17 replies to this topic

[dargueta]

I've had my laptop (Dell Inspiron 1525) for about a year and a half now. It's been working great; I've never had any real problems with it (just Windows). I've also had the wireless USB mouse I'm using for about four months. It's been working perfectly fine as well.

Suddenly, yesterday it started freaking out on me. The computer would be fine for a random amount of time, anywhere from a few minutes to an hour or so. Then it'd suddenly completely lock up: mouse can't move, keyboard does nothing, any music that's playing loops over and over again like a stuck CD. I can't even change the contrast on the screen.

In addition, the caps lock and scroll lock lights are flashing in sync about two times a second. I have to hold down the power button to get it to shut off.

This screams "hardware error." However, there's two things that confuse me:

1) Most of the results I've found with Google talk about the caps lock and scroll lock lights flashing when the computer tries to boot. This happens after the computer's up and running.
2) A few others mention network adapters or USB devices. I can access the Internet just fine when the mouse isn't plugged in.
3) I've had the mouse for five months now and it's never given me problems. Why start now?
4) I've never dropped this thing, so that's not the problem either.

Anyone have any idea what's going on?

Edited by dargueta, 05 April 2010 - 01:40 PM.
Grammar

[CriticalError]

First thing would be to try a Malware scan if not done already. Second thing is have you checked Event logs for any program errors?

Try those for now, then get back to us......:)

[dargueta]

I've been digging through the logs and so far everything's clean...

[CriticalError]

Have you tried doing a memory test and temperature test. Use speed fan to check the temp- of the computer. And type "Memory Diagnostics" in the search box (without the quotations) to do a memory test.

NB> Make sure you do a long memory test. Not a quick one.

Hope this helps.

oh and did you do malware scan?

[dargueta]

First thing I did after it crashed was a memtest. It passed the thorough test, which took an hour-ish. (I'm running Ubuntu, by the way.) Virus/malware scan came up clean, and the temp was fine because the fan was low, and again one of the first things I did was leave it on with my hand under the laptop. Wasn't even warm after an hour.

BTW I've done IT before so I know what to check, but this passed all the usual checks I do when something goes wrong like this, so I have no idea what's going on.

[CriticalError]

Sorry I have ran out of ideas on what you can do.

[dargueta]

Yeah, same here. I have a feeling that it was some update that broke it.

[gokuajmes]

some hardware Update has crapped up your Sys config files.The installation was not finished & thus when the system access the hardware that was updated it gets a copy of Uncompleted driver files , this is the cause of problem in these kind of issues:D

[CriticalError]

Maybe a reinstall should fix this problem.

[dargueta]

Yeah, I figured. I'm not going to blow away my system for the mouse, though. I already had to last month, and I'm not doing it again. :D

[amrosama]

i had the same thing with my Pentium 4 pc (just love it :) ), it was a combination of a bad driver and a hardware error in hard-drive.

[dargueta]

Ooh, fun. I'll try a reinstall this weekend. I've already backed my work up to the server on my account at school, so I won't lose anything too important. I hope.