Windows 2000Pro errors/restarts

[tphss]

Hi,

On my oldest PC (Thunderbird in my computers), yesterday i was just chating on it, suddenly an error accured and the computer restarted, after that, it booted to windows and as soon as windows finished loading everything it restarts as in a loop.
Most of the errors are memory errors.
But I don't know if it's virtual memory (HD) errors or actual RAM errors.
This computers Harddrive is about i'de say 4 years old and the memory is not the same brand/speed. But I never had any issues with this PC.
The Windows2000 installation on this PC is also pretty old I think my last format was more then a year ago, maybe 2 years even.

Few problems:
I can't format the HD caus eI have many files I need, and I don't know what is the problem exactly.
My safest bet is that the windows need to be re-installed.

So to buy a new HD and install windows on it and then connect the old HD to take the files from it's what I should do?

 

[montag451]

Try a different stick of RAM, or take out a stick if you have, then swap them over.

If you just want to go ahead an reinstall, but the new drive on the PRIMARY channel [ide0 if labelled IDE0 and IDE1] [or IDE1 if labelled IDE1 and IDE2].
Put the old drive on IDE2.
Make sure the jumpers are set correctly on the back of the drives - there should be a diagram on the drive to show you
MASTER should be at the end of the IDE cable
SLAVE should be on the middle of the cable [if there are 3 connectors - one to mobo - 2 to drives]
CS [cable select - don't use]
SINGLE - use only when there is only one drive on a cable

Install to C drive.
Maybe the old drive will be D drive.
Copy files from C to D
Well done.

 

[montag451]

Remember to write down settings for DUN/DSL, passwords, installation codes etc.

 

[tphss]

It's very very wierd, and possibly memory problem.

Now, I started the computer, been running now for 30minutes.
An hour ago I started it, didn't touch a thing, only let it boot and come to windows, I lfet it on and after a few minutes it just restarted by itself.
Does this show where is the problem? windows/HD/RAM ?

If I buy a new drive now, I need to have the win98 boot disk and use FDISK to format the new drive and install windows on it?

Thanks!

 

[montag451]

try going to
START
CoNTROL paNEL
Administrative Tools
Event viewer

Look in system events, and see what is there around the time things started screwing around.
This is the first place to look if you want to diagnose a problem in 2k/xp