Scal freezing and locking up my laptop.

[dlhill]

This problem has just started. If I have anything other than a very simple file, it cuts about 3/4 of it then freezes. Locks up my computer, and I can't even launch task manager to shut it down. I have to turn my computer off. If I break the file into small segments I can cut it in segments. I did recently download the newest update, so figured it was a glitch with that. Went back to a December version, which was working fine, and am still having the same issue. I know nothing about computers. I just know how to use my programs. I have been using my lynx for about 3 years, but have not run into this issue.
Is it a software issue? A lynx issue? A driver issue? A communication issue?
I would appreciate any help or suggestions. I need my cutter!!!

[dlhill]

here are the two files I have had issues with. it was cutting fine up until last week. I was also getting diagonal slashes through my htv on the name file.
I could cut one column of names at a time, and I split the coffee file into 2 pieces, and it would cut.

[Gigi]

It could well be a virus on your computer that is causing things not to run accurately or using up your memory. You might want to look at your task manager and see if either the CPU or memory is running higher than usual. I cannot try the files until later but I will. But my guess is that something is going on with your computer communicating with the machine. Will check as soon as I can......

[LisaH]

I agree, I think you may have a virus of some sort. If the prior version of SCAL was behaving the same way and neither were doing it before a couple of weeks ago, that is a good indicator.

[dlhill]

I went back to scal 3.053, and cut the coffee file successfully. I tried going back to the version I had been using since December, with no issues, but it was freezing also.
I will ask my husband to look into the virus issue for me. Just happy I have it cutting for now.
Thanks for all the info ladies. I appreciate it!

[Gigi]

Ok - good. What is interesting about viruses (having just had my computer cleaned which I do about twice a year remotely) is that he will run a minimum of 8 programs to catch everything. No one program eliminates everything and it is amazing to see just what catches what!! My computer was freezing as well - not necessarily SCAL but no matter what I did it would grab it sporadically. Then it got better for a few days but we still cleaned it and there was TONS of little stuff on there.

He gave me a great analogy - for what it's worth. I loved the visual. He said imagine your virus protection program is a tennis racquet. And viruses, threats, etc are tennis balls. Now imagine that there are hundreds coming at the racquet constantly. The program is going to hit back a good percentage of them, but some are going to sneak in as nothing can catch anything. When someone says they don't have a virus (and they own a PC) I tend to say - yes you do - it just isn't messing with you yet!!

So glad you have things running well for now and hope it continues to work......