Computer freezes and crashes during encoding

I am trying to convert avi files to mpeg in order to burn as dvd.
I have tried TMPGEnc, Mainconcept, and Winmpg, but i am always having the same problem - a minute or so after setting it away my computer completely freezes, and cannot be used, it must be reset. I have tried many different avi files, and all approaches (encoding as program or elementary) I have tried just doing video alone and stripping audio with virtualdub, but the effect is always the same. This doesnt happen ever except when i try and do this. Its an AMD 2400 512mb, so i dont think its a performance issue. Any help would be much appreciated, thanks.

 

Does it freeze with any other progs? Is it overclocked? Is the ram a single or pair?

 

sounds like a codec conflict, uninstall all the codec packs that you have and only install the codecs that you need i.e xvid/divx codecs.

 

great advice, removing the codecs worked, thanks a lot pal!!

 

not a problem m8