Another PC question - related to games

[TAZ]

Currently having issues with EA Sports NHL2004, had the same issue with NHL2003. During the play of a game, usually 2/3 into it, it shuts down. The PC does not crash, the game just closes. I have better luck if I reboot before I play but 9 times out of 10 I can not even play one full game.

PC info-
Pentium 4 2.00GHZ, 384MB RAM, 40G Hd (30MB empty), USB 2.0 for controller, Windows XP, Don't know the exact video card, it is a SiS something, and I recently installed DirectX9. I have also recently defragmented the HD, deleted temp files, and basically cleaned everything up.

Game manual says to shut down everything else which may be running, that may be the only thing left. Usually only my virus software and AOL IM run in the backround. I run Symantec antivirus-corporate edition.

My next try will be to uninstall the Symantec and see if that helps.

Any suggestions or ideas on what may be causing this? I wouldn't think with a 1yr old PC I should have gaming issues.

Thanks

 

[KMA]

Have you tried doing a complete power off shut down for at leat 45 seconds before booting up again??? (this clears memory completely)
Shutting off all the stuff that you don't need in the system tray, before you start the game???

Its not something 'dumb' like tugging on the wires when you play???

It very well could be Windows XP. There have been problems with several games that lock or just die under XP that worked fine on his Win98 box.