fatal error, xp restart

[LOTR]

Hi, I have a advent running windows xp, fully software updated but suffer from random restarts and start up problems.

Heres what I get.

Generate Activation context Failed for c\program files\error smart\microsoft.VC80.MFC\MFC80.DLL

ERROR 59
SOURCE SideBySide

Have searched but can't find anything referring to windows xp, I have service pack 2 installed.

It always seems to happen when I haven't had the computer switched on for a while, almost as if its cold?
I have changed battery, power lead, clean install. It only has two games on it at the moment, so very little installed. Is not connected to the internet, only when checking for updates.

How can I check if the hard drive is failing and can I completely format drive and start again. The drive seems to partitioned with the system software on one partition, Its a laptop and I don't have a windows xp disk. Can I check the drive for bad sectors?

Any thought would be helpful

thanks

[Monty007]

start by running check disk http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265