>>The result - I now have a system that simply freezes up at random but fairly quickly. It *may* be dependent on how many mouse-clicks I do. If I can get into Windows updtw with few mouse clicks it will run (check for updates) for a whie before freezing. If I click lots it frezes quickly on one of the clicks.
>>
>>The freeze is a full blown freeze. No keystrokes, no mousing, etc works in any way.
>>
>>I've run with the E: drive disconnected with no difference.
>>
>>Any ideas????
>>cheers
>
>Try a new mouse. Seriously, I've had to replace a mouse on more than one flakey system

Right - it may be one of those "it hurts wherever I poke with my finger - in the end I found my finger was broken".

Question to Jim: since it's an axiom that whatever can be done by mouse can be done by keyboard too, what happens if you don't touch your mouse at all? Or unplug it altogether?