PC keeps rebooting 2

[meckeard]

Hi All,

I have a PC that suddenly starting to reboot. Here are the stats:

Abit KA7 Motherboard (default settings)
Classic Slot 750mhz Athlon CPU (Used & untested)
20 Gig Maxtor 7200 RPM drive
256 SDRAM
NVIDIA GeForce2 TI 32MEG
Windows XP Pro

The PC ran fine for about 6 months. I did experience a similar problem when the CPU went bad. But I don't want to jump to conclusions and just go a new one w/o knowing it's the problem.

I replaced the power supply with 3 other ones and no luck.

I replaced the video card with a brand new ATI 32 meg, no luck.

I swapped the RAM, no luck.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Mark

 

[meckeard]

Oh, I almost forgot...

When it first boots up, I can get to the Windows XP Professional screen. The black background with the colored flag. But after then, it starts the reboot process.

Now, after the first time, I usually can't get back to the Win XP Pro boot screen. I just keeps rebooting about every 5 seconds.

Thanks,
Mark

 

[fluxvoovoo]

Can you access the bios? If so take it there - set the defaults - disable any and all power management software - then leave it there a while and see if it reboots from the bios. If so you have a hardware problem. If it doesn't suspect software. Try accessing safe mode and also try a step by step boot from the startup options screen to see how far you are getting before a reboot during the process. I always enable a bootlog during this for added info.

 

[SQLScholar]

Have you got reboot on error turned on?? you may be getting a bloo screen of death, giving you a clue to the prob - but its restarting so you cant see it. Turn it on as below.

Go click properties, on my computer - then click the errors tab, then somewhere in there (off another button) is something like "reboot on error"... turn off if it is on.

I had this problem, and when i found how to stop the restart i got things like "page file error" and it turned out to be RAM.

Thats another idea... if you have got this switched off, if you have multiple RAM chips, take one out and see if it works, then try the other.... might be that (or borrow off someone)

HTH

Dan ----------------------------------------
There are 2 types of computer, the prototype and the obsolete!!

 

[poople]

It sounds to me like it IS your CPU.
-poople

 

[Grenage]

Sounds like it could well be CPU overheating up thats 1 avenue.

 

[meckeard]

Hi All,

I will check to see if I can access the Bios. I think I can. But I can't get any further than that.

I did think it was the CPU. But would it heat up that fast to cause the PC to reboot? I mean, we're talking 10 seconds at the most.

Thanks,
Mark

 

[Grenage]

If the fan wasn't working yes, but I assume you checked that ?

does it do it if you boot from a win98 disk or such ?

 

[Kocky]

Don't jump to conclusions to fast here people.
I had similair problem just recently having a pc that did reboots when it felt like it. It was some shitty driver that was causing it. So I advice you to first check your modem driver. It often causes IRQ conflicts. Have you recently upgraded any drivers or maybe your OS ? If so then remove the new drivers. For example the new NVidia drivers for WinXP wont work with my GeForce 2 MX card. Have to use older drivers. Also check your soundcard. Try turning of the boot up sound in windows. Get new drivers for the sound card. Consider reinstalling your OS. I don't believe it's your CPU although you should check if the fan is working correctly.

Good luck.

 

[meckeard]

Hi,

I did remove the sound & NIC, so I am pretty sure it's not directly related to either.

I swapped the video card with a brand new card that does work.

Yes, my CPU fan is working.

I have had Win XP Pro for about 6 months and all the same drivers with no impact. So there is nothing new in terms of hardware or drivers.

When I get home, I will check my bios and try everything listed above.

Thanks all.

Mark.

 

[fluxvoovoo]

I think Kocky and I are on the same train of thought. As I said previous - see if you can access safe mode - after the bios check. If it doesn't reboot here then it is obviously a winX problem, and as Kocky suggested - an OS reinstall would be a good option.

 

[catelo]

See you have tried most avenues to get this resolved. One thing I have not seen mentioned is your hard drive. You could have a bad sector some where on the disk that could be causing this. Depending on the manufacturer of your hard drive, you might be able to go to there web site and download some disk management tools. There pretty simple to run. If this is the case, and it does turn out to be a bad sector, your next step is to replace the hard drive. I have seen it happen. If you have any luck, you might be able to create and image, or ghost over your old drive to the new one, but if its too far gone then that will not be an option any longer..

Hope this helps..

 

[meckeard]

OK, I booted in all 3 safe modes and it didn't help.

I also swapped the hard drive with one that I am currently using on another PC. It runs fine.

With this said, the CPU and motherboard are the only 2 pieces of hardware that I have not replaced.

My guess is the CPU. Does anyone else have any suggestions before I start shpooing for a processor???

Thx.

 

[Accessdabbler]

Here's something simple to try. Plug the computer into another socket on a different circuit. You may just have a power problem on that circuit. Too many devices (TV, stereo, space heater, etc.) on one circuit will cause a voltage drop and, if bad enough, will cause the computer to reboot.

 

[meckeard]

I understand the potential socket issue. But I have 2 computers on a KVM switch that share the same outlet. Wouldn't this affect the other PC as well?

 

[fluxvoovoo]

You could test by switching the outlets that you have them plugged into. Did you say that it was rebooting in the bios also?

 

[meckeard]

I will switch the outlets, just to eliminate it from the equation.

It reboots within 30 seconds regardless of where the OS is. So, if I quickly go in to the Bios and wait, it will reboot. If I boot up in any mode, it gets to the black screen with the Windows XP Pro logo, stays there about 5-7 seconds, then reboots.

One thing to note. After it reboots once, it never gets back to the win xp pro screen. It gets to the initial boot up screen (the screen where you can see your MOBO maker, your drives, RAM, etc), waits a few seconds, then reboots. I usually have to wait a few minutes to reboot to get back to the WinXP Pro screen.

Mark.

 

[Kocky]

Did you check in the BIOS if your processor isn't accedently overclocked ? It might be running at a too high speed which causes it to overheat and reboot the pc.

 

[jdunderhill]

How about booting from another source such as CD ROM or floppy disk? that way you can see whether your computer restarts after 10 secs, if you can get hold of Win XP boot setup discs for re-installation of the operating system then you can kill two birds with one stone, you see whether your computer restarts after 10 secs or you can do a re-install of XP?

Its worth taking note of suggestions with drivers and removing them and trying to back up data before doing this

 

[Grenage]

True, but if it reboots in BIOS you can effectively remoev any real chance of it being the hard drive.

Its going to be CPU/MB related, by the sounds of the way the time between reboots decreases, overheating looks to be a sound place to look.

Are you able to try another processor for comparison at all ?