CPU Keeps Locking Up

[BlackCat007]

I have a Gateway desktop, runs on Windows ME.  Been having problems with it locking up off and on.  So I was running diagnostics often.  Now it's locked up on the desktop but doesn't completely show the true desktop, e.g., the screen is black when it should be white; the icons are there, but the mouse and system immediately locks up and won't move and the keyboard will not work anything.  I tried the ctrl+alt+del--nothing.  I have to push the reset button each time to power down.  When I reboot it runs the scan disk, then goes to the desktop and locks up, as described above.

Can I bypass the desktop to run diagnostics?  If so, how?  Besides going out and buying a new CPU, can anyone suggest what I should do?

[dl65]

BlackCat007  
" So I was running diagnostics often." So is that how you came to the conclusion that the CPU is the cause of the problem ?   Have you tried booting into the safe mode ?   Perhaps you should consider a format and a clean install of ME . Unless you know something we don't .........I would guess the problem isn't the CPU.

let us know

dl65