Help with "Not Responding" in Vista Ultimate

[TLCJohn]

Hi Everyone!
This is the first time I have posted in this forum, and I would like to thank you all in advance for your helpful advice and/or tips.

Here is my problem: I am getting, in some very strange places, on my computer “Not responding”.

I get it when I open up some E-mails containing images (Using Outlook 2007).

I get it when I open up HTML files from an external hard drive in Dreamweaver 9.
I get it when I go to one of my external Hard Drives.
Example, if I open the top tear of folders, no problem, open the second tear of folders, no problem, BUT open the next tear of folders or files, and I get the problem “not responding”. It can take two or three minutes for the folder or file to open.

This has only been going on for about the last two weeks. (I have tried three System Restores "Just in case" and changing the configuration of USB devices).

With frustration in mind, that I might lose some of the work on one of the external hard drives, I purchased a new drive and loaded all the files from the old drive on to it. I can access the new hard drive just fine.

I have also reformatted the C Drive and reinstalled all the software.

PLEASE has anyone got any thoughts as to what the problem could be, I am hopeing the computer is not on its way out, it was only purchased in April this year.

All the very best to everyone.

John

[Paul]

Hi tlcjohn,

Welcome to vistaheads, I have seen this problem before and one thing that can cause this issue is your video card? is it vista ultimate capable and do you have the up-to-date drivers if it is? If you know the name of the vid card and memory capacity, search the manufacturer to see if its compatible,

Hope this helps,

Paul

[TLCJohn]

Hi Paul

Thank you so much for your reply. All the drivers are up-to-date, when I formatted the C: Drive and reloaded Windows Vista ultimate 32bit, it when off and found all the latest drivers for the hardwarein and pluged into the computer (Clever Mr Gates). The Video/Graphics card is an NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GS. Why would the Video/Graphics card do this after all this time, would it be better to find an older version of the driver and reinstall that?

All the very best, and look forward to your reply/thoughts.

John.

PS Paul, if you think it is the video/graphic card, would that stop the good lady wife from accessing my external hard drives, over the home (wired) network, through my computer, she is having the same problem running windows XP professional service Pack 2?

[Steve]

Hi John,

it could be a corrupt file ( this would tie in with Paul answer ) or a virus checker.

Lets run CHKDSK to see if any files are corrupt.

1. Open Start Menu.
2. Click on Computer button.
3. Right click on your hard drive and click Properties.
4. Click the Tools tab.
5. Click on Check Now under Error checking section.
6. Make sure both check disk options are checked.
7. Click Start button.

If you get an error "Windows can't check this disk while it's use" click on the Schedule disk check button and this will do a Disk Check when the PC boots up, before any programs interact with the drive.

The other thing that might be happening is that an Anti Virus program is trying to check the files and is falling over itself. Disconnect from the Internet and then turn off any virus checking and then retry Dreamweaver again.

One other thing is to see if there are any errors appearing in the Event Viewer. See this link Windows Vista Event Viewer for an overview of how to check the Event Viewer.

See how you get on with these and if not we will then try a few other things,

regards

Steve.

[TLCJohn]

Hi there Paul and Steve.

First of let me say thank you to the both of you for coming back so quickly.

Let me pass on to you both what I have done today. I have tried Paul's idea and updated the video/graphice drivers. I went and looked at the date of the drivers on the machine, the date was 11th September 2007, then I looked on the Internet 19th September 2007. So downloaded the new drivers, this, fingers, legs, arms and toes crossed has fixed the problem. (buggers you up for drinking a pint though) I will keep you informed. What I can't understand is why? Why would a graphic driver make this much difference? I do not understand, it does not compute in my little brain, but there you go!

As for your tips Steve, I tried doing that yesterday, there was some files, but windows said it put them in a "Fixed" file, but I can't find the file anywhere on the computer or on the hard-drive.

All I can say is thanks to you both.

John

[Steve]

Hi John,

is the problem with the Not Responding sorted?

Paul has an excellent way of thinking outside the box....and I think his Nanny hails from Southampton to add to the bargain...

John, can you start a new thread about the problem connecting to the drives and we will tackle that as a separate problem.

regards

Steve

[TLCJohn]

Hi there Steve!

The problem has, I hope, now been fixed by updating the graphic/video drivers.

I am sure it must have been the drivers, but, what I don't understand is, why updating the graphic/video drivers, would fix the problem?

If it comes back I will start a new thread covering just the Drive as you suggest.

Have a good one and all the very best.

John