What may be the cause of a computer restarting?

[Red_Rattler]

Not sure wether this is really related to Trainz, but anyway:-

What could be the cause of a computer restarting several times, without you restarting it yourself?

 

[narrowgauge]

Red Rattler

I have no answer for you but I share the problem.

I am running Win XP Pro on a Gigabyte MA790X-DS4 motherboard with an AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Processor 5400+.

Since installing this board and processor I find that while working in Surveyor with TRS2004 it will randomly and frequently do a warm boot. No error message. This does not occur with TRS2006 or TC3. No other programs cause this effect.

Re-installing TRS2004 does not cure the problem.

How does that compare with your experience and computer spec?

Cheers

Peter

 

[Red_Rattler]

4 obvious reasons, I got to do this quick

I did a advice elsewhere that it could be overheating or a virus, in which I replied:

Checked those, but I'll see cleaning the inside makes any difference - of course very carefully.

By the way, this restarting seem to start after the current version of T/Micro IS-2008 was installed.

T/Micro gets a lot of potential threats - that it claims it removes, but has always been some either advertising or spyware - but each time T/Micro says that it removes them.

 

[Enkidoh]

This sounds like something like what happened to my PC recently Red Rattler (execpt in my case it wasn't caused by a virus). A week or so ago the power kept fluctuating badly in my apartment, which naturally affected my PC. The result of these power surges was that PC started randomly rebooting without any warning, at any time, from using programs or games, to the user account selection screen, to even when first starting the computer while the BIOS is loading up.

Eventually after one such unwanted reboot the computer threw up one of those 'Windows did not finish loading properly on the previous attempt' screens. Instead of selecting 'Start Windows Normally' I selected 'Start Windows With Last Known Good Configuration (Last Known Settings that Worked)' and presto, no more random rebooting (this was with Windows XP Professional with SP2).

Using System Restore from the Control Panel to restore the system to a point propr to that reinstall may also help, but otherwise, a repair reinstallation of Windows may be needed.

 

[ColPrice2002]

Hopfully it's something simple.

If you've been having mains power problems, the PSU may be on it' way out...

PCs don't like power spikes (lightning, mains outages etc), so add a spike supressor to your mains line (mine has several outlets, so the PC/monitor/speakers/router share a multiway).

Try usining a program like speedfan to monitor your PC's internal voltages. I found that the internalvoltages were variable with no program running, using Trainz causes the Graphics card to pull more power, then the voltage dropped outside limits & the PC re-booted.
And so on etc....

It is also worth checking that the cooling fans insode the PC are working properly - sometimes these get dust build-up - many PCs have an automatic shut-down if the temperatures exceed safe (ish) limits.

HTH,

Colin

 

[johnwhelan]

As a first step I'd add an APC UPS between the wall and the computer. That usually clears about 95% of these problems.

Cheerio John

 

[Red_Rattler]

Their is already a circuit breaker and a surge protector at the wall.

Typical, I knew it would probably restart just as I was about type "We'l it's taken the anti-virus over 5 hours do check 75% of the drives.

By the way after it restarted I got this message here (with private details removed):

C:\DOCUME~1\*****\LOCALS~1\Temp\WERbbbc.dir00\Mini080408-01.dmp
C:\DOCUME~1\*****\LOCALS~1\Temp\WERbbbc.dir00\sysdata.xml

That mean anything?

C/Price2002, I wasn't using Trainz when it restarts, except for the last time.

 

[johnwhelan]

Their is already a circuit breaker and a surge protector at the wall.

Typical, I knew it would probably restart just as I was about type "We'l it's taken the anti-virus over 5 hours do check 75% of the drives.

By the way after it restarted I got this message here (with private details removed):

That mean anything?

C/Price2002, I wasn't using Trainz when it restarts, except for the last time.

Neither of which protects you against brown outs which are probably causing this.

Cheerio John

 

[Stagefright]

Power supply...

I agree with Colin. I was having similar probs with Vista, including random loss of USB ports (mouse/keyboard ). Turned out my power supply was underpowered at 400w. I installed new 530w PS and problems disappeared.

AMD Athlon 64x2 3800+, 4gb RAM, ATI X1650.

Darrel

 

[JCitron]

This could definitely be a power-related problem.
I would also check the memory because I've had bad RAM cause reboots before. Try memtst86 which does a nice job checking the memory.

John

 

[poppins122325]

i had a problem like this before it can be caused by a graphics card overheating be sure that there is good airlow around the hdd's and pci cards
you can use speed fan to monitor the temp inside the case and if its too hot you could fit a fan to draw air into the case

also check for dust buildup in the cpu cooler

nathan

 

[Red_Rattler]

It seems to be still at random, but the time between restarts may be getting shorter, but that all depends.

The anti-virus shows no viruses.

Changing power cord, Swapping RAM slots, cleaning = no fix

Oh, we did noticed that when a generic external floppy drive (3½" disk) drive was added, that for some reason, after a number of days, the PC tried to start from this added drive for some reason. After that, and when the update anti-virus was added, that's when it started to restart.

