Windows XP spontaneous crashing

[IndependentFratter]

I have hit a wall and nothing seems to be helping. Everyone seems to
have reboot problems and blue screens and all that fun stuff but I
dont. My computer chooses to simply turn off after its been running
for approximatly 2-5 minutes. It never says why, it never does it at
the same time, there is no connection that I can recognize between the
crashes and programs that are running. It even does this when in safe
mode.

I replaced the DDR Ram, removed all the unnecesary components, swapped
video cards for one I knew worked, replaced the hard drive, replaced
the CD/DVD drive, rolled back the drivers and applications with system
restore and yet still the same thing, entirely spontaneous crashing.

This will be my third installation of XP on my second hard drive, and I
dont think thats the problem. I completely dissassembled my computer
and put it back together according to the MSI mother board manual
hoping to secure a connection someone. Still crashes.

After installing the new hard drive I had about a week in which
everything worked fine and there were maybe only 2 crashes similar to
my typical problem. Now its back. Is there anything I can do to
discover what the problem is? I dont have time to install a virus
scanner such as norton or macafee as the computer crashes before scans
or installations can complete. I cant seem to figure out what hardware
or software is failing. PLEASE HELP!!!

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I have hit a wall and nothing seems to be helping. Everyone seems
to have reboot problems and blue screens and all that fun stuff but
I dont. My computer chooses to simply turn off after its been
running for approximatly 2-5 minutes. It never says why, it never
does it at the same time, there is no connection that I can
recognize between the crashes and programs that are running. It
even does this when in safe mode.

I replaced the DDR Ram, removed all the unnecesary components,
swapped video cards for one I knew worked, replaced the hard drive,
replaced the CD/DVD drive, rolled back the drivers and applications
with system restore and yet still the same thing, entirely
spontaneous crashing.

This will be my third installation of XP on my second hard drive,
and I dont think thats the problem. I completely dissassembled my
computer and put it back together according to the MSI mother board
manual hoping to secure a connection someone. Still crashes.

After installing the new hard drive I had about a week in which
everything worked fine and there were maybe only 2 crashes similar
to my typical problem. Now its back. Is there anything I can do to
discover what the problem is? I dont have time to install a virus
scanner such as norton or macafee as the computer crashes before
scans or installations can complete. I cant seem to figure out
what hardware or software is failing. PLEASE HELP!!!

What's your "heat alarm" set to in your BIOS?
What is your CPU temp?

 

[IndependentFratter]

CPU critical temperature is disabled so I am assuming that is the point
at which it would shut it self down if it were enabled.

At the pre start up phase looking at the BIOS it says the CPU temp is
50C/122F

 

[Guest]

I have hit a wall and nothing seems to be helping. Everyone seems to
have reboot problems and blue screens and all that fun stuff but I
dont. My computer chooses to simply turn off after its been running
for approximatly 2-5 minutes. It never says why, it never does it at
the same time, there is no connection that I can recognize between the
crashes and programs that are running. It even does this when in safe
mode.

By default, Windows XP is set to automatically reboot and not display the
blue screen.
Go to System properties, click the Advanced tab, then click Settings in the
Startup and Recovery. Uncheck the box that says automatically restart.

I still remember the time how I'd eject a CD too soon on Windows 98 and it
would come up with the blue screen

I replaced the DDR Ram, removed all the unnecesary components, swapped
video cards for one I knew worked, replaced the hard drive, replaced
the CD/DVD drive, rolled back the drivers and applications with system
restore and yet still the same thing, entirely spontaneous crashing.

This will be my third installation of XP on my second hard drive, and I
dont think thats the problem. I completely dissassembled my computer
and put it back together according to the MSI mother board manual
hoping to secure a connection someone. Still crashes.

After installing the new hard drive I had about a week in which
everything worked fine and there were maybe only 2 crashes similar to
my typical problem. Now its back. Is there anything I can do to
discover what the problem is? I dont have time to install a virus
scanner such as norton or macafee as the computer crashes before scans
or installations can complete. I cant seem to figure out what hardware
or software is failing. PLEASE HELP!!!

