Random reboots

[Ron Rosenfeld]

I have been having random reboots. They were occurring several times a day.
After doing a repair/re-install of XP (for an unrelated reason), they have
decreased to one every 1-2 days or less, but still occur.

That change after the XP repair maybe points to a software or driver problem.
However, I also added 2GB RAM which was removed from another functioning
machine raising that as a possibility. But no error message on overnight
Memory Testing. (I'd like to see an error message both because it might be
diagnostic, and also I might get the memory stick replaced under warranty).

Also, there has been an absence of error messages associated with this, except
for one indicating that Office crashed.

My system:

OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation

System Manufacturer INTEL_
System Model D975XBX_
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 15 Model 6 Stepping 2 GenuineIntel ~3400 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date Intel Corp. BX97510J.86A.1463.2006.1129.1718,
11/29/2006
SMBIOS Version 2.3
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2111)"
Total Physical Memory 4,096.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 2.39 GB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
Page File Space 5.08 GB

PSU: PC Power & Cooling T1KWSR 1000W

What I've done:

Remove and reseat the video card (necessary to change memory)
Remove and reseat the memory

Disabled "Automatically Restart" in the system failure options of "My Computer"
Disabled reboot on power failure in the BIOS

Run DXDIAG tests, also checking for WHQL drivers
Run MEMTEST86+ V4.00 overnight

Run StressTest V1.0 (from Passmark; part of Intel Desktop Control Unit) for six
hours testing CPU, MMX, RAM, 2D Graphics, 3D Graphics

Even with the auto-restart disabled, the system still does its reboot.

I have examined the various event logs and there are no messages related to the
crash, except for a Microsoft Office message indicating "This session ended
with a crash."

No mini-dump file is generated even though that option is checked.

Suggestions would be appreciated. My thought now is to run MEMTEST for several
days. Unfortunately, if the computer crashes during that time, I won't see the
results of MEMTEST :-(
--ron

 

[chas2209]

I have been having random reboots. They were occurring several times a
day.
After doing a repair/re-install of XP (for an unrelated reason), they have
decreased to one every 1-2 days or less, but still occur.

That change after the XP repair maybe points to a software or driver
problem.
However, I also added 2GB RAM which was removed from another functioning
machine raising that as a possibility. But no error message on overnight
Memory Testing. (I'd like to see an error message both because it might
be
diagnostic, and also I might get the memory stick replaced under
warranty).

Also, there has been an absence of error messages associated with this,
except
for one indicating that Office crashed.

My system:

OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation

System Manufacturer INTEL_
System Model D975XBX_
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 15 Model 6 Stepping 2 GenuineIntel ~3400 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date Intel Corp. BX97510J.86A.1463.2006.1129.1718,
11/29/2006
SMBIOS Version 2.3
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2111)"
Total Physical Memory 4,096.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 2.39 GB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
Page File Space 5.08 GB

PSU: PC Power & Cooling T1KWSR 1000W

What I've done:

Remove and reseat the video card (necessary to change memory)
Remove and reseat the memory

Disabled "Automatically Restart" in the system failure options of "My
Computer"
Disabled reboot on power failure in the BIOS

Run DXDIAG tests, also checking for WHQL drivers
Run MEMTEST86+ V4.00 overnight

Run StressTest V1.0 (from Passmark; part of Intel Desktop Control Unit)
for six
hours testing CPU, MMX, RAM, 2D Graphics, 3D Graphics

Even with the auto-restart disabled, the system still does its reboot.

I have examined the various event logs and there are no messages related
to the
crash, except for a Microsoft Office message indicating "This session
ended
with a crash."

No mini-dump file is generated even though that option is checked.

Suggestions would be appreciated. My thought now is to run MEMTEST for
several
days. Unfortunately, if the computer crashes during that time, I won't
see the
results of MEMTEST :-(
--ron

Hi
I'd lay money on a Overheating problem

chas2209

 

[SC Tom]

I have been having random reboots. They were occurring several times a
day.
After doing a repair/re-install of XP (for an unrelated reason), they have
decreased to one every 1-2 days or less, but still occur.

