Computer Reboots then Unresponsive..

[Llyarra]

This problem has been plaguing me for quite some time. While using the computer (if it will start up) the computer will reboot with no error message given. It will boot back into Win Xp (Home) and then reboot again within a minute or two, it will continue this process until I shut down manually. After doing that the computer will then *not* come back on. The power supply will power up and the fans and external case lights will come on as well as the temperature monitors but the drives will not power up, nor will the peripherals (so no signal is sent to monitor). I will then have to repeatedly manually power down (holding in the switch) and try again, very rarely it will come back up soon after a reboot series but it will shut itself off again within a few minutes if so.

Most of the time it is a day or more before the computer will come back on as if nothing happened...run for a couple of days and then repeat the issue again with no reason given. It is a P4. I have tested the RAM, reseated all the cards, replaced the Video Card, and checked all the fans. I just haven't been able to get to the source of this problem. Tech Support is an issue because usually by the time I get to call them the computer has been down for awhile and boots right up (therefore they think they did their job well and want me off the phone) a day later it shuts itself down again and is once again unresponsive. I have never made it past level 1 tech support because of this.

 

[Crowley16]

hmm...

do you have a big enough psu to power your entire system?

 

[paparazi]

Llyarra
Could be so many things but the most obvious would be the power supply and or connections to the motherboard.
I certainly would try a PSU but pay carefull attention to possible burnt pins on the power connector.
Martin

Start by questioning and soon you will be answering.
So please take but remember to return and give when you can.

 

[Llyarra]

My PSU is Intel4 certified and says it's 420W max. I figure that is enough to power the system, could I be wrong?

 

[Crowley16]

well, the newer systems are very power hungry...

list ALL the devices you have, including any usb ones...

there are sites to work out how much power u'll need for any given system, but I can't remember, try googling...

 

[Llyarra]

Devices that I use:
1. Internal Zip 250 drive
2. 3.5 Floppy Drive
3. DVD/CD RW
4. CD-ROM
5. Sound Blaster Audigy
6. External USB HD
7. 1 Internal 160 GB drive
8. Ethernet NIC
9. AGP GeForce 256 MB
10. There are two temperature guages in the Case
11. 4 fans
12. Lexmark All-in-one printer
13. 3 ghz processor
14. 2 GB of RAM

That's all I can think of right off...

 

[satrow]

Looks like the PSU is heavily loaded; test by disconnecting the zip, optical drives and USB drive.

Andy.

 

[Davethedunce]

Have you tried replacing the CMOS battery? I had problems with a hard drive not spinning when the ribbon cable was connected, sometimes I got a message saying 'hard drive not detected' other times the screen stayed blank. I tried reseating memory, taking components off inturn, etc. but with no success till as a last resort I replaced the battery

 

[Llyarra]

I disconnected the USB hub which contained all the USB devices, I also removed cards that weren't in use. It started up and I didn't get the two long beeps and two short beeps I normally got on boot up from the MB logo screen. The computer even ran for a bit before rebooting.

Thinking it maybe to a a heat issue (something I have looked at before) I opened the case and had a AC unit blowing from 3 feet away keeping temp guages at 73-75F (16-17C) while computer was running. It ran for quite awhile (2 hours is quite awhile for this paperweight) before rebooting itself again.

I will check the CMOS battery, but would that cause the reboot?