Why is my computer restarting?

[spitz10]

Alright guys, I will try to make this as quick as possible. I put together a new rig about half a year ago, and I was having some problems with restarts, so I started these two threads:

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...hreadid=1905763&enterthread=y&arctab=y

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...hreadid=1906985&enterthread=y&arctab=y

I never really resolved the issue because I stopped gaming and the restarts only occur about once a week, so I didnt feel like dealing with it. But now, I am about to do some video editing, and I dont wanna risk losing stuff through a restart, so I want to get it resolved.

Here are the specs and situation:

Asus A8R-MVP
3700+ SanDiego
2gb OCZ platinum
1 36 gb raptor
1 extra hard drive
1 optical drives
2 120mm case fans
X1900GT (75 watts)
Centurion 5
fortron FSP400-60GLN 400W
CPU Temps are consistently below 30 but can get up to 40 during gaming. Case temp is never above 30.

So basically, my computer will just randomly restart, about once a week, for no apparent reason. Often times, I am not even on the computer when it happens, and nothing is even running. Gaming does seem to increase the rate at which it restarts, but I have played games for hours without a restart.

I have done testing on my RAM and CPU and neither seem to be the culprit. My temps are low enough that heat doesnt seem to be the problem either. The obvious choice seems to be the PSU, but I have been told that I have plenty of power - maybe I jsut have a faulty PSU.

So my question is, does anyone know what could be the problem? If no one really knows, I am just going to order a new PSU, but I am looking for recommendations. Thanks guys.

 

[Mutilator]

Here's what I would do:
- Either take that PSU to a PC repair shop to have it tested or buy a PSU tester of your own - I use this at work.
- Check your event log - see if anything is being logged in the Application or more likely System log.
- If you think the system is BSODing and immediately rebooting you can turn that feature off by right clicking on My Computer -> Properties -> Advanced -> Startup & Recovery Settings -> Uncheck Automatically restart. This will make it so YOU have to power down the machine after reading what the BSOD says.

 

[spitz10]

thanks mut. I hate to spend 20 bucks on a tester when I would rather put that towards a new PSU, but I am sure I would probably want one in the future anyways, so I might just do that.

I checked the event log, but I am not sure exactly what to look for. I already had the automatically restart unchecked. When my comp restarts, basically, say I am watching a movie or something, the screen will just lockup, and the sound will skip for about 10 seconds or so, then it will finally restart. Not sure what that means....

I guess I either need to figure out how to get the BSOD to come up, or figure out what to look for in the event log

 

[Mutilator]

Look for Errors in the event log - they'd be red circles w/white X in them.
Couple other things you could try...
In your Advanced video properties (Right click desktop -> properties -> advanced -> Troubleshoot tab) you could try moving the hardware acceleration slider down a notch.
And since you're using an ATI card you could try disabling VPU Recover in the Catalyst Control Center. Typically this would make the system appear to reboot when it kicked in, even thought it was just video that was restarting. Obviously if you're seeing the BIOS and Windows loading again then this isn't the case with your PC.

 

[spitz10]

yea, just to be clear, my whole computer is restarting.

So I went through the event log and basically identified the times my computer restarts, but unfortunately no errors correspond. The only events that correspond with the restarts are two "eventlog" sources with the event number 6005 and 6009 (one says, the event log service was started, and the other says, Microsoft (R) Windows (R) 5.01. 2600 Service Pack 2 Uniprocessor Free), and they are only "information". No errors are around the times of the restart at all.

 

[Mutilator]

That means you have a hardware problem - probably your PSU - causing the restarts. If it was driver or software related there would be a log in the event log before the system shut down.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

I agree with the above but do read this first http://www.badcaps.net/Ident/
If you register at badcaps, please give the referral to Galvanized.

If you have a spare PSU or can borrow one, give that a try.

 

[Mutilator]

Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee
I agree with the above but do read this first http://www.badcaps.net/Ident/
If you register at badcaps, please give the referral to Galvanized.

If you have a spare PSU or can borrow one, give that a try.

Nice site, bad caps was going to be the next thing for him to look for. Easy to spot if you know what you're looking for, but a nightmare to troubleshoot if you don't.
I'll have to remember that link because it's easier to show pictures than say "look at your motherboard and look at the top of all those battery looking things with a X on top to see if they're bulging or leaking..."

 

[spitz10]

checked out that site, checked out my caps - definitely doesnt seem like a problem at all - all very flush and no bulging.

 

[imported_Spacetop]

I had a problem like that a while back.. heat caused the Motherboard to expand and it shorted some contacts so it would reset.. defective motherboard may cause that too...

 

[spitz10]

thats what makes this hard - if i were POSITIVE it were my PSU, i would just order a new one. But it just seems like it could POSSIBLy be so many different things, that I would hate to order a new PSU, and then find out that something else was the problem.

 

[imported_Spacetop]

Are any of your components still under warranty? They should be able to cross-ship the exchange for you with no questions asked..

 

[spitz10]

yea I think I am going to try to return my PSU. What exactly does crosship mean and what is typically the best way to go through the whole process of sending something back?

 

[imported_Spacetop]

Cross-ship means they take your credit card # and don't charge it but send you a replacement first, then you need to send them yours back to avoid being charged. It's just a faster way of getting the replacement since you don't have to wait for them to process the return.

In terms of how to do it, you usually call the manufacturer and tell them you're having problems with it, need to exchange it in warranty. Depending on the company they're usually pretty accomodating... sometimes they actually repair it and you have to wait, but for PSUs i would imagine that should exchange it.

 

[spitz10]

Well shoot, that definitely seems like the thing to do.

 

[spitz10]

a quick update on my situation:

The rate has stayed at about once every 6 days or so, but 3 of the last 4 times it has happened was while I was burning a dvd. And the last time, the restart occured only about 2 hours after the last, with both happening during the ripping/burning process. I am burning about 10 dvds a week, so obviously it is not the ripping/burning process directly, but it seems like quite a coincidence if over the last 2.5 weeks, my computer has restarted 4 times, and 3 of those during rips/burns. What could this mean?