computer freezes during conversion

[radsailor]

I need tips from all the bright minds out there. here is the problem
just got a new system put together- amd xp 2200, 512 ram, abit kx 333, 100gb, abit siluro geforce mx. when ever trying to convert from ati aiw captured avi format with the ati vcr installed on hd to wmv using media encoder 7.1 the system would freeze. also tried the following - virtualdub conversion using divx 502 from ati format avi file. system freezes with any sort of vid stream conversion. this has never happened before using 1ghz tbird, abit kt7a mb, and same hd. already installed direct x 8.1, newest via 4 in 1 driver, nvidia newest drivers, reinstalled win media encoder, still the system freezes. I am very frustrated. it is time to upgrade to win xp or upgrade vid card will solve the problem. I am inclined to think that the prob is win 98 or software not hardware since it is brand new!! please help

[sdispun]

Freezes at what point you didn't say, is it right off the bat when you started it, or 5, 10 mins into encoding? There're only 2 reasons to make your PC rollover and play dead,

1) software which point to your 98, best is to go for 2000. XP is great, but few weeks after kicking my own butts, I format the HDD and put back 2000.

2) hardware, download one of those temp utility, and monitor your poppy, 55f is just about all it can take. Or for the time being, just open the side and see what happen.