game starts then shuts down

[homeland]

I stopped playing hl2 for awhile went to go back to play it and now everytime the game loads i find a server join the server and as i'm right about to actually join the game it shuts off and goes back to windows.  I recently d/led Penumbra ( a free fps) and its doing the same thing.  I start the game it does its introduction story and then when it goes to switch over to the game actually starting it shuts off and goes back to windows.  I'm abit confused though rightfully so i know nothing of computers.  I thought maybe the resolution was the cause but after changing it around in game it still did the same thing.   here is my specs

windows xp
radeon 9200 128mb
pent 4 3.2 ghz ht
512mb ddr mem.

 any help would be greatly appreciated.

[GX1_Man]

Heat, bad power supply and bad RAM are the most common, though not all the possibilities.

Can you check your system temps? If you remove the cover and blow a fan in there does it help?

What power supply and wattage? If a pre-fab machine, what make and model for the sytem. If not, what motherboard?

You can test your RAM with Memtest (www.memtest86.com)

What malware protection are you using?

What happened prior to these difficulties?

[homeland]

Can you check your system temps? If you remove the cover and blow a fan in there does it help?   No can't check
 
What power supply and wattage? If a pre-fab machine, what make and model for the sytem. If not, what motherboard?   Its a Sony Vaio PCV - RS 530G
 
You can test your RAM with Memtest (www.memtest86.com) started to run that did 2 passes was taking to long will do it tonight when i go to bed but no errors found so far
 
What malware protection are you using? Using Kerio Persional Firewall/AVG free edition
 
What happened prior to these difficulties? Not a clue. LIke a said i stopped using my pc to game for a few

[infoseeker]

Can you check your system temps? If you remove the cover and blow a fan in there does it help?   No can't check
 

try to check the temp here
http://www.download.com/SpeedFan/3000-2094_4-10540297.html?tag=lst-0-1

download and install, then check it

[homeland]

thanks for that link.  
its giving me 4 temps
temp1: 106f
temp2: 112f
temp3 107f
HD0: 100f

Also i ran the memtest over night it went for 9 hours and no errors found.

tahnks again for any help

[homeland]

no one has a clue whats wrong?

[GX1_Man]

Does it do it when doing things other than this one game? If not, then uninstall and download again (or  find another game!)

[Fed]

Requirements:
Windows2K/XP
1Ghz CPU
512MB RAM
400MB Harddrive space
[highlight]ATI 9600[/highlight]/NVIDIA FX

[cowen]

 :-? im not that good with computersbut i might be able to help so just ask

[GX1_Man]

no one has a clue whats wrong?

Are you reading the responses?

[Fed]

Don't you just hate it when someone drags up an old thread?