Recurring Start up problem

This has been driving us crazy
Here is the config:
Abite BE6-II
850 PIII
256 MB Kingston
30 GB WD300AA on ATA100 primary
Goldstar 52x on ide 1
goldstar cdrw on ide 2 both masters
ATI Xpert2000pro
SB PCI16
USR 2977
running W2k

customer takes system home, installs office 2000. and his visor palm software. there was an upadate for usb and 2k that he installed. System runs fine for a while, then, no boot into windows. Hive is damaged. Have always recieved error messages about the PST files, or will become unable to open profile in outlook. Then no boot.. MS told him PST file is too big and sent him an email with a aptch to partition it. That doesn't sound like the solution to me. Have not tried it yet, because I have to get the system running to get the email.
At starting windows screen, locks up at second block, in safe mode, when accessing partition. He is ready to donate the PC to the boys club he is so frustrated. and so am I. BTW, same problem happened in millenium we trid different OS. There was an incompatability with Adaptec 4.02 and I.E 5.5 that we also installed the patch for. Once again temporary results.
Any help is appreciated
Jim

Can't think too well right now, but it appears that Easy CD Creator is installed for the CDRW drive? If so, try to remove it or just whipe the HD clean and start over without installing it. It's harsh, but someone else might have a better idea.

Check out
The Register
For more info.

Hope this helps. Even Nero has some problems too, so I might have been a bit too quick earlier.

Thanks
Gives us something else to work with.
Jim

What file system you using?? If your using FAT32 and he is not shutting down the system correctly or is experiencing power failures, this will corrupt files. NTFS should help solve this problem cause of its recoverable file system.

Just another thought, has he installed Service Pack 2 ??? A lot of people are experiencing problems with it.

If he is using liveware, remove ALL of it and use the WHQL drivers for the SB.
If you must use the EZ-CD, DON'T install the add on stuff (Direct CD et al) just the burner program itself.

Both of those programs have caused a lot more trouble than SP2 -- which has yet to cause a problem for me.