after a prolonged absence...

The saga continues.
First, as always, I thank everyone for their input - I am very grateful for all the
help I am receiving.

I did create the boot disc. I finally was able to find some new floppy discs, and have created the 6-disc set. I back up the registry along with all my other backups.

I did get that registry cleaner - and ran it - there was a ton of stuff wrong - and so I just let the program fix it.

I (of course) am now getting a new error - BSOD every single night - and now more often than that - at times no blue screen, but the computer is simply locked up, and I have to reboot. So far, it IS re-booting.

The new error:
DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
Stop: 0x000000D1(0x00000034, 0x00000002, 0x00000000, 0xF74C58F0)
IdechnDr.sys - Address F74C58F0 base at F74C0000, Datestamp 3d99eac3.

I tried to run a disc check - and the computer froze at:
"Check is verifying indexes Stage 2 of 5 0% completed.

Was out of town visiting my son, who built this computer - and his advice was that he thought the hard drive was failing, and to get another one and transfer all the files and operating system to it. So I'm looking into that (as the computer has failed twice already today) - but how does one move all the stuff from one drive to a new one? He gave me an IBM program to do this - but it will not install on my machine. Trying desperately to move all the stuff I can to my laptop before this machine goes completely - any further enlightenment would be most helpful to me....all this trouble is overwhelming me...

Thanks for your help and patience....
Trish