Re: xp is easy to fix

just pop in your OS cd, and let is cycle to the OS install choices, instead of an overinstall, xp allows the 'repair' install without changing any of your registry tweakage, loaded programs, shortcuts, documents, etc., nada...slick way of making it new without screwing with other stuffs.....

yeah, it sounds like either ram or a driver conflict, been fighting the same meself, found out it was the ramski after four daze of banging me head against a wall.

also, do a drive fitness test on the WD, I just redid a rig this weekend for a client that had a hosed WD120gig HD manu'd in early 2003 (yup, over 5 years old and just out of warranty), it could be that HD is telling you sumtin'. Don't do what this guy did, he didn't back up his stuffs, kept using the unit until total fubarage, then he contacted me, was only able to get to 550meg of 1.3 gig of data he wanted saved and brought over to the new install, HD kept stalling at the same point with the 'click of death'....even the freezer trick didn't work...

older stuffs can drive you wacko...at least the 160 gig WD 7200rpm 8meg buffer I got to replace the bad one was cheap, $58 out the door at Fry's on sale this weekend, this is the first time I have worked on a Rambus system (RDRam), was going to upgrade the mems until I found out how rediculously expensive the ram is, even now...

good luck...

laterzzzz.............