Computer freezes consistently in my dorm room

[Boomer]

Let me begin by saying I know a lot about computers, but this is an extremely vague problem, and I really feel like I've tried everything. This problem has been occurring ever since I got my single at school about 2 years ago.

My computer freezes completely in my dorm room about 4 or 5 times a day. It is a complete freeze. The time displayed in the bottom is the time it froze at. I restart, and everything works fine. I have checked the event viewer over two years and have not seen any recurring errors between the time my computer freezes.

Let me stress that when I take my computer home, it does not freeze at all. This leads me to believe that it is completely not a internal hardware problem, as I have no problems at home. So that means no power source failing or anything like that. I also monitor my computer's heat levels and they are perfectly fine.

Occasionally, this problem stops at school. I have no idea how or why it stops, but for a few weeks or so, it will work just beautifully.

So, after two years, I still can't figure out how or why it happens. The best guess I currently have is that the massive jumble of cords I have behind all my electronics could possibly cause some kind of power problem or something. I'm really at a dead end. I really don't think it can be a software problem, and I've actually tried it with two different versions of Windows XP (32 and 64 bit) with the same result. The fact is, it HAS to be something about my surroundings, but I don't know what.

If you have any ideas as to what could be affecting my computer in my dorm room rather than in my room at home, please feel free to help. Thanks.

[Bad Company]

http://ascent.co.nz/productspecification.aspx?ItemID=107980

Get something like this by apc, power strip UPS' are sweet.

[Boomer]

I have one.

[Bad Company]

One with a UPS in it? Cool then
Maybe it's overheating?

[Vietnamese Crippler]

Maybe it's a little dirty inside the case?

[Nervous Ferret]

I'm sensing some extraterrrestrial spirit who is toying with you

[Silent]

This is a long shot but maybe the power socket you're plugging into at school has a problem and it's causing your computer to freak out, that happened to me once when I had my comp plugged into an old extension cord.

[Just John]

I'm sensing some extraterrrestrial spirit who is toying with you

:naughty:

[Boomer]

I've monitored the heat and it always seems to be fine. In fact, I bought a top-of-the-line heat sink and fan after this problem started in hopes that it might fix the problem.

As for the computer being dirty, its the same at home, so I doubt that is the case.

The socket is worth a try, I guess. I've changed power cords with no success, but can't remember changing the sockets on purpose.

[Boomer]

Oh, and if you are talking about the UPS surge protector overheating, the problem precedes the purchase.

[Boomer]

Changing the plug didn't work, although I can't use a different wall outlet. There is only one on that side of the wall, and there isn't one even close to it otherwise.

[Matchbox]

Changing the plug didn't work, although I can't use a different wall outlet. There is only one on that side of the wall, and there isn't one even close to it otherwise.

It's possible that living in a dorm can cause power fluctations on the whole building. Depending on the age of the building it may not have an adequate facility for the power drain that comes with modern electronics, ie Multiple computers running at the same time. You could be at the end of the power line and the draw on the building cause slight fluctations in the line to your outlet.
You would need a Standby Power Supply or a UPS with a line voltage conditioner to take over when the main power drops below the level that your CPU requires.
Like you said, the machine works fine at home but intermittently freezes in your room at school. It's only logical to surmise that there is an electrical fluctation occurring.
If you could make a log of when it freezes and compare it to peak power usage, ie when a majority of people are in their rooms, you may see a correlation.
A simple surge protector will not condition the line voltage, an SPS or UPS with a line conditioner should solve your problem.

Another theory, you might want to switch the power supply of the CPU to a higher rating (350+watts) and see if that helps to compensate. IF you've done some mods such as extra fans there is more call for wattage from the PS.
Then again that doesn't explain why it's ok at home but not in the dorm so we're back to power fluctations.

(sorry I was brainstorming :-\ )

[Boomer]

This building is very old (and is actually being demolished in two years), so that may be the case.

My UPS isn't doing the job, and its a piece of junk, so I might go to the store and get a surge protector with a line conditioner for cheap just to see if it might work. I'm really not looking to spend much, considering in a few years I won't be at college anymore.

[Boomer]

I used an Acoustic Research surge protector with power conditioner and it didn't help the freezing either. I guess I'll take it back.

I don't know what to do. I actually have a MythTV box in my room that doesn't freeze either, so I don't know. It still doesn't make sense that this doesn't happen at home.

[Bad Company]

Are you using any different apps at school?

[Boomer]

Nope. Not at all.

[Bad Company]

man, that's a weird one.
Temperatures are about the same?

[Boomer]

Yeah. I even added a new heat sink and fan about a year ago just in case this was the problem. Running it on its highest setting, I still get a freeze.

[Boomer]

It hasn't frozen for about 3 days now, so it should be good until it starts again. The only thing I did beforehand was downgrade my BIOS. I was running a beta version which never got an official version, and downgraded to the last official version. I would say this fixed the problem, but it still froze twice after I did this, so I don't know.

[Bad Company]

Looking promising, You could always try bump a little more voltage to the processor and ram as well. Of course it'll generate more heat, but it doesn't sound like heat is the issue here.

[Savio]

Its a long shot but it might be a network problem.

Is it a Lappy or a PC?

[Boomer]

It's a PC, and it isn't a network problem. I've disabled all my network devices before and still had the freeze.