PC problems.....keeps rebooting.....please help
17 September 2009, 07:21 PM
#1
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Wickford, Essex - GamerTag - lCE
Posts: 2,570
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
PC problems.....keeps rebooting.....please help
Hi guys................
My pc has developed a problem on its own. For the last couple month or so it has got a habit of rebooting itself for no reason normally within 5 mins of starting it up. At first it would only restart once and then it would be ok all day. When the pc reboots it says it has recovered from a serious error. I had a quick look at the details and it said something about a blue screen error and its something to do with a hardware fault. Now I've not added any new hardware for a long time so I'm not sure what the problem is. A couple of times recently including tonight it has just frozen completely. I hit restart and it boots up ok but I'm worried it can only go on so long like this til I break a hard drive or something....
I really don't want to lose anything so some stuff has been backed up. I am planning to buy a whole new pc soon though but before then I'd like this one to survive as its quite a decent spec and has always been faultless.........Why do pcs only last 4-5 years before they go a bit crap??
Anyhow, I'm no expert and I can't remember exactly how to check for hardware faults and conflictions and all that. Just wondering what my first steps should be to try and fix it??
Would really appreciate any help please
Steve
My pc has developed a problem on its own. For the last couple month or so it has got a habit of rebooting itself for no reason normally within 5 mins of starting it up. At first it would only restart once and then it would be ok all day. When the pc reboots it says it has recovered from a serious error. I had a quick look at the details and it said something about a blue screen error and its something to do with a hardware fault. Now I've not added any new hardware for a long time so I'm not sure what the problem is. A couple of times recently including tonight it has just frozen completely. I hit restart and it boots up ok but I'm worried it can only go on so long like this til I break a hard drive or something....
I really don't want to lose anything so some stuff has been backed up. I am planning to buy a whole new pc soon though but before then I'd like this one to survive as its quite a decent spec and has always been faultless.........Why do pcs only last 4-5 years before they go a bit crap??
Anyhow, I'm no expert and I can't remember exactly how to check for hardware faults and conflictions and all that. Just wondering what my first steps should be to try and fix it??
Would really appreciate any help please
Steve
17 September 2009, 08:46 PM
#2
Steve. Could be a few things. Harddrive has developed a faulty sector or 2 which is where the swap file could be. Or even one of your RAM modules has developed a fault. Or it could be simple as a new driver program you put on recently for a graphics card isn't playing ball properly. First things first try checking your RAM with some RAM checking software (VISTA has this built in), or do a search on google for some, and see if one of the RAM DImms is failling (this happened to me with random reboots and blue screens). Then If RAM is okay try running a Scnadisk on the Hard Drive to see if any erors crop up. Unfortunatley computer problems are never that simple to diagnose without looking around first.
17 September 2009, 08:57 PM
#3
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: 1600cc's of twin scroll fun :)
Posts: 25,565
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Download and try this 
will test your memory at boot up 
its very good, if your memory is faulty it will find it!
Memtest86 - Download Page
It could also be your power supply or cpu, ensure all your fans are free of dust etc
Tony
will test your memory at boot up its very good, if your memory is faulty it will find it!Memtest86 - Download Page
It could also be your power supply or cpu, ensure all your fans are free of dust etc
Tony
17 September 2009, 10:04 PM
#4
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Wickford, Essex - GamerTag - lCE
Posts: 2,570
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ok step 1-------- used this microsoft memory tester: Microsoft Online Crash Analysis
No problems
That memtest86 page just confuses me. What bit am I supposed to download?
Will try a scan disk now
No problems
That memtest86 page just confuses me. What bit am I supposed to download?
Will try a scan disk now
17 September 2009, 11:08 PM
#6
Guest
Posts: n/a
As mentioned above, test the memory. But do it physically. Take a DIMM out and try it. If it still goes wrong swap the DIMMs over and try again.
Is it overclocked? My PC was, not drastically, but it started to bluescreen. Put it back to normal settings and all is OK. But it had been used for 3 to 4 years with no problem before that.
Still no joy? Take the system back to the absolute minimum to work and try again. Maybe the MB? Google for the model number and see if there have been similar problems reported.
Maybe the CPU heatsink is getting a little *unstuck*? Can you take it off, clean the mating surfaces and replace it with new thermal paste?
Let us know how it goes.
Dave
Is it overclocked? My PC was, not drastically, but it started to bluescreen. Put it back to normal settings and all is OK. But it had been used for 3 to 4 years with no problem before that.
Still no joy? Take the system back to the absolute minimum to work and try again. Maybe the MB? Google for the model number and see if there have been similar problems reported.
Maybe the CPU heatsink is getting a little *unstuck*? Can you take it off, clean the mating surfaces and replace it with new thermal paste?
Let us know how it goes.
Dave