Constant machine lockup

[Frizkeyfeline]

Ok, Now I believe that girls can do anything if not more than guys, but when it comes to computers I'm retarded. I need a big strong... SMART computer intelligent man... Now is definetly one of those times. We got a computer like a year ago or so and it worked fine. Then it decided that it hated me and wanted to make my life a living hell. Now everytime without fail that you are on the computer it will lock up. Sometimes right after everything loads and you move the mouse, sometimes it will let you think its goin to work and then just NOT. I dont know if any of this info is important but here look:
AMD Athlon Processor
800 MHZ
256 MB of RAM
37.2 GB in total space
6.78 GB free space
File System : NTFS
Currently Running: Windows XP Home
Previously Running: Windows ME
More previously:
Then ran Windows Xp Home edition... didnt activate and it locked up so the COMPUTER MAN came and decided to put Window Professional on it. But he never took off Windows XP HOME, and who knows if Win ME is still here somewhere... But it was locking up way back when with Windows ME.
In Windows Explorer it says Win NT or soemthing like that... and this was never there until the COMPUTER MAN took it from me. So i hate it and im really frustrated and i would not only love but be forever in debt to those who could help me figure out what is causeing my EVIL EVIL machine to be so EVIL.

Like from little knowlege that i have and have obsorbed by trying to learn on my own. I thought maybe the mother board was over clocked, lacking enough RAM or a program that just decided to deleted my machine up. So anything at all would be so greatly appriciated cuz as im sure you all can tell. Im despirate and know nothing.

Watch the language please


GroundZero3

[muno]

Please post the complete error message it displays upon lockup.

I'm trying to figure the sequence out;
winxp<-winme<-winxp<-w2k<-winxp

You might want to do a clean install. If it's a label computer (eg. compaq) you should have a restore disc. If not, backup all data you have, put in the winxp disc, boot with it and delete everything from the partition manager, then create a new partition and fresh you go.
-M

[DallasDon]

program that just decided to *** my machine up

Did you recently install or download a program that aggrevated the problem? You might try a "system Restore" to a restore point previous to that.

Might be time to embark on a new adventure, by maybe upgrading some hardware and a clean reinstall, as muno suggested.

[PartsMan]

Here's a third vote for a HDD reformat and .... a clean install.

I have always heard that multiple OSs is a bad thing ... makes the box think outside the box ... which the box can't do !!!

[Frizkeyfeline]

You all talk like I know what your saying lol. No, but seriously it was Window ME, Xp-h xp-Pro and i think theres a win Nt on here somwhere. I dont know how to get ride of the os i dont want. I dont know how to just format the drive and start knew. But i wish i did... that would be nice... Oh thanx for the help this far. Even more would be terrific oh yea and theres no error message it just freezes. i restart it at least 5 times in 7 minutes... i think i may just throw it out the window.

[DallasDon]

Post your system specs: Mobo, cpu, ram, and hard drive.

Also what type of "windows CD" do you actually own, and want to use.

A format and reinstall will wipe EVERYTHING off you hard drive and start fresh, using a Windows CD.

So start by copying the files you want to save, favorites, pics, docs, etc. to a cd to reinstall later.

Any applications, Programs, will have to be installed with the original cd for that proggy, or downloaded again from the net after windows is installed.

Get that far, and someone will surely help you to do that. Kinda helps to have another comp online while you are doing this, to get assistance.

Good Luck.

[Gouki]

Originally posted by PartsMan
Here's a third vote for a HDD reformat and .... a clean install.

Here's another vote for that. It sounds like you've got too much stuff cluttering up your system. And I had always heard that upgrading from ME to XP was a no-no....while upgrading from 98 to XP was ok.

You'd be better off just formating the drive and starting over...and of course we can help you with that too!

[Strawbs]

A good place to start would be to let us know if there is a Brand nameplate on the front of the box, and what it says if there is!

Before you do any "formatting" you need to back-up and\or print out all of your important documents and data! A format will wipe everything from the drive ...EVERYTHING!!!

[Frizkeyfeline]

Woah woah woaaah lots of information. I dont know exactly how to find alot of the stuff you all were asking me about. I do have another machine that works...barely but works to get online so that when i mess up that machine i can hopefully find some nice people like you guys to help me lol... but i dont care if i never see anything thats on that machine again. I have all my pics on ofoto and my docs. on disk. So if anyone wants to spend there time explaining how to format it it could be very nice. I activated Windows XP home on the machine will i be able to use that activation code again? and i dont know how to get the other OS systems off soo i don tknow im confused again.... and yea otherwise im down for deleted EVERYTHING and starting new. This problem started awhile ago. I had alot of file sharing programs on the machine and songs, videos, and pictures so i erased all the songs, videos, and pictures and the majority of the used space was still taken up. So i just want a new start. THANK YOU AGAIN