Recommended Posts

I've been having this issue ever since I've owned this notebook. After a few hours of use when I go to download

anything my mouse would get really jittery and usually the computer will lock up seconds after. I would have to wait

for the freezing to subside for just a sec and cancel the download and then my computer would work perfectly fine.

afterwords, I could continue to game,multi-task and would run perfectly unless I tried to download something with the browser.

My computer would even freeze before downloading.. o_o as soon as I click on a link and the " save now" dialog box appears it will freeze.

currently using firefox 3.0, It still did the exact same freezing with firefox 2. I tested on ie in order to troubleshoot and it freezes with that browser as well.

12392038ye1.jpg

Computer Specs:

-GATEWAY P-6831 FX notebook.

-Windows Vista? Home Premium sp1 (32-bit)

-Intel? Core? 2 Duo Processor T5450 (1.66GHz, 667MHz FSB, 2MB L2 Cache)1

-3072MB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (1-1024MB & 1-2048 MB module)

-250GB 5400rpm Serial ATA hard drive w/ 8MB cache2

-17.0" WXGA+ Ultrabright TFT Active Matrix (1440 x 900 max. resolution)

-Intel? PM965 Chipset and NVIDIA? GeForce? 8800GTS with 512MB of GDDR3 discrete video memory

Isp: verizon fios

288178087.png

I upgraded to vista sp1 in hopes it would fix this issue but unfortunately it hasn't.

notes: rebooting clears the problem for a couple of hours usually.

any help is greatly appreciated as I'm very close to destroying this laptop with a bat. >_> lol

Link to comment
https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/645900-vista-freezing-during-downloading/
Share on other sites

Does this happen when you are plugged in? I know that a few laptops have power saver modes when running off battery. Just a thought, an issue that I came across on a Windows 2000 where indexing services was the slow down to save a file when downloading , Not sure if Vista would have that issue or not. Another possible suggestion, goto your download folder and turn the view to Details and not thumbnails, sometimes this slows down the save process on some machines. As well as having a lot of files in that folder.

In Win2k the solution for the indexing issue was as follows.

Goto the run

type

services.msc

then find indexing services and stop the service.

Download file.

then follow the steps and restart the service.

This really had an effect when downloading large files though.

Edited by redvamp128

yup, I rarely travel with this laptop so It's always plugged in.

-I have windows search (indexing service) disabled on this laptop.

-I always download files straight to my desktop for easy access.

any other questions please feel free to ask, I need to figure out this problem before I

lose my mind. lol

Try this for downloading- set FF3 to download not to your desktop- Sometimes that slows things down- Especially if you have lots of Icons. -Make a folder in your My Documents- Save them to there.

I know that in the past if you Had active desktop set for a Favorite Website- It would slow it down. Do you have dreamscapes installed?

I know you may like to save them there- but I know the desktop on a lot of computers is actually a web page- yes strange but true.... Especially if you have a picture as your desktop.

Let us try to take the desktop out of the equation... Make a folder on your C:\ (or whatever drive your Vista is on) then Make that one your default FF3 download location.

I know the desktop behaves differently than a standard folder.

And sometimes computers with lots of Icons/files on the desktop can have an impact on Boot Time - and also accessing things on the desktop.

I know Vista is supposed to handle files better. When was the last time you defragmented your hard drive?

Edited by redvamp128
Let us try to take the desktop out of the equation... Make a folder on your C:\ (or whatever drive your Vista is on) then Make that one your default FF3 download location.

I know the desktop behaves differently than a standard folder.

And sometimes computers with lots of Icons/files on the desktop can have an impact on Boot Time - and also accessing things on the desktop.

I know Vista is supposed to handle files better. When was the last time you defragmented your hard drive?

I don't think it has anything to do with the download file location.

I forgot to mention that even when taking an internet speed test my computer will freeze up and mouse will be

real jittery until the test is over.

><

I think I might know--This may sound crazy--- Your Antivirus software might be the slow down.

Try Disabling it- I know NAV will ask you for a time. Just temporarily disable it- Download your file then restart the antivirus software.. Then after it is done downloading- Have it scan the file you download- I have heard that sometimes it scans them as it comes in (the .part file in FF3) and the (temp) file in IE.

It is the best thing I can come up with.

Maybe it is scanning it while the file is trying to save it.

haha I was just going to edit my last reply and tell you about that.

I've already disabled my firewall( zone alarm free ) and a/v( avg free ) in order to troubleshoot

and I still get the freezing.

eh, hopefully we'll find the problem since we're eliminating things one by one. =b

thanks for all the help so far man.

You using the touch pad for your mouse? If you have a different mouse- like from a pc- or a marble mouse. Try attaching it. I know sometimes the touchpads can be sensitive. Like the Double tip open.

That maybe the jittery. Or goto the control panel and check out the mouse options. Maybe there is something there.

