[hgtse540]

First, I'd like to say I'm really sorry if I am posting this in the wrong place, I am new and I am having too many frustrations. I know to join just to ask this question is kind of rude, but honestly, I would participate if I knew how to solve my own problems first. I am a college student just starting and I have an Acer laptop that keeps freezing and refuses to fix in any way and it's frustrating because I cannot get any essays done, or even watch a simple documentary. It's also embarassing to take itout to show people a presentation and then the laptop just freezes. I have also posted this in a few places because I AM DESPERATE for help and everyone stopped answering after a while. Anyway, here's what happened:

Around 2007, my mother bought a new laptop for herself, generally to browse the web, but later in the year, she gave it to me and I've been using it ever since I needed a convenient computer. Before she gave it to me, it froze one time on her which we didn't think was a big deal; like something that happens once every blue moon because of a unknown and rare error. We were very wrong to think that, plus it was like the first week we had it since she bought it but stupidly, neither of us thought about bringing it back because we just got it and was excited to use it.

Anyway, ever since she gave me the laptop, I used it quite often, maybe for 10+ hours a day, I leave it on for downloading stuff, watch movies, play simple PC games (Like games from Bigfishgames.com not like Counter Strike and WOW), listen to audio, word processing, and such. Ever since I started using it, it's been occasionally freezing on me. Earlier, my mother didn't use it enough to notice that the laptop might be defected in some way so we never really bothered. Since I use it very very often, I've noticed random freezing.

When the laptop freezes, nothing works. Ctrl + alt + del doesn't work, cursor freezes and doesn't move, nothing on the screen changes, if I unplug the ac adapter, the screen goes a bit dimmed (which is normal when I unplug) but it STAYS dim (which is not normal) I also found out the hard drive and the whole laptop stop making sounds, and everything is very quiet though I'm pretty sure this can happen because it is quiet when it's not frozen too. The only way to shut it down is to really hard shut down by holding the power button (which is starting to sort of bump-in because I constantly have to hold it down during freezes.) If I am playing any audio or video, the video freezes, and the audio loops itself on the last half second of what I was listening to.

I have posted this issue on another forum and some users advised to update drivers. I have done that already and it did not help. I run antivirus and malware scanners on real time but I don't think this is the problem because it happened before and after a clean install of Windows Vista. I tried reformatting and installing a clean Windows Vista Ultimate 32bit and it still froze. I tried installing Windows Vista Ultimate 64bit, it still froze. The laptop did not come with specific drivers from what I remembered so I downloaded the latest Realtek or even Acer Audio driver and it still froze. My video drivers are updated also, but still experience freezing.

The freezing also happens most of the times when I leave it out, but it sometimes also happens while I use it. I think it happens more when I leave it out and go do something else. It's so sneaky that I don't even realize it's frozen sometimes just by looking at it. There's also no warranty after a year, which was when I basically started using it.. and not realizing the problems until after the warranty was over.

After all the solutions I tried, I am now taking a guess that it could be hardware related.. such as a defected or faulty graphics card, sound card, or something else? If anyone finds this might be the reason, may you also recommend me a good ones so that I can buy?

If anyone can help me with this problem, I'd appreciate it soooooooooo sooooooooo so so much because it's been happening and I've only dealt with it with patience, even though it pisses me off a lot and I can't get crap done. I also wanted to see what others have to say about the problem and what solutions they can give before I have to really take it to repair which is quite costly. Here are my specifications (if anything that is needed, and isn't listed, please let me know):

Acer Aspire 4720z
Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit
Intel Pentium Dual-Core 1.46 ghz
2.5GB RAM (People have said this is not enough for Windows Vista, personally, it's not slow for me.. I even took 512MB out and it's still running quite well, it's just always freezing.)
Mobile Intel Graphic Media Accelerator x3100

Here are SOME solutions I tried already that I want to sum up:

1) Taking out the battery and using AC power.
2) Changing the RAM and switching them around.
3) Check disks for errors.
4) Clean out my system (both ways: dust and junk files)
5) Reinstall Windows (Vista both 32-bit and 64-bit versions)
6) Turning off screensaver and "power saving" modes.
7) Disabling some visual effects.
8) Scanned for spyware and viruses. (Used to have all different ones, AVG, Avast!, Ad-Aware, Malware bytes.. all kinds of paid, and free ones. Tried them all.)
9) Did a memory test, hard drive test, and checked for temperatues. Memory and hard drive went through fine (even though my computer froze on the hard drive test once) The temperatures of each core are around 60 degrees.
10) The laptop never seems to be hot though.. I used to use it in the summer with no AC, it never overheated.
11) I tried updating the BIOS but there is nothing new on the Acer site for my laptop model.
12) I don't smell any electrical burning scents on my laptop (this was suggested by someone because s/he said a possible motherboard leak or blow out)
13) I also used the System Recovery disc. It didn't help at all but just bring back the old clutter I removed in the first place.
14) I cannot take it back, it's been out of warranty for about two years already.
15) I also checked the event log and viewer, and I didn't find any error there either.
16) Repair shops are costly and the problem can be something I could've fixed but don't know how to. Yes I know you'd probably say "You have no choice. This is what happens, don't you think?" Well like many others also said.. "there's hundreds of options before sending it there." I would want to find these hundreds before spending hundreds of dollars ;D
17) I changed the memory, it froze before and after a new stick of memory.

[mctw]

well uve exhausted most the options it seems! have you tried downloading the latest version of the drivers for the laptop, for things like graphics card, sound card, main chipset etc..
it might be something silly like that thats causing all the issues.
also, youve said changed your ram around, does that mean youve tried totally different chips that are know to work or brand new, of do you meant that you've simply changed the slots their in.
as a final point, have you tried XP? vista might simply be a bit much for your machine to handle well, bear in mind its not brand new anymore.
MCTW

[hgtse540]

Hi mctw.

well uve exhausted most the options it seems! have you tried downloading the latest version of the drivers for the laptop, for things like graphics card, sound card, main chipset etc..
it might be something silly like that thats causing all the issues.
also, youve said changed your ram around, does that mean youve tried totally different chips that are know to work or brand new, of do you meant that you've simply changed the slots their in.
as a final point, have you tried XP? vista might simply be a bit much for your machine to handle well, bear in mind its not brand new anymore.
MCTW

I've tried the drivers, however, they all said they are up to date, and i'm pretty sure they are. I made sure.

Yes I tried different chips of ram. It was like this. Default was two 512MB (1GB RAM) and it was freezing. I bought 2GB RAM and added it in without the old ones and it still froze afterwards.

I would try XP but it would be a waste of time (as I was already mad installing and reinstalling different kinds of Vista; I understand what you mean and I wouldn't mind if it wasn't such tedious work but if there is no other solution, I will.) I have to get even more keys.. and also, my laptop came with Vista originally, I don't see how it can't handle it.. My aunt has the exact same laptop and purchased it the same day as I, and hers is working strangely well!

[mctw]

aye, i hear you, installing operating systems isnt the most fun thing to spend a afternoon doing! if a pc/laptop can cope with Vista, it certainly can cope with XP, the only issue may be drivers, but it think that you would be able to find them with a bit of googling.

[Carbon]

Run a CPU temp testing program in the background, see how hot it gets.

[hgtse540]

Originally Posted by Carbon

Run a CPU temp testing program in the background, see how hot it gets.

Hi Carbon.

9) Did a memory test, hard drive test, and checked for temperatues. Memory and hard drive went through fine (even though my computer froze on the hard drive test once) The temperatures of each core are around 60 degrees.

[Carbon]

Can you get into the BIOS? Have you added any RAM after the fact?

[hgtse540]

Originally Posted by Carbon

Can you get into the BIOS? Have you added any RAM after the fact?

Hi Carbon. What may I do if I get into the BIOS?

Yes I tried different chips of ram. It was like this: Default was two 512MB (1GB RAM) and it was freezing. I bought 2GB RAM and added it in without the old ones and it still froze afterwards.

[Carbon]

If the memory voltage is set incorrectly this may occur. If you can get into the BIOS, make sure the memory voltage is the same as needed by the RAM (check on NewEgg or something).

[hgtse540]

Originally Posted by Carbon

If the memory voltage is set incorrectly this may occur. If you can get into the BIOS, make sure the memory voltage is the same as needed by the RAM (check on NewEgg or something).

Thank you. But does this problem occur even when the laptop is fairly new and nothing has been changed (not even RAM)? Because if that's so, it would be very silly. I would assume the memory voltage isn't set because I added new RAM but this wouldn't be the case if I didn't change anything and it still freezes?