View Full Version : Random rebooting XP
I'm running Windows XP, and intend to for some time, but recently I've been having an ongoing problem...
The computer randomly re-boots, sometimes not for a couple of hours, other times it keeps rebooting so often it doesn't actually get completely restarted in time for the next reboot.
No warning, just suddenly the screen goes black for a couple of seconds, and the system starts rebooting!
Any ideas!!
Mac the Knife
5th Apr 2013, 06:03
Checkout the reset button and wiring in the case
There was a known software problem with Windows doing just that - can't remember if it was win7 or XP. I had a similar problem on one of my Computers and managed to fix it with a download after a search on the net. Seems to be a not uncommon problem.
Try googling "win xx constant or repeated rebooting".
Flying Bull
5th Apr 2013, 08:07
Could also be temperature related, check processor and vents are dustfree, if using a vakumcleaner, prevent vents from turning with a toothpick, otherwise current my be produced and harm the computer.
mixture
5th Apr 2013, 08:36
vakumcleaner
nooooooooo !
Do not put a vacuum cleaner anywhere near the insides of a computer.
Get hold of an invertible can of compressed air..... readily available these days, and use that to get rid of the dust.
EW - does it do it in Safe Mode?
It sounds as if you have some error causing the reboot and you will never find out what it is UNLESS you:
Go to Start Menu/Control Panel/System/System Properties/Advanced
and
Uncheck "Automatically restart" option.
You should then be able to either see the error causing this or look at the system log to see it.
vulcanised
5th Apr 2013, 11:38
Worth gently tapping down any chips such as RAM which are socketed.
Helix Von Smelix
5th Apr 2013, 13:20
All the above with power off.
Run a disk check with both options selected.
Normal malware and AV of course.
Reinstall the graphics drivers.
dazdaz1
5th Apr 2013, 13:31
Had the same problem a few years ago with an Avent laptop running xp. Was still under warranty, sent for repair, seems the problem was with the memory chips. Ran fine after replacement.
Daz
Milo Minderbinder
5th Apr 2013, 15:46
it could be almost anything - bad hard drive / motherboard / memory / PSU / overheating.......even a virus.
When the machine restarts keep tapping the F8 key, and from the menu choose the option which reads something like "do not restart on system failure"
Next time if goes wrong it shouldn't reboot, but should leave an error message on screen. Give us the ENTIRE message including any STOP! warnings
rans6andrew
5th Apr 2013, 21:09
My Ubuntu loaded Core i7 machine does exactly the same, not often, maybe a couple of times a month. Has been like it since new nearly 3 years ago. It is not a heat thing, the machine has been known to do it within moments of power up in the morning but can do it after running for many hours.
I assume that the "keep hitting f8" is a BIOS thing and so should be applicable to my system as well?
Rans6.......
Milo Minderbinder
5th Apr 2013, 21:15
no - the F8 boot is a Windows boot routine
if its been doing it from new, my first guess would be faulty voltage regulation on the motherboard
why didn't you fix it when it still had a warranty?
Loose rivets
6th Apr 2013, 03:57
And of course your capacitors near the CPU. The clue is the brown stuff seeping from the pressure slits in the ends.
I changed those for 105 degrees c caps - slightly bigger than the originals.
Sorted.
OK guys....
I've been inside the case and gently cleaned out the very small amount of dust build-up there, and also gently applied pressure to the memory cards into their sockets.
I've restarted the system, and it lasted about 3 minutes before again rebooting, so I took your advise and tapped F8 during the restart, got the blue page which asks, "Do you want to restart normally" and selected the line which went something like " Don't automatically restart at the next system failure" and went ahead and restarted the system.
It started normally, except the Firefox browser page didn't come up when selected, though all the bookmarks were still able to be selected.
I also then went into the start menu and found that the automatic restart selection was already unchecked.
Anyway, about 7 minutes later it again failed, and amazingly, it automatically restarted!
Any more suggestions? :confused:
Milo Minderbinder
7th Apr 2013, 08:05
then I would say its probably a power issue
Either a bad PSU, or more likely a motherboard fault with the voltage regulator capacitors
However.....it could be something goofy like a bad BIOS not driving the board correctly, in which case a BIOS flash update may work
But before you start replacing bits, whats the make / model of the motherboard?
...............and does the system log give any clues?
Loose rivets
7th Apr 2013, 15:38
Apropos my post above: Did you look at the ends of the capacitors? (for brown stuff)
rans6andrew
11th Apr 2013, 09:16
Milo, I didn't get it sorted "when it still had a warranty" because the machine was built up from bits, not all of them new, not all from the same supplier. Initially the system was falling over every few minutes and this was traced to a BIOS issue. I updated the BIOS and everything seemed to be good. The occasional rebooting didn't show for a while and I have never been able to determine what the cause is. I have a second, swapable, hard drive which has WinXp loaded. I have used this for some applications but not for long enough to see if the reboots occur while doing so. It may be a Ubuntu issue, I can't tell.
So far I have not lost data or work, it is just annoying.
Rans6.....
Milo Minderbinder
11th Apr 2013, 19:53
What make / model of motherboard do you have in this machine?
And what did you use as thermal compound between CPU and heatsink?
rans6andrew
12th Apr 2013, 18:40
Motherboard is Gigabyte, forget exactly which one. 6Gb good spec ram, i7 is not overclocked right now but it has been in the past. The thermal paste supplied with the monster heatsink was used. As I said before, it can reboot before it could possibly be overheating. The machine boots up in about 10 or 11 seconds. It may reboot at any time and then it will run for many hours without problem.
Rans6.....
ShyTorque
12th Apr 2013, 19:43
I had exactly the same problem with my PC running XP about 18 months ago. I also thought it might be heat related, until I proved it wasn't. I tried everything until I finally got totally frustrated and found a permanent cure.
The new PC running Windows 7 is much more stable and is a lot quicker.
Yes, I treated myself to a new one. ;)
Milo Minderbinder
12th Apr 2013, 20:59
Gigabyte were one of the companies worst hit by the capacitor issue
Especially the boards they supplied to Packard Bell. Is yours one of those by any chance?
rans6andrew
13th Apr 2013, 16:17
Gigabyte board was supplied by Scan computer, oop north somewhere, I don't know if it is one of the problem batch. They have not notified me, is there a list of suspicious model numbers/batch numbers/manufacture dates or other means of identifying the bad ones, somewhere I can access?
Rans6......
Milo Minderbinder
13th Apr 2013, 16:53
Not as such
a lot depends on whether they used solid state or wet capacitors
if you look at the board there should be a model number stenciled on in reasonably large writing - something like GA-123xyz