WordPress database error: [Lost connection to MySQL server during query

Someplace to start:
https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/gone-away.html

Hey thanks for that BUT it all a bit over my head! Ive tried the timeout setting but there are so many and all digfferent variables? Could the fact Im only running windows 98 be an issue? or that there is another database = test on my server that seems to be experiencing errors. I have asked my host support about this too??

That sounds very much like a host problem. Email them and ask lots of questions.

This is the solution I found for this problem.

Sign in to your wp-admin. Go to Options > Writing > Update Services. Delete ALL update services except:

https://rpc.pingomatic.com/