DOOMMaster,

1) I don't build my own computers for the same reason I don't build my own cars or refrigerators.
2) I doubt that I could custom build a computer for less than the $350 I paid for this one (reconditioned).
3) Hard drives are irrelevant to my situation.

To recap: I replaced the inadequate (for Vista) 512 meg of RAM with 2 gig. It worked great for about a week, then started crashing more and more often. I took it to the place I bought it (Fry's). They said the RAM checked out fine and that it was either the CPU or the motherboard and that it would have to be sent back to HP for repairs. After keeping it for over a month HP decided it was the non-HP RAM that was at fault and sent it back to Fry's unrepaired. They did say that they would send 2 gig of HP ram in a week or so. So I'm back to square one and out two months of my time!

This is intolerable and I am fed up with being jerked around! This situation will be resolved, one way or another, tomorrow!

Stay tuned.

__________________
Any day you wake up on "the right side of the dirt" is a good day.

T. Anderson