Mid last year I purchased a new computer with the following components: Intel P4 530 3.0 GHz, Kingmax 1 GB RAM, ASUS P5P800 Motherboard, 160 GB HDD, Radeon ATI 9550 256 MB Graphics Card, and LG DVD-RW. Early this year this system started to exhibit problems with random freezing and shutting down, making it almost impossible to use the computer. Reformatting and reinstalling Windows did not resolve the issue, so we determined the root cause was a hardware fault. After following up with the place of purchase, the motherboard and power supply were replaced. This temporarily fixed the issue, but it then started again a week later. Replacing the graphics card and CPU did not resolve the issue either. I will be returning the computer to the vendor to see if the problem can be identified and resolved. However, I am unwilling to spend more money on the computer unless there is a reasonable chance it can be fixed. Have you seen this problem before, and could you advise on the most common causes of this issue? I am not at all certain that the vendor will be able to come up with a fix and am worried that he will offer to start selling me components until the problem is fixed, if that is the case I may as well buy a new system and start over. Where do you recommend I purchase a new computer from - a no-name or a brand computer (e.g. Dell)?

This is an unfortunate issue you are encountering and such problems can be very stressful and difficult to diagnose. So far you have done all the right things in attempting to resolve the issue. Reinstalling Windows has demonstrated the problem is most likely not software related, but is a hardware fault. The only real way to determine the cause of the issue, such as the specific faulty hardware component, is replacing the hardware until the problem stops (at which time, you should know what is the faulty hardware). One common cause is faulty or incorrect type of RAM. Since the computer ran for approximately one year without problem, having an incorrect type of RAM is unlikely to be the cause. So, there is the possibility the RAM has become faulty. From your question I am unsure whether you have tried replacing the RAM in the computer, so this could be another potential test. Apart from this suggestion, it seems you and the vendor have covered all the bases. There is also the possibility some of the computer components are not agreeing with each other and are conflicting. However, this situation seems unlikely since the computer was working correctly in the past. Without looking at the computer myself any further diagnosis would be very difficult. Therefore, your best option is to continue working with the vendor.

Should you be unable to resolve the issue and wish to pursue purchasing a new computer, the decision whether to purchase a no-name computer from a vendor or local shop, versus purchasing a brand name computer from a major retailer (e.g. department store, or direct from a computer manufacturer such as Dell) is an interesting decision. On one hand, purchasing from local vendors and computer shops helps support the local industry and you can arguably have better support since the computer can be taken back to the shop should you have problems. You might of course disagree with this sentiment given your recent experiences with a local vendor. However, this experience should not be treated as a generalisation for all local vendors, and many local computer shops I have dealt with have been excellent. On the other hand, purchasing a brand name computer has the major advantage the machine is backed by a major corporation, which has the money and output to ensure all machines are built on a production line and (should) adhere to a baseline standard of quality. Arguably, given the large output of many of these large computer firms their prices are also quite competitive. I have also found the support from companies such as Dell to be very good. This is just my personal opinion on the matter, and many people have differing opinions, so the decision is really up to you. I suggest shopping around, asking opinions on different vendors from friends and colleagues, and check out the prices from different vendors to get an idea about what would be most suitable for you.