American Express-Savings
Community Newsletter: Q&A: Help! My PC keeps rebooting every 10 to 20 minutes!
- 5/9/08 1:48 PM
Hard drive and rebooting
by henrybarnett - 5/3/08 12:29 AM In reply to: CLean the dust & change hardrive~ by AznmaskI had the same problem. Continual rebooting. After trying everything I changed my hard drive and solved the problem. I'd suggest doing that!
rebooting after 10-15 minutes
by shai2 - 4/29/08 1:28 PM In reply to: Help! My PC keeps rebooting every 10 to 20 minutes! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
My husband and I own a computer repair shop. I have discussed your problem with my master tech husband. He agrees with me. The most likely causes of your computer shutting down and rebooting. Providing your haven't been infected with Malware, here are the most likely causes for your problems. The power supply, motherboard or the heat sink.
1. There is an 80%-90% chance that it is your power supply.
You may need a more powerful power supply, if you have installed a video card. As the present one just can't provide the power needed to keep things running. If your are not sure how to install a new one or if you aren't sure what to do, go to a tech.
2. There is a 10% chance the problem may also be your motherboard. It maybe trying to give up its ghost. Your best bet...Buy another computer and have a tech transfer your documents folder on the old one to the new computer. In this way you can save your pictures and other personal, items and info. Or your can just swap out the old hard drive and use it as a slave in the newer computer. In this way you keep everything. Occasionally the newer computer won't recognize the old drive. Fortunately it doesn't seem to happen very often. Again your favorite tech can help with that.
3.There is a 1% chance that your CPU (processor) maybe over heating. A Cpu can easily run between 200 to 400 degrees depending on how powerful it is. When it gets too hot, the computer will shut down. The heat sink is the large square grid of aluminum or copper on your motherboard. It is seated on top of your Processor. The heat sink draws heat off of the CPU. The fans blow the heated air out and draw in air to cool the heat sink.
The heat sink must be firmly seated, in order to do it's job. If you you can gently wiggle it, if it is lopsided, or if the clamps aren't firmly clamped, take it to a tech.
It is simple for the tech to reseat the heat sink. Usually less than a five minute job from start to handing over the money.
My PC keeps rebooting every 10-20 minutes.
by willisjohn - 4/29/08 2:01 PM In reply to: Help! My PC keeps rebooting every 10 to 20 minutes! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
First of all I do not know if this is your problem for sure, but it looks a lot like the problems that I have helped several of my customers with. Lately people are buying computer systems with power supplies that just barely meet the requirements of the system and then when new items are added to the computer the power supplies start to fail. The new mother boards have power supply monitoring and if any of the voltages go out of tolerance the system shuts down. If your system was setup for auto reboot on power down this will cause your issue.
First on bootup either the delete key or the F10 key will get you into the system bios setup. There should be a tab under power settings that lets you setup monitoring the system power supply. The plus and minus settings for the +12,-12,+5,-5 volt are usually set for the tolerance of your system board. The least used power is the -12 volt. If monitored you will find that the negative 12 volt line is usually the culprit that causes the system to reboot. The tolerances are the same on all +12 and -12 volt and the same for all +5 and -5 volts. Usually plus or minus .5 volts on the 12's and plus or minus .25 volts on the 5 volts. not all boards are exactly these tolerances, but you will know when you see them under system bios. As the system demands more current,the power supply voltages increase to meet this current demand. Since the -12 volt is not as heavily used it will increase the same as the +12 volt. Thus it will go high out of limits first.
Usually a larger power supply or New power supply will cure your problem. Power supplys are much cheaper than mother boards and ram, and since you have already tried new ram this would be my next guess.
I would not attempt to reset the tolerances of the voltage monitoring of your mother board. If your power supply is the culprit, it could go south and kill the mother board.
The mother board can cause these same issues, which is why most people that have these issues, take them to computer repair to get fixed. If you don't have ways to swap components you usually throw good money away buying things you dont need. Good luck hope this helps.
