Another problem with wife's machine

[Wraith]

First her specs....

HP Pavilion 510C (off the shelf, open box)
CPU: 1.3 Ghz Intel Celeron 32 Kb Memory Cache 256 Kb Secondary Cache
OS: Win XP Professional SP 1 (upgrade from Win 98SE)
MOBO: Trigem Computer, Inc. Lomita
BIOS: Phoenix 3.06 12/15/2001
Bus Clock: 100 Mhz
HD: WDC WD 600BB-00CAA1 60 GB
Memory: Slot1: 256 MB Slot2: 256 MB
VIDEO: NVIDIA GeForce2 MX 400 32 MB
SOUND: SoundMax Integrated Digital Audio
NIC: Realtek RTL8139

Started out running Pest Patrol and deleted files specified there. After the reboot she lost the WAN but had the LAN (let me specify the setup we have here, have 5 systems running a conglomeration of Win XP and 98SE networked through a 4 port Linksys Router BEFSR41 and an 8 port Office Connect 3 Comm hub <two 98SE systems connect to the router via the hub>, which is connected to the WAN <Internet> through our Cable modem). The hub was NOT connected when the problem first occured.

Reinstalled windows (the subject of my first post on this problem about a month ago), ran fine for about 2 to 3 weeks and then started to reboot on it's own. Then ran adaware and deleted files through that, lost both the LAN and the WAN this time. Reinstalled windows and still had reboot problems (but recovered the LAN and WAN). Have updated windows and virus scanner (McAfees) and updated and ran on regular basis. This last install she has started from scratch once again with a full reformat (not the MBR tho) and partitioning along with a clean install from the Win XP upgrade disk w/o input of the 98SE disk. Any ideas??? I've not got a clue at this point.

One other item, before this began she was "losing" her A Drive and her CD Rom Drives (both the 48x and the writable). These would always come back after a reboot though. She has not lost them since the first reinstall. Don't have restore disks as HP no longer sends them with the system (on HD but did not know that when we wiped the disk the first time shortly after buying the system). Again, any help will be appreciated (if I'm not careful Kodo will give me a whining title OH NO!!!!).


Wraith

[Kodo]

did you grab any updates for the HP after you installed XP?
Bios updates? software updates?

[Wraith]

Originally Posted by Kodo

did you grab any updates for the HP after you installed XP?
Bios updates? software updates?

Not at this time m8. Last time we checked there were none for her machine. I don't like to do BIOS upgrades unless it is ABSOLUTELY necessary. Never upgraded the BIOS before and have not upgraded it on my machine either.

Wraith

[Kodo]

depending on the age of the machine, it could fix things.. check the bios notes and see if there are any relevant updates to the system.

[g1lgam3sh]

Probably sounds ridiculous but have you checked the CMOS battery?

[Wraith]

there is no update to the bios. Dont think it is the cmos battery because i dont have to reset my cmos when it is shut off for a extended period of time, also when i reboot to get the drives back i dont have to adjust c-mos

[Kodo]

chipset updates?

[Wraith]

Originally Posted by Kodo

chipset updates?

this is his wife how would i check the chipset updates? if on the hp page there is none.