From Leo's mailbag:
> From: A Computer User
> Sent: March 4, 2006
> To: Ask Leo!
> Subject: software or hardware?
>
> Leo,
> --------------
> Can you possibly help me with a problem. Is it a software or
> hardware problem?
>
> Last August I bought a computer from a reputable company in
> my local area. It's specs are Biostar pentium 4, celeron
> 2.53 256k/533mhz. It has a western digital 160 hard drive
> with an upgrade to 1 gig of ram. A radeon 9250 graphics
> accelerator and a creative audigy sound card.
>
> The primary software that I run and use are: XP Home with
> service pack 2, adobe reader 6.01, office 2003, outlook
> express, and other XP compatible programs. I have spyware
> and antivirus ware that is up to date.
>
> The problem with my computer is that in late November I began
> to have fatal error messages on a blue screen during normal
> operation and without other preceding error messages. In
> sequence I would see:
>
> CTFmon.exe application error. The application failed to
> initialize properly. Oxc0000005
>
> Cavtray.exe application error.
>
> Then after restarting:
>
> "Fatal system error C000021a & Oxc000026c" that would only
> correct with shutting down the computer. This error would
> take place whether I was working in office or outlook express.
>
> The only means of correcting this error was through
> reformatting the hard disc and system recovery was of no use
> or solution.
>
> This problem has taken place 6 times since its beginning in
> November. Since then I considered that my version/copy of XP
> had errors and bought a new Home version. The shop that I
> bought it at looked at it and said that it needed a new hard drive.
>
> Since these changes, the same problem has happened 2 more
> times and on the third time the problem progressed to:
>
> fatal error - windows/system 32/config/system files are not
> able to be located on a blue screen. I followed that
> solution that Microsoft had on its website through the system
> recovery tool and the system files were not able to be recovered.
>
> So at this point I ask anyone in the field of computers, is
> my issue a software or hardware problem. Would a motherboard
> or processor cause such problems.
Smells like hardware to me, particularly since after each reformat
you're having ot reinstall everything from scratch.
Replacing the hard drive was a good idea, and helps narrow down
some of the issues.
Next in line would be a power supply - no way to really test, but
I would consider replacing it with one of higher wattage.
And then memory. This link: http://ask-leo.com/d-memtest will
redirect you to a memory testing program. I've had several people
report that it detected memory errors that, once resolved, stopped
the random problems that they had been seeing.
Good luck!
Thanks for asking,
Leo