Machine keeps rebooting

[Jim Ludwig]

Hi all,
I'm having trouble with dad's computer. I did a clean install of winxp and
it's still doing the same thing it was doing which caused me to do a HD
wipe. Every time he plays a game, the computer shuts down and reboots. You
can load a game (the ones I've tried are Tron 2.0, Jedi Academy, and Flight
Simulator), go through all the initial setup, choose your options, and watch
any cut scenes or videos. However, when the actual "gameplay" starts when
you take control of your character/ship, the screen goes blank and it
reboots, just as if you hit the reset button. This is not limited to games
either. I have had the machine do the same thing while on the internet. It
seems like it was doing that when I would download an Active X control or
something like that. Not really all downloads, just the "on the fly" kind
of downloads that you install while you're browsing. Any idea at all why
this computer is so unstable? My brother built the computer with all
various components. It is an AMD Sempron with 512 mb ram, an nVidia mobo
and the video card is an nVidia geforce 3 6200. He built it about a year
and a half ago and it has never worked right. I am kind of suspecting there
is a conflict between the video card and the onboard built in video, but if
so, I don't know how to resolve this. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Jim
(e-mail address removed)

 

[John Wunderlich]

Hi all,
I'm having trouble with dad's computer. I did a clean install of
winxp and it's still doing the same thing it was doing which
caused me to do a HD wipe. Every time he plays a game, the
computer shuts down and reboots. You can load a game (the ones
I've tried are Tron 2.0, Jedi Academy, and Flight Simulator), go
through all the initial setup, choose your options, and watch any
cut scenes or videos. However, when the actual "gameplay" starts
when you take control of your character/ship, the screen goes
blank and it reboots, just as if you hit the reset button. This
is not limited to games either. I have had the machine do the
same thing while on the internet. It seems like it was doing that
when I would download an Active X control or something like that.
Not really all downloads, just the "on the fly" kind of downloads
that you install while you're browsing. Any idea at all why this
computer is so unstable? My brother built the computer with all
various components. It is an AMD Sempron with 512 mb ram, an
nVidia mobo and the video card is an nVidia geforce 3 6200. He
built it about a year and a half ago and it has never worked
right. I am kind of suspecting there is a conflict between the
video card and the onboard built in video, but if so, I don't know
how to resolve this. Any help is greatly appreciated. Jim
(e-mail address removed)

Have you gone to the nVidia site and downloaded the latest drivers for
your video card? The latest driver package is dated Sep 27, 2007 and
the major change incorporated was to make it compatible with several
games.

<http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_163.71.html>

If you suspect an conflict with the internal video, then boot into the
BIOS and check the settings. You might be able to disable the internal
video from there.

HTH,
John

 

[Newbie Coder]

Jim,

Shut the machine down, open the box, using a static strap remove & re-seat the memory.
Normally memory causes it to always reboot.

 

[Jim Ludwig]

John,
I do have the most recent nvidia driver. As to the bios settings...I've
gotten in a couple of times and made some changes. When I saved and exited,
the machine rebooted and gave me a black screen and nothing more. I
actually ended up having to pull the battery and reseat it to get the bios
to reset to the defaults. I haven't figured that one out either!
Jim

 

[Jim Ludwig]

Newbie,
I'll give this a try. If it doesn't work, do you think I should get new ram
chips? Also, there are only 2 ram slots. Does it matter which slot the 512
mb chip sits in?
Jim

 

[Gerry]

Jim

What is the Stop Error message?

Disable automatic restart on system failure. This should help by
allowing time to write down the STOP code properly. Right click on
the My Computer icon on the Desktop and select Properties, Advanced,
Start-Up and Recovery, System Failure and uncheck box before
Automatically Restart.

Do not re-enable automatic restart on system failure even after you have
solved the problem as it's better disabled. Check for variants of the
Stop Error message.

An alternative is to keep pressing the F8 key during Start-Up and select
option - Disable automatic restart on system failure.

If you are using a wireless keyboard and the F8 key does not work
substitute a wired keyboard and mouse for this exercise only.

--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Newbie Coder]

Gerry,

If the user's machine keeps rebooting because of RAM then you won't have a BSOD error
message.

 

[Gerry]

I do not think what you say is correct.!


--
Regards.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[w_tom]

I'll give this a try. If it doesn't work, do you think I should get new ram
chips? Also, there are only 2 ram slots. Does it matter which slot the 512
mb chip sits in?

None of those replies will solve anything. For example, if
resetting memory causes any improvement, then the defect still
remains.

Your problem is why better computer manufacturers provide
comprehensive hardware diagnostics; to find problems before fixing
anything. Anything useful reported by the BSOD (in your case) would
be stored in system (event) logs. The OS detects problems, records
that problem, and works around the problem; so that you might fix it
later at your convenience. What does system logs report?

Reloading device drivers that were working just fine is another
technique by those who grasp at the only things they understand. Why
would good software suddenly go bad - and only during one program?

What causes a system to fail when more peripherals are consuming
more power? DC voltages. Even a defective power supply many months
ago would have booted a computer, but only sometimes create failures;
more often as the failure gets worse. If the computer boots, still
the power supply system could have always been defective. A defect
only made obvious a certain times such as during a game.

That's the background. Start solving by first identifying the
suspects. What do system (event) logs and maybe Device Manager
report?

Get a 3.5 digit multimeter. Exercise as many peripherals as
possible (multitask to sound card, complex video, floppy, internet, CD-
Rom, ... simultaneously). Then measure critical voltages on any one
of red, orange, purple, and yellow wires. Those numbers must exceed
3.23, 4.87, and 11.7 VDC. Those numbers are also posted here so that
the better informed can reply with something useful (no wild
speculation).

