Computer restarts at random

[Soapy Bones]

I posted a thread in OS board about a different issue that I had involving the missing system file on bootup at random. This is a link to the thread. I fixed the problem by following microsofts help center support to go step by step to replace the registry files and basically do a system restore to a previous date. That got me back on with the same system settings and everything in tact just as it was before all of this happened. However, now I noticed that i walked away from my computer for about a half hour/45 minutes and came back to it having just restarted. I left the computer with windows media player 10 running and a cd burning via windows xp's built in features.
This is the most random problem yet, and I am just shaking my head at this stupid thing.

Also, I never found out the actual cause of the problem above either, I ran memtest86 for about 10-12 hours on my 1024 mb of ram (1 512 original, 2x256 corsair used, added) and it did not turn up any errors at all. I dont really know what else to try or what else to do at all on this thing but it's frustrating to go through this all the time.

I'll try anything, Thanks

 

[Baked]

What PSU?

 

[bucd]

How long did you run your system before you got the error message?

If for a while, i would just do a clean install of windows. NOT a recovery either.

Completly format hard drive (save all your pics/music/video/docs/etc. first of course)

Then install fresh copy of windows.

If it was happening even before you got those errors, how new is the system? If it's farily new, i would list your hardware up on here and then we would be able to help you out a little bit more. Could be hardware related.

-D

 

[WackyDan]

You have a UPS on it?

 

[Soapy Bones]

I can't tell of the brand of psu because it's covered but I can see that it's a 400watt

System specs are basically
Asus A7V266 E
Athlon XP 2100
1 gig RAM
DVD Rom
Plextor CDRW
Pioneer DVDRW
2 - WD 80 gig
1 - maxtor 20 gig
1 - 5 gig
128 meg ti 4200 geforce 2?
sound blaster audigy
That about sums it up, this problem just started within the past 3 days however, no system modifications have occured during that time.

 

[DaRkPhAnToM]

most likely power supply. you have a lot of stuff hooked up to it, my comp did same thing. the power supply was overused and was slowly dieing and finally was on last legs. idll look ingto a new powersupplly, namely a fortron 500 or 530w blue storm

 

[Soapy Bones]

This is the 6th time in the past 6 weeks I had the original error message or some form of it coming up. This last time though, i wiped every hard drive completely clean and started fresh from the beginning with nothing at all. Put XP SP2 (direct from CD) on and then added all of my programs back on, freshly downloaded.

No UPS here, although it is through a Belkin PowerAuthority II model FSC140 (just a simple power strip with buttons activating each device basically, nothing fancy)

I had never seen an error message that i can recall relating to the system file being missing or corrupt until this january, when I did add the 5 gig hard drive, and the dvd burner to the system. The 2x256 ram chips are crucial, the proper model for my motherboard, and they are used from a seller in FS&FT, I trust they're in good shape.

 

[Soapy Bones]

If it truely is related to the power supply, is there any way to check that other than plugging a different one in and seeing what happens?

If that is the case, I have an unused Antec Truepower 430 watt PSU sitting in another computer that never got built, would that be enough of an improvement to justify the mess of changing it all around?


The system is about 2.5 years old, it was a custom built computer however, so I dont know if that makes any difference.
Through the normal life of the system i had 2 hard drives, and 2 optical drives in it, not the 4 HD and 3 optical drives I have now.

 

[resStealth]

eh your probably using the generic psu that came with your case. they are cheap. get a good name brand, about a 500watter or so. your overloading that CHEAP ASS power supply

 

[DaRkPhAnToM]

Originally posted by: lather164
If it truely is related to the power supply, is there any way to check that other than plugging a different one in and seeing what happens?

If that is the case, I have an unused Antec Truepower 430 watt PSU sitting in another computer that never got built, would that be enough of an improvement to justify the mess of changing it all around?


The system is about 2.5 years old, it was a custom built computer however, so I dont know if that makes any difference.
Through the normal life of the system i had 2 hard drives, and 2 optical drives in it, not the 4 HD and 3 optical drives I have now.

i doubt that antec 430w is even enough, antec isnt that great anyways
the one i had that was dieing was an antec 400w

 

[Amaroque]

Originally posted by: DaRkPhAnToM
i doubt that antec 430w is even enough, antec isnt that great anyways
the one i had that was dieing was an antec 400w

An Antec True430 isn't that good? What are you smoking?

I'm assuming you can back up your statement. You have verified this first hand with a multimeter?

I've powered the rig in my sig with a True430, but I only left two hard drives connected. I measured the rails with a multimeter...

Full CPU load (Prime95)
12v rail, multimeter reading 11.97v
5v rail, multimeter reading 5.00v

 

[Soapy Bones]

Is that what it actually requires, a multi-meter to determine if it is overloaded or close to overloaded?




