I would unplug the PC and start with removing the cover and cleaning out the fans and case. Then pull the cards and connectors and reseat them. Boot with the cover off and verify the fans are working. (Shutdown the system to install the cover.) Also, make sure the box has good air flow around it, it is not a storage shelf. These are cheap and easy fixes but a low percentage of the causes. The symptons DonO and Tony describe most often indicate the memory. Replace the memory, swap memory with another pc, or have them tested. There is also shareware to test out the memory.
Jerry WY > I'm being hit with a bug or virus now that nothing can find. I've done > sweeps by 3 or 4 different outfits and nobody turns up anything. > Microsoft's sweep said it was the media player, so I dumped it and > reloaded > off of Microsoft's site, but the problem persisted. My machine gives me > an > 'illegal operation' code (about 3 times a day) and then shuts down- > sometimes just the program, sometimes the whole pc. Re-booting doesn't > show > up anything, just once though the active desktop took twice to boot up. > My > guru is even befuddled, and I haven't had that happen in 10 years working > with him. It only affects my programs in windows, not dos, and especially > active in explore. Anyone got any clues? It started 2 weeks ago when I > started exchanging emails with Anadarko Petroleum in Houston. > > DonO > > PS I'm almost sorry I invented these darn computers now. >
