PC pauses every 2 mins, for about a second

[Magnets]

Since this morning, my PC has been 'pausing'/stuttering for about 1/2 a second - 1 second. It does it every 30 secs - 2 min.

Event log shows no errors, run adaware nothing found.

On weds i ran a defrag, and yesterday i installed Crocodile technology, but have since uninstalled it. Nothing has changed apart from that =\

Coincidentally, Firefox was playing up this morning too. It told me that firefox 2.0.0.11 was available and was ready to update
But that update has been out for well over a month, and i'm quite sure i already got it.

It stutters when playing games, or using windows apps. Rebooted a couple of times, still does it.

Anyone got any ideas?

[Jay]

get hijackthis and post the log

Merijn.org

[Magnets]

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.0 (BETA)
Scan saved at 19:25:45, on 21/12/2007
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
H:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
H:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
H:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
H:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
H:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
H:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
H:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
H:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
H:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
H:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
H:\Program Files\Intel\Intel Matrix Storage Manager\Iaanotif.exe
H:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 8.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe
H:\Program Files\Portrait Displays\PerfectSuite\DTHtml.exe
H:\Program Files\RivaTuner v2.02\Tools\RivaTunerStatisticsServer\RivaTunerStatisticsServer.exe
H:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\UpdateService\issch.exe
H:\WINDOWS\RTHDCPL.EXE
H:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_03\bin\jusched.exe
H:\Program Files\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Internet Security 7.0\avp.exe
H:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe
H:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Workstation\vmware-tray.exe
H:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Workstation\hqtray.exe
H:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
J:\games\steam\steam.exe
H:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\Core-Static\MOM.EXE
H:\Program Files\RivaTuner v2.02\RivaTuner.exe
H:\Program Files\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Internet Security 7.0\avp.exe
H:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe
H:\Program Files\Belkin\Bluetooth Software\bin\btwdins.exe
H:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\mscorsvw.exe
H:\Program Files\Portrait Displays\PerfectSuite\DTSRVC.exe
H:\Program Files\Intel\Intel Matrix Storage Manager\Iaantmon.exe
H:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
H:\Program Files\Common Files\VMware\VMware Virtual Image Editing\vmount2.exe
H:\WINDOWS\system32\vmnat.exe
H:\WINDOWS\system32\vmnetdhcp.exe
H:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Workstation\vmware-authd.exe
H:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\Core-Static\ccc.exe
H:\WINDOWS\system32\wscntfy.exe
H:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe
H:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
H:\Documents and Settings\Richard\Desktop\hhyejt.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.google.co.uk/ig
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = *.local
O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - H:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: GetRight IE Download Helper - {31FF080D-12A3-439A-A2EF-4BA95A3148E8} - H:\Program Files\GetRight\xx2gr.dll
O2 - BHO: Spybot-S&D IE Protection - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - H:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - H:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_03\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {7E853D72-626A-48EC-A868-BA8D5E23E045} - (no file)
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IAAnotif] "H:\Program Files\Intel\Intel Matrix Storage Manager\Iaanotif.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [EasyTuneV] H:\Program Files\Gigabyte\ET5\ETcall.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe Reader Speed Launcher] "H:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 8.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DT Task] H:\Program Files\Portrait Displays\PerfectSuite\DTHtml.exe -startup_folder
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RivaTunerStatisticsServer] "H:\Program Files\RivaTuner v2.02\Tools\RivaTunerStatisticsServer\RivaTunerStatisticsServer.exe" /s
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ISUSPM Startup] H:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\INSTAL~1\UPDATE~1\isuspm.exe -startup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ISUSScheduler] "H:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\UpdateService\issch.exe" -start
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RTHDCPL] RTHDCPL.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Alcmtr] ALCMTR.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "H:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_03\bin\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NeroFilterCheck] H:\WINDOWS\system32\NeroCheck.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [InCD] H:\Program Files\Ahead\InCD\InCD.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVP] "H:\Program Files\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Internet Security 7.0\avp.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BluetoothAuthenticationAgent] rundll32.exe bthprops.cpl,,BluetoothAuthenticationAgent
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VaCtrl] H:\Program Files\VoiceAge\Common\VaCtrl.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [vmware-tray] H:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Workstation\vmware-tray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VMware hqtray] "H:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Workstation\hqtray.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] H:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Steam] "j:\games\steam\steam.exe" -silent
