The Spontanious Rebooting Machine

[Edward Murray]

Hello,

It's been over 5 years since I have used this group, so hopefully I will
find an answer. I have a simple low-end internet machine I'm currently
using, and have been for the last 2 years with the same instalation of
windows XP! (amazing for me). I'm using unbuffered, non-ECC memory. My
System:
Shuttle AK39n Mobo w/ VIA kt400 Chipset
AMD sempron 2500+ CPU
1- 512 DDR Dimm
2- 256 DDR Dimms
Nvidia 5700ve AGP
New 60 Gig Maxtor ATA HDD

Randomly reboots with little sign why it does. Every so often it will
blue-screen us (problem detected, shutting down to protect your computer,
memory dump and page fault, blah blah.) It's not a proccess or app doing it,
as far as I know. I have moved, swapped, and subtracted all the dimms and it
still reboots on it's own. Any Ideas before I format and install a fresh
copy of XP? Is it time for NEW memory? I hope not...

Thank you for your time!

EGM

 

[JAD]

Hello,

It's been over 5 years since I have used this group, so hopefully I will
find an answer. I have a simple low-end internet machine I'm currently
using, and have been for the last 2 years with the same instalation of
windows XP! (amazing for me). I'm using unbuffered, non-ECC memory. My
System:
Shuttle AK39n Mobo w/ VIA kt400 Chipset
AMD sempron 2500+ CPU
1- 512 DDR Dimm
2- 256 DDR Dimms
Nvidia 5700ve AGP
New 60 Gig Maxtor ATA HDD

Randomly reboots with little sign why it does. Every so often it will
blue-screen us (problem detected, shutting down to protect your computer,
memory dump and page fault, blah blah.) It's not a proccess or app doing
it, as far as I know. I have moved, swapped, and subtracted all the dimms
and it still reboots on it's own. Any Ideas before I format and install a
fresh copy of XP? Is it time for NEW memory? I hope not...

Thank you for your time!

EGM

First guess PSU or an overheat situation

 

[Edward Murray]

I just installed a motherboard monitor app, and it reads 118 F for the CPU
and 89 F for the case temp. Too high?

 

[OSbandito]

Hello,

It's been over 5 years since I have used this group, so hopefully I will
find an answer. I have a simple low-end internet machine I'm currently
using, and have been for the last 2 years with the same instalation of
windows XP!
Thank you for your time!

EGM

EG, Any machine I've owned, Mac or PC, has benefitted markedly from a
re-install of (at least) the system software. Since you've already
checked for loose connections, that's where I'd start.

ps: on the off-chance you're using a UPS, go direct to the AC outlet for testing.

 

[OSbandito]

re my previous:
"has benefitted markedly from a
re-install of (at least) the system software.."

I meant to add that the re-install of sys has been done every 6-7 months.

 

[Rod Speed]

I just installed a motherboard monitor app, and it reads 118 F for the CPU and 89 F for the case
temp. Too high?

Nope, that wont be the reason its rebooting.

 

[Rod Speed]

It's been over 5 years since I have used this group, so hopefully I
will find an answer. I have a simple low-end internet machine I'm
currently using, and have been for the last 2 years with the same
instalation of windows XP! (amazing for me). I'm using unbuffered,
non-ECC memory. My System:
Shuttle AK39n Mobo w/ VIA kt400 Chipset
AMD sempron 2500+ CPU
1- 512 DDR Dimm
2- 256 DDR Dimms
Nvidia 5700ve AGP
New 60 Gig Maxtor ATA HDD

Randomly reboots with little sign why it does. Every so often it will
blue-screen us (problem detected, shutting down to protect your
computer, memory dump and page fault, blah blah.) It's not a proccess
or app doing it, as far as I know. I have moved, swapped, and
subtracted all the dimms and it still reboots on it's own. Any Ideas
before I format and install a fresh copy of XP?

Unfortunately XP reboots be default on any serious error.

See if there is anything useful in the event log, there
should be if XP is rebooting on a serious error and
that should tell you what its decided is the problem.

If there is nothing in the event log, it could be the power
supply or motherboard, but a power supply problem
would normally just see it shut down randomly, not reboot.

Is it time for NEW memory?

Nope, memory shouldnt go bad.

You can check the memory with an overnight run of memtest86.

I hope not...

It might be bad caps on the motherboard. Check the usually blue or black
plastic covered post like things sticking up from the motherboard surface. The
tops should be flat. If any have bulged or have leaked, thats likely the problem.

 

[Edward Murray]

This is the only Warning in the event log:

"An error was detected on device %1 during a paging operation" -
"An input/output (I/O) request to a memory-mapped file failed and the
operation was retried."

Usually, the event veiwer will say "serious error" or similar but it
doesn't.

The mobo looks good. If nothing else, I will reformat the drive, start from
a fresh platform, and maybe install Vista. I have looking for an excuse to
format...


Thanks for the advice Rod.

Cheers

 

[JAD]

This is the only Warning in the event log:

"An error was detected on device %1 during a paging operation" -
"An input/output (I/O) request to a memory-mapped file failed and the
operation was retried."

device 1 optical drive on the slave or master of the secondary? does it
happen when there is a disk in the cdrom?

