random crash and re-start

[CJ]

Hello, I have windows xp. Periodically it will crash
itself down .. just like a plug is being pulled and then
restart itself. This is random and does not seem to be
related to the activity at the time.

Can anyone tell me what might be going on and hopefully
offer a remedy for it?

Thanks!!

 

[BigJIm]

could be a memory problem

 

[CJ]

A memory configuration problem? Or an actual bad memory
bank? Would either of these act in the same manner?

Thanks

 

[cimex]

Bad memory stick.
"Download and run memtest86 from www.memtest86.com (need a
floppy disk drive, since this program boots and runs from floppy, well
outside of Windows, DOS, or anything else you'll have on the machine
already). Takes a few hours to fully test the RAM, so use it over night."