xp issues

[bartolommeff]

HHEEEELLLPPPP!!!

i am running windows xp pro at home and it freezes or fails on me too often. I recently reinstalled xp on my machine but now when i try to play nhl 07 (new), nfs:mw (downloaded) it gives me the blue screen. it'll either say something like it has been shut down to preven further damage or a message that is way longer but i dont remember its specifics. computer also makes loud clicking noise. but it doesnt stop there. when i do an virus scan (norton antivirus corporate) or run spy bot, it freezes my pc. nothing works. mouse and key board are unfunctional. so i end up restarting the computer which usually doesnt help. why? because within 2 minutes of restart, it freezes again. i actually have to hit the off button on back or unplug pc for minute or 2 before i try again. all of my drivers (for grafix card and anything else) are up to date as of last night. there are no other issues that i know of but this always happens. this is a pc that has been put together. i'm wondering if there is anything you guys can suggest to me that i can do or should i be doing some hardware switching? any help would be appreciated but i only ask that you write as if to a simpleton. i'm not a computer person by any stretch of imagination. plain english would be great. otherwise i have to bother my friend for help and i already owe him like 5 six-packs for everytime i bothered him. thanks a lot people.

ps. hope this is in right place.

 

[upriverpaddler]

The clicking noise indicates that your hard drive may be dying. The freezes and shut downs may mean that your processor is overheating. How long ago was it built? And did the friend build it? If so, then he owes you the customer support.

Back up all of your important files to CD's now. Open up you case with it on to verify that all of your fans are working first. Maybe you need to reapply thermal paste between your processor and heatsink.

If you reinstalled XP from an older disc, then you will have to run the windows update MANY times to get all of the updates. Do you know if you have SP2 installed? Then you will need to re install your videocards graphics drivers. I don't know how it is now but last year nvidias driver install program had bugs and I had to run it twice to get some games to work. Reinstall directx. Reinstall your chipset drivers.

If these things are a little over your head, then you should call your friend over and go get some beer, or read, read, read.

And paragraphs separate groups of sentences in a story. Hit your enter button twice after each group.

 

[djnes]

I would agree that it's most likely the hard drive. Back up your data right away, and run the diag tool provided by the driver's manufacturer. Clicking noises mean there is a problem with the hard drive.