My Freezing Computer

During recent weeks, a very frustrating problem occurs every day after my computer has been On for a few hours.
All of sudden my cursor won't move, printer stops printing, keyboard won't type, and/or a video freezes. Nothing works. Then, after 2 or 3 min, everything is fine for a couple min, then everything freezes up for a couple min, then OK, then Freezes again.
This goes on 'til I reboot my system. Then everything is OK for a couple hours til Freezing starts up again.

I have tried a "clean boot" several times using the 'msconfig', System Configuration Utility, using the Selective Startup and only the "load system services" turned on. I used to think this solved the problem. But the Freezing always would come back after a couple hours. I now think, just a simple shut down and restart works just as well.

I have done many "Registry cleans" and "Spyware cleans" and "System cleans" and anti-virus runs in recent weeks but the Freezing problems continue. My computer runs Very Slow during these times!

I shouldn't admit this, but my problems are only my old 1999 Gateway computer. You will probably say, "Throw away that Old thing!" But, my Old computer is still my favorite with several programs that could NOT be transferred onto my New computer. Does anyone have some ideas to solve my Frequent Freezing problems on my Oldie???

Dale Heath, Columbus, OH Thanks for any help.

1999 Gateway:
WinXP-Home ed, SP3,
Pentium III, 500 Mhz; 256 MB RAM, 19 GB hard drive.

I also have a 2006 Gateway:
WinXP-Professional, Media Center edition, SP3,
Pentium 4, 3000 Mhz; 1024 MB RAM, 250 GB hard drive.

 

Check to see if there is a lot of dust and lint plugging the heat sinks on the MOBO and elsewhere. Blow it out with compressed air. Also verify that all fans are running at normal speed.

If no joy still, run a test on your RAM to check for faulty memory. Reseating memory sometimes help. If you have multiple memory modules, operate with only one at a time to test/isolate a defective stick.

http://hcidesign.com/memtest/