| Things it could not be a problem with ("could" reads as "almost could" with computers, admittedly):
- The MBR, since you can wipe your drive and reinstall the OS and it's still broken.
- The hard disk or memory, if you've tested it correctly.
- Your install CDs, since you've tried more than one.
Things it could be a problem with:
- Any hardware you haven't tested, or bad settings on your current hardware.
- A bizarre Windows problem.
What I would do:
- Absolutely double-check any hard drive diagnostic tests you can find, because that's the first thing I would guess at for the symptoms. Make sure SMART is on in the BIOS to look for errors, although I don't know why it wouldn't be.
- Install a normal desktop Linux distro and use it for a little while. (Make sure you install LILO or GRUB over your MBR, while you're at it.) Any problems? How about Windows 98?
- Unplug your CD/DVD drive and reboot. Repeat with your network/wireless card, if you can. Try unplugging your hard drive and booting from CD. Try swapping out memory. Basically, replace and remove every piece of hardware you possibly can, and test.
- Break down into tears. Pray. |