John Willis
Most Common Reboot Cause
by Vinkun007 - 4/29/08 8:51 PM In reply to: Help! My PC keeps rebooting every 10 to 20 minutes! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
You need to replace your power supply. This is the number one cause of the symptoms you describe. Another possible option, is that motherboard or RAM voltage settings are incorrect. Check manufacture guidelines to make sure your board has proper settings for hardware attached to it. Depending on the age of your machine, you may find these settings via a jumper on the motherboard. Newer machines only have BIOS control for these settings, and are typically defaulted to "auto". If you or someone who has access to your computer have tried to "overclock", you may need to reset to normal settings. Most basic way to do this is to reset your BIOS by using the available jumper or by removing then replacing your CMOS battery (some older machines have permanent batteries which can't be removed.) Best of luck, and remember to check manufacture guidelines for your system settings.
rebooting every 10-20 min
by 12345walter12345 - 4/30/08 4:01 AM In reply to: Help! My PC keeps rebooting every 10 to 20 minutes! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have came to the same problem all you have to do 1 of 2 things
1) check power supply
2) check for viruses
I work in IT and I have had the same problem be for
I hope I have helped
Walter van Rensburg
reboot
by claude matthewson - 4/30/08 8:08 AM In reply to: Help! My PC keeps rebooting every 10 to 20 minutes! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
this may sound crazy but the same problem for me was at the wall socket pluging
PC rebooting all 20 minutes or so
by mamabearde - 4/30/08 8:27 AM In reply to: Help! My PC keeps rebooting every 10 to 20 minutes! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I am afraid this sounds like maybe you have caught a virus! Check your system thoroughly with a good Anti-Virus-Program and let it repair - hopefully you will have back your good old system afterwards - or you will have to re-install Windows in the worst case... 
hay here is piyush
by ready2009 - 4/30/08 6:47 PM In reply to: Help! My PC keeps rebooting every 10 to 20 minutes! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
i understood your probe kindlu make new partitions &then reboot your system to configuration the windows then this probe has been solved......................piyush
Heat!
by ciscokid - 5/1/08 7:48 AM In reply to: Help! My PC keeps rebooting every 10 to 20 minutes! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I would venture that aside from an impending hardware failure or a conflict being caused by some unscrupulous software program that your problem is likely a heat related issue.
When was the last time you cracked open the case and blew out the dust bunnies from the inside? If you haven't done it in the last several months, guess what? It's time to do some dusting. Just get a can of compress air from and likely store in your neighborhood and blow out all of the dust you can find. This is a simple fix that will likely cure your problem. If it doesn't then you'll need more extensive detective work that would be too long and arduous here to outline!
Oh and do the cleaning outside or you'll just blow it into the air inside your house where eventually it'll settle again, if not inside your PC then on your wife' newly cleaned knick-knacks.
Rebooting
by jik47 - 5/1/08 7:13 PM In reply to: Help! My PC keeps rebooting every 10 to 20 minutes! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Sounds like your system is getting too hot. Check the fan on your processor or perhaps put another case fan on the tower.
Reboot Problem
by rangers321 - 5/2/08 9:12 PM In reply to: Rebooting by jik47Hey Gang,
I had this problem a few months ago. My pc just kept rebooting. I started poking around when I brushed upd against the harness that has a connector that goes from the power supply to the mother board. The female connector attaches to I think it's 20 pins. My PC rebooted when I moved the wires around. So I removed the connector and found 3 locations on that connector that were black. A damn short! I ran to the store and picked up a new power supply and bingo problem solved. I considered myself lucky to have stumbled on this problem the way I did. As we all know a million different problems can cause a reboot like this.
Answers to get you started!
by Lee Koo (ADMIN) - 5/2/08 3:15 PM
In reply to: Help! My PC keeps rebooting every 10 to 20 minutes! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Here are the selected submissions grouped in one post. Read through them and place your votes in the newsletter poll.
Answer:
Troubleshooting - System reboots automatically
Troubleshooting
Here are three basic sources of automatic reboot problems:
• Recovery settings
• Software incompatibilities, including driver issues
• BIOS problems
• Overheating
• Weak Memory Module
• Bad Power Supply
• Bad Motherboard
Software incompatibilities can be omitted in your case as you have already reinstalled windows. But they are still worth mentioning.