Also
Just got done running WD Diagnostics test on the main 80 gig hard drive, passed with no errors at all. If that helps any.

 

[Amaroque]

Random restarts are usually a PSU problem.

To get a true reading on your rails, you need a multimeter. Any BIOS, or HW monitoring programs are inaccurate.

Throw that True430 in there and see if it reboots.

 

[Tiamat]

Random restarts can be due to memory. Run Memtest 86 on your modules if you can. Ive never had the psu be the culprit on random restarts. My only psu problem was when my system sparked and died.

 

[Amaroque]

Originally posted by: Tiamat
Random restarts can be due to memory. Run Memtest 86 on your modules if you can. Ive never had the psu be the culprit on random restarts. My only psu problem was when my system sparked and died.

Did you even read the OP?

Originally posted by: lather164
Also, I never found out the actual cause of the problem above either, I ran memtest86 for about 10-12 hours on my 1024 mb of ram (1 512 original, 2x256 corsair used, added) and it did not turn up any errors at all. I dont really know what else to try or what else to do at all on this thing but it's frustrating to go through this all the time.

I'll try anything, Thanks

I've have bad PSU's a reboot culprit many times. Bad RAM can do that too. I suggested looking at the PSU first because he has run Memtest 12 hours straight w/o error.

 

[Soapy Bones]

Yes, I ran memtest86 for roughly 12 hours without error with all of the RAM in there.

One other random problem that I have noticed recently, and when I say recently I mean within the past week, my monitor will randomly turn off. It doesnt actually turn off, but the video going to it does turn off and the only way i can get it to respond from that is a soft reboot (pushing the reset button) or a hard reboot.

However, all of these drives and peripherals have been installed for over a month and that problem just showed itself in the past week.


I am using the system right now, and in fact i just left it on, and idle for nearly 40 minutes and came back and it was perfectly fine. The last time i did this, I had several programs running and it had restarted by the time i came back.

 

[DaRkPhAnToM]

Originally posted by: Amaroque

Originally posted by: DaRkPhAnToM
i doubt that antec 430w is even enough, antec isnt that great anyways
the one i had that was dieing was an antec 400w

An Antec True430 isn't that good? What are you smoking?

I'm assuming you can back up your statement. You have verified this first hand with a multimeter?

I've powered the rig in my sig with a True430, but I only left two hard drives connected. I measured the rails with a multimeter...

Full CPU load (Prime95)
12v rail, multimeter reading 11.97v
5v rail, multimeter reading 5.00v

i said i doubt the true430 would be enough, i never said it wasnt for sure. i did have problems with my 400w antec that came with my antec soho case a couple years back and yes i did verify it, my 3v and 12v was way out of spec accord to my multimeter. i've also known others who did too.

 

[Soapy Bones]

Ok.
I got ahold of a multi meter and tested some feeds, unplugged a cdrom drive to check and got readings of like 12.5 volts and 5.11 volts

I got about the same on a free group just at a random place not hooked to anything.
I'm not sure if those values are supposed to be above or below the 12 and 5 volt threshholds though...

in another factor that i had previously not thought of, Would heat be a possible factor/problem that could cause these random symptoms?

 

[jonnyGURU]

I'm with Tiamat on the RAM idea. Whenever I've worked on a PC that had random reboots, only 1% of the time was it PSU. Although 99% of the time people THINK it's PSU related. 90% of the time, it's RAM related (9% would be "other.")

You've got 1GB of RAM. I'm guessing that's two 512's, right? Try them one stick at a time. Can you do that with that board?

 

[xbassman]

Another culprit could be heat.
I had that board running a 2000+ (Palomino) that would sometimes hit as high as 72C, then it would either lock up or reboot.

Have you checked your temps?

 

[thelvman]

Check your motherboard for leaky caps. I had the same symptoms a while ago and I noticed some of the caps on the mb were leaking. Not really worth fixing unless your good with that stuff. Try a different mobo or at least check the condition of the caps.

 

[javald]

I dont know how to fix it but i am having the same problem. And when send the the error report it says that it is a device driver but i cant figure out what one.

 

[MrControversial]

Restart the computer in safe mode and see if it still restarts.

 

[Blain]

Originally posted by: thelvman
Check your motherboard for leaky caps. I had the same symptoms a while ago and I noticed some of the caps on the mb were leaking. Not really worth fixing unless your good with that stuff. Try a different mobo or at least check the condition of the caps.

What he said.

 

[Hannover]

What are your system failure settings in WinXP ?

MyComputer/Properties/Advanced/Startup and Recovery

There are three checks, the last one is "Automatically Restart". Your OS could be crashing and the restarting. Check the event viewer and see if there is anything supect in it.