Computer spontaneously restarts

Neil_Jones

https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/blue_screen_view.html might be of interest.  If you're running Windows 10 and this software doesn't do anything or you can't find anything to analyse, you need to do this: http://blog.nirsoft.net/2010/07/27/how-to-configure-windows-to-create-minidump-files-on-bsod/ and then wait for the next blue screen, then use Blue Screen View again afer it.

This piece of software will (or should) tell you what's causing the blue screen - the result of which should give you a clue of where the problem lies.

Blue screens like these that are intermittent are usually either driver or hardware related.

peter021072

Neil_Jones said:

https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/blue_screen_view.html might be of interest.  If you're running Windows 10 and this software doesn't do anything or you can't find anything to analyse, you need to do this: http://blog.nirsoft.net/2010/07/27/how-to-configure-windows-to-create-minidump-files-on-bsod/ and then wait for the next blue screen, then use Blue Screen View again afer it.

This piece of software will (or should) tell you what's causing the blue screen - the result of which should give you a clue of where the problem lies.

Blue screens like these that are intermittent are usually either driver or hardware related.

Neil  I've got Windows 11.  I've extracted about 25 .exe programmes, which .exe program am I supposed to be running? 

debitcardmayhem

I think you have downloaded thhe wrong stuff,try this https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/bluescreenview-x64.zip

peter021072

debitcardmayhem said:

I think you have downloaded thhe wrong stuff,try this https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/bluescreenview-x64.zip

OK I've now downloaded, run it. It opens a monitoring box 'Bluescreenview' when I open it.  Presumably, it can't analyse past crashes/unscheduled reboots just the ones after installation?  So all I need to do now is wait of the next crash.

Neil_Jones

peter021072 said:

debitcardmayhem said:

I think you have downloaded thhe wrong stuff,try this https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/bluescreenview-x64.zip

OK I've now downloaded, run it. It opens a monitoring box 'Bluescreenview' when I open it.  Presumably, it can't analyse past crashes/unscheduled reboots just the ones after installation?  So all I need to do now is wait of the next crash.

Please read what I wrote again.  You need to turn the option to generate a new Minidump when a BSoD occurs, and then the Bluescreenview software will be of use.

(in previous versions of Windows before Windows 10 the system would automatically generate a log/dump on every BSoD, but this behaviour was changed in Windows 10 and carried over to 11 with the extra caveat that an existing file is overwritten so you'll only ever have the most recent one:

https://helpdeskgeek.com/windows-10/how-to-analyze-memory-dump-files-dmp-in-windows-10/ might be of interest (ignore the Windows 10 thing) if Bluescreenview can't help you, it being an older program)

peter021072

Same guy from HP phoned me up just a short while ago (he has a characteristic Finnish Accent).  He wants me to do a system reset (I think someone suggested that on this thread).  However, I was concerned about losing passwords and bookmark settings, so he took over and started to show me how to save these. I then realised he was going to uncover the actual passwords, so I asked him to stop! He's also wants me to carry out some internal diagnostic system by bypassing windows on start-up, and he took me through the first steps, unfortunately these can take hours and need to run overnight.  I suggested I go through these, before any reset because it might throw something up. So he'll call me next week.

I also checked that the HP site which allows him to take over is genuine. https://support.hp.com/

[Deleted User]

peter021072 said:

Same guy from HP phoned me up just a short while ago (he has a characteristic Finnish Accent).  He wants me to do a system reset (I think someone suggested that on this thread).  However, I was concerned about losing passwords and bookmark settings, so he took over and started to show me how to save these. I then realised he was going to uncover the actual passwords, so I asked him to stop! He's also wants me to carry out some internal diagnostic system by bypassing windows on start-up, and he took me through the first steps, unfortunately these can take hours and need to run overnight.  I suggested I go through these, before any reset because it might throw something up. So he'll call me next week.

I also checked that the HP site which allows him to take over is genuine. https://support.hp.com/

You really should have all that backed up or synced to the cloud anyway as you never know when your hard disk is going to totally fail on you.

A full reset is a good idea, I suggested that in an earlier comment if all the other diagnostics didn't reveal anything.

peter021072

With regard to the bluescreen program does it need a minidump directory in Windows directory?  There isn't one on my windows 11 system, and yes I've ticked the hidden files and searched.  Most of the stuff in the 'set up' instructions is written for older versions of windows.  

Neil_Jones

It hasn't moved in 11, its in exactly the same place it has been since Windows Vista.

1. Control Panel, select System and Security > System.
2. Select Advanced system settings, and then select the Advanced tab.
3. In the Startup and Recovery area, select Settings.

This brings you to the screenshot I put up four posts ago.

peter021072

Well I eventually found it, by by-passing that list and typing 'advanced system' in the control panel dialogue box, then it is indeed the same as the screenshot. So I've changed it to the same parameters as in there.

PS  Windows 11 has a 'system' option without the advanced system settings option, but there's no 'system and security'
This describes some of the changes  

I'll also change the power socket to one which can manage surges in voltage, perhaps it is oversensitive to that.