1. Recovery Settings
One of the things that is quite different about Windows XP compared to Windows 9x (9x is shorthand for Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Me in all their various versions), is that one can control how it responds to certain critical errors—those that cause the infamous Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). In Windows XP, the default setting is for the computer to reboot automatically when a fatal error occurs. Simplified, if a fatal error occurs the system will reboots automatically.
If you haven't changed any of the system failure settings, you should be able to see the error by looking in the Event Log. But a better long-term solution is to turn off the automatic reboot so you can actually see the error when it happens—chances are it will tell you enough about itself to let you troubleshoot further. To change the recovery settings to disable automatic rebooting:
1. Right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
2. Click the Advanced tab.
3. Under Startup and Recovery, click Settings to open the Startup and Recovery dialog box.
4. Clear the Automatically restart check box, and click OK the necessary number of times.
5. Restart your computer for the settings to take effect.
Now when a fatal error occurs, you'll at least see it and it won't cause an automatic reboot. You still have to sort out what's causing the problem.
2. Software Incompatibility
The most common cause of a fatal error or Automatically restart is a software or driver problem, and troubleshooting these can be tricky. The mechanism for troubleshooting, however, is pretty much the same for any problem on a PC. The first thing to look at is what's changed—what new software program or drivers have you added, usually just before the problem started. This sounds easy and it often is, but if it's something you've lived with for a while, you'll often have no idea what the proximate cause is. When you do, it's a lot easier. When you don't, you need to do a bit of research to find out if there is a specific cause for the particular error message you're getting (when you have one) or a known issue with certain programs or drivers that causes the behavior you're seeing. Also i would recommend updating your drivers and windows.
3. BIOS Problems
Finally, the last and often trickiest to troubleshoot source of reboot problems: your computer's BIOS. If there is a problem in your BIOS, or sometimes even in the firmware for one of the other pieces of hardware installed in your machine, it could cause an instability and lead to one of those automatic restarts that we talked about in the first section. Especially if the problem is in the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) portion. The good news is that these problems are much less common than they used to be in the bad old days. But it never hurts to check with your computer manufacturer to see if there's an updated BIOS available.
4. Overheating
Accumulating dust in a computers case can cause a great deal of problems with computer systems components. Dust acts as insulation and will keep the case and all of its components hot. Dust accumulating in fans and heat sinks is the major cause of overheating. Also, check your fans if they are working. I recommend a computer case be cleaned at least every 4 - 6 months.
Cleaning Tips:
• Before you clean a computer or any component, be sure to turn the power off and unplug it from the outlet.
• Use caution when cleaning inside the computers case not to disturb any plugs or jumpers. If you do, this will make for difficult troubleshooting when you turn the computer back on.|
• Avoid spraying any type of liquid directly on to a computer component. Spray the liquid on to a cloth, then apply it to the computer component.
• Never use a house vacuum cleaner to clean the dust out of your computer case. House vacuums generate a lot of static electricity that can damage your systems components. There are portable battery operated vacuums available that are designed for use in a computer environment. It is fine to use your house vacuum to suck up the dirt and dust around your computer or even to suck the dust out of your keyboard.
• Make sure that you never get any component inside your computer wet. It is not advisable to use any cleaning liquid inside the case. You can use some canned compressed air to remove any dust from the case and case fans. Be sure to take your computer to a different location when blowing the dust out.
• Be sure to visit your computer manufactures web site to find out what cleaning solvents are recommended for cleaning your computer. I recommend just using warm water for almost any computer cleaning task. But if you need a stronger cleaning solution, be sure that it is highly diluted.
5. Weak Memory Module
I know you have changed the RAM but it is important that any new RAM module(s) be fully compatible with both the motherboard and/or any other RAM module(s) already in the system (New RAM Could also be bad). Secondly, there are sometimes jumper switches on older motherboards that need to be reset for new RAM configurations. Consult your motherboard's manual or the manufacturer's web site for specific instructions and compatibility requirements. Additionally, Get a good memory test program and check your new and old RAM.
