Extremely Supremely Weird XP Problem

Okay so ever since my new install of XP on a new HD I have been unable to keep the incredible uptimes that I used to. My old uptime was 4-6 weeks without any real problems. Now it seems I cannot even keep it up longer than 3-4 days. Everything starts to "deteriorate" so to speak. Programs start to mess up that are already running, new stuff cannot open, even the internet connection stops working, meaning you cannot go to a simple thing as google. Please does anyone know what could be causing this? Everything else seems fine other than that problem.

 

here's a few suggestions:
Basic computer maintenance everyone should do
Disable Unneeded Services In Windows XP

It's possible your hard drive or RAM is failing:
Run HDTune to check the hard disk(s)
and Memtest for your ram.

 

Right now I use HDD Health and it says Excellent 100% for my hard drive. I will check out the ram with memtest and the other two things I have done before but will go through them again. I will try HDTune as well. I have been looking for a program like HDD Health that could read USB HDs and not just internals. I wonder if HDTune does this? If all this checks out fine what could I possibly do next? This problem is so vexing for someone like me that likes to keep their computer up for so long and has flawlessly for so many years straight and now only gets a 3-4 day window having to reboot. It sucks.

 

I've heard of this problem in the past (pre-xp) as having something to do with the virtual memory or just RAM getting goofed up. Which is why win 95/98/me just didn't cut it stayin up all the time. There's some software out there that helps manage what stays in the temporary RAM but i cant quite put my finger on it. I will keep checking.

edit: found this, and i think its something along what i'm thinking of
http://majorgeeks.com/CleanMem_d5993.html
it does a few things, but also manages things residing in your cache. might help

might wanna take a look at some of the others as well.
http://majorgeeks.com/downloads26.html

 

So I ran MemTest to 430% and decided to stop it. 0 Errors found. Any other ideas as to what could be causing this? If it was RAM or HD failing why would it allow it to stay up for 3 days straight before crapping out, deteriorating and such and not just do it to begin with, you know? This problem is such a burden.

 

Which XP Service Pack level are you running and what is the size of the new hard drive?

 

SP2 and 160GB. Before this I was 40GB and SP1 for many years straight and had no problems at all.

 

Ok, when you installed Windows to this new drive, was it from an SP2 CD?

 

I am pretty sure it was XP SP1 and I upgraded to SP2.

 

Hmm, ok, we'll leave that track for the time being

When you first setup Windows on the new PC, installed drivers, software, etc., did it run ok?

Can you export your System log and zip and attach it to your next post please? Follow steps 1-4, then zip the resulting .evt file.

 

I believe it was running fine...

 

Could a firewall be causing this problem? Me blocking something I am not sure of because I am paranoid? Something with SVCHOST or something? I have tried two different firewalls because of this problem. First was Sunbelt formerly Kerio then Sygate.

 

I just gave it some real thought and of course that can't be it. A computer can be fine with or without a firewall pertaining to my problem as it could with or without a connection to the internet. So here I sit still puzzled.

 

Reason you haven't upgraded to SP3? Checked out Event Viewer through Administrative Tools? If you had used software to copy your Windows partition from one HDD to another you might need to disable and re-enable certain services.

 

Reason you haven't upgraded to SP3?

Not sure if I am ready to yet. I doubt this is an issue as I stated before on my other HD I was SP1 for many years and able to have amazing uptimes without problems.

Checked out Event Viewer through Administrative Tools?

If I do this I don't know exactly what to look for.

If you had used software to copy your Windows partition from one HDD to another you might need to disable and re-enable certain services.

I did not, I started over fresh.