computer spontaneously rebooting, ideas?

Radii · 11-27-2005, 09:15 PM

My computer has rebooted 4 or 5 times on me in the last 20 minutes now. No weird sounds, all fans are working so I don't think anything would be overheating.

I've disabled my 2nd monitor for now(surely that couldn't be causing the problem though when its worked fine for 2 months?), and am trying to get through ad-aware and virus scan. Any other suggestions if it doesn't stop?

FBPro · 11-27-2005, 09:19 PM

Power supply going......

lungs · 11-27-2005, 09:20 PM

I had a similar problem. Usually happened when I was playing OOTP. My solution probably isn't feasible. I bought a new computer. I couldn't find any way to fix the problem.

Radii · 11-27-2005, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FBPro

Power supply going......

If that is the case then it actually would make sense that my computer wouldn't reboot on me as often when I disable my second monitor? That wouldn't be terrible, I'm pretty sure I can figure out how to replace it.

kingnebwsu · 11-27-2005, 09:24 PM

My problem was with a PC I had my friends build. Apparently when it was clocked at the actual speed of the processor, it caused it to reboot. I underclocked it a bit, and haven't had the problem since.

hxxp://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;320299

I have that bookmarked for some reason. Good luck.

Antmeister · 11-27-2005, 09:27 PM

This can sometimes occur if your processor is overheating and it can also happen if you have a bad memory stick. Turn off your computer for a few hours and turn it on to see if the same thing repeats again. If it doesn't , it is most likely your processor and I would suggest get a better fan.

If that is not the case, pull out one of your memory sticks and test it out. If you have only one memory stick, try a spare one (if you have one). Try this out for a couple of days if it seems to be functioning properly.

If all of this fails, check with someone (a local friend, a reputable computer repair shop) to see if it is something else. A bad power supply or damaaged motherboard may be the problem as well, but you don't want to spend money trying to diagnose this yourself since it will get really expensive.

Antmeister · 11-27-2005, 09:37 PM

dola...

Then again, if you have another computer with a power supply you want to swap out, you can try that as well. Just make sure yoiu take this out carefully so you won't damage the motherboard.

Deattribution · 11-27-2005, 09:40 PM

Another way to figure out whether your system is overheating is to use a temp monitor.

I use -

hxxp://mbm.livewiredev.com/

kcchief19 · 11-27-2005, 09:45 PM

It can also happen if you're hard drive is failing. I just had a hard drive failure and had to swap in a new hard disk. For the record, Microsoft can kiss my BWFHA for how difficult Windows makes it to upgrade to a new hard disk.

Glengoyne · 11-27-2005, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FBPro

Power supply going......

I had a very similar thread a month or so ago. It was the power supply.

FBPro · 11-27-2005, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glengoyne

I had a very similar thread a month or so ago. It was the power supply.

As did I about a year ago and it was the power supply....a cheap and easy fix.

Radii · 11-28-2005, 12:44 AM

I doublechecked all my cards, RAM, etc and made sure everything was connected well. Perhaps something had come loose somewhere, I have no idea. I ran one monitor for about 2 hours, and as of now I've turned my other monitor back on and played 1/2 hour of Civ4 (something that will use the processor a ton and presumably would overheat, pull power, etc etc) with no problems.

Hopefully everything is fine. Thanks for the suggestions, I'll know what to look at if it does start happening again.

gstelmack · 11-28-2005, 09:08 AM

It can also happen if something crashes and Windows is set up to reboot instead of bluescreen, etc. I forget where exactly that setting is, but my guess is that your video card driver is not well set up for dual-monitor when playing Direct3D games and is bluescreening your system, but you've got that option set to "reboot" instead of "bluescreen".

So, um, check your video card drivers as well.

3ric · 11-28-2005, 10:48 AM

I had that with a new Fujitsu Scaleo model, the company took it in and swapped the mother card. No problem since.

MizzouRah · 11-28-2005, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcchief19

It can also happen if you're hard drive is failing. I just had a hard drive failure and had to swap in a new hard disk. For the record, Microsoft can kiss my BWFHA for how difficult Windows makes it to upgrade to a new hard disk.

Buy a Maxtor and use MaxBlast to move everything from a failing HD to a new. Piece of cake.

kcchief19 · 11-28-2005, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

Buy a Maxtor and use MaxBlast to move everything from a failing HD to a new. Piece of cake.

I did that. It moved everything, but it didn't create the boot sector correctly on the new harddrive so it would never reboot. I searched and discovered other people had the same problem. Windows has a defect in that if you install Windows XP upgrade to Millenium Edition it won't format the boot sector correctly on a new harddrive. Just one of the many wonderful customer-friendly features of Microsoft products.

Long story short, to get the boot sector to work I had to have a Windows 98 boot disk (made from an old Windows 98 computer I had in the basement -- online boot disks you can download do not work), a borrowed copy of Win 2000 to install so that my Win XP upgrade would recognize that I already had a copy of windows since it wouldn't recognize the install already on the disk, and my copy of Win XP. It took me weeks to get that straightened out. I felt like that guy who traveled back in time to get a 1978 Timex Sinclair or whatever it was to solve the space time continuum problem in 2038.

