Computer issues;

[Zanz L. Barre The 3rd]

So yeah! I'm a computer nub, so any help would be greatly appreciated!

Sometimes it'll freeze up on me randomly while FFXI and I'm having an AIM conversation, and when I try to reset, it just powers up for a couple secs, turns off for 5 secs, then turns back on, then turns off again, etc. Goes on for a minute before I turn it off. I then have to wait 20-30mins to power it on to where it will allow me to get to BIOS or Windows menu. It typically freezes at the Windows menu and I have to reset and wait for another 20-30mins again until I get lucky and it boots normally. So, any idea how I can fix this or what the cause may be?

If it means anything, I'm constantly bugged about getting a "Genuine" version of Windows.

[Cephius]

Do you not have a legal version of windows? If you don't, it could be a whole host of things, you not getting security updates, you might not even have service pack 2.

[Zanz L. Barre The 3rd]

I don't have a legal version.

The issue subsided for about a week after uninstalling an AOL taskbar that came along with AIM. The problem had risen again today, though. If I don't have a genuine version and you feel that may be the problem, what would you recommend I do and how would I do it? Sorry if it seems as if I want you to "baby" me through the process but I really am at a loss =/

Oh, and if it means anything, I troubleshooted some stuff. One interest thing that arose was that after removing both sticks of RAM, my computer stayed booted for substantially longer (in BIOS obviously), but it did eventually power off again.

[Shuemue]

If you're incapable of pirating windows correctly, go and fucking buy it.

[Zanz L. Barre The 3rd]

If you're incapable of pirating windows correctly, go and fucking buy it.

It was given to me by a friend who used it, and his PC works fine.

The official copy I bought didn't work =/

Edit: Computer tech. in LS said possibly a power supply issue, does a 700 watt PWR supply seem sufficient for this set up?

2.66 GHz duo core Intel
2 GB Corsair DDR2 RAM
Gigabyte motherboard with Intel quad/duo processor and DDR2/DDR3 RAM support
8800 Nvidia GTS (EVGA)
500 GB Seagate hard drive
OCZ 700 watt power supply

[shinoniken]

That PSU is more than enough to run that setup, however it could still be a dud PSU. I would go for an OS reinstall beforehand, especially if you're running a pirated copy that you know nothing about. If you have a legal version of windows laying around (you said you bought it but didn't work, did you return it?), install that instead. If it won't install, try to find out why and come back. If it does install, and the problem continues, then it could potentially be the psu. Your computer doing better without the ram could relate back to the psu as well.