Here are a couple to choose from
http://hcidesign.com/memtest/
http://www.memtest86.com/
If you do not have your computer's manual and the manufacturer doesn't provide a support web site, you can use Crucial Memory's web site to determine the correct RAM and capacity for your specific make and model computer and/or motherboard.
If you turn on your computer and you hear a series of beeps, this behaviour usually indicates a hardware problem. The beeps that you hear are clues to what the problem could be.
6. Bad Power Supply
Your power supply could be going bad. It can be checked by using the following procedure:
ATX power supplies have a simple diagnostic circuit that you can use to determine if your power supply is good or bad. Here's how.
Tools needed: Voltmeter.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: 5 minutes
1. Shut down your computer and open it up. Leave the power supply connected to the AC power cord.
2. Leave the power supply's master power switch on, if it has one.
3. Disconnect the ATX power connector from the motherboard. This is a wide, flat connector with two rows of pins and a locking tab.
4. Locate the pin connected to the gray wire. This is the PWR_OK pin.
5. Locate any pin connected to a black wire. These are the ground/earth pins.
6. Place the red (positive) probe of your voltmeter on the PWR_OK pin, and the black (negative) probe on any ground pin.
7. If the gray pin reads 2 volts or more, then the power supply passed its internal diagnostic. Your power supply is probably good.
8. If the gray pin reads much less than 1 volt, then the power supply is dead. Replace the power supply.
7. Bad Motherboard
Malfunctioning capacitors on a Motherboard can create a wide range of issues. It is even possible for capacitors to fail due to a bad Power Source. A leaking capacitor is a very easy visual check. Open your case and take a look at the Motherboard. If you see a leaking capacitor (Google it), then replacement of the Motherboard is necessary. Be sure to check if your system is still under warranty before spending your money.
Test your Motherboard. Many Motherboard manufactures have their own testing software, so try them first. Or, here are a couple listed below:
http://www.download.com/3120-20_4.html?tg=dl-20&qt=Motherboard%20Monitor&tag=srch
http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,7309,00.asp
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-10149_102-0.html?forumID=7&threadID=292644&messageID=2759797#2759797
Submitted by: Ankit B.
***********************************************************************
Answer:
Rebooting Every 10-20 Minutes
There are many issues, both in hardware and software, that can cause your computer to suddenly shut down and reboot every 10 or 20 minutes.
Windows Error
Application Software Error
Bad Memory
Failing or Stressed Power supply
Overheating
Defected System Board
Bad Processor
The first thing you want to do is try to determine if there is any identifiable error that is causing your problem or at least might give you a hint as to what is wrong. So first you want to turn OFF the option that tells Windows to keep Rebooting when it encounters an error so that you can actually view the exact error message. I am going to assume that you are running Windows XP since you did not specify. Right Click on MY COMPUTER and select PROPERTIES > Click on the ADVANCED tab > Click on Settings in the Start up and Recovery section at the bottom > In the System Failure Section, Uncheck the box for Automatically restart and then make sure the box is checked for Write an Event to the System Log. Once you have changed this setting, the computer should stop at a Blue Error screen the next time the computer has a problem. Once you are armed with an error code, you can search Google to get an idea of what might be wrong.
You said that you replaced the memory so that most likely rules out memory and you reformatted the hard drive which would typically rule out both the hard drive and most application errors. It probably also rules out a problem with Windows itself. I am just assuming that your installed a fresh copy of Windows and no applications yet. So it really leaves you with the two most likely hardware issues which are power supply and overheating.
POWER SUPPLY
I would try swapping out your power supply with a new one. Power supplies are fairly cheap and you should be able to get one for about $30. But if you don’t have a new power supply to try then you can experiment by reducing the load on your current power supply but removing all none essential items from the system. Unplugging all USB devices, remove PCI cards that are not absolutely essential such as Modems, Sound and network cards. Unplug the power to any CD and DVD drives. All you really need connected is your Hard Drive, Video, Mouse and keyboard. Reboot and see it the problem is still there?
