Problem in Windows XP

I have a friend who just bought a new computer with Windows XP. She says the system keeps losing her work, even if she saves it. She would be typing a paper, and on occasion, will “cut and paste” information into her paper. Soon, she will get an error message, and it gives her the option of sending an error report to Microsoft or ignoring. She has tried both, and then after that, her work would be gone. Even if she saves her work, she cannot recover anything.