computer restarting

[jennyjen]

Hi everyone,

Im a little lost on where i go next with this issue. I got a computer about
1.5 years ago now with Vista Premium on it. Everything was great up until a
few months ago. My computer started restarting randomly. I thought it might
be a virus so i did the normal scaning and found nothing, just to be safe i
reformatted it with a clean windows install. But its still happening. I
didnt change any hardware, its in a properly ventilated area, and nothing in
perticular seems to trigger it. Sometimes it can go 2 days without
restarting once, some times it can do it twice in half an hour. I dont get a
blue screen and i havnt been able to find anything in the event logs.

Does anyone have an idea of what might be going on? Next steps to take now
that im sure its not a software issue?

thanks,

 

[Malke]

Hi everyone,

Im a little lost on where i go next with this issue. I got a computer
about
1.5 years ago now with Vista Premium on it. Everything was great up until
a
few months ago. My computer started restarting randomly. I thought it
might be a virus so i did the normal scaning and found nothing, just to be
safe i
reformatted it with a clean windows install. But its still happening. I
didnt change any hardware, its in a properly ventilated area, and nothing
in
perticular seems to trigger it. Sometimes it can go 2 days without
restarting once, some times it can do it twice in half an hour. I dont
get a blue screen and i havnt been able to find anything in the event
logs.

Does anyone have an idea of what might be going on? Next steps to take
now that im sure its not a software issue?

You can disable the automatic restart on reboot so you'll get a Stop Error
(blue screen). That way you can research the Stop Error here:

http://www.aumha.org/win5/kbestop.htm

Start Orb>Control Panel

Or Start Orb>Search box>type: System
Click on System that appears in the list of results.

In Control Panel Vista-style - click on System and Maintenance.
In Control Panel Classic View - double-click the System applet.

In the task pane on the left, click the Advanced system settings link.
Locate the Startup and Recovery area and click on the Settings button.

In the Startup and Recovery window, locate and uncheck the check box next to
Automatically restart. OK your way out.

And here are some general hardware troubleshooting steps:

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Hardware_Tshoot

Malke

 

[Mark H]

This might help:

http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/topic/57410/

 

[jennyjen]

Thanks for all the help guys..i will give the suggestions a try when i get
home. Oh i wanted to ask, the link given in the first responce asked me to
make boot floppys for some hardware testing programs. The computer im having
issues with doesnt have a floppy..is there something else i can use instead?

 

[Malke]

Thanks for all the help guys..i will give the suggestions a try when i get
home. Oh i wanted to ask, the link given in the first responce asked me
to
make boot floppys for some hardware testing programs. The computer im
having issues with doesnt have a floppy..is there something else i can use
instead?

Most of the diagnostic programs now offer an .iso so you can make a bootable
CD. Download that instead and use third-party burning software to burn
the .iso.

Malke

 

[Tim S.]

Hi everyone,

Im a little lost on where i go next with this issue. I got a computer
about
1.5 years ago now with Vista Premium on it. Everything was great up until
a
few months ago. My computer started restarting randomly. I thought it
might
be a virus so i did the normal scaning and found nothing, just to be safe
i
reformatted it with a clean windows install. But its still happening. I
didnt change any hardware, its in a properly ventilated area, and nothing
in
perticular seems to trigger it. Sometimes it can go 2 days without
restarting once, some times it can do it twice in half an hour. I dont
get a
blue screen and i havnt been able to find anything in the event logs.

Does anyone have an idea of what might be going on? Next steps to take
now
that im sure its not a software issue?

thanks,

You should probably open the case and look for dust build-up and use
compressed air in a can and blow all filters and heat sinks off to make sure
you have good ventilation and airflow next.

Tim

 

[jennyjen]

Hi Everyone,

I went home lastnight and went through some of the tests suggested on the
link you both posted. Turns out it was a RAM issue. Now im going through
the process of elimination of is it the ram or the slot. Thanks so much for
your help!

cheers,

 

[Malke]

Hi Everyone,

I went home lastnight and went through some of the tests suggested on the
link you both posted. Turns out it was a RAM issue. Now im going through
the process of elimination of is it the ram or the slot. Thanks so much
for your help!

Great job troubleshooting! Thanks for taking the time to let us know. Hope
it's only the RAM.

Malke

 

[jennyjen]

So it turns out that the ram wasnt the problem..i just jumped the gun a
little there. I went further with the testing after it continued to reboot
and i think i have it down to the power supply now. right now i have the
cd/dvd writer unplugged and it hasnt rebooted in a week. When i plugged it
back in it rebooted almost imediately. You think that means its the power
supply..or the drive? If it is the power supply, does that mean i need a more
powerful one? I havent added anything to the computer since it was purchased
so i think its weird that it just stopped being enough power..or does this
mean that it is failing?

let me know what you think..

 

[Malke]

So it turns out that the ram wasnt the problem..i just jumped the gun a
little there. I went further with the testing after it continued to
reboot
and i think i have it down to the power supply now. right now i have the
cd/dvd writer unplugged and it hasnt rebooted in a week. When i plugged
it
back in it rebooted almost imediately. You think that means its the power
supply..or the drive? If it is the power supply, does that mean i need a
more
powerful one? I havent added anything to the computer since it was
purchased so i think its weird that it just stopped being enough power..or
does this mean that it is failing?

I'd start by swapping out the power supply for a known-working one. They
don't last forever. I don't have the entire thread any more since your
first post was a while ago and I don't remember how elderly your computer
is. It could be:

1. The power supply
2. The optical drive (check cable, too)
3. The motherboard

So you want to start with the easy, cheap bits that can be reused if it
winds up being the motherboard - the power supply, the optical drive and
its cable.

Malke