Computer Troubles

[TheLogman]

Desktop computer stops working.

It won't restore to a previous state, and it won't resume properly.

I put in the OS disk, figure I can reinstall or something. Try a restore, can't find any restore points.

I try reinstalling the OS on a Partition, doesn't work. I tried Formatting the Hard Drive and reinstalling, and it crashes at the same point every time.

What's going wrong? Is it a problem with the OS disk, or a Hardware problem?

It has been rather hot lately, and it does sound like it has overheated, could something have melted back there?

Could there still be a software problem if I've formatted the C drive?

EDIT: Running Windows Vista before, trying to reinstall Windows Vista. Sony Vaio Desktop with no modifications other than some extra ram and a graphics card that I put in over a year or so ago. It's a few years old.

EDIT2: When it crashes I'm getting a Blue Screen.

EDIT3: Getting a Mac or a new computer or a new OS or really anything new isn't really an option. It's my old gaming computer and if I can't fix it fairly there's nothing else I'm willing to do with it really.

[KuReshtin]

When you get the bluescreen, what's the error code at the top?
It should be something like 0x0000003b or something like that.

If you get that code, and then Google the error code, that can give you a fair idea of what's wrong.

[Erloas]

At what point in the installation is the computer locking up?

What does the BSOD say, usually in the middle of the screen it says something about what caused the failure, usually some driver file.

If anything got hot enough to melt the system wouldn't do anything at all most likely. Usually heat causes glitches, not physical damage (at least in the sort of case you are seeming to describe, usually physical damage is very obvious, usually with smoke and sparks)

Usually if it is a heat related problem it won't happen consistently and won't happen at the exact same time.

I'm assuming before the computer would get at least most of the way into Windows before crashing?

[factotum]

If it's bluescreening at the same point while installing Windows then that does suggest a hardware issue, but without more information about what the bluescreen actually says it's impossible to narrow it down.

[Dragosai]

I am sorry I do not fully understand your post, were you able to successfully format the drive, or did that fail?

[IonDragon]

You probably have a bad hard drive. Download Hiren's boot CD and run the IBM DFT program. That will tell you for sure if it's the drive.

[Don Julio Anejo]

You probably have a bad hard drive. Download Hiren's boot CD and run the IBM DFT program. That will tell you for sure if it's the drive.
+1. With most other components not working properly, your computer either wouldn't work at all or would crash very erratically.