If the computer is not from a responsible source (did not provide
diagnostics), then download comprehensive hardware diagnostics from
each individual component manufacturers or third parties. Get and
execute diagnostics (that execute without complications from Windows)
for peripherals such as video controller, sound card, and memory.
Then heat that hardware as hot as a hairdryer can make them - and test
again.

Nothing says to fix anything yet. That would be shotgunning. First
the failure is identified so that the repair cures a problem - does
not cure symptoms. Ie. reseating memory would only be curing
symptoms. Those who actually know hardware would appreciate why.

If memory has failed, well, depending on the failed location, then
sometimes the system will crash OR sometimes an application only
fails. However the manufacturers memory test (or Memtst86) would find
a memory defect either at room temperature or when heated with a
hairdryer. If memory passes under both temperatures, then eliminate
memory from the list of suspects, move on, and "never look back".
Only useful actions result only in a 'definitively good' or
'definitively bad' answer - no speculation.

Anything can appear defective if those DC voltages are not first
taken. Numbers are useful only when all peripherals draw a maximum
load. No way around what the meter reports. Even motherboard voltage
monitor is insufficient. Get that meter. Get definitive answers from
numbers. Get further information by posting those numbers. Any
answer that is not definitive means nothing was accomplished. Above
is how to get only definitive answers - no speculation.

 

[Jimmy Job]

Jim Ludwig:

Hi all,
I'm having trouble with dad's computer. I did a clean install of winxp and
it's still doing the same thing it was doing which caused me to do a HD
wipe. Every time he plays a game, the computer shuts down and reboots. You
can load a game (the ones I've tried are Tron 2.0, Jedi Academy, and Flight
Simulator), go through all the initial setup, choose your options, and watch
any cut scenes or videos. However, when the actual "gameplay" starts when
you take control of your character/ship, the screen goes blank and it

reboots, just as if you hit the reset button. This is not limited to games
either. I have had the machine do the same thing while on the internet. It
seems like it was doing that when I would download an Active X control or
something like that. Not really all downloads, just the "on the fly" kind
of downloads that you install while you're browsing. Any idea at all why
this computer is so unstable? My brother built the computer with all

various components. It is an AMD Sempron with 512 mb ram, an nVidia mobo
and the video card is an nVidia geforce 3 6200. He built it about a year
and a half ago and it has never worked right. I am kind of suspecting there
is a conflict between the video card and the onboard built in video, but if
so, I don't know how to resolve this. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Jim
(e-mail address removed)

I would check the ram. A bad stick can definately cause what you are
experiencing. Go into the machines bios setup and disable the onboard
video also. Good luck.

 

[Jim Ludwig]

Is there any way to test the ram before I go out and buy a new chip?
Thanks,
Jim

 

[Gerry]

Jim

If you have more than one chip remove one and observe for affect. Then
swap for another and observe for affect.

A more sophisticated approach is described in the link:
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Hardware_Tshoot

--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[John John]

It does sound like a hardware problem but you should still try to
capture a BSOD if you can. Do as Gerry told you to do earlier on and
see if you can get a bugcheck error message on it. It takes mere
seconds to disable AutoReboot and it could yield important information.
When troubleshooting difficult problems make sure that you don't skip
over basic steps.

John

 

[Jim Ludwig]

John,
What is BSOD and how will that help me? Also, how do I disable AutoReboot
and again, how does that help me? I'm guessing that some sort of log or
error message will show?
Thanks,
Jim

 

[John John]

A BSOD is a "Blue Screen of Death", aka Bugcheck error message. If the
crash generates a BSOD the information in the message may point to the
problem. Gerry already explained how to enable it in one of his earlier
post, copied and pasted here:

Disable automatic restart on system failure. This should help by
allowing time to write down the STOP code properly. Right click on
the My Computer icon on the Desktop and select Properties, Advanced,
Start-Up and Recovery, System Failure and uncheck box before
Automatically Restart.

Do not re-enable automatic restart on system failure even after you have
solved the problem as it's better disabled. Check for variants of the
Stop Error message.

[end quote]

If the reboot is caused by bad RAM or a flaky power supply you may not
get a BSOD at all, but you should still see if the system generates one.
Also look in the Event Viewer to see if anything is logged at the time
of the crash.

John

 

[Gerry]

John

Given the circumstances the first of these two may more easily
implemented.

An alternative is to keep pressing the F8 key during Start-Up and select
option - Disable automatic restart on system failure.

If you are using a wireless keyboard and the F8 key does not work
substitute a wired keyboard and mouse for this exercise only.

--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A BSOD is a "Blue Screen of Death", aka Bugcheck error message. If
the crash generates a BSOD the information in the message may point
to the problem. Gerry already explained how to enable it in one of
his earlier post, copied and pasted here:

Disable automatic restart on system failure. This should help by
allowing time to write down the STOP code properly. Right click on
the My Computer icon on the Desktop and select Properties, Advanced,
Start-Up and Recovery, System Failure and uncheck box before
Automatically Restart.

Do not re-enable automatic restart on system failure even after you
have solved the problem as it's better disabled. Check for variants
of the Stop Error message.

[end quote]

If the reboot is caused by bad RAM or a flaky power supply you may not
get a BSOD at all, but you should still see if the system generates
one. Also look in the Event Viewer to see if anything is logged at
the time of the crash.

John

John,
What is BSOD and how will that help me? Also, how do I disable
AutoReboot and again, how does that help me? I'm guessing that some
sort of log or error message will show?
Thanks,
Jim