ALERT !! NOT SOLVED.

It started happening again !

Still running on one solitary DIMM 256mb, it seems to be lasting longer but eventually resets, and goes back to the boot screen. This tends to happen when I move the machine. Also the odd freeze but not as often as before.

I would borrow / buy some RAM of the exact same type of yours, that you definatly know works, and try it. If that doesnt help, then it would be a more serious issue, for a IT tech to look at after taking apart the laptop. To see if something inside has broken.

Ive had 2 more BSODs:

***STOP: 0x0000007f (0x00000008, 0x80042000, 0x0000000, 0x0000000)

or this one:

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

0x0000000A (0x00CACE44, 0x000000FF, 0x0000000, 0x805663EB)

I think its well buggered.

The first BSOD has relevance to this article : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/137539 :

The second has relevance to this one : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314063 :

The first link says about a faulty motherboard/RAM, the second also relates to RAM mainly. I personally would take the laptop to a Technically minded person who works for a computer shop. They would be able to test it for you, and find the direct cause of the problem, because it would be there in front of them, rather than fixing it without seeing it, as we are doing it here. Take it to a computer tech store, see what they say about it, after giving it a good check over, and go from there. Would appear that the problem is Motherboard / RAM based.

Sounds like a bad CMOS battery

I would usually reccomend updating the BIOS I had an old R30 and the stock BIOS version was full of bugs. HOWEVER, i do not advise you try it on your machine as if it decides to crash during the flash process, it will kill your machine.

So for the time being, try replacing the battery

Use memtest86 to check the RAM too.

I ran memtest86 for 12 hours and no errors were picked up, its still running now at home, so I will see whats what when I get in, but 0 errors after 12 hours ! So it cant be bad RAM - although it does work better with one SODIMM installed and not 2.

could try reinstalling windows. On bootup, its usually the Access IBM key or F11 to restore.
You will lose everything.

A PC expert says that this is a potential Motherboard problem, but doesnt seem 100% - I think he doesnt know !!

I think it is almost certainly the CMOS battery

I have re-installed the OS and every time I pick the laptop up, it freezes, it will work fine if untouched on a desk, the minute you move it - Bang its frozen - I have taken bits out, it now has no CD ROM drive, no Wireless LAN card, no battery…..I will take out more bits and see if it changes.