Dell Vostro 1510 freezing

[cazt]

I have an elderly Vostro 1510 (OS Vista) which, whilst rather slow, was working fine when, a few days ago, it suddenly started freezing after a few minutes use. Since then, I've moved a lot of files onto an external drive to free up space on the hard drive (which necessarily took several lots of switching off and on again to achieve) but it has made no difference. I tried using the Vista CD to repair but it didn't seem to do anything useful. I have tried system restore but it doesn't seem to be functioning properly and won't let me do it. I'd be grateful for any suggestions.

 

[webworkings]

Try starting it up in "Safe Mode" and see if it is slow in there. If not, then you may want to do some deep scans for viruses, malware, bad programs, etc. You should also check what programs are auto starting when Windows is starting up, as that can drastically slow down the computer as well. These won't be in the "Startup" folder. To find them you need to go to "Start" and then in the search box type "msconfig". (Without the quotes). Click on it in the list that shows (should be at the top) and when it opens the program, click on the "Startup" tab.

NOTE: BE CAREFUL IN HERE. Do not mess with anything you are unsure of, otherwise you can really mess things up and make the computer not want to work at all.

Look for programs that are auto starting when Windows starts up which you don't want or need starting. Once you are have chosen which ones you want to not start up (by unchecking their boxes) click "Apply" and then "OK". You would then need to restart the computer for said changes to take effect.

How to enter "Safe Mode" when booting the computer.

In Windows 8 and 10...

As your computer restarts, press F8 (possibly a few times) to enter "Safe Mode"

a. Press the "F4" key to Enable "Safe Mode".
(The computer will then start in "Safe Mode" with a minimal set of drivers and services.)

b. Press the "F5" key to Enable "Safe Mode" with Networking.
( Once "Safe Mode" with Networking starts, Windows is in Safe Mode, with additional network and services for accessing the Internet and other computers on your network.)

c. Press the "F6" key to Enable "Safe Mode" with Command Prompt.
(In "Safe Mode" with "Command Prompt" starts Windows in Safe Mode, with a Command Prompt window instead of the Windows interface. This option is mostly only used by IT professionals.)

Now sign in to the computer with your account name and password. (If you have one set.) When you are finished troubleshooting, you can exit "Safe Mode" restarting your computer.


In Windows 7/Vista/XP...

1. Immediately after turning on the computer, or restarting it (usually after you hear your computer beep), tap the F8 key, repeatedly, in 1 second intervals.

2. The computer will then display hardware information and run a memory test.

3. Next the "Advanced Boot Options" menu will appear.

4. In the "Advanced Boot Options" menu use the arrow keys to select "Safe Mode" or "Safe Mode with Networking" and press ENTER.

 

[cazt]

Try starting it up in "Safe Mode" and see if it is slow in there. If not, then you may want to do some deep scans for viruses, malware, bad programs, etc. You should also check what programs are auto starting when Windows is starting up, as that can drastically slow down the computer as well. These won't be in the "Startup" folder. To find them you need to go to "Start" and then in the search box type "msconfig". (Without the quotes). Click on it in the list that shows (should be at the top) and when it opens the program, click on the "Startup" tab.

NOTE: BE CAREFUL IN HERE. Do not mess with anything you are unsure of, otherwise you can really mess things up and make the computer not want to work at all.

Look for programs that are auto starting when Windows starts up which you don't want or need starting. Once you are have chosen which ones you want to not start up (by unchecking their boxes) click "Apply" and then "OK". You would then need to restart the computer for said changes to take effect.

How to enter "Safe Mode" when booting the computer.

In Windows 8 and 10...

As your computer restarts, press F8 (possibly a few times) to enter "Safe Mode"

a. Press the "F4" key to Enable "Safe Mode".
(The computer will then start in "Safe Mode" with a minimal set of drivers and services.)

b. Press the "F5" key to Enable "Safe Mode" with Networking.
( Once "Safe Mode" with Networking starts, Windows is in Safe Mode, with additional network and services for accessing the Internet and other computers on your network.)

c. Press the "F6" key to Enable "Safe Mode" with Command Prompt.
(In "Safe Mode" with "Command Prompt" starts Windows in Safe Mode, with a Command Prompt window instead of the Windows interface. This option is mostly only used by IT professionals.)

Now sign in to the computer with your account name and password. (If you have one set.) When you are finished troubleshooting, you can exit "Safe Mode" restarting your computer.


In Windows 7/Vista/XP...

1. Immediately after turning on the computer, or restarting it (usually after you hear your computer beep), tap the F8 key, repeatedly, in 1 second intervals.

2. The computer will then display hardware information and run a memory test.

3. Next the "Advanced Boot Options" menu will appear.

4. In the "Advanced Boot Options" menu use the arrow keys to select "Safe Mode" or "Safe Mode with Networking" and press ENTER.

Thanks for the suggestions. I've already done all of that as well as a deep clean and nothing has changed. I get a few minutes of use then it all stops. I've wasted so much time on it now that I 'm giving up and taking it to a computer shop on Monday. If I can just get it going so I can access things I need (at minimum expense), I'll replace it asap with a new one.

 

[webworkings]

Good Luck

 

[user_404]

Launch windows Safe Mode with command prompt and run this command

sfc /scannow

This solution resolved constant freezing for myself