had it for two - guess they were running behind - and now it's halfway through week four]. One of his employees called on it on Friday and they said it had shipped but didn't tell him what was wrong with it. When I find out, I'll let you know in case it might help you.

Good luck!
Carol

Thanks, Carol.

I just find it strange that it is related to being plugged in with the power cord. WHen I have it only with the battery, no problem.
Wonder if an oscillation on the power would wake the computer up.

By the way, I've looked in the Events log of the computer, and it says when it was woken up from sleep (or hibernation), but it says that the source is unknown.

malu

I put mine laptop in Hibernation today for the first time and it not something I'm going to do again it frozen up didn't want to come back on but finally did then it took me about five minutes before I could get everything I had still open to run again.

So instead I'll just use the lock which has been working great for me or just shut the laptop off. I know that the new windows is coming out soon. I'm hoping that I can just keep this laptop as is until I can save up for a new one with the new windows. Because by the way I have it figured to get new memory is this one I will have a over a hundred and my warnt. is up in Oct so I might as well just start saving towards a new laptop and just hope this one see me through.

My Granny would say no since throwing money to the bad lol.

They ended up cleaning the thermal module on mine. Dunno how it got dirty...

And they replaced the keyboard .

Tis nice but feels weird...

Carol

Y'know, if you have a friend with a laptop that's compatible with your's, then try switching the hard drives around (only takes a screwdriver and a little gentle pulling). If you still have the same problem on your computer with your friend's HD, then it's a hardware problem.

Note: this will NOT work unless both HDs are from laptops. I have done this twice in the past, and it's invaluable information.

Good luck! I wish you the best!

I have question about can air?

My one fan that I can see on my laptop is full of dust so I was wonder how do I go about cleaning it with a can of air.

I know my laptop has been running warmer I think this is the problem but I don't want to do anything and break the laptop trying to clean it. Right now when it gets warm I just shut it off.