Phantom Program

[Mazedawg]

I've been having a problem with my computer freezing the past few weeks. I don't get the blue screen of death, its doesn't reboot or shut down. Its just simply freezes and the only way to get it restarted is to hold down the power button for 5 sec's. I've had this problem happen to me on games, surfing the net, in Word or Excel and using photo imaging software. Usually after it happens once, then its fine for a day or two as long as I leave it on. If I shut down in regular fashion then the problem returns that same day (usually). I was thinking it may be my ram or some hidden program using my ram. If I let the computer go into standby or powersave mode and then I return, the windows standby screen tells me that x programs are running. However, I only see (1-x) programs actually running as denoted by the taskbar and task manager.

Note:After a hard power off (becasuse it froze) and letting the computer go into standby, when restarted it will tell me that no programs are running. Whereas before it may have mentioned 1 program was running when I didn't or couldn't see what was running.

Any ideas on how to find this hidden program or what the problem may be?

Computer Specs - computer built in 10/04
AMD Athlon 3200+
MSI K8n Neo - Bios flashed and updated
ATI RX9800 Pro - video card
2 x 160 WD hard drives
2x512 - Corsair value select PC3200
Win XP Pro SP1 - (can't get SP2 to load, computer goes into reboot cycles)
DVD CD/RW
DVDRW - Sony
Antec Case

 

[4W4K3]

My girlfriend has this problem as well...her PC freezes randomly, after a reboot it might freeze it might not. i have switched out RAM/PSU/GFX/HDD/BIOS...nothign seems to fix this. I ran her CPU/MOBO myself for almost a year with no problems liek this, very odd.

Her modem seems to have a problem staying connected as well..its a $20 modem so it should work superbly...im not sure if its the cause or not.

 

[Mazedawg]

Any other ideas....