Can't shut down WinXP

[Joss]

Hi all,

I have recently purchased a factory reconditioned IBM
ThinkPad, to which I added 512MB of Crucial-brand RAM.

For the last several days, it has been impossible for me
to shut down the computer. If I go to Start -> Shut
Down, the confirmation dialogue box doesn't show up. I
have to shut it down using the power button.

I thought it might have been a problem of static, so I
unplugged the computer, removed the battery, and pressed
the power button for 10 sec, 3 times in a row. That has
solved the problem for a few hours, but now again, I
can't shut down.

What can I do? Is it likely to be a hardware (laptop or
added RAM?) or a software issue?

Thanks,

JD

 

[David B.]

Have you removed the new RAM to see if the problem goes away? Seems the first obvious thing to do.