Hardware/error question

[japple]

1) Version of XP -Xp Proffesional

2) Hardware setup - AMD Duron 1.00ghz, 512MB RAM (is this what hardware setup means?)

3) What exactly happened leading up to the problem -Ive had my computer for about 3-4 years now. Maybe after 1 or 2 years after I got my computer I kept getting these really weird error messages. Sometimes I would open up IE and i would get that error message saying that IE would shut down. But its not just IE, but everything that I run on my computer. Sometimes (if I can even somehow manage to install computer games on my computer) they dont run properly, I get error messages forcing me to shut down the game or sometimes restart my computer. Sometimes I cannot download updates for my computer games or even updates for other software. Listening to music on iTunes, sometimes it just randomley shuts down, MSN wont work. Usually a restart will fix the problem but within a couple of (minutes? hours?) the problems will return. I just hate coming home to a computer that is just so screwed up. Now Im probaly getting a new computer in another year or so but Id like to push my computer a little farther and if possible find out whats wrong.

4) Exact error messages -I think i may have covered this in the above paragraph.

5) Any antivirus, firewall software you are running- none

Conclusion: Ive talked to some people about my computer programs and Ive come out with a couple of ideas but no solutions. 1) I play Computer Games on my computer, specifically Counter-Strike, BattleField 1942, and hopefully in the future Star Wars Galaxies. 2) I use Kazaa to download music sometimes. Id say like 95% of the music i get is from either a cd or bittorrent websites. 3) corrupt hard drive? viruses ?
The thing is that ive had a new hard drive installed and re-installed my OS numerous times but it doesnt seem to do anything.

To sum it up basically: "Do you think that there is possibly another component of my computer that keeps causing all these error messages? A corrupt memory stick or something?

Im sorry if I was unclear on some aspects of my question. Its very late now and im very tired. If you have any questions at all please reply and Ill get back to you as soon as possible.
Thanks-

[snowmonkey]

No Anti Virus and No firewall and you use File sharing programs too !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You are a brave person, I would never get on internet without firewall, you may want to start doing spyware chack and virus check first before start ripping hardware from your computer,,AMD Duron 1.00ghz, 512MB RAM is still a good system start with few of these links first and clean your system:
What is spyware : http://www.spychecker.com/spyware.html

SpyBot-S&D : http://www.webattack.com/download/dlspybot.shtml

Ad-aware : http://www.webattack.com/download/dladaware.shtml

Trojan Remover :http://www.simplysup.com/

HijackThis : http://www.webattack.com/download/dlhijackthis.shtml

KL-Detector :http://www.webattack.com/download/dlkldetector.shtml

X-Cleaner Free :http://www.webattack.com/download/dlxcleaner.shtml

SpywareBlaster :http://www.webattack.com/download/dl...eblaster.shtml

SpywareGuard :http://www.webattack.com/download/dlspywareguard.shtml

SpySites :http://www.webattack.com/download/dlspysites.shtml

Keylogger Hunter :http://www.webattack.com/download/dlklhunter.shtml

Spycop: http://www.spycop.com/

BHODemon : http://www.spywareinfo.com/downloads/bhod/

Browser Hijack Blaster : http://www.wilderssecurity.net/bhblaster.html

Goodbye Spy http://www.topshareware.com/GoodBye-...nload-2012.htm

Other spyware removal instructions: http://www.pchell.com/support/click2findnow.shtml

Virus Check On Line:

Online virus scan: http://www3.ca.com/virusinfo/

Security Check: http://www.symantec.com/product/index_homecomp.html

AntiVirus DOS boot disks:

http://qqsoftware.xs4all.nl/fprot/F-PROT.htm

Free AntiVirus Solution:

http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.php


cheers

[japple]

ok ill try these links out and see if it works and ill get back to you if I have any other questions. Thanks for the help snowmonkey.

[japple]

I tried installing all the programs that you listed and I have cleaned up my computer quite a bit but Im still getting lots of error messages and such. I ordered Norton Anti-Virus 2004 in addition to all the other free computer virus scanner programs that I already have. But my next question is, wether or not it could be a hard ware problem. Could it be a corrupt memory stick or RAM slot? I have heard that this might be my problem and I should get a new memory stick or something because it might be corrupted Im not sure what this means but Is it true and If i get one of these new memory sticks and get Norton 2004 will it help my computer get fixed? Thanks.

[Flyfsh]

http://www.memtest86.com/
This is a memory tester that may help you.

[kiniktoo]

bah! Norton is the devil! I've heard horror stories, people not being able to get it off their system... Stories though they may be, i'd still rather go with McAfee or PC-Cillin.