Hardware that has to do with freezing/locking up - Please help!

[foam]

I'm having a problem with a locking up computer.

The computer I'm having trouble with is constantly freezing up. Not when I play games or anything, because I can't even install a game, let alone get a CD in the drive before it freezes up. It freezes to the extent where I have to hold down the power button to turn it off.

Here's some information that might be helpful.

"224" Mb of ram (Odd number)
55 GB
AMD ATHLON XP 2200+
1.79 Ghz
Running on XP Home edition
E-Machines computer

Never before used, it was brought back to my step-dad's work right before his work shut down. We brought the computer home, it was never before used, I know this because it was still on the Welcome to XP page when I started it up, and all of the discs/accesories were still in the original packaging.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, I'll be heading to a computer hardware store next week if I can find out what the problem is and what I have to replace. (Also I have another computer extra that has great components/parts, so I will most likely be able to test anything you guys can throw at me.)

Thanks alot,
Brad

[foam]

Can anyone help me? It isn't that hard of a question..

[Thong_Ispector]

You cant be entirely sure that the computer was never used just because the cd's were still wrapped. Often a tech will use one set to install many systems.

Since you did not give us much to work on there are a few things you can try since you seem to have an alternate internet access.

Create a DOS boot disk on another machine (with cd drivers if you know how)

See if it will boot to that.

Try to boot to the Windows install disc

Download a linux LiveCD llike Mepis or Knoppix and try to run that...

You should be able to give us more details by doing any or all of those above.

You might also try hitting F8 to go into safe mode on power up to see if that will get you into windows...

[nanosani]

Go to start -- Run -- and write msinfo32 ... go to components -- problem devices ... and uninstall any problem devices specified.

[foam]

Go to start -- Run -- and write msinfo32 ... go to components -- problem devices ... and uninstall any problem devices specified.

I'll try that, I'm almost positive That it will freeze before I Can get to that though. The only way I got by to checking any info on the computer was by moving the mouse one pixel at a time ;(. I'll try this though.

Okay, I did that. There were no "problem devices" stated though. I tried running windows on diagnostic and it seemed slightly smoother, but it eventually froze up again.

I also found out that if I wait about 5 minutes after it freezes, ussually an error message comes up saying that "Windows had just recoverred from a device failure" and windows ends up on safe mode, or someting like that. I'm not sure if this is helpful at all, but I hope it is.

[hippychic43]

Don't know if this will help you, but i recently had the same kind of problem with my computer.

It wouldn't stop freezing, on average it froze about every hour of usage!

I took it to a computer shop and they showed me I had bad capacitors on the motherboard, and they had to be replaced. Unfortunately it wasn't just the capacitors for me something else is completely screwed with it and my motherboard is completely broken.

Your capacitors are these little round kinda battery looking things that are on your motherboard. You can go to this website: www.badcaps.com to see pictures of what they look like and also get info on how to fix them, and whatever other info you want on them.

[foam]

thanks alot, I might try switching mbs around when i get the time.