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PC Randomly Re-Boots itself

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My Pentium 4, windows XP computer randomly Re-
Boots itself (sometimes off-line, sometimes while
on-line -- pop-up stopper conflict???). After
the reboot, there is a window with "serious error"
notify Microsoft -- MS says either CORRUPT software or hardware.... I have run the MS diagnostic and it says my memory is O.K.
Any suggestions???

6 replies

by c_m_s

Hi there,
It may be that your power supply is throwing a random Power_Good signal. This could be due to unstable power or too small a power supply for your computer. Unfortunately, the only fix is to replace the power supply. I know it is tedious but that is where I would go next.

Good Luck,
C_M_S

by cactus pete

It could be the power supply, but it can also be any number of hardware components...

Take the box apart, blow it out and reseat all of the boards, chips and the processor.

Does this happen when the machine gets too hot? When the processor is in high use? If so, try running it with the case apart and a fan blowing COOL air on there... If that works, you might just need to increase airflow, but neatening up the inside, or adding more fans.

Caution though, you can damage this by working on it, so your warranty could be void... But this is exactly what they'll try to get you to do, anyway.

Next, also try to run the system with a minimal configuration - by this i mean detact everything that you don't need to boot up. Run the machine a while and see if you still have your issues. If it runs well, shut it down and add one more item at a time until you experience the problem again. Once you think you've found the cuplrit, take it out and continue with everything else again as there could be more than one defective part. [especially if power was involved with the problem, one piece can fry others]

Good luck

by sgt_shultz

have you tried getting the computer to report (blue screen) the error so we can get all the info and look it up. right now, sounds like instead it is set to reboot on serious error. check it out under System Properties, advanced i think, performance maybe...

by oz_media

You may be simply be experienceing crashes and BSOD's and your computer is set to restart on error. The only problem with that is you will never get to see the stack dump or error defined as it is never shown.

To check this,
Control Panel>SYSTEM>ADVANCE tab>STARTUP AND RECOVERY --- UNcheck the box

now at least you should get a full error message if you have problems insetad of just a restart.

by gregory.ginter

Do you have hibernation enabled? I have a computer that everytime it hibernates, when you bring it out of hibernation, it reboots. I just haven't had the time to figure out why it does it yet. :-) Try disabling hibernation if it is turned on.

by cglrcng9

(Posted on a later thread also, guess I'm not alone, looks like this may be a new wave of Worming in we just might be seeing).

I personally chased this particular demon over the last 2 days on a customers machine. Happened twice, both times starting on Tuesday of the past 2 weeks. Changed every pc. of hardware in the case including the MOBO and it continued.

Here's what I found when I was able to get in finally. On the MSN Messenger (I had previously used Shootthemessenger from www.grc.com, so I knew it wasn't Windows Messenger related, also had used DCOMbobulate from the same source, but ck'd. the DCOM ports and sure enough a DCOM port was stuck wide open and an RPC client was running on the port.) They had connected w/ an authorized user on the MSN Messenger that had a Blaster infected puter, then Blocked that user, but the port remained open, this puter had been patched against the buffer overflow problem concerning the Blaster Worm so it wasn't actually infected (Norton updated, Symantec Online, Stinger StandAlone scans showed no infection whatsever). But there was an RPC Server running and it was blaster infected on the other end. Was attempting infection of this machine (constant signal & traffic on the cable modem could be seen w/ nothing running).

As soon as I removed the offending user from the messenger I was back in business w/ very normal starts and no abrupt shutdowns...Had the customer call the user on the phone, he brought in his puter to me, cleaned off Blaster and a few other items (about 20 Viruses & Trojans...Lol). Sold him AV and updated...All is well.

Good Luck!

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