I am going to ask this- but I think I already know the answer- Have you went to the Gateway Site and checked for updated drivers?

Not to mention updates on Windows update?

I use a microsoft usb mouse instead of the touchpad.

I just disconnected the usb mouse and it still makes the cursor jittery for the touchpad too. ><

*restarted firefox each time btw

Here's a link to all of the update drivers currently listed for my notebook.

http://support.gateway.com/support/drivers...;param=1015088R

^I installed the new video driver yesterday. Is there anything you think I should

update on that list?

Does it also freeze when downloading from P2P or BitTorrent apps? Also, by any chance when you copy a file does it freeze? Sounds like a hard drive problem, but if it only freezes while downloading and writing to the hard drive by internet it might be your wireless/ethernet drivers causing this. Did you update them by any chance?

Check the date on your SATA drivers that you have installed. That may cause an issue- though SP1 may have upded ones not sure...

here's a ss of it.

devicepropxg9.png

btw I had this freezing issue before the sp1 update. I was hoping sp1 might of fixed it. =/ lol

Does it also freeze when downloading from P2P or BitTorrent apps? Also, by any chance when you copy a file does it freeze? Sounds like a hard drive problem, but if it only freezes while downloading and writing to the hard drive by internet it might be your wireless/ethernet drivers causing this. Did you update them by any chance?

nup, I can download from torrents without any trouble at all. I'm downloading a video with utorrent right now actually. lol

-just copied a huge file from my video folder to my desktop without and freezing/jittering

I haven't updated any wireless/ethernet drivers afaik. Should I update this driver that is listed for my model number?

http://support.gateway.com/support/drivers...mp;uid=20056002

note: I'm currently using a wireless internet connection.

netro5.png

should I hook up an ethernet cable and see if this problem persists?

Try with the ethernet cable.

I hooked up the cable and It was still jittering on download so I rebooted. After restart my computer will download files

perfectly fine without freezing for an hour or so.

I will have to wait and see if the ethernet cable fixes the issue. =x

If you guys have any other ideas or questions please feel free to chime in. :)

So it didn't freeze at all with the ethernet cable?

I guess we can bring it down to the wireless being the problem.

After I reboot the problem will go away for awhile.. so I had to wait in order to test properly with the Ethernet cable.

edit: I just tested it and it still freezes with the Ethernet cable as well. =[

any other ideas?

Edited by Jigoku

No clue. I'd try formatting, or try an Ubuntu live CD to see if it's a hardware problem or a software problem. If the problem doesn't persist when using Ubuntu or any other O/S, then we can say it's a driver, software problem. If the problem doesn't go away, even after a format/trying it out on another O/S then it's more likely to be a hardware problem.

Can you post a picture of your desktop?... I also want to know do have any RSS loaded in your side bar.

It is possible like for example I have heard of a run away tile . That wreaks havoc on the memory... Which will cause the jittering... as well as the slow downloads. I have also heard of a widget that Shows Stock and weather that can cause similar issues.

No clue. I'd try formatting, or try an Ubuntu live CD to see if it's a hardware problem or a software problem. If the problem doesn't persist when using Ubuntu or any other O/S, then we can say it's a driver, software problem. If the problem doesn't go away, even after a format/trying it out on another O/S then it's more likely to be a hardware problem.

nuuuuu! >< haha

I'm gonna keep trying different solutions before going the 'reformat' route. :cry:

Can you post a picture of your desktop?... I also want to know do have any RSS loaded in your side bar.

It is possible like for example I have heard of a run away tile . That wreaks havoc on the memory... Which will cause the jittering... as well as the slow downloads. I have also heard of a widget that Shows Stock and weather that can cause similar issues.

sure, that's not a problem. x)

I don't have anything loaded on my side bar. I've had the side bar disabled ever since I got this laptop. xD I also have all of the visual

settings turned off except for 4 of them. ss below*

visual settings screenshot:

settingsts8.png

desktop screenshot:

ssna4.jpg

note: I just ran a check disk and It didn't report any errors/bad sectors. ( It took like an hour+ to complete though )

I know there is a setting in the bios on a Dell Laptop.

But Use the F2 key during boot up.

On a Dell their is a setting for Hard Drive Performance... Usually it is set for Quiet or Acoustic. There may be a setting to change that to Normal or Performance.

This does make the Hard Drive a little more noisy.

