computer keeps rebooting?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - computer keeps rebooting?

Posted: 7/22/2008 8:36:25 AM EDT

I had a problem with my computer rebooting. I reformatted it and clean all the dust out of the case. It stioll is doing it.

what could be causing it to keep rebooting?
i am about ready to throw it out the door and go buy a new one.

HP with Xp installed.

Posted: 7/22/2008 8:37:38 AM EDT

[#1]

Is it going through the shutdown process or just going blank and then rebooting?

Posted: 7/22/2008 8:38:23 AM EDT

[#2]

Maybe the heat sink isn't making good contact with the CPU?

Posted: 7/22/2008 8:38:25 AM EDT

[#3]

Did this happen during the process of installing windows updates?

Posted: 7/22/2008 8:39:08 AM EDT

[#4]

motherboard is fuxxored.

Mine did that.

Posted: 7/22/2008 8:43:12 AM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
motherboard is fuxxored.

Mine did that.

hopefully not

Quoted:
Did this happen during the process of installing windows updates?

yes it does but it did it also when not downloading anything before reformatting it and after reformatting.

Quoted:
Is it going through the shutdown process or just going blank and then rebooting?

blanks and rebooting

Posted: 7/22/2008 8:43:58 AM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
Maybe the heat sink isn't making good contact with the CPU?

have to check that but look good when i blew it out.

Posted: 7/22/2008 8:45:10 AM EDT

[#7]

So you start it up, it looks like its going to work, then bam it restarts? is that correct?

If it is, make your CPU is making good contact with the motherboard. Not sure if you took it off to clean it, but make sure all the pins line up and are all making contact.

Posted: 7/22/2008 8:49:20 AM EDT

[#8]

Will it boot up in safe mode?

Posted: 7/22/2008 8:49:47 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
Maybe the heat sink isn't making good contact with the CPU?

Yeah check that.

Make sure all of the fans are working, especially CPU and power supply.

Posted: 7/22/2008 8:54:07 AM EDT

[#10]

I can use it for awhile then in the middle of surfing or what ever i am doing it reboots. could be now or tomorrow never a set time frame.

i will take it apart again tomorrow and check the fans and diodes.

Posted: 7/22/2008 9:01:07 AM EDT

[#11]

Overheating CPU, toast motherboard, toast power supply are likely culprits.

Posted: 7/22/2008 9:06:25 AM EDT

[#12]

Underpowered or defective power supply.
Excessive heat.
Bad CPU.
Bad memory.

Try reseating the memory, CPU, and power connectors to start with.

Posted: 7/22/2008 9:09:28 AM EDT

[#13]

This was happening at work, and the culprit was bad UPS.
Do you use a UPS battery backup?

Posted: 7/22/2008 9:10:12 AM EDT

[#14]

Are you doing something when it occurs?

Does it happen completely randomly, whether you are using it or not?

Posted: 7/22/2008 9:14:11 AM EDT

[#15]

Blow the dust out of it.

Posted: 7/22/2008 9:16:31 AM EDT

[#16]

Had something similar happen to me. It would start up, get to windows load screen and then monitor flicker ....reboot. Over and over again. Reformatted, reloaded, etc and still happened. Replaced components with spares, one by one...it was the a fried power supply.

Posted: 7/22/2008 9:19:26 AM EDT

[#17]

Power supply is the easiest to check...get a new one with more power/watts...still have the problem you can always return the power supply, although upgrading an old PS never hurts anyway

Posted: 7/22/2008 3:46:30 PM EDT

[#18]

I have a strange problem where if I am away from my computer for too long, it reboots. When it starts back up it goes into Safe Mode.

Posted: 7/22/2008 4:01:41 PM EDT

[#19]

The power supplies on HP, Dell, Compac, Emachine, etc tend to be ultra wussy.

Probably not a bad idea to replace it anyways.

I've had great luck with FSP (Fortran) power supplies.

I always buy online at newegg.com. Should be $30 or so + shipping.

Posted: 7/22/2008 4:22:00 PM EDT

[#20]

If it worked before you formatted it, i suspect its having an issue finding something to boot to. If the drive is now blank it will do this or hang saying couldnt find OS bla blah..

What ya need to do is put in a bootable install disc for windows XP and see if it will boot to it for a fresh install. If it does not, you need to go into your BIOS and set the drive (cd/dvd drive) as bootable then restart. If you have a video camera and can shoot what comes up on the screen from the second that you push power till it restarts, that would help a great deal too. Need to know anything that it comes up and says

Posted: 7/22/2008 4:26:05 PM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
Maybe the heat sink isn't making good contact with the CPU?

That's what I'm thinking. CPU is overheating.

Check and make sure it's making good contact with the heatsink and put a dab of silver paste www.2spi.com/catalog/spec_prep/cond_paints2c.shtml on the heatsink after you clean both it and the processor off with some alcohol. You'll have to go easy on using your computer for a few hours to allow the paste to "break in". If you still have trouble try taking the side of the case off.

Posted: 7/22/2008 4:32:10 PM EDT

[#22]

Here's an easy way to check your hardware. Do a google search for "puppy linux". Download the CD image, burn it to a CD and see if your machine works with that. You may have to set the BIOS options to make the machine boot from the CD, but that's easy.

If the rebooting continues then it's something on your motherboard or the power supply.

If the rebooting stops, then the problem is likely your hard drive or a bad installation of XP.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - computer keeps rebooting?

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