sql timeout error

Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server er
ror ‘80004005’ Timeout expired
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WE RECIVE THIS ERROR A LOT WE DON’T KNOW OF A WAY TO PREVENT IT . ANY HELP OU THERE .
OUR sql SERVER VERSION 7.0
DUAL 700 MHZ PROCESSOR
256 MEG RAM
20 GIG HARD DRIVES
NETGEAR 100 SWITCH