Windows XP....strange problem...

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 21 May 2004 10:38 am

I have a problem on my Sony PC with Windows XP. It has been there since day one.

Very intermittently the following will happen. This intermittancy could take a month or so before returning. Then again it might happen several days in a row and then not appear again for a week.

Here are the symptoms: Everything will be going along fine and I will notice the mouse pointer will move smoothly for about 2 and 1/2 inches; then stop moving. IE, regardless of the direction, it will simply stop and then if I continue to move it, it will start again only to do it in another 2 and 1/2 inches of movement.

I had first thought it was the mouse. So I replaced it. Same thing. Then I noticed something EVEN stranger. If I have any sound playing at the time, it will ALSO cutout in rythym with the mouse pointer. When the mouse starts back up the sound will return and so on.

Some more facts. This is liable to happen regardless of the application(s) that are running, EVEN if NO application is launched by me.

Do you think it is "sound card" related where maybe the processor clock is being stopped (for a moment) because of some glitch on the sound card? Or do you have any other ideas?

Note: when the problem begins to happen, I have found NOTHING (save a reboot) that will cure it.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

carl

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 21 May 2004 11:41 am

Check the IRQ's. It's too complex to describe here so's find a geek that can check for conflicting IRQ's in the Bios or "systems" settings.

Cal Sharp · Post by **Cal Sharp** » 21 May 2004 2:10 pm

You can go to Control Panel/Printers & Other Hardware/Mouse and click on the hardware tab and then troubleshoot and see what you come up with.

Lloyd Karenke · Post by **Lloyd Karenke** » 23 May 2004 9:04 am

Check out the printer for any errors...re-install printer software...etc.

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 23 May 2004 3:05 pm

Lloyd,

Why the printer? I am having NO problems with the printer. Only the mouse pointer and sound stop periodically. The amount of time they stop is about a half second.

In other words, if there is music playing AND the problem occurs (which it might not for a week or more), the sound will continue playing only cutoff for about a half a second every 2 seconds or so.

Same for the pointer. It will flow smoothly for about 2 seconds, stop for half a second, flow smoothly, stop, etc, etc. When the pointer stops the sound cuts out. IE, the pointer stops and sound cut outs, are in sync with each other.

Also, I suppose it could be an interrupt request (IRQ) confict, but I can't see this going away for weeks (or even a month or so) and coming back, since I launch the same programs all the time. Also it may occur when NO application is launched by me.

Thanks for the suggestions though.

carl

Bobby Sparks · Post by **Bobby Sparks** » 23 May 2004 3:15 pm

Carl,

Just a thought. Is this by chance an optical mouse, either cordless or corded? If so, weak batteries can cause this to happen. If it's not optical, forget I said anything!

BNS

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 23 May 2004 5:59 pm

Bobby,

It indeed IS an optical mouse. However the reason I changed to the optical is because I thought my mechanical mouse was the problem.

Also, after thinking about it, I am not sure I can see how a mouse can cause the sound to cut out. But maybe.

carl

Bobby Sparks · Post by **Bobby Sparks** » 23 May 2004 7:33 pm

Carl,

I agree. Gotta think about this one for a while. That could pose a problem! (the thinking, I mean!)

Bobby

Jimmy Dale · Post by **Jimmy Dale** » 23 May 2004 7:34 pm

While you are on the subject, same system XP PRO, the hour glass flashes all the time. On for 4 secs. off for 3 secs. , and when it does this it also screws up the sound. If I'm working with BIAB the tempo goes "ape". Jimmy I'D RATHER BE STEELIN'

Ernie Renn · Post by **Ernie Renn** » 24 May 2004 5:26 am

I'd guess it's just the system catching up to itself. Especially if a restart fixes the problem. Probably when the RAM dumps previous information to have enough room for new info, the problem occurs. I don't care how much RAM you have, at some point you will run out and a dump will occur.

Find a program called FreeRam. Run it before you start another application. It will free up ram.

Good luck, Carl!

------------------
My best,
Ernie

www.buddyemmons.com

Mark Ardito · Post by **Mark Ardito** » 24 May 2004 7:51 am

Carl,

Hey buddy! I have this problem on a TON of PC's at work. I am taking a total guess here, but is your processor a Pentium chip? If so, I would guess that there is something called "speed steping" on that processor chip. It was one of Intel's biggest flops. They have stopped manufacturing chips with SpeedStep now, but they put out a TON of machines with them. Almost all of my "speed step" machines at work have your exact same problem.

Here is how I have found to fix it. Go into your BIOS settings and there is a switch to turn Speed Stepping on or off. By default it is turned on or enabled. You need to turn it off or disable it.

Now you might ask me..."How do I get into my BIOS?" All machines are different, but it is relatively the same method. You will need to hold down a key on your keyboard (like DEL or F1 or F2 or F12 etc) when you boot up your machine. To find out what key you need to press, there should be some sort of "splash" screen when you turn on your PC. It should say on that screen what key to press to go into "setup".

This is very odd, I thought for sure I was the only person experiencing this issue. However, when I was reading your post it was EXACTLY the same thing I go through at work. I struggled with this issue for months!

I think this will solve your problems.

Mark

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Sho~Bud Pro I, Fender D-8 (C6&E13) http://www.darkmagneto.com

Don Walters · Post by **Don Walters** » 24 May 2004 8:02 am

One other thought here ... if you have a virus checker installed that does auto-update, you can experience the same mouse-movement delay when it's updating from the 'Net

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 24 May 2004 9:48 am

Mark,

I do have a pentium chip.

