Mysterious restarts?

[Harold Gunn]

I have XP Pro SP2 in a Dell Dimension 8400 that runs all the time. I
don't use any hibernation or hard drive shutdown settings. The monitor
is set to turn off after three hours of disuse. My only running programs
are AV and MS anti-spyware. I get Windows updates manually and don't use
automatic task scheduling.


During the past three mornings when I began using the computer, I've had
to click the user sign-in icon, which means Windows restarted itself
during those nights. We've had no power outages that could cause these
restarts. There are no error messages and there's nothing in the event
viewer that gives me a clue.

This isn't a terrible problem, but I'd like to stop it. What can be
causing the restarts? Thanks..

 

[Jeff]

If you've ruled out virus or spywear think about hardware. Spontaneous
restart can have many causes but it is often caused by overheating. This
condition can be brought on by a failing HS fan or dust accumulation.
Another possibility is a failing power supply, or other component.

Check the event log for a clue.
Clean the case and the HS with compressed air, its amazing how much dust can
accumulate even after a short time.
Are any of the fans on the system making strange noises at startup or at any
other time during operation?

 

[Harold Gunn]

Thanks for the help, Jeff. I checked for viruses and spyware before I
posted. The inside of the case and the fan are clean. There are no
strange noises. Anyway, I'll see if I can find a heat monitor to run for
a few days.

While I was tinkering, I noticed something new and odd during restarts.
When I shut it down, I got a message that said 'others are logged into
this computer'. I only have two active user accounts, both admin.
Windows is booting into the generic administrator account by default.

 

[Jeff]

Ok try this:
Right Click MyComputer > Properties > Advanced > StartUp And Recovery
"Settings" > System Failure uncheck "Automatic ReStart"
Now your computer will not restart when the error occurs... There my be an
error message. You should check the error log, this should point to what is
causing the problem.
You might also want to check your RAM get a copy of memtest86
http://www.memtest86.com/ this will let you check your RAM for errors.

Jeff

 

[Harold Gunn]

Got it.. No problem with the memory. I unchecked automatic restart and
will see what happens in the morning.

Thanks again.