OT: Random Reboots

AgentZero · #1 June 22nd, 2005, 06:56 PM

Been having an other odd problem with my PC lately. Every now and then, for no apparent reason, it reboots itself, as if the power has been turned off, then on again right away. I've run virus & spyware programs and come up clean, and even checked with the Electricity Supply Board who have informed me there've been no interruptions recently, yet still these random reboots continue. There doesn't seem to be a program at fault, since I've had it happen when running completely different programs.

Anyone here have any thoughts on what it could be?

Atrocities · #2 June 22nd, 2005, 07:31 PM

We discussed a problem like this before and I think it was either the HD failing (heat issues), or the MB. IDNR.

Suicide Junkie · #3 June 22nd, 2005, 07:48 PM

XP likes to reboot to hide the fact that is just hit a bluescreen error.

Somewhere in the settings, you should be able to turn that off, and then at least you'll have a chance that the bluescreen message will hint at the problem.

Fyron · #4 June 22nd, 2005, 08:42 PM

System Properties (right click on My Computer and select Properties) > Advanced tab > Startup and Recovery, disable "Automatically Reboot." From the blue screen, you can almost always see what the problem was, in a roundabout fashion. There will usually be a driver file listed, which you can track down to see which piece of hardware is causing the crashes (if it is a hardware problem).

Every so many months, I seem to get random reboot problems lasting for a few days, which inexplicibly disappear. I have never been able to figure out what causes them.

Thermodyne · #5 June 22nd, 2005, 10:31 PM

Several worms can do this. You got SP2 and all the updates on it? Also, there might be an answer in the logs. Take a look and post tem if you are not sure.

Kamog · #6 June 23rd, 2005, 01:59 AM

I sometimes get random reboots if I play games and don't restart the computer every so often. I have Windows ME. I shut down and power up my computer every day and also try to reboot the computer every time before I start playing certain games to avoid this problem.

El_Phil · #7 June 23rd, 2005, 07:01 AM

A mate had random reboots for no obvious reason and it was an overheating processor which was cutting out when the temperature was too high. He cleaned out the fan and heatsink and it was fine.

rdouglass · #8 June 23rd, 2005, 03:37 PM

I'd check for the Sasser virus. That is one of the symptoms and I've seen that exact thing recently.

NullAshton · #9 June 23rd, 2005, 06:23 PM

By default, XP reboots every time an error pops up. You can turn that off, so a error pop-up just pops up. Weird, yes, convinient, no, why they did that in the first place, noone has a clue...

Captain Kwok · #10 June 23rd, 2005, 07:30 PM

XP does a re-boot on errors that would cause a blue-screen of death. It does this so you don't have to manually reboot your computer. Usually it will ask you to send off an error report when it re-loads, in which you can get the same information that would have been displayed on the BSOD message.