Windows

I would start by trying to figure out if it's a hardware or software problem. Try booting into safe mode during windows 2000 startup. This prohibits all the drivers from loading and just gives you basics. If you can work fine then we know that one of the drivers is causing the behavior. If you still have the same problem then I would recommend doing a clean install of Windows 2000 to make sure that it is not a software problem. If you re-install and still have the same problem then I wouldrun some type of free hardware diagnostic utility on your computer. Bad RAM can do amazing things.

To determine if it is a hardware or software issue, try booting from a bootable floppy disk or CD.

If it still has problems, or dies after 15 minutes, then you have a hardware problem.

Check your CPU, power supply, and other cooling fans.
A fan failure is often the cause of short run times.

The next simplest piece of hardware to deal with is the Power supply.
I would want to have at least a 300 watt, if not a 400 watt supply in this PC.

Beyond the above you should go through the PC step by step and eliminate hardware and software.

I normally back up to aminimum configuration (CPU, RAM, Video) and see if that works, then add devices back in one at a time.
If a minimum configuration does not work, I swap hardware 1 piece ata time until I identify the culprit.

Chas

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