OVERHEATING
Since you said that you already replaced the memory, I have to assume you have already been inside your computer and cleaned out the computer and did not notice any dust clogged vents or heat sinks. But just in case you did not really look around take a good look and check for clogged vents and heat sinks. Look for any fans that are unplugged. With the cover off, power on the computer and check to make sure all fans are running smoothly. If everything looks good, you can try setting up an auxiliary fan such as a table fan and aiming it into the case to see if it helps or buys you some extra time. If it helps then it would indicate that it is a cooling issue. Some motherboards will have temperature readings available in the bios that may give you some indication.
SOFTWARE ISSUES
If you suspect that it might be a software related issue. The first thing you want to do is check all the Windows Event Logs for any errors that just might give you a clue. Click on START > CONTROL PANEL > ADMINISTRATIVE TOOLS > EVENT VIEWER and select each category to see if you can find a clue. Try looking around the time or just prior to when the computer last rebooted on its own.
Does the computer have the same problem when running in Safe Mode? Restart the computer and press the F8 key to get to the menu and select Safe mode. If your problem goes away in Safe Mode then follow the section to isolate the problem. If your problem goes away in Safe Mode then continue on the MSCONFIG below. If not it is probably hardware related.
USE MSCONFIG TO ISOLATE THE PROBLEM
Turn off all startup Items in MSCONFIG. START > RUN > type MSCONFIG > click on OK > Select the Startup Tab > Select DISABLE ALL > Select OK and then you will be instructed to reboot. If the problem goes away, you can then methodically turn back ON each item in the startup list, one at a time, until you find the one that is causing your problem.
If that does not work, then we need to turn off all NON-Windows services. Go back into MSCONFIG. START > RUN > type MSCONFIG > click on OK > Click on the SERVICES tab and check the box that says HIDE ALL MICROSOFT SERVICES > Now select DISABLE ALL > Click on OK and Reboot the computer. If this resolves your problems then go back and turn on services until you find the problem.
If you still can not find the problem, you pretty much have to assume that it is a problem with the motherboard or processor and probably would not be worth fixing. By the way, if you do find the problem and get back up and running, I would strongly urge you to upgrade that memory to 512meg. Trying to run Windows XP on 256meg of ram is just such a strain. You don’t need to go crazy but for about $25 you can double it to 512. It will be the best $25 you ever spent.
Good Luck and please let us know how you make out.
Dana
Wayland Computer
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-10149_102-0.html?forumID=7&threadID=292644&messageID=2759596#2759596
Submitted by waytron
***********************************************************************
Answer:
Possible Causes
There are a few things that could cause this.
The first and most common cause is malware, like the Sasser worm. Even if you reformatted, you could still have gotten it again from the same source that originally gave it to you. The best way to prevent this is to make sure windows is up to date and make sure you have a firewall. Every second Tuesday of a month, Microsoft releases a set of patches, including a 'Malicious Software Removal' tool that automatically scans and removes common worms, however, if you have a software firewall, even the one built into windows will stop this specific threat.
The second possibility is an insufficient power supply, however, assuming you bought a pre-built system and haven't made any major upgrades, the power supply should be sufficient.
The third possibility is inconsistent power. If your local power spikes and drops, even a little, it can disrupt the computer's function. The best solution for this would be to purchase an interruptible power supply, or UPS, which manages the flow of power, and will even keep you computer going during short power outages.
The fourth possibility is overheating. If your computer gets too hot, some of the connectors inside may disconnect due to the expansion. In this case, you will have to improve the airflow by upgrading the fans, or if it is in an enclosed area, move it out so that the heat does not get trapped. (This is the cause of the infamous 'red ring of death' on XBox 360s)
If it is an issue with power, then there may be an additional issue that arises from these forced reboots. You may start up one day and receive a 'critical system file cannot be found' or other similar error that renders your system unbootable. This is caused by the hard-drive head spraying random data onto the hard drive ad it is snapped back to its resting position, this can sometimes even scratch the hard drive's platter. If this happens, the drive will have to be reformatted, and if you want to retrieve any data off the drive, the only program that will render it bootable again is SpinRite from GRC which costs 80 dollars, so I would suggest making regular backups until the issue is resolved.
