New system with hiccups!! Help!

I built a system and after i installed Win XP Media Center SP2 (that i got with my dell laptop) its got servere hiccups. I just wanted to see if i had the hardware setup right and now ive got a problem. Ive got XP Pro SP2 on the way but i couldnt resist starting this thing up.

System specs

AMD Althon 64 3000+
Gigabyte GA-K8NSC-939 K8 Triton series motherbaord
1 GB(512mbx2) DDR-400 Dual-Channel Corsair Ram
100GB Western Digital HDD
Aopen Geforce 6800 256MB/DDR
400 Watt PSU
NZXT Guardian case
DVD Drive
CD-RW Drive


Problem is when i try to really do anything on the computer it gets severe hiccups, lags for a sec right after i click start, open a folder, open my computer..ect Ive eliminated an overheating problem, got memory coolers, large video cooler, thermaltake big typhoon CL-P0114 for cpu. Ive tried alt-ctrl-del to find out what is eating the CPU but noting is, system idle process is usually at 97%.

When i tried to install the drivers for the motherboard the setup is always "not responding" after it starts the setup. Ive tried taking the rams out and using different slots and switching them around but still no improvment. Tried different HDDs still noting.

Another thought was that since the OS came with my dell, its configed for my dell XPS M170 only but i havnt heard anything to confirm this. Ive got alot of money and time into this system, please help me get it to work!!!

 

My educated guess is that you'll need to reinstall all new drivers for the hardware in your system. Most likely the CD that came with your Dell laptop contains all the drivers for that hardware. The conflct between your hardware and drivers may be causing the problem.

 

Thats just it, when i try to install any type of driver or open any program it stops responding then i have to shut it down. Ive tried safe mode and i get the same thing. Ive went threw the cd manually and installed every driver on the Gigabyte cd and still no change in performance.

P.S. Im in Lake Geneva, WI Small world~

 

Have you had a look in your "Device Manager" and noted whether there are any yellow exclamations or red crosses. Maybe some hardware is misbehaving??

 

yes i looked at that breifly, only thing that had a tag was the ethernet, and audio devices.

 

How have you installed this OS,have you just transplanted your old harddrive over to your new system?

 

No, ive done a clean install. Format to NTSF then installed the OS. Since my CPU is 64bit, do i have to have XP Pro 64bit Edition?

 

no you don't need a 64 bit OS, 64 bit CPUs are backwords compatible.

 

usually cds that come with laptops will work pretty much with only the model of the laptop.. atleast thats the experience ive had with my dell inspiron 8200, the cd wont even let me install the os on another system..

just a stab in the dark