That change after the XP repair maybe points to a software or driver
problem.
However, I also added 2GB RAM which was removed from another functioning
machine raising that as a possibility. But no error message on overnight
Memory Testing. (I'd like to see an error message both because it might
be
diagnostic, and also I might get the memory stick replaced under
warranty).

Also, there has been an absence of error messages associated with this,
except
for one indicating that Office crashed.

My system:

OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation

System Manufacturer INTEL_
System Model D975XBX_
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 15 Model 6 Stepping 2 GenuineIntel ~3400 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date Intel Corp. BX97510J.86A.1463.2006.1129.1718,
11/29/2006
SMBIOS Version 2.3
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2111)"
Total Physical Memory 4,096.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 2.39 GB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
Page File Space 5.08 GB

PSU: PC Power & Cooling T1KWSR 1000W

What I've done:

Remove and reseat the video card (necessary to change memory)
Remove and reseat the memory

Disabled "Automatically Restart" in the system failure options of "My
Computer"
Disabled reboot on power failure in the BIOS

Run DXDIAG tests, also checking for WHQL drivers
Run MEMTEST86+ V4.00 overnight

Run StressTest V1.0 (from Passmark; part of Intel Desktop Control Unit)
for six
hours testing CPU, MMX, RAM, 2D Graphics, 3D Graphics

Even with the auto-restart disabled, the system still does its reboot.

I have examined the various event logs and there are no messages related
to the
crash, except for a Microsoft Office message indicating "This session
ended
with a crash."

No mini-dump file is generated even though that option is checked.

Suggestions would be appreciated. My thought now is to run MEMTEST for
several
days. Unfortunately, if the computer crashes during that time, I won't
see the
results of MEMTEST :-(
--ron

I agree with chas2209 that it's probably an overheating issue. When a PC
reboots "Even with the auto-restart disabled" that usually points to a
hardware rather than a software problem.
Check all your other connections also, like the IDE, SATA connectors, any
add-on cards, power supply connections, etc. I had an older Asus board that
the 4-wire CPU power connector had a bad pin in it and would make a bad
connection when the PC had been on a while.
Make sure everywhere inside the case is clear of dust, pet hair, etc.
Make sure there is a clear (or as clear as possible) air flow path from the
front panel slots to the rear. Be sure those slots are clean.
Check that your CPU fan and heatsink are free of dust, and that the fan is
turning.
Try taking out that last 2GB of RAM and see if the problem goes away.
Depending on how many sticks of RAM you have, you can swap them out one at a
time until/if the problem returns.
Is the fan(s) in the power supply running? Do you notice any of the fans
revving up from time to time?
When it reboots, does it come right back up and run OK, or does it shut down
and you have to wait a little while before starting it again?

SC Tom

 

[Ron Rosenfeld]

Hi
I'd lay money on a Overheating problem

chas2209

Thanks, chas2209. I'll look into that more closely.
--ron

 

[Ron Rosenfeld]

I agree with chas2209 that it's probably an overheating issue. When a PC
reboots "Even with the auto-restart disabled" that usually points to a
hardware rather than a software problem.

Thanks you for that information.

Check all your other connections also, like the IDE, SATA connectors, any
add-on cards, power supply connections, etc. I had an older Asus board that
the 4-wire CPU power connector had a bad pin in it and would make a bad
connection when the PC had been on a while.

I will do that.

Make sure everywhere inside the case is clear of dust, pet hair, etc.

It is a little dusty, but I do vacuum it from time to time.

Make sure there is a clear (or as clear as possible) air flow path from the
front panel slots to the rear. Be sure those slots are clean.

It is. And it's a big case, too -- full-size tower.

Check that your CPU fan and heatsink are free of dust, and that the fan is
turning.

The CPU and GPU and case fans are certainly turning.

Try taking out that last 2GB of RAM and see if the problem goes away.
Depending on how many sticks of RAM you have, you can swap them out one at a
time until/if the problem returns.

Problem with that is that the problem, at present, is only recurring once every
few days.

Is the fan(s) in the power supply running? Do you notice any of the fans
revving up from time to time?

I'll move the computer and check the fan in the PS. The other fans do rev up
from time to time.

When it reboots, does it come right back up and run OK, or does it shut down
and you have to wait a little while before starting it again?

