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Mame arcade freezing randomly

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jtslade:
Run a sfc check file integrity check ( google it) in xp.

Clean the pc.

Check the system event log to see what happens when it freezes.

Run the memtest program from a boot cd, you can download a great ultimate boot cd online, again google it. If the system runs fine off this cd for hours then you know it's an xp system software problem.

hypernova:
Considering it's in the open air mounted to the cab inside (outside of the case), I hadn't initially considered overheating.  Don't have a temp monitor on the machine yet, so I suppose it's time for one.  I'll grab AsusProbe and see what we've got.  The random freezing symptom fits, somewhat at least.  Do find it odd that it worked for hours, copying data to my external HDD without it overheating, so I'm not fully convinced that is it.  I'll report back what I get tomorrow...ish.

Gray_Area:
I think any machine since....the late 90s at least....has temp monitor in the bios.

scofthe7seas:
Being an IT professional I can tell you, the absolute WORST thing about computers is trying to figure out a problem at your house without the proper equipment. For your list, the CPU is almost certainly not it, that should not be close to #1 culprit. I think I've seen maybe.. 2 actual bad CPUs, and they wouldn't boot.
The memory tester boot CD is a good place to start, but if it were bad memory, I would tend to think blue screens would be more apparent. (or restarting, which is what a lot of computers do when they get a blue screen).
The heating does some like it could be the issue, and as for it not freezing during the copying, it could be because it wasn't taking much to copy files. If you have on-board VGA, things like displaying graphics (screen savers, Mame, boot screen?) could cause the CPU to heat up quicker. As was said, as long as you aren't running an ANCIENT computer, the a temp gauge will be in the bios. The should be a selection in there for HW monitoring. When it freezes, and you reboot, go to the bios and check the temp (if it's overheating, it should be high). How quickly do you restart it after it freezes? What kind of intervals are the freezes? Say, if it freezes, and you restart, does it take a while to freeze again, or is it more inclined to freeze up more quickly. If it freezes up quickly after the first freeze, we have a pretty solid bet that it's a heating issue.
I would run a hard drive test (I'm honestly not sure what software out there can be gotten to do this, I use Easy Recovery Pro) but I would doubt it if there was a problem there.. which is good, because I HATE reinstalling windows. Bleh.
How long has the PC been trucking? Is this a recent thing?

JODY:
Regarding hard drive checking software, most of the manufacturers have software on their website to do both high level and low level checks.  Some even have DOS bootable versions still available.

I used Seagate's not long ago as I was having issues in Windows Home Server due to sectors going bad on several drives.  The number of sectors going bad was not indicative of a total hard drive failure.  A few going bad over time is normal.  I was able to mark the bad sectors so they would not be used by Windows and the drives have been going without issue since.

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