Sometimes the same strange error appears frequently without affecting Windows' stability. The PC we wrote this article on, for example, generates an error message when we open the Display Properties window, but we've ignored the error each time without ill effects. Every copy of Windows is unique since nobody has the same combination of hardware and software installed, so errors like this usually aren't worth tracking down and fixing.
Much worse are the occasions where the keyboard and mouse freeze for no apparent reason, and the system just sits in a frozen state. There are no surefire ways to determine the cause of these problems, especially because no telltale error message appears. Just turn the computer off, wait a few seconds, restart it, and let ScanDisk go to work. If the problem reappears, it may be time for a complete reinstallation of Windows on a clean hard drive, coupled with fresh installations of your hardware and software. Check the Smart Computing Web site at http://www.smartcomputing.com for many articles on Windows reinstallations.
