My computer goes on and off ( Reboots, restars)by itself,

[Guest]

Dear members,

My computer suddenly went mad, while its on it goes off and on

again (reboots, restarts) by itself, although I have not reformatted or
changed anything nor installed any software or fitted new hardware, is it
getting old? I hope not, its four and a half years old.

nasser. XP PRO

--

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM]

Dear members,
again (reboots, restarts) by itself, although I have not reformatted or
changed anything nor installed any software or fitted new hardware, is it
getting old? I hope not, its four and a half years old.

Tight click My Computer and choose Properties | Advanced.
In the Startup and recovery section click Settings.
Uncheck "Automatically restart".

Next time instead of restarting it will show you a blue screen. Copy the
error information and give us that, please.

 

[Guest]

Frank Saunders,
Hi, and thanks for your support
I am attaching the message I got after unchecking automatically restart.

-- Error message

A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage
to your computer. IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL.

If this is the first time you’ve seen this stop error screen, restart your
computer. If this screen appears again, fellow these steps.

Check to make sure any new hardware or software is properly installed. If
this is a new installation ask your hardware or software manufacturer for any
windows update you might need.

If problem continue, disable or remove any newly installed hardware or
software. Disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing. If you
need to use Safe mode to remove or disable components, restart your computer,
press F8 to select advanced start up options, and then select safe mode.
Technical information:

Stop: 0x0000000A, (0x00000054, 00000002, 0x00000001, 0804DBC8E).
Beginning dump of physical memory,
Physical memory dump complete.
Contact your system administrator or technical support group for further
assistance.

I did clean my computer from inside a thorough clean, but still reboots,
besides the fan is working and as usual.

nasser

 

[Rock]

Frank Saunders,
Hi, and thanks for your support
I am attaching the message I got after unchecking automatically restart.

-- Error message

A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent
damage
to your computer. IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL.

If this is the first time you’ve seen this stop error screen, restart your
computer. If this screen appears again, fellow these steps.

Check to make sure any new hardware or software is properly installed. If
this is a new installation ask your hardware or software manufacturer for
any
windows update you might need.

If problem continue, disable or remove any newly installed hardware or
software. Disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing. If you
need to use Safe mode to remove or disable components, restart your
computer,
press F8 to select advanced start up options, and then select safe mode.
Technical information:

Stop: 0x0000000A, (0x00000054, 00000002, 0x00000001, 0804DBC8E).
Beginning dump of physical memory,
Physical memory dump complete.
Contact your system administrator or technical support group for further
assistance.

I did clean my computer from inside a thorough clean, but still reboots,
besides the fan is working and as usual.

<snip>

Start your research here:
http://aumha.org/a/stop.htm
0x0000000A: IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

Also you can do Google web and group searches on that error. There are many
possible causes.

 

[Ron Martell]

Stop: 0x0000000A, (0x00000054, 00000002, 0x00000001, 0804DBC8E).

Your error was caused by whatever Windows component, application
program or device driver is using memory address 0804DBC8E (parameter
4 from the error message).

If the other suggestions do not provide a fix for this problem then
the following procedure should help you to identify which specific
device driver is the culprit, as these are the most likely suspects.

******
Identifying the cause of STOP errors using PSTAT & Excel

Many times when a STOP error occurs the information provided does not
specifically identify the application, device driver, or other
component file where the error occurred. However the 4 parameters
associated with the STOP (bugcheck) code will very often include one
that is the address where the error occurred. You first need to look
up the detailed information about the specific STOP code in order to
determine if the address is included and if so which of the 4
parameters has the address.

You can identify the meaning of each of the parameters for your
specific STOP code at:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms789516.aspx

The second step in the procedure is to identify the addresses that
each active process is being loaded at. The PSTAT utility will
provide this information. On some systems the PSTAT utility may
already be present. Check this by opening a Command Prompt window
(Start - Run - CMD) and entering the following command:

PSTAT /?

If PSTAT is not on your computer you can download it free from
Microsoft. The download is called "Windows XP Service Pack 2 Support
Tools" and it is available from
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...76-9BB9-4126-9761-BA8011FABF38&displaylang=en
With PSTAT installed on your computer the next step is to open a
Command Prompt window again (Start - Run - CMD) and generate a report
with PSTAT. Because you need to copy part of the information from
this report (and only part) it is best to create the report as a text
file. In the Command Prompt window enter the following command:

PSTAT > C:\JUNK\PSTAT.TXT

You may change C:\JUNK\ to whatever drive and folder that you want to
save the report into.

