Computer needs to be rebooted

[WhiteStar1]

I am running an AMD Athlon XP 2400 on a K7S5A board with 512mb DDR RAM, an ATA IDE Controller card and Windows XP Professional. Approximately 99 out of 100 bootups the screen goes blank after the recognition of the hard drives that are attached to the controller card. I then have to press the reset switch, which reboots the computer. It will then get to the same spot and shows a screen with an apology and that windows will start in 30 seconds. Any ideas on how to make it boot up properly first time.

Loretta

 

[franklin97355]

Exactly what does the "apology" say?

 

[Freestone]

Inspect the motherboard for bad capacitors:

http://www.badcaps.net/

 

[micker377]

Check/replace power supply.

 

[BadBigBen]

Run an online AntiVirus scan, like that from Trendmicro...

also should run various anti/spyware and adware scans...



Ben

If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer...

 

[garebo]

Only thing i could add to this is to double-check your bios settings against what the manual says, there could be a setting causing this. But i would consider the other suggestions ahead of this one, only thing is that it may be fairly easy to do and indeed you may find the source of the problem.

You have the "caps" suggestion, that makes sense.
You have the power supply suggestion. That one makes a lot of sense as lots of people buy a case for $30 or $40 with a power supply. That makes the power supply a $10 piece of junk that may work for a while but not too long, sorry to say. Same with if you bought a whole computer, unless you specified wanting a good quality power supply.

You can test your existing power supply by getting a digital multimeter, which will do triple duty for the car, house, and computer. You can go to techrepublic, sign on for free, and get their tutorial on how to check your power supply, among other things, great site!
If you do need a power supply i suggest newegg.com as i have seen good ones there for around $42, maybe even less.
I would venture a guess that 20% of all computer problems are a result of a bad or cheap power supply, and i think i am being conservative in my guess. Thats only my opinion, though, not a fact. I can only tell you i have had a lot, A LOT less problems when i decided to only use good power supplies together with a UPS, but the UPS is another story, er, rant.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[MusicToad]

I can also add that maybe you should flash your bios?
Maybe check you IDE cables.

Sweet

 

[WhiteStar1]

The power supply is brand new as I needed a case with more drive bays. I also run regular anti-virus and spyware/adaware programs, and I have Flashed and updated the bios whrn I installed the CPU.

To franklin97355 the Apology screen starts :-
We apologise for the inconvienience that windows did not start successfully.
Was it due to a change in hardware, software or due to a power interuption?

This is about all i can copy off the screen before windows restarts.
I think it may have been to a brown out but all my computers are plugged into power sockets with surge protection built in.

 

[garebo]

If you believe it to be brown-outs, and i wouldnt argue as i believe they happen a lot, then i would suggest you try using a UPS. I dont know for certain, but i do believe that power surge protectors arent of much use with brown-outs, only with some power surges.

Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[WhiteStar1]

Thanks everyonr for the help.

I ended up running Norton's WinDoctor and an error it could not fix was a missing .dll file. (mscoree.dll)
Went to google and they lead me to

http://www.dll-files.com

No more problems. What is ithe odds of that file being accessed during a brown out and losing it?

Loretta

 

[garebo]

Actually, Loretta, the odds are quite good! Happens to a lot of people and i happen to have extra poor power in my area. Most power grids were not built to handle the type of clean power that computers need and brownouts kill software and hardware alike. Before i started using UPS's i lost hardware and software glitches like you just had, cant even count the hardware but i could build a whole new computer for sure with bad parts. Since then not once. I did lose one external firewire case and drive.
Surge protectors, as you now know, dont do the job. Only UPS's will do the job. Far as i know, you dont even have to have an expensive unit, for the most part, in addition to the number of connections you get, you only get more time to shut down with a more expensive UPS, so an inexpensive one will do! Do yourself a big favor and get one.
I will never ever be without at least one UPS.
Same goes with power supplies, but thats another rant, lol.
Funny part is that windows basically did your trouble-shooting for you with the message it gave you. Basically it told you there was a power shortage! Time for you to get a UPS!


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[daveoasis]

I concur with garebo. Also note that the least understood and most important problem next to power quality is heat dissipation. Many systems are vastly under capacity in terms of CFM - cubic feet per minute air flow and air turbulence with the case.

Keep PC's well ventilated, not in a low under desk area on a well insulated rug - this will compound the problem. Blow dust out frequently as it is a heat insulator which kills CPU's, RAM & video cards.

Thanks for your experience. I would have guessed RAM problems as matched RAM can be very important or a weak spot on the HD.

Good luck, happy computing. Dave

 

[garebo]

This power issue needs a lot more attention than it is given. I didnt believe it at first, figured it was just another selling angle or trick, but its not at all, its something we all need to address with good quality power supplies, UPS's, and then addressing air flow and heat buildup.
It was explained to me to just think about it, a lot of the infrastructure and technology that is in our power grid system is very old. Just think of a 40 yr old house with a 40 year old wiring system. Just because we upgraded the main panel doesnt change the fact that the whole power grid was in place long before computers came along! And there wasnt anything in our homes that needed clean power like a computer does. Thats what sold me. Brownouts, for example, simply happen everywhere and are dangerous to our computer hardware and software.




Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[garebo]

I apologize for going on about this, but i figure if i can get one person to buy a UPS its worth my while.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[elgordo1960]

I apologize for going on about this, but i figure if i can get one person to buy a UPS its worth my while.

I've got one on my shopping list...honest!!

 

[garebo]

Great, then l will leave you alone, but only you, lol. Actually, these days, they are selling real cheap as lots of people are getting them so the mfgrs are getting the quantity sales now and lowering prices.
On parting, i just wish there were a law saying that all new, complete computers have to be sold with a UPS, given that the quality of power at the plug is always suspect.
I know i'm dreaming, but i said i wish,lol.



Good advice + great people = tek-tips