Install XP only on one hard drive and attach no other hard drives. Log on
and let it run. Does it still crash?

 

[Michael W. Ryder]

I have hit a wall and nothing seems to be helping. Everyone seems to
have reboot problems and blue screens and all that fun stuff but I
dont. My computer chooses to simply turn off after its been running
for approximatly 2-5 minutes. It never says why, it never does it at
the same time, there is no connection that I can recognize between the
crashes and programs that are running. It even does this when in safe
mode.

I replaced the DDR Ram, removed all the unnecesary components, swapped
video cards for one I knew worked, replaced the hard drive, replaced
the CD/DVD drive, rolled back the drivers and applications with system
restore and yet still the same thing, entirely spontaneous crashing.

This will be my third installation of XP on my second hard drive, and I
dont think thats the problem. I completely dissassembled my computer
and put it back together according to the MSI mother board manual
hoping to secure a connection someone. Still crashes.

After installing the new hard drive I had about a week in which
everything worked fine and there were maybe only 2 crashes similar to
my typical problem. Now its back. Is there anything I can do to
discover what the problem is? I dont have time to install a virus
scanner such as norton or macafee as the computer crashes before scans
or installations can complete. I cant seem to figure out what hardware
or software is failing. PLEASE HELP!!!

Have you tried installing a program like Speedfan and monitoring the
temperatures and voltages before it crashes? If the CPU temperature
gets too high or the voltages are out of spec the computer may shut down
without warning.

 

[IndependentFratter]

I have already disconnected my slave hard drive, recovering those files
while important I suppose can wait. I also looked into the automatic
restart box and it was already unchecked.... only adding to the
spontenaity of my crashes.

 

[IndependentFratter]

I downloaded speedfan and the temperature never broke 55C before it
crashed, the only other problem could be the voltage but that I am
unsure what a healthy range is. And if that is a problem how is that
fixed.

One interesting thing i just noticed after running for a couple of
minutes while I ran this speedfan program my computer crashed, but now
it wont even load to the windows splash screen before it crashes. I am
pretty sure if I let it sit for an hr or so I can get another 3-4 mins
out of it. Does anyone have any idea why this is, if its not
temperature??

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I downloaded speedfan and the temperature never broke 55C before it
crashed, the only other problem could be the voltage but that I am
unsure what a healthy range is. And if that is a problem how is
that fixed.

Power supply.. Motherboard.. Could be one of those.
Replace the power supply.

 

[Michael W. Ryder]

I downloaded speedfan and the temperature never broke 55C before it
crashed, the only other problem could be the voltage but that I am
unsure what a healthy range is. And if that is a problem how is that
fixed.

The voltages should be withing 5%. So the +12V reading should be
between 11.4 and 12.6 volts. If any of them are out of range or
fluctuating you should replace the power supply.

One interesting thing i just noticed after running for a couple of
minutes while I ran this speedfan program my computer crashed, but now
it wont even load to the windows splash screen before it crashes. I am
pretty sure if I let it sit for an hr or so I can get another 3-4 mins
out of it. Does anyone have any idea why this is, if its not
temperature??

The power supply itself may be getting too hot. You can test this by
feeling the side of the power supply. You might want to make sure that
it is getting adequate cooling and is not too close to a heat source
such as the CPU. If it is getting adequate cooling it may be failing,
especially if it is an older unit.

 

[IndependentFratter]

I replaced the 500 watt power supply with an old 350 watt power supply
just to see if maybe the newer one is broken. This was not the case,
same thing, computer just shuts off. I also attempted to see if the
power supplys were getting hot but neither seemed out of the ordinary.
Also while my current power supply is mounted inches from the CPU, when
I tried the 350 it was far removed and still no luck. I do have an
electric voltage meter I would like to test these power supplys and if
possible the mother board, but I am not sure where or what I should be
testing, if its even possible.