Now open the saved file in Notepad. Start - Run - NOTEPAD
C:\JUNK\PSTAT.TXT

Scroll down the file, about 80% of the way to the end of the file and
you will find a head line:

ModuleName Load Addr Code Data Paged LinkDate

It is the information from this line to the end of the file that we
want to copy from this file and save as a separate file. Select the
block of text and copy it to the clipboard. Open a new notepad window
and paste the clipboard contents into it. Save this file under a
different name. I use PSTAT2.TXT and put it into the same C:\JUNK
folder.

Now launch Microsoft Excel and use File - Open to bring the PSTAT2.TXT
file into Excel. Excel will automatically parse the file into
columns. Once this is done use DATA - SORT to sort the entire
spreadsheet based on the value in Column B (Load Addr).

It is now a simple task to read down the addresses until you find the
highest value that is less than the address where the error occurred.
That module (name in column A) is the prime suspect for the cause of
your error.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2008)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca
Syberfix Remote Computer Repair

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM]

I would start by updating my video drivers. If no update is available,
reinstall the current drivers.

 

[cquirke (MVP Windows shell/user)]

On Tue, 3 Jul 2007 07:36:57 -0500, "Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM"

I would start by updating my video drivers. If no update is available,
reinstall the current drivers.

There's no single reason for this error, as it can be thrown by all
sorts of derrangements. This case is only one possibility...

http://cquirke.blogspot.com/2006/10/bart-vs-badpoolcaller.html

....and you can exclude that by booting into a different user profile
(e.g. the hidden Administrator account in Safe Mode).

In fact, if not already done so (sorry, I'm late-to-thread); compare:
- Safe Mode Command Only
- Safe Mode
- Vanilla VGA drivers (would point to Frank's suggestion if OK)
- normal Windows, off all networking and peripherals
- normal Windows, off all networking
- normal Windows

Are any motherboard capacitors bulging? Like this:

http://cquirke.mvps.org/badcaps.htm

Going back in time, as top-posting does...

That's the right age for bad caps, and bad power (mains, power supply,
and the "last mile" pump-up capacitors within the boards) will
classically cause hardware resets and lock-ups.

Unless you disable MS's default to "automatically restart on errors",
these will look exactly like software crashes that would go with bad
software (predictable reproducability), bad HD (may show predictable
repro) and bad RAM (totally unpredictable repro).

If you still have sudden restarts (as opposed to proper shutdowns that
were spontaneously initiated) after turning off "automatically restart
on errors), then that really does point towards a hardware issue.

Eyeball caps, then do a 24-hour spin in MemTest86 with that boot CD
removed after the tests start. If you come back the next day and
MemTest is no longer running, you had a crash or reset while away...

Amen! Now why didn't they do that by duuuuuuhfault?

Which is where this post started. But unless there's a reproducable
pattern, you may find you get different errors each time.

In that case, I would avoid running Windows (as every bad exit rots
the file system, can trash data etc.) until I'd checked the hardware,
as described, and also including the hard drive.

A very good free HD tester is HD Tune from www.hdtune.com

------------ ----- ---- --- -- - - - -

The most accurate diagnostic instrument
in medicine is the Retrospectoscope

 

[Guest]

Hi,

-- This might help to diagnosing the problem,

I turned my computer on at 8:30am and kept it on till 4;30pm(16:30)
I did not connect to the internet nor opened any program, the computer did
not reboot, it went on so smoothly, but when I started working on a program
it went back to rebooting, also when I get connected to the internet and log
on to any link it went back to rebooting, I hope this might help in narrowing
the possible faults.


nasser

 

[w_tom]

Earlier post provided the useful information. The
"IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL" error message had numbers (and other
important facts). For example, the numbers
Stop: 0x0000000A, (0x00000054, 00000002, 0x00000001, 0804DBC8E).
suggest a problem afflicted a driver when writing. Which driver -
since that is so important. The driver located in a memory block
including 0804DBC8E.

These crashes due to software are rare (unless buggy software has
been reloaded). Drivers are typically rock hard. Such failures are
more often due to hardware. That error message points to a driver so
that we can move on the associated hardware. But only you can tell us
which driver it is from a table of driver addresses. Again, numbers
are critical.

Also provided is information in the system (event) logs. Windows
often will see a problem, record it, and work around it. Required is
information from all relevant system logs.

Meanwhile, if your computer manufacturer is responsible, then
comprehensive hardware diagnostics are provided. If not, you will
have to download diagnostics individually from each (appropriate)
component manufacturer or from third parties. This paragraph so that
you can start collecting that information. By knowing which driver
caused the problem, then we would know which diagnostics to prioritize
on.

