Win Xp Pro Crashing

[icyprncss8]

I am having a big problem with my windows Xp Pro.
it "crashes" I guess.. but when it does the screen just gets lines on it and then I have to re boot. it lets me re boot and then it will do it again. it is random and dosent happen when I do a serton thing it just dose it when ever it wants can anyone help??

[BlakeZombie99]

That happens to me too but I don't get the lines. It maybe the disk of XP you got. Was it Upgrade or Full Install? But the lines sound like the video card is going bad. MAYBE replace it with a cheap one and see if that helps. If it does you can buy a better one but I wouldn't suggest that yet. I have the Upgrade and it is messing up on me. Does your computer just freeze and you can't move your mouse and you can't hit Caps lock and the button lights up?

[Steve Bruce]

Thats the exact problem I am having BlakeZombie. I have changed the Memory and graphics card and my computer still freezes. I have also got a new heatsink to make sure it wasnt a heat problem

[TallCool1]

Thats the exact problem I am having BlakeZombie. I have changed the Memory and graphics card and my computer still freezes. I have also got a new heatsink to make sure it wasnt a heat problem

What motherboard do you have? How old? There is a problem with a component common to all motherboards--many MBs produced about 1-3 years ago have bad electrolytic capacitors around the CPU. These are used as power storage devices and filters. When they go bad, all kinds of problems ensue. This problem affects many brands: Abit and MSI are two that I have had experience with.

It seems that the electrolyte formula used in these some of these special caps left out a part of the formula that absorbs the hydrogen gas produced in normal operation. This causes swelling; the equivalent series resistance (ESR) rises, exacerbating the problem.

If these components are bad, it's usually visible. They are clustered around or near the CPU socket and are roughly the diameter of a cigarette and about an inch high. They are usually dark green or blue in color with gold lettering. If they are bad, they will have bulged tops and/or be leaking goo. I have written a detailed explanation of this problem and how to fix it on the PCStats forum; I will rewrite it and post it here, if there's interest.