Computer Issue

[Coasterkidmwm]

Background:
2001 Dell with 30GB harddrive. Yeah it's an old bastard.
Windows XP Home
2.39GHz Celeron
503 to 504MB of RAM depending on the day (chips in it keep dying)
Motherboard is on its deathbed most likely
Every time I turn on the computer there is a "catastrophic error" involving the RAM
Everytime I turn on the computer there is approximately a 1 in 10 chance that my motherboard will fail to recognize a piece of hardware. Sometimes it won't recognize the harddrive, sound card, video card, whatever it "chooses" to fail at that given time.
________________

Anyways, I've experienced a new issue where when I want to open a new window in Firefox there is a 3 second delay between it opening and when I finish clicking "open in new window". This seems to be a newish issue and I'm wondering if it's just something else tied to my motherboard or if it's a brand virus someone has heard about.

Steps I've Taken to Try and Fix This:
*I've defragged
*Fully updated MalwareBytes scan
*Fully updated Ad-Aware scan
*Avast is in the process of scanning and has so far found nothing

Anything else you guys can think of?

Also if anyone says I "shuold get a Mac" I'd like to see them sink 450 bucks into a computer (including monitor and printer) and have it last 9 years without major incident. After that, then they can recommend a Mac to me. Until then, feel free to buy overpriced computers with limited options made with child labor.

Ah-ha!

A fellow old-bastard-computer-user!

I think I have an either, '01 or '02 Dell computer myself, almost stock. Had a graphics card in it, which got bugged with a virus (reason why I was not on NL for half a year). But my computer is back now, graphics card free...which has not helped NL run at a faster FPS, but at least it runs.

Oh, and to your question...

I can't help you, i've got Norton.

Just figured i'd point out that i'm also using an old-faithful computer myself.

[Coasterkidmwm]

No hardware roulette when you turn on the computer?

Not as of yet.

Buy a Mac...




I kid, I wouldn't wish something that bad for anyone, not even for you...

On the more serious not, I'd suggest you buy a new PC...
You can get a decent one for pretty cheap nowadays...

[Oscar]

Stop using Firefox and use Internet Explorer, the world's most used browser.

[Coasterkidmwm]

Originally posted by Vid_w
On the more serious not, I'd suggest you buy a new PC...
You can get a decent one for pretty cheap nowadays...

hehe. Buy a new PC.

I will need to finance out of state graduate school tuition and possibly a used 4x4 pickup truck, no money leftover for a brand new computer lol.

As far as the truck goes I need to pray to the god of used Nissan Frontiers, Toyota Tacomas, and Ford Rangers and REALLY hope they give me a TA position.

[Oscar]

Don't consider getting a Ford Ranger...

I spent less than $400 for my previous computer (incl. monitors and printer, which is also still operating), and it lasted 7 and half years without anything really going wrong. I updated my graphics card twice and quadrupled my RAM in that time, but other than that I didn't add anything to it. So, my recommendation is that you get a mac [^]

In all seriousness, my computer had a very similar problem during its final days, though the 3 second delay you described was more like 6 seconds for me. If I remember correctly, the problem was that it was just too old to do anything, so I would seriously consider a new computer, Mac, PC, LInux, whatever if I were you. Like vid said, decent computers are actually pretty cheap nowadays, and if you're willing to give up, say, 2 or 3 years on your used truck, I'm sure the cost would balance out.

On a related note, how in the hell did you get a 2 GHz processor 9 years ago in a $450 computer? My processor was 533 MHz!!!