And finally, a computer is much like a house. Doors will start
binding if the foundation is failing. Do we fix the doors or first
confirm the foundation is solid. The foundation for a computer is its
power supply. As a power supply failure gets worse, many components
start these strange failures. A power supply can be defective for
months or when first installed and still a computer can boot.
Voltages from that power supply's orange, purple, red, and yellow
wires (only when computer is accessing all or as many peripherals as
possible simultaneously) will require a 3.5 digit multimeter. A two
minute procedure that confirms or impeaches a computer's foundation.

However long before doing those latter procedures, first needed are
details from that 'stop' code and information from system logs.

 

[Guest]

w_tom, hi and thanks for your support,
Today I tried two things:
1- Today I turned my computer on about 10 a.m. and logged on a program but
did not work on it, I brought a fan and placed it over the computer and let
the computer run for about 8 hours; it did not reboot went on perfectly, so
one would think the rebooting was the result of over heating, 2- so I fixd an
auxialary fan inside the computer as to boost cooling, to my surprise no
effect it went back to rebooting, the outside fan was off. I think that makes
things more complicated.

 

[w_tom]

You did shotgunning. Instead of trying to identify the problem, you
tried to cure it with fans.

First, if computer is afflicted by heat, then computer hardware is
defective. Heat is how to identify bad hardware. In your case, the
problem is not 'hard' enough to see it everytime. So put the computer
in a 100 degree F room and run it. If problem is make 'harder' by
heat, then heat will make that problem easier to find even with
diagnostics.

Second, if heat can make a problem obvious, then testing that
computer in a 70 degree F room while selectively heating sections with
a hair dryer on highest heat setting may also identify a suspect. Just
a second way of using heat to collect fans. Again we are only in an
'identify the suspect' mode; not yet ready to fix anything.

Third, you have powerful numbers to identify suspects. Identify
what driver involves memory location 0804DBC8E from a dump table.
Then get useful replies by posting new information here. Information
so useful because it comes from numbers.

Four, any computer that needs more than one 80mm or 120 mm fan for
cooling has hardware defects. Too many never learned these basic
concepts. Too many fix thing using the same joke in Tim Allen's "Home
Improvement". "More Power!" is an obvious mocking of those who want
to solve problems with "More Fans!".

We want to solve the problem - not cure symptoms.

Your problem is not any more complicated. But made complex when you
try to fix things rather than get facts. I still don't even see
information from the system (event) logs. Nor do I see numbers from
the 3.5 digit multimeter. I only see that you tried to fix it without
first identifying a suspect. Therefore this post provides no new or
useful information because it replies to a post that did not provide
numbers, the afflicted driver name, and details from significant log
entries.

 

[Ron Martell]

Four, any computer that needs more than one 80mm or 120 mm fan for
cooling has hardware defects.

That may have been true with the 8088 based machines of 25 years ago,
but it is totally incorrect with regards to today's computers which
frequently require at least 4 different fans for proper cooling, to
wit:
1. Power supply cooling fan
2. CPU cooling fan.
3. Video card processor cooling fan.
4. Motherboard chipset cooling fan.
And quite often a 5th fan mounted on the back panel of the computer
case blowing outwards is also required.

Too many never learned these basic
concepts.

It seems that you learned about computers many many years ago and have
not kept up with the current technology.

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2008)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."

 

[Guest]

What you suggested and your analysis are totally right, and you must have
realised that I am behaving as a desperate, and may I add I am.
Today I tried another thing; again out of desperation, I changed my hard
drive which is a 40GB with a an 80 GB, still reboots, what does this
indicate, it only shows us that the fault is not from the hard drive, I am
not sure that this a step forward to solution, so still looking for one.

 

[w_tom]

What you suggested and your analysis are totally right, and you must have
realised that I am behaving as a desperate, and may I add I am.
Today I tried another thing; again out of desperation, I changed my hard
drive which is a 40GB with a an 80 GB, still reboots, what does this
indicate, it only shows us that the fault is not from the hard drive, I am
not sure that this a step forward to solution, so still looking for one.

Everytime you change something, you may exponentially complicate the
problem. Original failure may have been due to one suspect.
Everytime you change things, you create more suspects. IOW we may
find the original problem and now have to fix other created problems.

Being desperate is only wasting time and taking longer.

Others in your situation then reloaded Windows. That only destroyed
system (event) logs. Just another example of making the problem worse
by shotgunning.

 

[Jam]

Dear members,> Mycomputersuddenly went mad, while its on it goes off and on

again (reboots, restarts) by itself, although I have not reformatted or
changed anything nor installed any software or fitted new hardware, is it
getting old? I hope not, its four and a half years old.


--

Hello Dear,
I had the same problem as well,it happens because your fan doesn't
cool the proccessor properly,so try to adjust your proccessor fan,
iam sure yuo will be happy after my reply.


Regards,
Jameel SAmeemi