Ubuntu 11.04 (Using classic--not Unity)
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I've had my computer on for maybe two days, and when I clicked on Firefox, it began to load...then nothing. The tab never appeared. Then, I click Terminal and I get an error stating 'gnome-terminal...'**, then my panels disappear. If I click on a folder on my desktop, it freezes with the loading symbol.

10 minutes pass, so I power off the computer using the main power switch. When I power it back on, my fans within the unit start a FULL rotation (loud), then eventually go back to the normal speed.

Any ideas what could be causing this?

**I didn't catch all of the error during my confusion, but it looked like it JUST said Error: gnome-terminal.

Thanks in advance.

There are many things which could cause the problems that you describe. How old is the hard drive in this computer?

Is this reproducible? Can Firefox start after the reboot? If not, can you get to a terminal, X or otherwise, and see what output you get when firefox is invoked from the command line?

As far as I know, this is (or can be) normal. The fans should "default" to full speed until they get throttled by the logic/mechanism on the board.

The output of dmesg could be usefull here. If that doesn't clarify things I'd recommend checking your memory first. Memtest86+ is available using an ubuntu live CD.

It sounds very much like a hardware defect but it could also be a faulty installation. Did you verify the contents of the installation CD? Also check that all connectors, wires, cards, memory, jumpers, etc.. make full contact with the main board and the device.

Good luck

This is almost certainly going to be a problem with the (user-land...) "XWindows" (or "XOrg") graphic user interface system. Not the system kernel.

I also suggest that you can probably ignore memory-tests: if the memory subsystem isn't working, then the system isn't going to be working, at all, either.

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I agree with hansaplazt, try running memtest86 first.

How do you come to that conclusion? May also be a hardware error, and I also don't see enough info to come to any conclusion here.

Nope, RAM modules can be partially malfunctioning, this can lead to some very obscure symptoms on a working system.

To simply rule out the most common hardware failures, check the RAM, the disk(s) and the PSU.