Serious Windows XP problem. Please help?

I had the same problem months ago.Windows update fixed it.

In my expert opinion, it could be a couple of different things.

Your hard drive could be going bad. Alot of times when drives go bad, they work less and less as they grow hotter. This would explain why you have to shut it off for a period of time. This could be the drive cooling down, only to work again for a little bit. The best way to test for this would be to pop a known-working hard drive into the computer, and install Windows on it. Hard drives are returnable at most retailers, so you can always buy one for troubleshooting.

Secondly...

Check your bios (usually by hitting the DEL key at boot), and look for a section called "PC Health" or the like. It should have the current tempuratures of your cpu and motherboard listed. Depending on the chip, you want to make sure the temps staying under 50-60 degress celsius, It is possible a fan has died somewhere, or the CPU heatsink has come loose from the chip. These things would cause intermittent problems as you are describing.

If neither of these are a problem, then you most likely just have a component that went bad. There could be a short somewhere in your motherboard, etc. At this point - depending on the age of the machine and your level of hardware expertise; it might just be time for a new computer.

Hope this was helpful!

Theres always a possibility that you have RAM troubles, sure you have checked it on another computer but that doesn't mean anything for your computer. My suggestion is when you re-install windows, delete every partion available, then create a new partion NTFS (Quick) depending on what type of computer you have. If anything lower than a Pentium 3, use FAT32, but that's just me. Do not use firefox cause i think that program causes just as much trouble as downloading porno. After doing that, if everything seems to be running ok, research MEM-TEST32 for windows, that program is freeware and is used to safely check your compatibility of your RAM

And by the way, drunksincerity, you are completely wrong about downloading virus scans offline, by far the stupidest thing that people can do now and days cause of all the crap that's out there. Feel free to try and prove me wrong cause i guarantee you cant.

when you say you scanned hard disk. Did you scanned the hard disk for error (I mean not with Anti-Virus) but instead using windows built-in hard disk scan.

In order to do that right click your C: drive (in my computer) and go to properties>tool and select "Check Now" and select. Both "Automatically fix file system errors" and "scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors". Your hard disk might have bad sectors which is causing this problem. If the problem still exists format your hard disk and re-install XP. To re-install just put in the windows XP CD-rom (but you need to set your PC to boot from CD/DVD drive in Bios setup). FYI XP CD-rom is a bootable disc therefore does not require any boot discs. Then delete all the partitions created and recreate them again. Finally proceed to install XP.

GOOD LUCK!

Sounds like the RAM. because it works in other computers has no connection to yours. Go to www.crucial.com and scan it to be sure you have ENOUGH OF THE RIGHT KIND installed. 99% of these type problems are RAM related, and usually the wrong kind. Good luck! Norton keeps computer techs in business. You might try AVG after removing Norton and see if that helps.

If it happen often, open the chassis and made sure the cooling fan is working when the computer hang as you mention of waiting 20-30 minutes before the computer work again.

Computer will shutdown automatically if it overheat to prevent damage to the motherboard, I have encounted it when my cpu fan shop working. Th problem is solved after I changed my fan.

when your computer is booting up, hold down the F8 key...when windows tries to start, you will get a screen that now shows.. start windows in safe mode, start windows in last known good configuration, start windows normally and a few other options Try the one where is says start windows with last known good configuration. NOW, windows SHOULD start properly. When you close windows after that, and try to restart it, it should be fine. However, if not, you at least should be able to pick SOME option on the F8 screen to at least get into your system, do a backup of important information , and then after doing that, try to reload windows again. When trying to reinstall windows, try the repair option first.

Yes you probably got a virus in your system.

Follw these steps to eliminate the problem.

1. Download Avast! Home Edition. It's very powerful and it's free.

Download it here.

http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html

2. Download the latest update and install it.

Latest update is here.

http://www.avast.com/eng/update_avast_4_vps.html

3. Do a full system scan. Remove all the detected infections.

This will solve the problem.

Good Luck !!

you have a serious virus. You need to format and reinstall windows. and don't install that program or whatever you did again. That includes all programs and exe programs that you download from P2P programs and website downloads that you don't know too well.

you are having a compatable problem,to solve this,right click on whatever internet you use,select properties,select compatable with win 98 or 2000.this should resolve the problem,if not configure your internet settings.