 

[Edward Murray]

device 1 optical drive on the slave or master of the secondary? does it
happen when there is a disk in the cdrom?

Both. IDE 2 has a CDRW and 52x Cdrom
IDE 1 is just the Maxtor 60

It happens regardless of that. The CDrom is actually quite old. I wonder if
there is a problem with one of them all of a sudden.
I'm installing Vista tonight after I install my new DVD rom. I have
backed-up everything and I'm going to format in a while.
Cheers - Thanks!

 

[JAD]

Both. IDE 2 has a CDRW and 52x Cdrom
IDE 1 is just the Maxtor 60

no the maxtor would be IDE 0

 

[Dillegm]

no the maxtor would be IDE 0

Sorry, my fault. The HDD is by itself.

By the way, Vista is nice, and the problem is gone. I took out the old
Cdrom, swapped it with a new DVD Rom, and installed Vista. Seems good so
far.

 

[Dillegm]

nope, problem still here.
Still blue-screens, and reboots, just less often.

BTW, I changed my screen-name, sorry.

What am I missing? It has a brand-new 600w PSU also. I got it from Geeks,
but I will admit it's a generic one. $15 special. We go through so many, I
quit spending much on them a few years ago. The caps on the mobo seemed
fine, but I'm no expert. Maybe a setting in the Cmos...Maybe a file system
problem...
Anymore Ideas?

Thanks again.

 

[Rod Speed]

nope, problem still here.
Still blue-screens, and reboots, just less often.

BTW, I changed my screen-name, sorry.

What am I missing?

What is causing those reboots |-(

It has a brand-new 600w PSU also. I got it from Geeks, but I will admit it's a generic one. $15
special. We go through so many, I quit spending much on them a few years ago.

The only real test of that is to try another.

The caps on the mobo seemed fine, but I'm no expert.

Yeah, a bad cap isnt always visibly bad.

Maybe a setting in the Cmos...

Unlikely given that the problem just started to happen.

Maybe a file system problem...

That shouldnt produce a reboot, it should complain about the probem.

Anymore Ideas?

Is the event log still producing nothing significant now ?

There's really only one way with a fault like this that doesnt
produce anything definitive in the event log, replace the
possible candidates starting with the easiest/cheapest to try.

I'd try an overnight run of memtest86, you can get some
pretty weird symptoms if you have memory problems.

 

[JAD]

nope, problem still here.
Still blue-screens, and reboots, just less often.

BTW, I changed my screen-name, sorry.

What am I missing? It has a brand-new 600w PSU also. I got it from Geeks,
but I will admit it's a generic one. $15 special. We go through so many, I
quit spending much on them a few years ago. The caps on the mobo seemed
fine, but I'm no expert. Maybe a setting in the Cmos...Maybe a file system
problem...
Anymore Ideas?

pull the board and bench it

boot to a dos disk and let the system run for awhile doing a few things in
dos to make sure its not locked up
lock up?

N/ boot to windows test system

Y/pull all the hardware except CPU_ VIDEO_ MEMORY(1 stick)_ PSU, boot to
cmos let system run, doing a few things in cmos to make sure yada yada. Lock
up?


Y/Any clicking sounds from the PSU? 15 bucks for a PSU is pretty bad. Your
mainboard is of the era (or close to) of the bad caps and I think this is
the problem.

although the bsod pointed to IDE1 which would be the master on the
secondary. Did you use the same ribbon to hook up the DVD?

 

[Dillegm]

Pulled it, Benched it.

With Video Card installed, the machine booted fine to a win98 10 gig HDD I
have for troubleshooting. About 10 minutes into it, Reboot., and then
another reboot. Same thing with a cr-rom running version of XP MCE I have
also.
Switched out PSU for a Antec about 3 months old. Same thing, rebooted in 12
minutes this time.
I'm going with the bad caps on this one. Since the board is older than 2
years I'll just chuck it and start over.
Thanks for your help Rod, Jag.

 

[Dillegm]

Also, meant to add that I used a Brand-new dimm of 2700 DDR 128.

 

[My Name]

Be sure to check the case power & reset switches.
Known to go intermittant bad from big ol' man fingers mashin'
down on those tiny plastic buttons.

Also, meant to add that I used a Brand-new dimm of 2700 DDR 128.

--
A government, of freemasons, by freemasons, and for freemasons.
But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light:
for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single,
thy whole body shall be full of light.
But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness.
If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead,
and Christ shall give thee light.
The light shineth in darkness;
and the darkness comprehended it not.

 

[Rod Speed]

Some motherboards have a 3 year warranty and some that dont are
replacing motherboards that have bad caps outside the stated warranty too.

 

[Dillegm]

Some motherboards have a 3 year warranty and some that dont are
replacing motherboards that have bad caps outside the stated warranty too.

<Snip>

Turns out that one of my Dimms was PC2100 and was essentially being
overclocked. I don't know how, but the label on the stick stating PC2100 DDR
was covered by another label stating that it was 333 mhz DDR. I have written
to the company I purchased it from. Talk about BS. Now that I have replaced
it with PC2700, everything works great. Of course I find this out after I
formated, bought Vista, etc....

Thanks for the help.