computer rebooting for no apparent reason

[ny_driver]

ABIT AV8 K8T800pro
athlon64 3500+
2x1024 supertalent ddr400
HIS 9600pro family 256mb
antec 420w PSU
acer 22" LCD monitor model p224w
windows xp pro sp3 fully updated

My moms computer just reboots itself occasionally. Not during any one particular activity, just whenever. She doesn't do anything real graphically intense and doesn't really do much multi-tasking either. Because her old computer also did this rebooting thing, I have suspicions about the monitor. It could also be the PSU, although I replaced that (with a used one) when I built her new rig. I replaced everything except HD, CD-drive, and floppy-drive. I suppose it's possible that the old PSU was faulty, and the new used one is also faulty in the same manner.

I'd love to hear some other ideas. Thanks.

 

[mpilchfamily]

Could be a power issue but i would look into the HDD or the RAM.

 

[ny_driver]

HD was new recently and tested before and after rebuild, although IDE. And the RAM has been tested......I used it in that board for a long time. I just switched cpu from 3700 to 3500, put a different video card, and PSU in it, reformatted & reinstalled everything. Then gave it to my mom. It should work perfect like it always did for me. I guess I have to test everything.

 

[jacktesterson]

Is it running hot at all?

 

[Rifter]

PSU, RAM, check those first. In my years as a computer tech random reboots that were not during a 3d game were 90% of the time caused by bad PSU or RAM.

 

[SgtSpoon]

Disconnect the reset switch and see if the problem persists.

Don't ask how i know this ... it is too shamefull ...

 

[Rifter]

Disconnect the reset switch and see if the problem persists.

Don't ask how i know this ... it is too shamefull ...

yeah do this too, i have had that happen to me once too, cant believe i forgot about that.

 

[ny_driver]

thanks, I'll try that. probably the PSU, or the reset switch is the same as in the original pc so it could be that too. good thinking!

 

[neutralizer]

It might be just be BSODing, did you turn off automatically restart on BSOD?

 

[ny_driver]

I just did that after someone else recommended it. So I guess if the pc is off when I go back down there I'll know it went off. I've seen it reboot and no BSOD that I could see.