Windows XP Keeps Restarting With No Error Codes

[dr15]

I installed Windows XP about a little over a month ago on a second machine used only for doing downloads. I'd leave it on all the time and it worked fine NEVER having to reboot or anything.

Last Friday, all of a sudden, it just started rebooting all by itself. Sometimes as much as every 2 hours. Sometimes up to every 8 or 10 hours or so.

I tried all the resolutions posted in previous notes in this forum. I disabled the "automatically restart on errors" option. I tried turning off the system restore. I've tried with APC power management both on and off.

Even with the "automatically restart on errors" disabled the machine still restarts. The event log shows NO errors, only all the normal processes starting, as if I reset the computer myself.

Also, I've left it on with absolutely NO programs running. Nothing. And it still self restarts.

I have Windows XP 2600 installed with SP1 and all subsequent patches. It's a low end machine. Pentium II 300, 128mb ram, and 8gb harddisk. Just meeting the minimum XP requirements.

If someone has ANY thougths, please respond. Before I rip all my hair out. Thank you.

[Tinker]

Welcome to the forum dr15.....

If by second machine you mean you have one copy of Win XP and used it twice this could be your problem. If this is the case did you activate XP on both machines? You only have 30 days to do this, did this time run out on the second machine?

[gamehead200]

Maybe its his BIOS or somethin...

[dr15]

Thank you for the welcome.

The copy of XP is a separate copy with a unique serial.

What exactly in the BIOS should I look for? Or are you suggesting I update the flashbios.

Whats aggravating me most is that it was working just fine for about 5 weeks or so.

Thanks again.

[ThA_FiLeR]

I'm sure this doesn't have anything to do with the bios, how can it? the thing I'm thinking of is that it might be overheating and then crashing, following by a reboot.. have you tried overclocking the machine?

[Drewdatrip]

Welcome dr15

Heres your Fix

Right Click on My Computer>Properties>Advanced>Start up and Recovery,Settings>Under the system failure subheading untick "Atomatically Restart"

Hope that works out for ya!

=Drew

[ThA_FiLeR]

I installed Windows XP about a little over a month ago on a second machine used only for doing downloads.  I'd leave it on all the time and it worked fine NEVER having to reboot or anything.

Last Friday, all of a sudden, it just started rebooting all by itself.  Sometimes as much as every 2 hours.  Sometimes up to every 8 or 10 hours or so.

I tried all the resolutions posted in previous notes in this forum.  I disabled the "automatically restart on errors" option.  I tried turning off the system restore.  I've tried with APC power management both on and off. 

Even with the "automatically restart on errors" disabled the machine still restarts.  The event log shows NO errors, only all the normal processes starting, as if I reset the computer myself.

Also, I've left it on with absolutely NO programs running.  Nothing.  And it still self restarts. 

I have Windows XP 2600 installed with SP1 and all subsequent patches.  It's a low end machine.  Pentium II 300, 128mb ram, and 8gb harddisk.  Just meeting the minimum XP requirements.

If someone has ANY thougths, please respond.  Before I rip all my hair out.  Thank you.

think he already tried that

[dr15]

Overheating sounds interesting.

I'm not exactly sure what to do to overclock a machine. Or, what exactly it will tell you. If its something simple, could you give me a brief description so I can give it a try? If its complicated, maybe just point me in the right direction so I can do some homework on it.

Actually, another thought I was having that is maybe similar is that it is the power supply, the power strip, or the electrical outlet. A brief loss of power is the only way I can really explain a machine crashing with no error codes in the event log. I didn't follow up with this because it doesn't explain why the machine starts up again. I tried turning the power off and on real fast from the power strip, and the machine shuts down (crashes), but does not restart. Also, I have my primary machine in the same room on a different power strip. The primary machine never resets.

I've already unticked "Automatically Restart" from the Start Up and Recovery settings. No dice. Still self restarts.

Thanks for all the responses so far. I am amazed at how fast folks have been getting back to me.

[Aaron]

Overheating would be most likely to cause a freeze, or a complete shutdown (as the Mobo orders it to when it detects high temperatures), but doesn't explain the spontaneous reboots. Software you recently installed can cause spontaneous reboots as I have got this before.

If you have System Restore enabled (it really is a lifesaver than most people think), go back to the date before your PC spontaneously reboots, However you will lose all your installed applications you installed after that date, but from there you can easily track down what software caused it.

Hope this helps

[Devil_666]

If everything fails why not just re-install XP easyiest way!

[Drewdatrip]

Could be a Power Supply issue...

got a no name PSu?

that might be a good place to start...

=Drew

[dr15]

Some interesting stuff I dug up in the knowledge base at Intel's web site.

* Verify that the power supply has the capacity to power all the devices used in your system. It is recommended to use at least a 200 W power supply, but may require a power supply with a higher capacity depending on the number of devices and the type of devices connected to your computer.

* Use a voltmeter to verify that each output from the power supply is correct. If any output is very low (especially the +5 volt output, replace the power supply).

* Use a voltmeter to verify the PowerGood signal is +5 volts. If the signal is below 1.0 volts, there may be a short or overload causing a constant reset. Consider replacing the power supply.

* Check for shorts and overloads inside computer by removing nonessential items such as extra controller cards and IDE/ATAPI devices and turning the computer on to see if it starts to boot. Leave the motherboard, power supply, RAM or processor. If the problem goes away, there was a short or overload with one of the components that you just removed or one of those components is faulty. Replace each of those one at a time until you isolate which is causing the problem. If the problem still occurs after removing the nonessential components, the problem has to be with the motherboard, power supply, RAM or processor.

I already tried checking all the psu connectors with a voltmeter as suggested and they all tested +5 volts which is fine.

The psu is a generic I believe, and only 250 W, so I suppose could be the issue. As of now, I've disconnected EVERYTHING from the power supply except the 2 hard drives. And I've removed all of the PCI cards except the video and network cards.

Anyway, I guess you can tell I'm thinking its a hardware thing now. And not Windows XP at all. As such, I guess I'll try to dig up a good hardware forum somewhere for some folks to bug. Though, I'd still appreciate any additional thoughts if you have any.

Thanks again.

[XPerties]

welcome dr15

I had this problem and these were the two things I checked.....

My PSU and Temps on CPU.

On the power supply connectors would lose contact and cause a short this would auto make PC restart. Also the temps were rising higher than what i wanted. Keep in mind of your checking your CPU temps in your bios your not going to get a correct reading. You should install a 3rd party software ( ex. Motherboard Monitor) and watch your temps while the pc idels for a few hours. Also in your bios if you have it set to hardware monitor your temps there should be a place that allows your pc to reboot if it reaches a certain temp. Try to raise the temp if its to low. Im not 100% on MAD but on intel it shouldnt go any higher than 54c to be safe. (thats my option)

in the end I upgrading the Heatsink and used artic thermol paste on the core and replaceed the PSU and had no problems after that.

Also I dont care what intel says about the PSU but you should NEVER NEVER NEVER have anything below a 350 PSU. Anything lower is dangerous.

[XPerties]

You can monitor your temps as I do on my PCs VIA software. First number in red is my motherboard and second in white is my CPU. I also have a hardware monitor on my PC. As yo can see both software and hardware moitor are exzactly the same.