OK, Nevanna has got my attention! Only for this reason, I can't get my pc to accept 512 ram, It goes wonkers when I try using my dual corsair ones, so I bought a single 512 (pny?) I think and that boots up but stalls right at the winxp screen, doesn't let windows open. So what the heck could cause this? I'm still not ruling out the virus but like I said, I've had problems with the ram, only I've been running the 256 now without any problems for almost a year. :( I think I may change motherboards in the real near future, the one I've got is the fourth of its kind, kept thinking it was a MB problem I had kept sending it back and getting a new one, but the problems continued. Thanks for the help so far! Ang