For the past few months I've been having a problem where everything on my computer will freeze for 2-15 seconds, and then resume. Everything on the screen stops for the duration--no cursor movement, no video--and the sound repeats and then stops. After the freeze, everything resumes. Text that I have typed during the freeze is input, and mouse movement is translated into cursor movement. This freezing never ends in a shutdown--everything always resumes.

A period of frequent (meaning a few times a minute) freezing will start at any random time, but it is made worse whenever I listen to music, play any game with good graphics, or watch an online video (like on YouTube). Video files on my computer do not exacerbate the problem, however.

I originally thought that the freezing might be due to a bad sound card because of distorted audio, so I got a new one. Audio is now no longer distorted, and the freezing was reduced for a time, but now it is worse than it ever was. This problem has persisted across two installations of Windows XP and one installation of Windows Vista.

I realize it would be difficult to solve my problem over the Internet (though that would be nice) so I'm looking for a direction to start troubleshooting. Any help would be appreciated.

System core stats:
CPU: Intel Pentium 4 2.8 GHz (2 years old)
RAM: 1 GB (3-4 years old)
MB: Intel Desktop Board D875PBZ (3-4 years old)
GPU: nVidia GeForce 6800 Extreme Edition (frequently heats up in excess of 40 degrees fahrenheit; 1 year old)
Sound Card: Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Music (new)
Current OS: Windows XP

Ok, it sounds like it might be an overheating issue. Most times when things freeze up, your inputting too much power into your process, making it work faster, causing it to produce more heat, therefore, heating up faster. Is this a custom built PC? If it is, whoever built, make them check to see if the CPU fan is working properly, or take it to a local computer shop to see if they could take a look at the source of the problem.

Also, does this happen when your on the internet. Does it stop whenever your not?

Hmm. I tried disabling my wireless network adapter, and the freezing ceased. Of course, I couldn't connect to the internet, but at least I could play Oblivion. I assume it must be some kind of hardward conflict, then?

Will the computer work wired to the internet?

Did the wireless ever work OK?

Any other new hardware?

When you say:

GPU: nVidia GeForce 6800 Extreme Edition (frequently heats up in excess of 40 degrees fahrenheit; 1 year old)

What is the actual temperature?

Apologies. I meant 40 degrees celsius, obviously.

The wireless card (and Internet access) itself works fine. It's only the freezing that is the problem. I've had the card since May. Since then, there has been no new hardware other than my new sound card.

To Jake: This is a PC I built myself. The CPU seems to be working fine, and the system monitor software I have informs me that the temperature is still in the safe zone.

If you use the computer wired do you have any freezing problems?

No, I do not. Nor do I experience any problems when I disable the wireless network card (a D-Link Xtreme N DWA-552, by the way), as I discovered after Jake's comment.

Is this the card:

http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...reme+N+DWA-552

Do you have a D-Link router?

Also:

Check your Event Viewer via Administrative Tools.

Open the System as well as Application tabs and look for red X errors that coincide with your problem. Details here:

How to view and manage event logs in Event Viewer in Windows XP

Basic information on Event Viewer errors can be found here: EventID.Net

It looks like I was able to resolve the problem. I installed a new driver for my wireless card (though Windows didn't want me to) and everything's fine now. Strange that such a significant problem would have as simple a solution as that.

Thanks to all who offered me help.

Thanks for the update. Glad all is well!