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-10149_102-0.html?forumID=7&threadID=292644&messageID=2759159#2759159
Submitted by Acaykath
***********************************************************************
Answer:
System rebooting every 20 minutes or so ....
This kind of problem cannot be definitively resolved by E-Mail based on a 100 word description, but we can take a stab a likely causes. While an engineering lab could invest tens of thousands of dollars in diagnostics and engineering services and pinpoint the exact problem, as an end user, you really are limited to a few diagnostics and then component testing by substitution. But here is how I would proceed:
00. I'm omitting software considerations, because what you have already done (reinstalling Windows clean) suggest that this is probably not a software problem. That's not QUITE good enough to rule out software issues 100.0%, but it's all I can do as far as responding to you request for assistance. However, before going further, definitely run "Windows Update" to install all OS patches, and get and install the latest drivers for all of your cards, especially your video and sound cards (or equivalent circuitry on the motherboard).
0. Before doing anything else, remove non-essential expansion cards, if you are overclocking anything STOP IT, and reset all BIOS parameters to their "default" values.
1. Test memory. TEST IT, DON'T JUST REPLACE IT (the "new" memory could be bad also). You need a good memory test program, either Memtest or Memtest-86 (two similar but now different programs that evolved from a common base). In your situation, run it overnight, and remove the media (disk ... floppy or CD) so that if the system does reboot, it does NOT continue running the memory test program and you know that it rebooted. This is one of the top causes of hardware problems and the easiest to test (note, however, a reboot during the running of the memory test where there had been no errors reported by the test does not specifically suggest a memory problem).
2. Check the power supply. Measure the voltages with a multimeter. Good readings don't tell you much, but a bad reading (more than 5% off nominal) suggests a power supply problem although most systems will work with a power supply that is 10% off.
3. The real problem is that you can't measure power supply transient response with any tools available to you. That is, the CPU might need a "surge" of over 20 amps but only for 1 nanosecond (billionth of a second). If the power supply can't supply that, the CPU crashes, which can take the form of a restart, but which may show up as just a locked up system also. There is no way for you to test transient response, so even if the voltages seem ok, consider buying or borrowing a known good replacement power supply, as this is one of the top 2 causes of the kind of problem you are having. DO NOT BUY A "CHEAP" POWER SUPPLY. Buy a brand name, high quality supply. You are going to have to spend at least 10 to 20 cents per watt. But a GOOD 350 watt supply will easily outperform a cheap 500 watt supply no matter what the rated requirements of your system. And to determine what you need, use a few different online power supply calculators (do a google search), average their results, then add 25%.
4. Double check the mounting of the CPU and heatsink. CPU overheating can cause restarts, which can be caused by improper heatsink mounting as well as dirt (dust) buildup around the heatsink & fan. Blow out the heatsink and fan with compressed air, but the real key is that the heatsink is properly mounted to the CPU with a properly applied "thermal solution" (may be either a heatsink compound or a "phase change pad"). Note, too much thermal compound is a problem also, the right amount is about 1 or 2 grains of rice, and that is about all. If you take the heatsink off, clean both the top of the CPU and the bottom of the heatsink completely with solvent to get them both smooth (DO NOT use an abrasive), the reapply new thermal compound. Thermal pads are one-time and should not be reused.
5. Now it's tough, because we are past all of the easy, cheap problems. CPUs rarely fail. Can't say never, but it's rare. The next most likely culprint is the motherboard, and obviously that is expensive and difficult to test, and you can really only do it by buying a new motherboard, which is tantamount to getting a new computer. Further, this will in some cases will require you to "reactivate" your software, which reactivation might be denied because in the software vendor's view, it IS a new system ..... an issue that goes way beyond the scope of this response. Unfortunately, if you have eliminated software, memory, the power supply, the CPU and it doesn't look like the video card or disk drive ..... well, there just isn't much left.
