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Random Reboot Problem

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jfp23

Technical User
Mar 2, 2004
287
US
Not quite random but odd. The pc only reboots when surfing the web in IE or Firefox, or checking email in Thunderbird. I have swapped out the powersupply and motherboard, brand new hard drive and added a chassis fan. I have run a full viruscan with the latest virus defs that were available at the time, I also have run spybot and adaware. All other tasks, including games can be run without a problem. The only hardware that I haven't swapped out yet is the processor and the ram, though it seems odd to be hardware with the fact that the workstation can be run for days without a problem if websurfing and email aren't touched. Any Ideas?
 
How long has this been happening?

If it only happens when you are performing web related activities, then I would suspect this as a software problem. Sounds like you have a lot of time into it, personally I would format the drive and reinstall the os. Before you reinstall applications, surf the web for a few days, see if it happens again. If it doesn't, then load up whatever you need to. Might test the web after each.

However, if you want to troubleshoot first, you might look at reinstalling tcp/ip and regenerating your winsock.dll and wsock32.dll files. I can help if you want to go down this path, but if you can backup and format/reinstall, that would be preferable.

Matt J.

Please always take the time to backup any and all data before performing any actions suggested for ANY problem, regardless of how minor a change it might seem. Also test the backup to make sure it is intact.
 
It was happening before I bought the new hard drive, and actually was worse than, which is why I replaced the HD, and the power supply, than it still happened, and so I replaced the motherboard and reinstalled again at that time and its still happening. I was at 2000pro prior to the last reinstall, so I backed down to 98se thinking maybe it would help. I'd like to avoid having to buy a new processor and ram if I can but I may not be able to.
 
So, at any point, have you completely deleted the partition, formatted, and reinstalled 98? I'm not sure because you might have ghosted over from the old drive, and if you were fat32, you might not have done this...

Matt J.

Please always take the time to backup any and all data before performing any actions suggested for ANY problem, regardless of how minor a change it might seem. Also test the backup to make sure it is intact.
 
fresh install each time...I'm too cheap to buy ghost
 
Well it sure does sound like hardware. Make sure CPU is properly cooled, maybe not enough thermal transfer agent between the heatsink?

Only other software test I can think of is did you run it on the web immediately after installing nic drivers, and before you loaded all other programs (after a fresh install). To see if it ran okay then?

Matt J.

Please always take the time to backup any and all data before performing any actions suggested for ANY problem, regardless of how minor a change it might seem. Also test the backup to make sure it is intact.
 
Plenty of thermal transfer agent as I reapplied when I reseated the cpu heatsink/fan when I put it in the new motherboard. And the first thing I did on reinstall was go to windows update and it did crash in the process of doing that...so i'm basically screwed, i'll probably start with the ram, I'm sure I've got some extra lying around, not as much as whats in there now but enough to run a good test.
 
My first thought with a reboot problem would be a heat issue, but it sounds like you have that covered. My second thought would be bad RAM. Third would be power supply, but you have that covered too.
 
Don't forget that firewalls (i.e ZoneAlarm) and software modems only thrash the CPU (and generate extra heat) when you are using MSIE, FireFox or email ;)

--Glen :)

Memoria mihi benigna erit qui eam perscribam
 
If you are connecting to the net with a modem then it is not energized until you are ready to connect to the net. To do the operations you say are killing the machine. That would be my first guess. If it is working ok on a network until internet access it could be some one is waiting and taging your machine. A fire wall will tell you if some one is hitting your machine.
I have seen machines come to the shop that showed definate signs of being hit as soon as the cliant hooked up to the net.
 
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