...not connected. Any help? This is not associated with any special activity. It happens several times when I start up. Sometimes it settles down and I can continue work. I have not added any new software or hardware . I did 'fsutil dirty query c:, it gave a negative response. I could not do chkdsk it said C: was busy.

click schedualed for disc check the reboot

close all your running programs..they are the icons showing in the taskbar..right click them to show the pop up menu
Secondly..when you open a page, close the previous one with the red cross

1st); How old is your pc?. 2nd); Have you not got your disc for installing Windows XP? 3rd); If you have i suggest trying to back up of all files ( if possible+ reinstall WindowsXP).4); Failing that,how long has this been happening? 5):If not long long then try a Systems Restore. 6);Try Right click C-Drive,Properites, Then Tools, Error Check + see what happens

It there so may reason, why this is happening.

Chkdsk can now only be run in dos mode. any way scandisk is much better then chkdsk,
if u r not connected to internet or any other networking, then the possibilty of ur drive being infected can only be through CD, floppy or flash, etc.

Check your pc for viruses,
It might be from improper shutdown, or power failure that the windows is corrupt. boot in safe mode and shedule a startup scandisk.

if there is corruption in windows just reinstall it, doesn't solve problem, make backup of ur important files and format the c-drive and make a fresh installtion of windows.

It might be there are bad sector on your hadrdisk, use a bad-sector detction by using a software i.e. norton disk manager.

it might be there is a hardware problem, bad ram, power supply, take to a proffesional to pin-point the problem.

call best buy tomorrow and have the geek team
take a look at it
they can fix it