Hope this helps. This kind of problem can be very difficult to resolve and can take a LOT of time and effort, in part because even if you do fix it, or after every attempt to fix it, you may not really know if it's fixed for a significant period of use.
By the way, now I am going to get controversial here and come right out and say something that a lot of people think, not many will say, and some will disagree with vehemently: You have an AMD system, and people who value stability and reliability (and, at the moment, even performance) are better served by an Intel system. The issue isn't so much the CPUs, but chipsets and motherboards. Intel simply makes better chipsets (and, at the moment, I personally believe, CPUs also). Further, AMD systems generally are "cheaper" and more of the motherboards are made by "2nd tier" motherboard makers. Intel systems (and I mean systems with an Intel CPU ***AND*** an Intel chipset) ARE more expensive, but in my opinion (and that's all this is) they are simply more stable and more reliable. That said, I make this statement as a degreed engineer with over 40 years of computer experience (1967), a college instructor in Information Technology, A+ and Network+ certified and a holder of US patents on motherboard circuitry. Others are going to disagree, that's fine, this is all a bit controversial, I recognize that, but that is my view based on my experiences using, building, servicing and teaching computers for decades.
Regards,
Barry Watzman
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-10149_102-0.html?forumID=7&threadID=292644&messageID=2759167#2759167
Submitted by Watzman
***********************************************************************
Answer:
Uh Oh - it's On Now (or is it Off)
Well Santhsh, you're in it now!
We've found that 4 of the 5 most frequent causes of your situation to be somewhat hardware related.
Believe it or not, the most frequently encountered is power supply, as simple as a faulty wall power outlet, sporadic power bar (especially the el cheapos you get for less than $5), bad UPS backup batteries, loose fitting or faulty power cords (especially the prongs going into the outlet or the molded end which plugs into the PC Supply), faulty cooling fan in the PC Power Supply (especially those with a lot of debris in them), and occasionally, the over-expansion of devices for the existing internal supply (originally you might have a 250W supply but your new 1G Video Card, Blu-Ray Drive, Lightscribe Drive, etc. would require at least 400W).
Next is software related, both Good and Bad. Usually (at least for us)it turns out that one of our users has been 'visiting' sites which compromise the security of our network (if you get my drift). Because of our firewalls, etc., we can stop a lot of these things, BUT NOT ALL! I don't know how you are restoring you drives, but if you are using a mirror image, your problem will not stop by reformatting and restoring. You should try to restore (even the Bios IO) from original material. Even using downloads from company Internet sites can be a problem.
Three and Four are back to hardware. It seems you have attempted these two scenarios. Unfortunately, the RAM problem may be more involved, like mismatching types and/or bus speeds. The sockets for the RAM and Processors can be a problem with age and dust. The Processor cooling fans should be tested (most times you can read the RPM and Temperature in the Setup menu) to see if they are working properly. Testing RAM for accuracy is not a home project. Sometimes (but not often) some of the non-cooling sink RAM distorts enough to change the accuracy. By changing RAM you may have addressed this problem. With 256M running Vista, you are going to be short. If Win98, WinNT, Win2000 you should be OK. If WinXP is your OS, you can use 256M, but it better be well suited for your board. If your problem started AFTER a Driver Upgrade or Change, then a problem with Incompatibility may be your problem. We consider this to be more of a Hardware issue here, since the Hardware might be deficient for the software which is being run. The Driver Upgrade might be a correction for 'Hardware Issues'.
Number 5 is a problem with Logic (sorry, not yours but the motherboard, peripherals, cards, USB and other ports, etc). Your Athlon 1700+ is a little dated, and that's OK, but we usually use a PC like that with a Linux (Unbuntu) OS. Smaller Kernel, Smaller Problems. However, if the USB card is V2 and your motherboard can only recognize it as a V1, there are conflicts which can cycle your computer by eating up your resources (the famous Windows Protection and BSOD) when you plug in your Color Multi-Function Network device (sometimes bigger isn't better). So you may have to look at your recent adds and see if one of those may be the culprit. One of our problems occurs when we tell everyone NOT to download and install iTunes-Quicktime. Because iPods are so ubiquitous, someone always does...usually bringing it in on a flash drive since we block a lot of things. Some of the registry keys and edits we use actively fight iTunes and then the PC starts to "Act Funny"...their term, not ours.
