PC Keeps Restarting

Lil306

Another suggestion, is the motherboard could also be shorting out on the metal

If any cards are screwed in too far, or the board components are in contact with the metal it can randomly do this

Also if the hard drive is failing this can happen (actually does it on my webserver)

Hook up PC in safe mode then run a stress test, ideally with everything disconnected except cpu fan, cpu, ram, hdd (using onboard VGA)

enigma52

if it is going into"BSOD" then download and run this

aliEnRIK

I must admit I missed this part the first time round ~

"he did have his XP reinstalled a few weeks ago"

So the random restarts have ONLY been SINCE the reinstall?

Goto DEVICE MANAGER ~ are there any yellow exclamation marks? Have the necessary drivers been installed since reinstalling XP?

Associate

aliEnRIK wrote: »

I must admit I missed this part the first time round ~

"he did have his XP reinstalled a few weeks ago"

So the random restarts have ONLY been SINCE the reinstall?

Goto DEVICE MANAGER ~ are there any yellow exclamation marks? Have the necessary drivers been installed since reinstalling XP?

Yes thats correct its only happened after reinstall but not immediately, after 2-3 weeks, and I believe it was a Full Format.

No yellow exclamation marks in Device Manager.

aliEnRIK

"Have the necessary drivers been installed since reinstalling XP?"

Associate

aliEnRIK wrote: »

"Have the necessary drivers been installed since reinstalling XP?"

I just asked my mate who owns the computer shop and did the reinstallation, and yes, all necessary drivers have been installed.

enigma52

have you followed advice in post #13 or not?? could be an irq fault but haven't come across one for years

Associate

enigma52 wrote: »

have you followed advice in post #13 or not??

PC not going into "BSOD"

Thanks.

Lil306

Try removing the PC from the case and putting it on some wood or a cardbox box not the floor because it will increase risk of static

Boot up PC and see if it works without restarting
- If it does, short circuit, check the brass standoffs make sure M/B not touching case
- It it doesn't, hardware related disconnect all additional add-ons and use onboard VGA and go from there

By the way, don't always rely on memory being OK even after tests. I ran a couple of memtest programs said it was OK, another program ran and turned out it was faulty

aliEnRIK

This is one of those situations were you could end up keep firing money at it

Personally, if I had the computer with me ~ id run a FULL format and reinstall XP and make sure the correct drivers are one.
If it still reset then after checking all the obvious connections (Graphics card plugged in properly etc) then id be replacing the psu
If after the psu failed id be giving up at that point as it could take an age to find the actual problem