When it reboots, it starts right back up -- a rough estimate would be less than
5 seconds, but I haven't timed it. I'll try to time it more closely the next
time it happens. What would you expect if this was heat related? It seems to
behave as if I had just pushed the reset button.

When I look at the HW temperature monitors, the CPU temp does get close to it's
maximum -- 65°C vs 68.3°C. The other temperatures (Zone A and Zone B) are
usually in the 42°C to 46°C range.

If it is heat related, it seems odd that it did not fail during a 6-hr stress
test, though. Maybe I'll rerun that and include the disk test also, which I
omitted since I did not have a recent backup. The CPU temp did reach 65°C
during that test.

Thanks for your suggestions. I need to research exactly what happens with heat
related reboots, and why it does what it does. And also how the "disable
automatic restart on power failure" in the BIOS works.
--ron

 

[GTS]

A power supply problem is another possibility.
BTW - computers should be cleaned with compressed air. Vacuuming is
dangerous - it creates static charges that can cause serious damage.
--

 

[Ron Rosenfeld]

BTW - computers should be cleaned with compressed air. Vacuuming is
dangerous - it creates static charges that can cause serious damage.

Thank you for that "new-to-me" piece of information.
--ron

 

[Hodges]

I have been having random reboots.  They were occurring several times aday.
After doing a repair/re-install of XP (for an unrelated reason), they have
decreased to one every 1-2 days or less, but still occur.

That change after the XP repair maybe points to a software or driver problem.
However, I also added 2GB RAM which was removed from another functioning
machine raising that as a possibility.  But no error message on overnight
Memory Testing.  (I'd like to see an error message both because it might be
diagnostic, and also I might get the memory stick replaced under warranty).

Also, there has been an absence of error messages associated with this, except
for one indicating that Office crashed.

My system:

OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation

System Manufacturer     INTEL_
System Model    D975XBX_
System Type     X86-based PC
Processor       x86 Family 15 Model 6 Stepping 2 GenuineIntel ~3400Mhz
BIOS Version/Date       Intel Corp. BX97510J.86A.1463.2006.1129.1718,
11/29/2006
SMBIOS Version  2.3
Hardware Abstraction Layer      Version = "5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2111)"
Total Physical Memory   4,096.00 MB
Available Physical Memory       2.39 GB
Total Virtual Memory    2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory        1.96 GB
Page File Space 5.08 GB

PSU: PC Power & Cooling T1KWSR 1000W

What I've done:

Remove and reseat the video card (necessary to change memory)
Remove and reseat the memory

Disabled "Automatically Restart" in the system failure options of "My Computer"
Disabled reboot on power failure in the BIOS

Run DXDIAG tests, also checking for WHQL drivers
Run MEMTEST86+ V4.00 overnight

Run StressTest V1.0 (from Passmark; part of Intel Desktop Control Unit) for six
hours testing CPU, MMX, RAM, 2D Graphics, 3D Graphics

Even with the auto-restart disabled, the system still does its reboot.

I have examined the various event logs and there are no messages related to the
crash, except for a Microsoft Office message indicating "This session ended
with a crash."

No mini-dump file is generated even though that option is checked.

Suggestions would be appreciated.  My thought now is to run MEMTEST forseveral
days.  Unfortunately, if the computer crashes during that time, I won'tsee the
results of MEMTEST :-(
--ron

Why do you have a 5 GB page file? That's ridiculous.

 

[Ron Rosenfeld]

Why do you have a 5 GB page file? That's ridiculous.

Why?

I had nothing to do with determining the size of the page file.

Do you think making it larger or smaller will help my random reboot problem? If
you do, could you direct me towards some documentation I can use to understand
the issue?

So far as your assessment of the size, I guess the size was determined by
defaults within the OS, so I would suggest you address your concerns to
Microsoft.

Thank you.
--ron

 

[Ron Rosenfeld]

I agree with chas2209 that it's probably an overheating issue.

A followup:

I verified that the PS fan works.

I cleaned out more dust, including blowing out some dust that had collected
around the CPU heat sink and fan.

I removed and reseated the video card, video power connector, and the memory
sticks.

No crashes for about 8 hours now (historically this is too short to tell), but
the CPU temps are reading about 5°C cooler than before.

Thanks.
--ron