I'm running Windows XP Home Edition with SP2, 1.2GHz Celeron, 512MB RAM, 9250 Saphire (I think) 250MB video card. I have to run chkdsk every time I turn my computer on, REGARDLESS of how it was TURNED off. Also, recently, about 50% of the time I try to open Opera, my computer restarts. I don't know if this can happen with Firefox, but it hasn't yet, despite a few attempts.

I remember disk checking saying there was a problem with cross-linking or something like that. I'm putting a new computer together this WEEK, but my dad will still be using this one, so I want to kix the major problems with it since I kind of screwed it up originally. Any idea what's wrong?Download the ultimate boot CDhttp://www.ultimatebootcd.com/ burn it, boot from it, run the hard drive diagnostic. Sounds like you might have a failing drive.I'd be cautious recommending UBCD to just anyone...there are quite a few dangerous tools on there.So long as they don't go delving randomly through it and running things they should be fine. The hard drive diagnostics is the second option on the first screen as I recall, so it shouldn't be too hard for people to find and run.I agree.
However this is why it may be best to steer them to the HDD manuf. site for the tools.

A few years back on another Help Forum a few people caused irreversible consequences just moving around in UBCD.

That's why i try to make sure the user has a good understanding of diagnostics tools and command line syntax before i'll suggest it.

Not being critical here...just cautious.So are there any safer ALTERNATIVES? I remember seeing something during disk checking that looked like hexadecimal. Could there be a problem in the registry I could fix with a little GUIDANCE? I'm still learning so that might not make any sense, but I'd rather avoid such a risky fix.Find out who makes your HDD and travel to their site and DLoad their diagnostics...they're Free and are used to create a boot CD/floppy to test the drive.