Very frustrating glitch-ups

[lordaardvark2]

hello all, this may be a terrible e-taboo, but i already started a topic in the software support section, and i think that the problem may in fact be hardware. the best way to describe the problem, unfortunately, is to link to that topic. could someone read it and offer some help? i'm getting pretty desperate at this point.

http://forumz.tomshardware.com/software/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=839053#839053

post here, there, anywhere, please

i'm running out of options i can come up with

thank you, for hearing my plea

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EDIT:

here are my specs, if at all helpful:

xp home (w/ sp2)
gigabyte 7nf-rz soc a mobo
amd sempron 2500+ soc a proc
160 gig seagate hdd (pata, obviously)
*768 megs ddr ram*
radeon 7000 ve

(i know its old, i got it for free, and i'm very content with it and thankful for it, so STFU)

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EDIT2:

my ram is weird... possibly the problem. cpuz reports 1280 megs of ram (???) on one tab, and then on the next it sez i have 2x 512s (pc2700) and 1 256 (pc2100). however, win xp itself sez i have 768 megs. could this be (part of) my problem?

 

[mad-dog]

You've definately got some compatability issues, whether it's software or hardware is difficult to tell, but it's history indicates software.
goto control panel, administrative tools, computer management, device manager..........check for conflicts

 

[lordaardvark2]

oh thats how you get to that... i usually right-click on my computer and go to manage....

k... compy manager is up. uh.... how do i check for conflicts?

also, another thing i've noticed: the prob may be internet-related. it only seems to hang up when i'm on the 'net, but then again thats really the only time i tax the system (either gaming, streaming video, etc.). after a near-restart-worthy hang, i checked taskman, and a weird thing was running.... wmiprivse or something. i ended that sucker fast. i searched it, and somewhere read that it can be a spyware/virus. ran adaware, found 1 tracking cookie, took care of that. currently running nod 32.

but how do i check for conflicts again?

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EDIT:

i just went to the "event viewer".... ewww...
lots of yellow exclamation mark warnings, one red x error. huh. my problem? want a screenshot? or can you talk me through it?

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EDIT2:


just finished nod32... whole bunch of blue things....
they all say "error opening (file locked)".... coincidence?

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EDIT3

i heart your computer specs