[Hudzy]

Just read that the 2000/XP operating systems spontaneously reboot as the alternative to the blue screen of death and that it means there's a problem somewhere with the computer. Thing is, my computer's been doing this for several months for about three or four times a day. I used to think it was just some random error that couldn't be helped, maybe in the BIOS or something. Now I know it means there's a problem with my computer and that it might be a serious one. I also learnt how to switch off the automatic rebooting but I don't know how much that well help ultimately as the problem is still gonna be there messing something up no doubt.

My question is this. Could anyone suggest if it's a good idea or not to change the reboot option and just leave the problem go on in the background or whatever? Or might anyone know what the problem might be? Could it be a problem with the drivers? Possible solutions? Past experience with such things?

I really am pissing into the wind here, as they say. I don't have a clue.

Anyone? Thanks in advance.

[Fineus]

Checked for heat problems?

Not barking up a random tree - my old W98 system used to BSOD or reboot for no good reason when it got really hot. Check everything is cooled alright.

Then check there's no other random programs that might be causing it.

If you don't find anything then a reinstall might help to sort things out - it might just need to clean itself out and restarting allows that.

I to - am pissing into the wind

[Hudzy]

Thanks for those suggestions.

Is there any way of checking temperature in Windows or do I have to open it up and see if it burns me?

I've tried closing all processes under my user name but to no great avail. There's a lot of processes running under SYSTEM in that list but I don't know about those. They might be important? I dunno.

I'm hoping a reinstall would be my final choice. Got quite a lot of stuff that would need backing up first and if there's an alternative, I'd go for that first.

[betterthanyou]

Yes, overheating is a major reason for rebooting. Just make sure your fan/cooling system appears to be working. As long as ventilation and cooling systems don't seem to have problems with them that shouldn't be your problem.

Have you done any computer upgrades recently?

I was thinking that it is possible that your power supply has too many devices on it and so can't power it once everything gets going. This actually wouldn't NEED to be internal hardware. Anything that would be running off the system power could be effecting this. So any USB devices (that aren't externally powered) as well as PCI cards or, you know, whatever.

The only hardware related issue that has ever caused any of my systems to do that would be a graphics card. I'm actually still running it. For some reason it was loose and thisa in turn made it restart every little bit. I still haven't nailed down why. This is another reason why I asked if any upgrades were done.

Other than that a reformat might be in order, but I hate that option, and I hate giving it. It's just the last resort.

[Hudzy]

Never upgraded this computer. Hell, never even opened it. lol

External devices include printer/scanner/photocopier all in one thing, basic joystick, basic mouse and keyboard. I don't think there's a problem there. Might be though, I'll check it out.

In what way was you graphics card loose? Just so I know what I'm looking for. You mean the connectors probably.

Thanks for replying.

[betterthanyou]

I mean it wasn't screwed down properly. But as you haven't even opened the case that shouldn't be a problem. The all-in-one machine probably runs off of some other power. The others are basic peripherals, no major power drainage there.

Don't really have any other thoughts. Still heating is a possibility. But it's going to require you to open it up and make sure fans are moving!

[Stunaep]

The old Win98 used to grow stale after a year or so with incompatible driver changes, etc., dunno if that's a possibility with WinXP, ´with all the new memory handling 'n ****.

So, assuming you don't have a restore point from far, far away...

let me rephrase that, assuming you don't use the restore point function at all, like most people, a reformat/reinstall is in order, I'd say. Do that, if it ain't working, then check under the hood.

Oh, and an extra suggestion: If you do reformat, partition you HDD into 2 or more virtual drives. One to hold XP and a gig or so of swap space, and the other for data. That way, you next reformats will be a lot less painful.

[mikhael]

Originally posted by Hudzy
Thanks for those suggestions.

Is there any way of checking temperature in Windows or do I have to open it up and see if it burns me?

I've tried closing all processes under my user name but to no great avail. There's a lot of processes running under SYSTEM in that list but I don't know about those. They might be important? I dunno.

I'm hoping a reinstall would be my final choice. Got quite a lot of stuff that would need backing up first and if there's an alternative, I'd go for that first.

Depending on your motherboard chipset, you may be able to get a program that queries the firmware regularly for the temps. VIA chipsets can use the VIA Hardware Monitor (should be on the chipset CD/floppy that came with your motherboarD). I don't know about the others.

[Petrarch of the VBB]

IIRC, SiSoft's Sandra can check the system temp for you.

[Admiral LSD]

So can Motherboard Monitor 5. MBM also checks other things, like the stability of your power supplies output voltages and the RPM of your systems case and CPU fans.

[Joey_21]

Originally posted by Hudzy
I'm hoping a reinstall would be my final choice. Got quite a lot of stuff that would need backing up first and if there's an alternative, I'd go for that first.

Reinstalling windows couldn't hurt - nothing will be overwritten except for existing windows files that might be "bad".

[diamondgeezer]

Originally posted by Hudzy
Just read that the 2000/XP operating systems spontaneously reboot as the alternative to the blue screen of death and that it means there's a problem somewhere with the computer.

Eh? Never heard that one before.

Anyway, I could count the number of times my XP box has spontaneously rebooted on the fingers of one hand. Win98 used to reboot itself a lot more often

[vyper]

Originally posted by diamondgeezer

Eh? Never heard that one before.

Anyway, I could count the number of times my XP box has spontaneously rebooted on the fingers of one hand. Win98 used to reboot itself a lot more often

It does BSOD,  just very quickly and immediately reboots.

[diamondgeezer]

*shrugs*

My machine was only restarted today because of a powercut - after fifteen days without a reboot... I was going for a record...

[Hudzy]

Originally posted by diamondgeezer

Eh? Never heard that one before.

Anyway, I could count the number of times my XP box has spontaneously rebooted on the fingers of one hand. Win98 used to reboot itself a lot more often

Meh. Read it in June's edition of PC Gamer. Dunno how reliable it is though.

[Hudzy]

I switched off the automatic reboot thing and as suspected the problem persisted and I get blue screens of death now instead, after which a reboot is still required. But at least I get some information this time.

It advised I should be checking for an "offending driver" on my system. I'm wondering is there any software that can check the drivers and suggest updates or reinstalls if necessary with them?

[diamondgeezer]

Tell us your hardware bits and we can prolly point you at the right driver pages