Collapses with winxp and vista..

[jerkjames]

Hi every body… Am sensibly sure it is the hardware or reminiscence or mobo. It collapses with WinXP and Vista... so am ruling out the software or added programs as it occurs even after a clean install with no additions. It crashes with and without java installed... so am ruling that out as well. The hardware /reminiscence /mobo all less than a year old... my wife's computer has the same mobo and memory but a different hardware.... so unless I got the bad mobo/memory in the deal... that would indicate the hardware. The software that came with the hdd doesn't point out any problems with the hdd.... but it could be in error. I replaced both of our psu's but the crashes occurred before that so... am ruling out the psu (Thermaltake Model #xp550np - 450 watts). The case fans are working... so overheating shouldn't be a problem (running with case open doesn't help).

Mobo: Asrock P4VM800 with an Intel Celeron 2.5 ghz processor (heatsink and cooling fan working)

Memory: 2 sticks pc2600 equaling 1 gig (not branded)

HDD: Seagate ST3160023A 160gb.... but shows 152gb

Now I do have a second hdd set up to run Linux (Seagate 10gb. my old hdd) and I don't have the crashing problems that I do running Windows... Which indicates the hdd is my primary culprit. I don't have another hdd to test this out and hate wiping my Linux system out and installing XP on it to test my theory.... so am looking for confirmation that the hdd is guilty of causing the crashes before I contact Seagate about a replacement. Has anyone run into this problem of the hdd causing the system to crash? Thanks in advance for any assistance.

[Mobo]

You say they have the same mobo's but hardware is different. Exactly what hardware is different?