27 error messages+8 system crashes+1 reinstall= 1 frustrated user.

run a memory check first to make sure you don't have a problem there.
http://www.memtest86.com/

if your memory checks out....
if you have norton system works 2003 it has a function that will fully check your hard drive... if not I know there are some freeware/shareware/trialware that will do this just can't think of a name just yet... I have seen your above symptoms caused by bad memory, hard drive, and imbedded virus/worm types... what also will help is if you write down the exact error codes and from there searches on the meanings can be helpful.... Hope this helps....

When I had a bad stick of RAM, I'd get a BSOD every time I tried to run a virus scan..So that'd definitely be my guess..

I had something like that. It turned out it was making stop errors on practically everything. The stop error HEX code, when looked up, was a hardware error-- 0xA and, I think, 0xD or something. Oddly enough, I could put the computer on an AC vent and it would behave for a while. The other problem, that had hardware errors, involved RAM. Eventually, the 512 I had would be seen as 256 and the crashes would be less frequent.

When you talk about an RMA, try letting your computer sit for a while at the Windows XP install screen when you boot from the CD. If it produces a stop error, you have a solid case of hardware error for an RMA. Try to get the HEX code for that, too. I love doing an RMA because the people on the other end only know what the script tells them. And when I tell them the complete problem and what I've done to test it, their responses are well worth it.

BTW, this was all on my 8500 at various points in its life.

Don't know about the rest of the problems, but the battery issue may be resolved here:
www.batteryuniversity.com.

As for the rest, I'd guess you have at least two problems simultaneous which have been compounded by your efforts to deal with one. Mostly likely a bad memory stick and perhaps a virus you picked up. Possibly the virus pushed a barely viable memory stick over the edge, crashes and BSOD aren't hard on just the user, they stress the machine and OS as well. Then as you attempted to fix the memory, you may have inadvertantly caused other problems. Its what I consider hell. No matter what you do, the symptoms keep spreading or at the very least, no improvement.

I'd suggest getting a clear check on the memory using it in another machine if possible. Obviously your machine has multiple problems that prevent you from reliably testing your RAM. If the RAM checks OK in another machine, you can reinstall it in yours with at least the knowledge it isn't your RAM. If it doesn't check out, then you can replace it and again, proceed with the knowledge your RAM isn't a problem anymore.

After that, I'd do the same thing with other components, starting with your HDD(s). Try them in another machine and see if you get any errors. Make sure who ever owns the other machine is aware your drives may be infected, so they can be prepared to do battle. Might be best to do this with an external drive enclosure, good thing to have anyway and they aren't that expensive, maybe $60 to $100. Get one with FireWire, its better.

When you check the drives, you'll either find they are infected, corrupted, broken or OK. If OK, you can move on to something else as the problem or if one of the others, you can take appropriate measures to mitigate that problem and then move on with your efforts.

That should narrow things down pretty well. Once you have clean bills of health on your memory and drives, next I'd check all your connections. Just in case. Then do a full reinstall. I know you did one all by the book, but anyone can do a booboo and not know it. Nobody is perfect. After all, as Sherlock says, "once you have eliminated the possible, what you are left with, regardless of how improbable, is the answer". It could also be there was a virus in your drives and when you did the reinstall (perfectly) it got corrupted as well.

Once you have eliminated RAM, HDDs, virii, loose connections, and a bad install, maybe look at heat as the problem. I would normally have suggested this first but your problems don't follow the usual heat syndrome of working fine for a bit then after it warms up going heywire and then after cooling down, working fine. Also no signs of gradual worsening or comment about fans working all the time or the CPU seeming sluggish. However, I'd definitely be taking a look at your fans, heat sinks, heat dissapators (radiators) and the rest of your cooling system when you are in there. What the heck, give it all a good cleaning and then make sure all components and connectors are properly seated. It can't hurt and possible will do some good.

If your problems persist past this, consult the shamman of your choice and have the bugger exorcized and spiritually cleansed. A good blessing can't hurt either. I'd suggest you try any old indigenous religion of the region (here in Hawaii, you get a Kahu, always works if nothing else does). If that doesn't work, get out the biggest, nastiest, most intimidating dang gun you can get your hands on and directly threaten to blast it to Hell and back if it doesn't shape up. If that doesn't work, well, you can always try RMA. Be sure to document all your symptoms and all you have tried to fix it.

You may try to read out your memory data with CPU-Z:

See: http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

in case you get the tool correctly running at all under your actual odd behaving system. If CPU-Z can read/list out -beside other things- the specs and manufactor of your memory sticks correctly via it's memory tab page, then your mem might be Ok.

If nothing works, you might be deep inside in the hell MARQUISDARQUIS decribed before...and I would start from scratch testing the mem somewhere else and if that isn't the case of all evil, you may try setting up the machine via new partitions and a low formating etc. from ground up.

I hear ya

Trewin,

If it makes you feel any better, I'm sharing your cozy little circle of hell. My 8890 is on a BSOD tear. You can check out the goods in this thread:
http://notebookforums.com/showthread...ghlight=memory.

My machine is four months old, had been working pretty much flawlessly until Friday morning, and then this. I don't recall installing any new drivers or software when this mayhem began. A virus? Could be. I'm sweeping the backup files I moved to a Maxtor external drive as I type this.

For me, it seems like the machine craps out when disk temps reach about 40 C. I downloaded the the fantastic MobileMeter app to keep tabs on CPU and disk temps on my 8890. Highly recommended. File is here: http://www.geocities.co.jp/SiliconVa...310/mm0310.zip

Not saying the disk is failing. But it could indicate too much heat stress on a system chipset or, yes, the RAM sticks. Lemme know if you learn anything.

VTdesmond

VTdesmond my disks consistently run about 43 - 46 deg C without any problems. CPU running about 48 surfing, 50-55 under normal load, 60 under heavy gaming or heavy load.

Just check your memory is working properly - they can have problems.

Trewin it could be two dead sticks of mem.
I am surprised your machine is running so hot.
Do you have any figures from the temp. monitoring program.
It could be a poorly applied heat sink shim/paste/goop/vegemite that is causing the heat.

My 8890-V gets thrashed on a regular basis (figuratively speaking of course - the whips are only for show ) and whilst it can pump out a bit of hot air it does not overheat the way you are describing.

I repeat, take a systematic approach to fault analysis.
You have to start isolating the systems to determine which among them is faulting.
Its a pain in the rear but its the only way. Otherwise you may just chase the problem around and around.

Check all your connections and then recheck them.
If that's all good, then check the RAM in a different system. If it works in a different system, for at least 10 hours under high stress, then its 99.999999999999999% likely to be OK.
Then do the same with the drives. If they work elsewhere, they most likely they aren't the problem.
Keep moving on to other systems, confirming they are good or bad.
Its the only way.

throwing this info in the air

I noticed that with my 8887 if i had the hyperthreading turned on over half the programs i ran would crash, lock-up, or blue screen of death me upon imediate exec. You might try turning the hyperthreading off in your bios and see what happens, but be warned when turning it on or off you must make absolutely sure to do a fresh install on xp or no worky worky.

Lol, see what a little dust can do?! It's worth cleaning that out regularly. Glad you got it sorted.