URGENT Help needed- PC keeps crashing

I'm having a very serious problem at the moment with my PC. Basically, my computer crashes a lot. It's basically crashing or displaying the blue screen of death whenever I play any games, watch flash movies, do anything in Java, and sometimes it just crashes randomly when starting up. It's getting seriously annoying, as I can't get on with anything at all without my computer freezing up or displaying that annoying blue screen.

I'm using Windows XP with the latest Service Pack, and I can provide anymore information when needed.

Can anyone suggest what I can do to try and solve this problem. I'm really desperate here. If I don't solve this soon then I'm going to have no choice but to shill out on a new computer (something I don't want to do). Thanks to anyone who can help out.

 

Have you been to windows update recently? Is your PC getting good enough ventilation? Try updating Java if that's what's giving you problems.Is this PC overclocked? Also Run a virus scan to see if you have any unwanted visitors on your PC.

 

1- Yes, I've been to Windows Update and installed all of the latest updates and still have the problem.
2- Yes my PC is getting all the necesarry ventilation. It's temperature is normal.
3- I'm using the latest version of Java, plus it's crashing outside of Java a lot as well.
4- I'm not so sure about it being overclocked. How can I check (I'm a little new to some of the more technical terms)?
5- I can't run a virus scan without the computer crashing or getting the blue screen of death (even in safe mode).

 

Well,if you don't know if it's overclocked more than likely it isn't.You could always try running a spyware check,you can get the software from places like Ad-Aware or Spy sweeper.I would say there is a possibilty you could have a virus but i'm not as advanced of a user as some of the other people on here so i would get a second oppinion.

 

When you get the blue screen, there are error messages. One is towards the top (usually in CAPS). The other is towards the bottom and sometimes lists a driver/dll/sys type of file along with error codes. Please post the errors.

 

Pballace- It might be a virus, but I can't check because my computer keeps crashing before I can finish a full check (even in safe mode). The same with a spyware check.

ddp- I know that I have 128MB of RAM, but I'm not as knowlegable about the technical stuff to do what you said to my RAM. Can you tell me how to do that and then I can give it a try.

dolphin2- I'll post the error codes here the next time I get the blue screen message.

 

OK, after a few hours and a few crashes, I got the blue screen. Here's what I managed to get a note of-

Error Message- DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

Technical Information (nowhere near complete, just what I had time to taker a note of)-

STOP 0X00000D1

processor.sys Address DC53DC46 at FC53C000 DATESTAMP followed by a number I didn't have time to note

Here's the error report information

Error Signature
BCCode : d1 BCP1 : 00000000 BCP2 : 00000002 BCP3 : 00000001
BCP4 : FC53DC46 OSVer : 5_1_2600 SP : 2_0 Product : 256_1

Error Report Contents
C:\DOCUME~1\MAGNUS~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\WER1537.dir00\Mini062406-02.dmp
C:\DOCUME~1\MAGNUS~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\WER1537.dir00\sysdata.xml

Let me know if you can help

 

Yes, I'm thinking RAM is an issue, but I'm sure it's not the only one. There's definetally something else causing the trouble as well, because if it was just RAM then it wouldn't be crashing randomly when I'm not doing anything with my computer.

Can anyone help me based on the blue screen information and error report info.

 

The crash is completely random? It can occur at any time, regardless of what you're doing?

Have you installed any new software recently? (Drivers, etc.)
Does the problem occur at any time, or only after it's been on for a long time?

although 128MB isn't enough for XP, it won't cause the system to crash randomly, it just won't play very many games and will just run slowly. It should still be stable.

If it happens just as often in safe mode, itmay be hardware, you could try first reseating, and then replacing your RAM...

 

Yep, the old capacitor plague issue, that's one I'd forgotten about.

 

Not that that's a trivial operation!

 

Mmm, trouble is the average person is no ddp at soldering. I'm sure I'd be able to do it too, given the components and some time and some better hand-eye co-ordination! But yeah, it's a bit of a daunting operation for most.

 

Right click on My Computer > select Properties. Click on the Advanced tab. In the Startup and Recovery section select the Settings button. In the System failure section, you should see a check box for Automatically restart. Uncheck it. OK your way out of the windows. Next time you get the Blue Screen. It will stay there until you manually restart giving you time to note everything.

 

dolphin2, I'll do what you said and note the entire error message this time around. Thanks

 

I haven't recieved the blue screen error message for a while, but my computer's still crashing just as much as it was before.

I've gotten this blue screen error message a few times recently as well, can anyone help me out with this one-

STOP: C000021A {fatal system error}
The windows logon process system process terminated unexpectedly with a status of 0xC0000005 (0x00000000 0x00000000)
The system has been shut down

Can anyone help me with this one.