MizzouRah · 11-28-2005, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcchief19

I did that. It moved everything, but it didn't create the boot sector correctly on the new harddrive so it would never reboot. I searched and discovered other people had the same problem. Windows has a defect in that if you install Windows XP upgrade to Millenium Edition it won't format the boot sector correctly on a new harddrive. Just one of the many wonderful customer-friendly features of Microsoft products.

Long story short, to get the boot sector to work I had to have a Windows 98 boot disk (made from an old Windows 98 computer I had in the basement -- online boot disks you can download do not work), a borrowed copy of Win 2000 to install so that my Win XP upgrade would recognize that I already had a copy of windows since it wouldn't recognize the install already on the disk, and my copy of Win XP. It took me weeks to get that straightened out. I felt like that guy who traveled back in time to get a 1978 Timex Sinclair or whatever it was to solve the space time continuum problem in 2038.

I stopped reading at "Millenium Edition".

THE shittiest OS EVER, imo of course.

11-27-2005, 09:19 PM	#2
FBPro College Starter Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: SE	Power supply going...... __________________ GM RayCo Raiders-est. 2004-2012 Charter member of the IHOF-RayCo GM GM Tennessee Titans PFL 2011-2014 GM Tennessee Titans FOWL 2020-2025

11-28-2005, 09:08 AM	#13
gstelmack Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Cary, NC	It can also happen if something crashes and Windows is set up to reboot instead of bluescreen, etc. I forget where exactly that setting is, but my guess is that your video card driver is not well set up for dual-monitor when playing Direct3D games and is bluescreening your system, but you've got that option set to "reboot" instead of "bluescreen". So, um, check your video card drivers as well. __________________ -- Greg -- Author of various FOF utilities

11-28-2005, 10:48 AM	#14
3ric College Starter Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Sweden	I had that with a new Fujitsu Scaleo model, the company took it in and swapped the mother card. No problem since. __________________ San Diego Chargers (HFL) - Lappland Reindeers (WOOF) - Gothenburg Giants (IHOF) Indiana: A TCY VC - year 2044 - the longest running dynasty ever on FOFC!

11-27-2005, 09:20 PM	#3
lungs Pro Rookie Join Date: May 2002 Location: Prairie du Sac, WI	I had a similar problem. Usually happened when I was playing OOTP. My solution probably isn't feasible. I bought a new computer. I couldn't find any way to fix the problem.

11-27-2005, 09:24 PM	#5
kingnebwsu College Benchwarmer Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Ohio	My problem was with a PC I had my friends build. Apparently when it was clocked at the actual speed of the processor, it caused it to reboot. I underclocked it a bit, and haven't had the problem since. hxxp://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;320299 I have that bookmarked for some reason. Good luck.

11-27-2005, 09:27 PM	#6
Antmeister Pro Starter Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: At the corner of Beat Street and Electric Avenue	This can sometimes occur if your processor is overheating and it can also happen if you have a bad memory stick. Turn off your computer for a few hours and turn it on to see if the same thing repeats again. If it doesn't , it is most likely your processor and I would suggest get a better fan. If that is not the case, pull out one of your memory sticks and test it out. If you have only one memory stick, try a spare one (if you have one). Try this out for a couple of days if it seems to be functioning properly. If all of this fails, check with someone (a local friend, a reputable computer repair shop) to see if it is something else. A bad power supply or damaaged motherboard may be the problem as well, but you don't want to spend money trying to diagnose this yourself since it will get really expensive.

11-27-2005, 09:37 PM	#7
Antmeister Pro Starter Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: At the corner of Beat Street and Electric Avenue	dola... Then again, if you have another computer with a power supply you want to swap out, you can try that as well. Just make sure yoiu take this out carefully so you won't damage the motherboard.

11-27-2005, 09:40 PM	#8
Deattribution College Benchwarmer Join Date: Oct 2003	Another way to figure out whether your system is overheating is to use a temp monitor. I use - hxxp://mbm.livewiredev.com/

11-27-2005, 09:45 PM	#9
kcchief19 Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Kansas City, MO	It can also happen if you're hard drive is failing. I just had a hard drive failure and had to swap in a new hard disk. For the record, Microsoft can kiss my BWFHA for how difficult Windows makes it to upgrade to a new hard disk.

11-28-2005, 12:44 AM	#12
Radii Head Coach Join Date: Jul 2001	I doublechecked all my cards, RAM, etc and made sure everything was connected well. Perhaps something had come loose somewhere, I have no idea. I ran one monitor for about 2 hours, and as of now I've turned my other monitor back on and played 1/2 hour of Civ4 (something that will use the processor a ton and presumably would overheat, pull power, etc etc) with no problems. Hopefully everything is fine. Thanks for the suggestions, I'll know what to look at if it does start happening again.

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