So your see, you are actually on the right track. It might be one of these. I might not be any of these. But don't panic, because your important data is backed up, right? I won't go into that. These things can be handled, just don't give up.
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-10149_102-0.html?forumID=7&threadID=292644&messageID=2761205#2761205
Submitted by HomelessClarence
An easy way to isolate whether it is software or hardware
by Ron Skates - 5/3/08 1:17 AM In reply to: Answers to get you started! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
First lets isolate the issue of hardware and software.
When you boot your computer use what ever key it takes to go into the Bios setup. Let it sit for a half hour or so. If it reboots while you are only in the bios, than there is a 99% probability it is hardware. So then you have to start isolating the problem from there.
Another trick that helps sometimes is the Bio setup is corrupt. To correct this problem first look for the "watch" battery that is on the motherboard. Remove it. Than look for the jumper that will erase the "Bio Login" password. Short it out or change the jumper. I always like to unplug the power cord first before I do any of the above. Also I usually hit the power button for a few good measure.
Now replace the battery and reboot. When it boots up next time you should have a clean default Bios setting.
Set the Bios properly and let it sit for a while. Again if it reboots, you pretty much have a hardware issue. First suspect is heat. Normally the Bios will monitor the processor heat and shut down to protect it.
While you are in the case, it does not hurt to clean all the contacts and reseat them.. I do not recommmend you do that with the processor, iunless you are familiar with it. I have had problems where the conductive material between the processor and fan or heat sink is not making a good contact. To clean the contacts on the PCI cards take a good clean pencil eraser and "Wipe" the contact points clean. make sure you brush off the rubber waste from the eraser. There are ways of cleaning the circuit board "sockets". That is another story. Take all the drive cables,remove them and reseat them. You can also use either denatured alcohol or lighter fluid as they evaporate with no residue. Just be careful.
As far as a clean windows install, the only way I would consider it a clean install is if I remove the disk drive partion and start from scratch. That means removing the partition, shuttin down, not restarting, the system and boot from a clean, not copied, windows CD.
This is a start.
Make sure all the fans on the system do not have dust as that will deteriorate the cooling effect.
You can get a power supply tester for less than $20.00 at a number of computer retailers to check that. Look for dust and blow that out. Be carefull for dust under the mother board where in a damp enviornment can short things out to the case.
Also check the manufacturer to see if they have any diagnostic software to check the mother board nad run a burn in test.
Good luck.
20 second reboot.
by blacksheep771 - 5/5/08 12:14 PM In reply to: An easy way to isolate whether it is software or hardware by Ron Skatesyeah, ive had the same thing go wrong with a-m-d pc, mother board went bad...........they will do that reboot every 10 20 secounds
This is not software or virus
by happ99 - 5/3/08 10:51 PM In reply to: Answers to get you started! by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
This problem sounds like one that I had. Although it cost me some money in the long run trying to figure out what the problem was. I am lucky enough to have 4 different hard drives with different OS's on them. All had the problem. I even bought a new power supply, and still had the problem on all 4 hard drives. I realized at that point that it wasn't software, or a power supply, but it was the motherboard. I know that all my fans are running, so it wasn't a problem. I replaced my motherboard and processor, and had to upgrade my memory to ddr2, but now I have no problems with any of my harddrives or OS's. I would have to assume that it is a mother board problem. Maybe you should see if your system does this with another harddrive or os before you spend money on a new motherboard, processor, and memory.
| Forum legend: | |
 |
Locked thread |
 |
Moderator |
 |
CNET staff |
 |
Samsung staff |
 |
Norton Authorized Support team |
 |
AVG staff |
 |
Windows Outreach team |
 |
Dell staff |
 |
Intel staff |