 

[ColPrice2002]

Hi,

Normally, the PC boot sequence is set in the BIOS (mine is sset to Hard disk, then CD ROM, floppy boot disabled).

The antivirus software should not cause a series of re-boots, but a couple of further thoughts....

1) What happens if you remove the floppy disc? (i.e. just the power cable to it). I had a situation where I added an IDE disc, but this pulled the supply voltage too low -> PC kept re-booting.

2) Does you virus software examine ALL the files from you c:\ drive as the files are loaded? This creates a high loading on the CPU and Drives.

I'm thinking that the power supply is just sufficient most of the time, but it's getting occasional periods where it isn't quite good enough => re-boot.

I've also found that running the monitor from the PC may not help.

HTH,

Colin

 

[Red_Rattler]

First, we were told by a computer shop yesterday, that - oh darn, I forget, but it was something about memory, oh yeah that the RAM it came with IS generic. While I'm at it, should it matter wether RAM is generic or not?

Today, he said that he only had second hand RAM, but he claimed he tested it - Don't think I should go for second hand RAM.

Almost forget to say, that I have noticed that the PC box sometimes has a load noise, and goes back to normal, similar to what a fridge does. Not sure, but the sound at the moment, sounds like the fan(s) slowing down, speeding up, slowing down, etc.

Hi,

Normally, the PC boot sequence is set in the BIOS (mine is sset to Hard disk, then CD ROM, floppy boot disabled).

Sorry, but don't really understand that.

1) What happens if you remove the floppy disc? (i.e. just the power cable to it).

I removed the floppy drive when I noticed, took back to the shop, but the shop claims it was okay.

I had a situation where I added an IDE disc, but this pulled the supply voltage too low -> PC kept re-booting.

IDE disc = ???

2) Does you virus software examine ALL the files from you c:\ drive as the files are loaded? This creates a high loading on the CPU and Drives.

Are you talking about an update or just a full virus scan.

I'm thinking that the power supply is just sufficient most of the time, but it's getting occasional periods where it isn't quite good enough => re-boot.

But then why only now, and if it did, wouldn't the PC just turn off, without re-booting? And on that point, I noticed a few times, that when I turn the PC off, that sometimes, it re-starts.

I've also found that running the monitor from the PC may not help.

Not sure what you mean here, isn't the monitor suppose to be connected to the PC?

 

[bnsf50]

It sounds very much to me that it is your power supply (PSU). I had the same symptoms on mine a while back. The PSU was only putting out 4.5v , if I recall correctly, to the board. Take your computer to the shop and ask the tech to check your power supply. He can hook up a special PC volt meter in-line with your PSU and the main board plug, and as your computer is running can monitor the voltages. If the board voltage is dropping below 5v, it will cause the computer to re-boot or if it gets bad enough to not even start up.

Edit: Just remembered that my son had the same problem too about a year ago. I replaced his power supply and he hasn't had a problem since.

 

[Captain_Collins]

Hello,

Translation of ColPrice2002's post:

BIOS: controls the computer's hardware, You can tell it to boot (start up) from lost of different devices, such as a floppy drive, hard drive, CD-ROM, USB device etc.

IDE disc: Hard drive. IDE is an attachment method for a hard drive.

Virus scan: Some anti-virus programs will automatically scan all of the files on your hard drive as the computer prepares to open them. Each file may only take a millisecond to scan, but if you are trying to load 2000 assets, then that is 2000 milliseconds of CPU/hard drive usage that the program loading the files can't use. To make it worse, the anti-virus program will "lock" the files whilst it is scanning them, so they cannot be used until it is finished. This adds to the time it takes to load the files and the usage of the processor/hard drive, and slows everything down more.

Power too low -> reboot: If the PSU cannot generate enough power for the computer, the computer will shut down, but the PSU then has no load, so it has enough power to keep running, so it keeps giving power to the computer, but as the computer has shut down, it restarts. It only takes half a second of power loss to shut down a computer.

 

[ColPrice2002]

Thank you kindly Capt!
My Universal translator was turned off.....

I would recommend that you download and install "Speedfan" - it does monitor the power voltages on the Computer Motherboard (that's where all the memory etc is plugged into).

A voltmeter may help, but I found that the voltages varied quite quickly (faster that a meter could respond), and it only takes a momentary drop to trigger the re-boot.

Hope it's sorted soon,

Colin

 

[Red_Rattler]

Where would you download it from - and since it's related to power, an australian site would possibly be better.

 

[Captain_Collins]

Where would you download it from - and since it's related to power, an australian site would possibly be better.

Speedfan monitors the voltages given out by your power supply unit, not the power from your plug. These are the same for every generic compuer, otherwise we would all have a big headache upgrading!

It is available for download here: http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php

 

[Red_Rattler]

Question

What do people think about using Verbartim (spell?), Imation, or Memorex brand DVD+/-R discs for backing up?