Gurney -

A long time ago, you could get "RAM Test" programs that did a good job of wringing out your memory. The programs would often show "defects" of various kinds that seemed not to have much effect on normal operation; but that would occasionally toss a clinker.

The one I had, unfortunately, required running in DOS and required all of the usable DOS memory (remember the old days when it was a major undertaking to get a Meg of RAM running?). With the switch to Win98, the new COMMAND that replaced/emulated DOS required loading one more driver into DOS RAM to load the program in DOS, and that didn't leave room for the program. I'm sure similar programs are around, compatible with new machines and RAM sizes; but I haven't seen one (that I could afford).

One more sign of progress(?).

With your alternate stuff cleaned out, your 40 GB drive should be large enough to run WinXP with some room left over for other stuff; but it's not a "generous" amount. For a recent upgrade of "her" computer (Win2K, 20 GB to 160 GB) I fumbled into a "method" that I found rather convenient.

I had used a couple of "External USB Hard Drives" and they were helpful, but not impressive. I found that you can now get an "External USB HD CASE" fairly cheaply, into which you can install any "desktop" HD of the right case size. The combined cost of the case and a std HD is about the same as for one of the "external HD" units that has the HD installed and "unremovable."

When you get a new HD, it should come with installation software, usually on CD, that will let you plug in the new drive - in the Ext USB HD Case - and mirror the existing HD to the new one. When you take the new one out of the case and put it in the machine in place of the old HD, the OS likely won't notice the change - except that it now has a "fat bunch of room." If you like, put the old dinky HD in the case, and use it for backups.

An advantage of a USB connected HD for backups is that it only has to be plugged in when you're making backups, so it's not exposed to any "crud and corruption" that you might pick up during normal machine use - if you choose to use it that way, and if you make sure the machine is "clean" before you plug in to update your backups. If you're carefull, a 160 GB drive-in-a-case si probably big enough to back up all the data on several machines in seperate "master folders." I get everything useful, and a lot that isn't, from 3 machines on my backup 160 GB, currently with about 40% still left over.

And the case is swappable for use with another new HD you might later want to install.

I've found HD backup a whole lot more reliable than any other medium. CDs seem fairly safe, but it can take a lot of them. DVDs are extremely unreliable for data, at current state of the art. I've tried a few, and never gotten full recovery from one that looked good when burned.

With any external HD, you do have to treat it like a bottle of Nitro for any handling. It will "explode" on you if mistreated, as by moving it at any time while the disk is still spinning.

John