Weird lockup problem

[Beattie]

I am having this weird lockup problem. My processor fan was making some strange noises and it was bothering me. So, I went to the store and bought a new heatsink and fan. I put it on. Then I turn my computer on and it locks up during bootup, or sometimes it lasts longer, if it's been off for a while. Sounds like a heat problem. So, I sit it at the bios hardware sensor monitor screen to see how fast it's heating up and what temp it gets to. It never goes over 55 degrees C. So, I turn it off for a while and then I boot it all the way up and watch the temp sensors. It still doesnt go above 55 degrees, but now it locks up. I dont know what's going on! Anyone have any ideas on what might be happening? Think my motherboard might be broken?

Right now I am running a memory test (memtest86) to see if there's something wrong with my memory, but somehow I dont think that's it.
*edit = The memtest has been running for over a half hour and it hasnt locked up yet. So, maybe there's something different in how the bios and the memtest use the hardware and how the OS itself does.

[byrnerat101]

yea that seriously sounds like a heat problem, 55 degrees is a bit hot anyway... im running a seriously overclocked athlon-xp which is a hot chip anyway at about 43 degrees on some semi-decent air cooling.... make sure you have the heatsink all installed right and everything.

[Beattie]

Hmm... I have an Athlon XP. It's been running around 55 for like 3 years now without any problems until right now. Though I suppose that could be the problem itself. Whenever I looked into it, I found people saying that as long as it was below 65, it was fine.

[byrnerat101]

Well i dunno..... i try to keep mine below 45.... but if alot of people are sayin that your temps are alright then take there word for it because im no pro at this in any means lol