But I have noticed some faster file access times.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • A coalition of publishers sued OpenAI and Microsoft over scraping content without consent by Hamid Ganji Image via Depositphotos.com AI companies often rely on readily available internet content to train their chatbots and provide users with instant answers. This method of AI training is fast and relatively inexpensive, but using a website’s content without permission or compensation is not something publishers like to see, and this is exactly why Microsoft and OpenAI are now being sued. As reported by Bloomberg, a group of publishers that collectively own nearly 400 newspapers has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft. The coalition argues that the two companies scraped their content to build AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Copilot without paying any compensation. The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, argues that while AI products have generated billions of dollars in market value using publishers’ work, none of that value has been shared with the publishers. The plaintiffs are seeking statutory damages and injunctive relief for alleged copyright infringement and violations of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. “Defendants systematically and secretly crawled the Publishers’ websites—including content behind paywalls and other access restrictions—and copied the Publishers’ articles, stories, and other original works onto their own servers without authorization,” the complaint states. The publishers also described the AI boom as a “death knell for local journalism” if AI companies that scrape content for free are not held accountable. Former New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin and his law firm, Platkin LLP, are representing the publishers. “Our models empower innovation, are trained on publicly available data, and are grounded in fair use,” OpenAI spokesperson Drew Pusateri told Bloomberg. This is not the first lawsuit involving the unauthorized use of publishers’ content by AI firms, but it is one of the largest coalitions ever formed against the free use of content by AI chatbots. In 2024, OpenAI and Microsoft also faced a similar lawsuit from eight newspapers that claimed AI products were benefiting from their content without permission.
    • Rufus alternative Ventoy now supports Windows 11's mandatory update, fixes major boot bug by Sayan Sen While Microsoft has its own official Media Creation Tool used for making bootable USB media, there are some popular third-party utilities as well which offer additional options like bypassing system requirements, Microsoft Account creation, and more. One of these is Ventoy, and the software has received its latest update today. In fact, the app actually got a slew of updates over the last couple of days, three version releases in total, to be specific. The first release, version 1.1.13, was pulled as there was some unspecified error in the update, and as such, the corrected version 1.1.14 was pushed out. Following that on very short notice, 1.1.15 was published as well. For those unfamiliar, Ventoy is an open-source utility that lets users create a bootable USB drive once and then simply copy ISO, WIM, IMG, VHD, or EFI files onto it without repeatedly formatting the drive. It supports both legacy BIOS and UEFI boot modes, Secure Boot, and a wide range of operating systems, making it one of the most versatile tools in the category. The biggest change in version 1.1.14 is an updated Secure Boot shim file aimed at resolving the UEFI CA 2023 issue, which is basically a compatibility problem that has affected Secure Boot environments on some systems. If you recall, we reported about severe boot issues on HP devices following the release of updated Secure Boot 2023 keys. For anyone who may not be aware, back in early 2024, Microsoft announced that it was updating Secure Boot keys as they were going to become 15 years old in 2026, which is also when they are set to expire. As such, the new 2023 certificates have been rolling out with the newest Windows 11 updates. Updated boot manager and Secure Boot certificates are crucial for protection against malware like bootkits. These are mandatory updates. Alongside that, the VentoyPlugson graphical plugin configurator was updated in sync with the release. The update also introduces a new VTOY_SECURE_BOOT_POLICY option within the Global Control plugin, giving users more flexibility in managing Secure Boot behavior. Ventoy has also received a fix for a startup issue when Secure Boot was disabled. Microsoft does officially allow users to boot systems without Secure Boot as long as the PC is Secure Boot capable. The full changelog is given below: Update secure boot shim file to solve the UEFI CA 2023 issue. The new release use a new CA, so you need to enroll the new key for the first boot time. VentoyPlugson update synchronously. Global control plugin add a VTOY_SECURE_BOOT_POLICY option. Fix the boot issue when Secure Boot is disabled in the UEFI firmware. You can download the latest version of the app here on Ventoy's official GitHub repo or from Neowin software stories.
    • Windows 11 is fine, no issues on any of the machines I've run it on since release. The stricter security requirements are a good thing, sometimes the baseline needs to change and people will winge, but it is what it is. Happened with the move from 9x to NT - broke compatability Happened with XP SP2 when security started to become a serious consideration Certainly happend with Vista that brought in UAC, the concept of not running as admin (something that has been the norm in Linux/Unix from pretty much the start) and a completely new driver stack. Windows 11 will probably get looked back at as the point where even consumer and SMB IT was dragged kicking and screaming into a somewhat secure by default configuration.
    • Bluestacks has been emulating Android on Windows for fifteen years. It's janky and riddled with ads though, so WSA looked like it was going to be a huge improvement over the emulator experience. Too bad Microsoft dropped the ball on that.
    • Classic. China would be nothing without Western, Japanese, and South Korean technology.
  • Recent Achievements

    • Rookie
      krychek57 went up a rank
      Rookie
    • Grand Master
      Jaybonaut went up a rank
      Grand Master
    • One Year In
      Philsl earned a badge
      One Year In
    • Dedicated
      Scoobystu earned a badge
      Dedicated
    • First Post
      Tom Schmidt earned a badge
      First Post
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      441
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      172
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      134
    4. 4
      Michael Scrip
      78
    5. 5
      Xenon
      77
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!