On 18 Dec 2002, at 0:15, Jim Harris wrote:

>     For the last month my computer hesitates - or freezes - for from one to
> ten seconds:  the mouse arrow won't move, then jumps to where I've moved it;
> typing in Word, or Outlook Express, the letters won't show, then suddenly
> appear after computer 'thaws'.  Whatever I'm doing, there is no response -
> for a few seconds.  I frequently am listening to internet radio while I
> work, and all sound stops during the 'freeze'.
>
>     I have a Dell Dimension (April, 1999) Pentium II; 450 Mhz; 320 MB SDRAM;
> 8.4 GB hard drive; and I probably have too many downloaded programs - but I
> don't think any were loaded immediately prior to onset of problem.

  There are pretty good tools included with NT/2K/XP for identifying
processes that are "hogging" the CPU.  The tools built into 95/98/ME are not
as detailed, but there are some third-party possibilities, some of which are
free.
  Which OS do you have?

David Gillett

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