Computer Problems.

**IKarusZino** · October 28th, 2001, 11:14 PM

You probably hear stuff like this all the time, I have no clue where else to go with this problem.. no one has been able to help me yet

My computer constantly reboots on it's own. it will just black out and restart without warning. At first I thought it was my processor overheating, but MBM5 stated that things were running fairly cool. Second, I thought it was my Hard Drive overheating (due to the fact that when it restarts, it takes a few seconds more to detect the Hard drive).

I've replaced everything on my computer minus the motherboard, an IDE Cable that came with the mobo, and a 128mb stick of ram. These are the total stats of my computer.

800mhz Duron
512MB Ram
One 7200rpm 20 gig, One 60 gig 5400rpm drive split into two 30 gig partitions.
SB Audigy | GeForce 2 MX 32mb.
250watt Power Supply, New ATX Case.

Any help is greatly appreciated, I'd hate to have to buy another new computer considering all the parts I got for this one -_-

**Vette** · October 28th, 2001, 11:53 PM

Sounds like a faulty power supply to me. If your power supply spikes or drops voltage for an instant your computer reacts by rebooting. A surge protector won't help in this case. Power supplies are fairly cheap and it's where I would go next.....

**Garak** · October 29th, 2001, 02:25 AM

disconect your second hard drive and cdrom drive, just to see if your power supply can handle your current specs, maybe this.
hope it works

**Ruslan** · October 29th, 2001, 08:43 AM

[quote]Originally posted by IKarusZino:
Second, I thought it was my Hard Drive overheating (due to the fact that when it restarts, it takes a few seconds more to detect the Hard drive).

**IKarusZino** · October 29th, 2001, 04:19 PM

One Seagate 7200rpm 20 Gig.
One Maxtor 5400rpm 60 Gig.

I completely disconnected the 60 gig (the original drive), and it happened just again five minutes ago. I don't know..

The power supply is brand new and came with the new ATX case, at this point, the only original parts are the "Gigabyte" Motherboard and the 800 Duron.

I don't have a clue what to do..

**confus-ed** · October 29th, 2001, 08:37 PM

Try clearing CMOS and or set it back to system default.

**Vette** · October 29th, 2001, 10:35 PM

If I were a bettin' man, I would give you 4 to 1 it's the power supply...I don't care if it is new...

**IKarusZino** · October 29th, 2001, 10:45 PM

I ordered a 300w "AMD Approved" Power supply.

I also moved my computer desk area around so it'd be easier to operate on when needed. I moved a jumper setting, took out one hard drive, and made sure all the screws were secure.

So far it's been up and running for the past few hours, but I expect it to happen whenever it feels like it.

Until I get my power supply =)

EDIT: Spoke too soon.. computer rebooted as expected.

Guess I have to wait for the power supply, if it's not the power supply, I don't know what could be the problem =/

EDIT EDIT: Threw in an old POS 235w Power supply from another computer of mine. If it doesn't work, I seriously doubt it's the power supply, I even changed the AC Cord. -_- It could be the motherboard, that's probably the only piece left that hasn't been changed.

EDIT EDIT EDIT: Test failed! Power supply, which showed no previous malfunction, has also rebooted without warning. Replaced Graphics card.

On a side note, I may have fatally injured my motherboard! As I was removing the AGP Graphics card, my hand slipped and I pushed one of those large round cylinder things down far, it didn't break off, and I put it back where it was, but it still was pushed down, I hope I didn't destroy the motherboard, it works right now.. and hopefully I resolved the problem. put back in old 250w power supply.

HOPEFULLY LAST EDIT:

Computer rebooted right after I sent that message. I'm using a different computer right now. I removed the only other piece I could remove that was part of my original computer, a stick of 128 PC 100 ram that's almost 4 years old. Is there ANY possibilty of the reboot problem being faulty ram?

Computer is up right now, but I'm postin on another one just in case. I've already ordered a new mobo/cpu combo with a new graphics card, and am lookign at hard drives right now.. I have throwing around all this money for Computer parts.

**vapd** · October 30th, 2001, 02:08 AM

I was told by a chap in an independant PC shop that they had tried useing Duron CPU's with 250w PSU's and they didnt work properly. So you MIGHT have a perfect PSU it just isnt up to the job.

**confus-ed** · October 30th, 2001, 03:21 AM

At some point we considered that windows could be screwy didn't we? I can't see anything in this thread. So antivirus and all that, if you have anything that runs in DOS on its own try that for an hour or two without starting windows.

**IKarusZino** · October 30th, 2001, 10:07 AM

I removed the stick of ram in question. Haven't rebooted for the past 7 or so hours. I refuse to believe it was the ram, but it makes sense. The ram has been around since the beginning of my computer and was probably subject to when the motherboard burnt out back in 1998....

I've never seen Linux or Dos crash no matter how long the computer was on.. That could mean that the ram extensive programs made the ram fail.. leading to a crash..

But I'm speaking too soon....

Thanks for the advice guys.

**Ruslan** · October 30th, 2001, 10:19 AM

[quote]Originally posted by vapd:
I was told by a chap in an independant PC shop that they had tried useing Duron CPU's with 250w PSU's and they didnt work properly. So you MIGHT have a perfect PSU it just isnt up to the job.

**IKarusZino** · October 30th, 2001, 12:03 PM

Computer is up and running without any problems it seems. hasn't rebooted yet, I'm trying to jynx myself so I don't feel bad for ordering 400 bucks worth of a new computer... -_-

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