That sounds like a winner. I am going to do that immediately. I may not know if it will cure it or not for a month or so. Because like I said, the problem is sooooo very incosistently intermittent. IE, It may happen 5 min after a reboot. It may happen every other day or week or even a month or two can go by until the problem reoccurs.

But it is certainly worth a try. I will let you know. Thanks. And thanks for all the other suggestions by everyone. One thing is for sure, WHEN it happens I have found NOTHING that will stop it except for a reboot.

carl

Mark Ardito · Post by **Mark Ardito** » 24 May 2004 10:23 am

Carl,

The more you talk about this, the more I can't believe someone else has experienced this. I thought for sure I was the only one. Everytime I called tech support or talked with co-workers they thought I was nuts! It took a long time for me to figure it out because of the time between occurances.

Best of luck!

Cheers!

Mark

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Sho~Bud Pro I, Fender D-8 (C6&E13) http://www.darkmagneto.com

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 24 May 2004 1:03 pm

Hi Mark,

Ok, I am unable to get into the bios setup screen. Incidently I have, on older computers, been into and even changed settings in the BIOS.

For some reason, NOTHING gets me into that screen. Also there is only one flash screen that appears during boot up and it goes by so fast I was unable to see anything. So I used the "pause" button to stop it.

Not one word about getting into the setup (bios) mode on this screen. I tried Del, F1, F8, F12, etc. Are we certain that Windows XP has not done something that preempts a Bios setup screen?

I heard something several years ago about Pentium IV and XP home edition being an entirely new animal. Is it possible that I can't get into it without maybe doing something on the motherboard like shorting several terminals together or something similar?

I am at a loss now,

carl

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 24 May 2004 1:14 pm

Carl, What model Sony is it? Perhaps I can help if you can tell me the model of the PC and the sound card chipset.

Also, check your task manager and see if you got some strange processes running. There is also a nifty program available from Micro$oft called "process viewer" that will list all of the processes/threads running in your PC (ones you can't even see). If the PC is bogging down due to rogue processes running, everything slows down. Once you find a rogue process you typically go into the registry and edit out the command that is invoking it in the first place.[This message was edited by Ray Minich on 24 May 2004 at 02:15 PM.][This message was edited by Ray Minich on 24 May 2004 at 02:19 PM.]

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 24 May 2004 1:21 pm

Ray,

It's a Sony VAIO model PCV RX550. Purchased Dec 2001.

I can't help on the sound chip.

carl

Joseph Barcus · Post by **Joseph Barcus** » 24 May 2004 3:03 pm

you have a memory card loose

Mark Ardito · Post by **Mark Ardito** » 24 May 2004 5:13 pm

Carl,

I just found this on the Sony Vaio support website...

At the initial Sony screen, on the keyboard, press the F2 key to enter the BIOS setup utility.

If the splash screen is too fast try turning off the machine. While it is off, hold down the F2 key and then start the machine up. Keep the F2 key down until you get into the BIOS.

Let me know...

Mark

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Sho~Bud Pro I, Fender D-8 (C6&E13) http://www.darkmagneto.com

Mark Ardito · Post by **Mark Ardito** » 24 May 2004 5:14 pm

you have a memory card loose

If the memory chip was loose the problem would not be so intermitten and also it would be a lot more noticible.

Mark

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Sho~Bud Pro I, Fender D-8 (C6&E13) http://www.darkmagneto.com

Lou[NE] · Post by **Lou[NE]** » 25 May 2004 9:09 am

Mark, good to see you back, and thanks for the info on speed stepping.

My stepdaughter so tired of her Sony Vaio PCV-RX370DS (P4 cpu with WinME and 128Mb rambus memory) displaying these symptoms that she gave it to me and got a new PC. I couldn't figure it out so I used it for parts. Now I have to de-scavenge a hard drive and video card so I can try out your fix.

Thanks again.

Lou

Later....Nuts. Found a video card, got into BIOS and found nothing about speed stepping. Oh well...thanks anyhow.

Lou
[This message was edited by Lou[NE] on 25 May 2004 at 10:37 AM.]

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 25 May 2004 9:46 am

Yes,

Sadly, nothing about speed stepping after I got into the Bios setup using the F2 hold down above.

carl

Mark Ardito · Post by **Mark Ardito** » 25 May 2004 9:50 am

Lou,

On the case of the machine there usually is a Intel sticker or decal with the Pentium info on it. There is where you can find out if the chip has the speed stepping on it. It is often written on the sticker.

Yeah, I have been gone for a little while. I really had to buckle down and finish up my Master's degree. It was pretty difficult to work and go to school and manage to keep a marriage. It left little time for the forum or E9 playing. But, I graduated and I am back!

Cheers!

Mark

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Sho~Bud Pro I, Fender D-8 (C6&E13) http://www.darkmagneto.com

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 25 May 2004 3:16 pm

Congrats on your Masters Mark! Data Mining... You need a pick and shovel for that?

[This message was edited by Ray Minich on 25 May 2004 at 04:18 PM.]

Post by **Joey Ace** » 26 May 2004 6:55 am

Wow! Congrats Mark.

I hope you don't mind me braggin on ya... http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum14/HTML/001804.html