Jeff,
I'd try to pare down the problem a wee bit more. Here's my kind of standard paring.
A) Is it an app (software) - shut down all extraneous apps (use msconfig to shut down the start up ones)
B) Is it the OS (Ex-Pee - now that's a branding!) - try booting from a dos disk and/or another OS and letting it run some benchmarks or something
C) Is it the user (profile) - either recreate or log in as somebody else
D) Is it the hardware - swap out the RAM chips with some others. Ram gets flaky over time - especially without power conditioning
E) Is it the environment (check for heat sources - this time of year those little pesky heaters under the desks are pc killers!)
I've found that lots of times, you can fix these ^*%^%^ intermittent things by wiping the user profile. Don't ask me why.. but something, sometimes, tends to build up in the profiles (Plaque perhaps?) Anyway, ... either logging in as a new user and/or wiping the profile and letting XP recreate it can sometimes fix it. I find the local admin is rarely used, hence is usually pristine. Login as local admin and see if the problem travels with you. If it doesn't, it's a profile problem.
You have multiple possibilities of profiles:
There are a possible TWO admin profiles (one for the local machine and, if you're on a domain, a domain admin) Perhaps there is a workgroup profile, but I don't recall.
There is a default user profile - this is copied to create a new profile when you login as a new user (this is a hidden folder)
There are user profiles - possibly lots of them.
All are stored in "Documents and Settings"
You can delete any or all of these - although you cannot delete your "current self" (i.e., if you are logged in as domain admin, you can't delete the domain admin profile. And.. I recommend being careful .. cause that's where lots of stuff is stored. Be sure to copy documents, and the like elsewhere.
Gavin
-----original message-----
>>;I have a Gateway computer with an AMD processor that is freezing up irradically. It seems to occur mostly after the system has been running for a while. It is running XP and runs fine for the most part but when it freezes the only alternative is the power button. I have upgraded the BIOS and other minor tasks recommended by Gateway's tech support website for this model but with no luck. I have pulled the memory, cards, and CPU and reseated all with no luck. Is there any hope for it or should I start looking at replacements? Any ideas would be appreciated.>>
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