I have a PC that was running okay, but developed a problem where the mouse locks up -- stops moving -- and the entire rest of the computer freezes at the same time. In the grand scheme of chicken-and-egg, I don't know that the computer freezes and the mouse stops moving, or the mouse stops and the computer freezes. I only know that the computer has stopped because the mouse no longer responds.
I have to physically shut the computer off by holding the power switch.
After many hours of checking, I discovered that if I remove the wireless adaptor, the computer works properly for days on end. When I install the wireless adaptor, the computer will lock up within a few minutes.
I'm certain that I have a hardware problem, and I think I have a power supply issue on my hands. The wireless adaptor is a PCI bus device, and I'm thinking the bus power supply is teetering on the brink of collapse, and the adaptor pushes it over the edge.
The motherboard is based on Celeron architecture, I forget the clock speed but 900 MHz sticks in my head.
This machine worked for years without ever giving me a problem. I installed the wireless adaptor about two years ago and was a broadband bandit for more than a year before I broke down and bought fiber optic service for my internet access. In the past ten days, I bought a new Core-2 Intel something-or-other, and was going to sell the Celeron to my brother in law. While removing my files, the mouse started acting up, and I jumped through all kinds of hoops trying to get the machine to work, I finally bought another Core 2 something-or-other for my BIL.
I found that the Celeron machine now works flawlessly for days and days, but I did not realize the wireless adaptor was a key. I installed a new wireless adaptor -- different from the original one -- and the problems began again within minutes. Sometimes the machine will lock up on the Desktop while booting, other times it will boot okay but lock up a while later. In any case, it always locks up in less than about 20 minutes. The PC is completely stripped right now, it has a keyboard, mouse, and monitor only. No printer or any other peripheral, including CD drive or 3.5" floppy. From the view of the power supply, there is only a motherboard, mouse, keyboard, and monitor.
When the wireless adaptor is installed into any of the 3 PCI ports, the computer locks up.
Is this a power supply issue?