PC resets for no apparent reason
 

I would appreciate advice on why this is happening. Running XP Home, AMD 2200, Asus M/B and ATI Radeon 9800 pro. CPU temp is 47C, is this about right?

The BIOS has just been updated to a new version, maybe this has caused the problems?

Any advice would be great.

Dan

Maybe worth a full scandisk?

Windows Update?

Have you looked in the Event Viewer it might tell you in there bud.

Good Luck

Dan

Where can I find Event Viewer?

last time I had a problem like this it was power related, has this started happening now you have added more pci / usb devices

just a thought for event viewer

start - run..
then type eventvwr

Rich

As mentioned have you added any new hardware recently, as this may indicate power shortage. Does it boot to windows and then fail and does it always reboot at the same point ?

I added some memory recently and could swap with a friends to check if this is the problem. Also upgraded the PSU to a 450W one and changd the CPU cooler. Is 47C OK for the CPU temp?

Windows boot fine, with the PC restarting at any time, from 10 minutes to a couple of hours.

Just run a chkdsk on both HDD, took ages!!!

Dan

I would imagine that you have added no new hardware since the bios update? It didn't crash before the update ..... let me think..... did you flash the bios with the right file?

Can't see that it would be a power issue unless you have added something (in which case I agree with everyone else) or there is something you haven't told us.

Is it just re-booting over and over? Could be a virus, worthwhile checking just in case. You can never to too many virus checks. Update the defintions (if you can).

How many drives do you have? HD, CD/DVD and floppy? You could always disconnect one. That will confirm if it is a power issue.

Hold on just seen your post above posted at the same time as mine!!

Sounds like something getting hot and breaking a connection. Put money on it being the memory (unless you've cracked the mobo somehow recently)

40-50 degrees is a decent temperature for the cpu, well within parameters.

I did put my screwdriver through a MB once, trying to lever the PSU fan on, but not this time LOL.

I've run ad-aware, Norton AV, the new Microsoft Spyware thingy and spybot, fairly sure it's not a virus or spyware.

Looks like I should change the memory first off, then re-seat CPU fan and maybe flash the BIOS back to the original one, which I saved to floppy?

2 x HDD
2 x CD/DVD drives
9800 pro

Answer to your drive question.

Thanks for your advice with this.

Dan

Which Asus MB is it. You could be having memory failure that is crashing windows. Download memtest86 and boot the system off the memtest86 boot disk and leave it to run memory cycles for 2 hours +. Memory usually fails on tests 5 and 6 if it is going to. Have you installed the memory in dual channel config and if so is it identical memory ?

As for motherboard settings if you are getting memory errors in memtest (the red boxes) try these changes.

1. Make sure under memory settings it is set to SPD.
2. Turn off PAT (Performance acceleration Tech/mode)
3. Change performance settings to standard from AUTO (This is usually found in the overclocking/cpu area.

What spec memory do you have i.e PC3200/PC2700 etc and what bus speed is the MB running at.

Definately sounds like memory but I would start with memtest86 as it is a v good tool.

Shout if you need help.

David

No need the cpu is running at the right temp. waste of time. do the memory 1st.

Thanks for the info guys, I will download memtest and run it immediately.

Dan

And......

Update: Couldn't work out how to run memtest86. Downloaded the files, wrote to a bootable CD and it appeared to be booting, then sat there doing nothing. Any advice for running this appreciated.

The PC has not reset now for 2 days. I have re-installed the video and sound drivers, but nothing else, that I can remember! Could it have been one of these causing the problem?

Dan

Video will usually show a blue screen of death if it crashes, not sure on Audio. Still think it could be a memory failure somewhere. Let me check the memtest boot creation and I will send you the instructions.

David

Thanks David, the instructions for memtest86 are not very clear.

My daughter has just informed me that sometimes the monitor goes into standby and the only way you can restore the screen is a reset. More problems!!!

Dan

BTT, can anyone provide instructions on how to create a CD boot disc and rum memtest86?

Thanks,
Dan

I would say it's either your video card or motherboard!

Swap your graphics card with someone if you can or if you have an old/spare one?

I use to work for a company for nearly 8 years where we built/repaired PC's etc and in cases like this 9 times out of 10 the problem was with the Motherboard.

Should I re-install the original BIOS?

Yes you can try going back to the original BIOS.

Was there a particular reason for you upgrading it? i.e. to fix a problem etc?

If it worked fine before the BIOS update then I would put it back to the previous one and see if your problem is still there.

Re-Installed the original BIOS, swapped the DDR RAM for a friends and it still re-boots.

It must be something to do with the ATI 9800 pro and the AGP motherboard drivers, could this be the problem?

XP is set as default to re-boot on errors, rather than showing a blue-screen message which would help show the problem.

Right-click 'my computer' and select 'properties'.

Then click on the 'advanced' tab.

Then click on the 'Settings' button in the 'startup and recovery' section.

Then, make sure there is no tick in the 'Automatically restart' box in the 'System Failure' section.

Next time it experiences the error, it should give you a message - write this down and post back.

I have made the setting change and will report back.

If only I got a blue screen when the problem occurs. The PC just restarts back to the initial BIOS screen, the one when the PC is first turned on or restarted.

Great, at least the PC doesn't reboot, following the error. Below are the error details, can anyone advise what my problem is?

Thanks,
Dan

BCCode : 1000007f BCP1 : 00000008 BCP2 : 80042000 BCP3 : 00000000
BCP4 : 00000000 OSVer : 5_1_2600 SP : 2_0 Product : 768_1

C:\DOCUME~1\Owner\LOCALS~1\Temp\WERe80c.dir00\Mini 022705-01.dmp
C:\DOCUME~1\Owner\LOCALS~1\Temp\WERe80c.dir00\sysd ata.xml

Is that what the blue-screen says??? I don't recognise the format at all.

I suspect the information is in the file, open it with notepad and lets see what it says. Remeber to set the options to allow you to see system and hidden files.

Upgrade the agp and video drivers. I find it hard to believe that its the video card though.

There is no blue screen. The information is shown on a pop up window. The resets have stopped after changing the setting in Windows, from automatic reboot after system error.