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [StartCCC] H:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\Core-Static\CLIStart.exe
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] H:\WINDOWS\system32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] H:\WINDOWS\system32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-18\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] H:\WINDOWS\system32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'SYSTEM')
O4 - HKUS\.DEFAULT\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] H:\WINDOWS\system32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'Default user')
O4 - Startup: RivaTuner.lnk = H:\Program Files\RivaTuner v2.02\RivaTuner.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Adobe Gamma Loader.lnk = H:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Calibration\Adobe Gamma Loader.exe
O4 - Global Startup: BTTray.lnk = ?
O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = H:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\OSA.EXE
O8 - Extra context menu item: Add to Anti-Banner - H:\Program Files\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Internet Security 7.0\ie_banner_deny.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Download with GetRight - H:\Program Files\GetRight\GRdownload.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://H:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office10\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O8 - Extra context menu item: Open with GetRight Browser - H:\Program Files\GetRight\GRbrowse.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Send To &Bluetooth - H:\Program Files\Belkin\Bluetooth Software\btsendto_ie_ctx.htm
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - H:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_03\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - H:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_03\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra button: Web Anti-Virus statistics - {1F460357-8A94-4D71-9CA3-AA4ACF32ED8E} - H:\Program Files\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Internet Security 7.0\SCIEPlgn.dll
O9 - Extra button: @btrez.dll,-4015 - {CCA281CA-C863-46ef-9331-5C8D4460577F} - H:\Program Files\Belkin\Bluetooth Software\btsendto_ie.htm
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @btrez.dll,-4017 - {CCA281CA-C863-46ef-9331-5C8D4460577F} - H:\Program Files\Belkin\Bluetooth Software\btsendto_ie.htm
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - H:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Spybot - Search & Destroy Configuration - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - H:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - %windir%\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe (file missing)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - %windir%\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe (file missing)
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - H:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - H:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://www.update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/v6/V5Controls/en/x86/client/wuweb_site.cab?1188414144390
O20 - AppInit_DLLs: H:\PROGRA~1\KASPER~1\KASPER~1.0\adialhk.dll
O22 - SharedTaskScheduler: Browseui preloader - {438755C2-A8BA-11D1-B96B-00A0C90312E1} - H:\WINDOWS\system32\browseui.dll
O22 - SharedTaskScheduler: Component Categories cache daemon - {8C7461EF-2B13-11d2-BE35-3078302C2030} - H:\WINDOWS\system32\browseui.dll
O23 - Service: Ad-Aware 2007 Service (aawservice) - Lavasoft AB - H:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware 2007\aawservice.exe
O23 - Service: Ati HotKey Poller - ATI Technologies Inc. - H:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
O23 - Service: ATI Smart - Unknown owner - H:\WINDOWS\system32\ati2sgag.exe
O23 - Service: Kaspersky Internet Security 7.0 (AVP) - Kaspersky Lab - H:\Program Files\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Internet Security 7.0\avp.exe
O23 - Service: ##Id_String1.6844F930_1628_4223_B5CC_5BB94B879762## (Bonjour Service) - Apple Computer, Inc. - H:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe
O23 - Service: Bluetooth Service (btwdins) - WIDCOMM, Inc. - H:\Program Files\Belkin\Bluetooth Software\bin\btwdins.exe
O23 - Service: Portrait Displays Display Tune Service (DTSRVC) - Unknown owner - H:\Program Files\Portrait Displays\PerfectSuite\DTSRVC.exe
O23 - Service: FLEXnet Licensing Service - Macrovision Europe Ltd. - H:\Program Files\Common Files\Macrovision Shared\FLEXnet Publisher\FNPLicensingService.exe
O23 - Service: Google Updater Service (gusvc) - Google - H:\Program Files\Google\Common\Google Updater\GoogleUpdaterService.exe
O23 - Service: Intel(R) Matrix Storage Event Monitor (IAANTMON) - Intel Corporation - H:\Program Files\Intel\Intel Matrix Storage Manager\Iaantmon.exe
O23 - Service: InCD Helper (InCDsrv) - Ahead Software AG - H:\Program Files\Ahead\InCD\InCDsrv.exe
O23 - Service: Remote Packet Capture Protocol v.0 (experimental) (rpcapd) - CACE Technologies - H:\Program Files\WinPcap\rpcapd.exe
O23 - Service: VMware Agent Service (ufad-ws60) - VMware, Inc. - H:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Workstation\vmware-ufad.exe
O23 - Service: VMware Authorization Service (VMAuthdService) - VMware, Inc. - H:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Workstation\vmware-authd.exe
O23 - Service: VMware DHCP Service (VMnetDHCP) - VMware, Inc. - H:\WINDOWS\system32\vmnetdhcp.exe
O23 - Service: VMware Virtual Mount Manager Extended (vmount2) - VMware, Inc. - H:\Program Files\Common Files\VMware\VMware Virtual Image Editing\vmount2.exe
O23 - Service: VMware NAT Service - VMware, Inc. - H:\WINDOWS\system32\vmnat.exe

--
End of file - 10484 bytes

[Jay]

you have a lot running there.

have you watched your task manager to see if anything is jumping up to 100%?

[Magnets]

have you watched your task manager to see if anything is jumping up to 100%?

Yeh, i havn't noticed anything.

Just running a verification + repair on my RAID array, gonna see if it detects any problems.


It's kind of a full system hang, nothing responds, not even ctrl+alt+del. Until the pause is over.

[directhex]

check your event log - i had something like this from a dodgy IDE connection

[Magnets]

check your event log - i had something like this from a dodgy IDE connection

Nothing in eventviewer.
I am running 2x SATA HDDs in RAID1/RAID0 btw, i checked their connections and they are in nice and tight.

I will check my IDE tomorrow, but it could be possible, since i used my DVD drive yesterday and haven't used it for a few weeks before that!

Thanks for the ideas guys, it doesn't seem to be doing it as much since i rebooted (and checked the connections).

[Lucio]

If I were you, I'd disable the following processes and check to see whether the problem goes

H:\Program Files\Portrait Displays\PerfectSuite\DTHtml.exe
H:\WINDOWS\RTHDCPL.EXE
H:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe
H:\Program Files\Portrait Displays\PerfectSuite\DTSRVC.exe
H:\Documents and Settings\Richard\Desktop\hhyejt.exe

Especially watch that last one because it's sitting in a very strange place for a running process...

[Magnets]

H:\Documents and Settings\Richard\Desktop\hhyejt.exe

Especially watch that last one because it's sitting in a very strange place for a running process...

hehe, that's HijackThis.exe
I read somewhere that some viruses hide from it if they see a process called hijackthis.exe, so i renamed it a while ago and left it on my desktop.

[Magnets]

If I were you, I'd disable the following processes and check to see whether the problem goes

H:\Program Files\Portrait Displays\PerfectSuite\DTHtml.exe
H:\WINDOWS\RTHDCPL.EXE
H:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe
H:\Program Files\Portrait Displays\PerfectSuite\DTSRVC.exe
H:\Documents and Settings\Richard\Desktop\hhyejt.exe

Especially watch that last one because it's sitting in a very strange place for a running process...

I checked IDE/SATA connections, all are in fine.

I disabled all of those processes, still does it!

Just reinstalled FF, just in case. Still does it!

[Lucio]

Ok, next step is to boot into safe mode and see if you still get the problem. If you do, take your PC off the internet and disable everything, including AV scanner and firewall.

If it still does it after that, then you're looking at a likely hardware issue, with HDD being the first thing to check, followed by RAM.

[UseItNow]

I've had similar difficulties as such on a machine that is occasionally used, everything stops responding until the pause is over, I've checked everything with the exception of the hard drive I think. I'm presuming the usual HDD diagnostics software, etc?

Could it be say one of the IDE connectors or even both, as I've switched it over to the second, still the same problem. It happens frequently, on either IDE connectors. I'm presuming it's not software based as I can't reproduce it, it's spontaneous. If it is say something to do with the IDE connectors, hence motherboard, is there a way to test further? Or am I stuffed?

directhex,what should I check for in the Event Log? I ask as you stated "check your event log - i had something like this from a dodgy IDE connection".

Good luck, Magnets. I had pretty much given up on the machine until I got a glimpse of this thread, so thanks.

[Lucio]

What he means is under "Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Event Viewer", there's usually signs of disc errors in that, under the Application or System sections, just look for the Red warning marks and Yellow exclamation points.

If you suspect a bad HDD, try taking anything else off the IDE channel, I've seen problems before caused by a CD-ROM drive set to auto discover whether it was a master or slave drive

[CrazyMonkey]

What were the results of the safe mode test?

If you finally run out of ideas, try (RUN) msconfig. Go into services check "Hide all microsoft services" and stop all other services. Reboot see if anything changes....

On a side note, have you tried just re-installing the OS? As in not formatting, just overwriting the OS files with a fresh copy - It fixes many problems i get, XP seems to wear over time.

Oh and you should not run Hijackthis from the desktop, can and does cause problems. But you're log appears squeeky clean.

[Magnets]

I tried running safe mode for about 5 minutes yesterday, and it didn't freeze at all.

I will try it again now for a bit longer.

edit: Just running safe mode now (with networking), and it's not doing it!

[Lucio]

I tried running safe mode for about 5 minutes yesterday, and it didn't freeze at all.

I will try it again now for a bit longer.

edit: Just running safe mode now (with networking), and it's not doing it!

Then you have a problem with a piece of software installed and not a hardware problem (which should be a relief!). My recomendation is to backup your data and then do a clean install of your OS. Add things in slowly, one at a time, if you see the problem re-emerge, then you'll know what is causing the issues.