My (old) computer keeps restarting spontaneously

[hypochondriac]

Yup, as the name says, my PC will be running fine until suddenly the screen goes black for a fraction of a second and the whole thing boots up as if I'd just turned it on.
It's only a recent thing, the past week or so. But it started to get more frequent. Then about once every 1-2 days it'd do it during the start up process falling into a horrible loop that would continue for about 10 mins. Occasionally during the loop it'd say something like 'it failed to turn on, this could be due to hardware or software, do you wanna boot up as normal or safe mode or the most recent settings that worked?'

I reset my PC to factory settings, but that did nothing to stop it. windows thinks it's something to do with some HP Photo thing, but I reckon it's hardware related. I'm not very knowledgable about these things though so I could be wrong. Windows' solution was to turn on auto updates (which were already on lol).

When it is running fine, it runs perfectly fine. But then spontaneously it'll just go.

Any ideas what is happening and how to fix it?

 

[hypochondriac]

OK I've done that, I'll have to get back with the error message when it next does it....no telling when that'll be though.

So to clarify when it crashes again, it won't restart, but when I turn it back on, there'll be a screen telling me a code of what went wrong?

 

[hypochondriac]

Right Just had the BSOD,
it said:

A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.

If this is the first time you've seen this stop error screen,restart your computer. If this screen appears again follow these steps:

Check to be sure you have adeuate disk space. If a driver is identifiedin the stop message, disable the driver or check with the manufacturer for driver updates. Try changing video adapters.

Check with your hardware vendor for any BIOS updates. Disable BIOS memorysuck as catching or shadowing. If you need to use safe mode to remover or disable components, resart your computer, press F8 to select advanced startup options, and then select safe mode.

Technical information:

*** STOP: 0x0000008E (0xC0000005,0x8055096D,0xB82A4624,0x00000000)

Begining dump of physical memort
Physical memory dump complete.
Contact your system administrator or technical support group for further assistance.

Any ideas whats happening?

 

[hypochondriac]

Sorry for triple posting, but now I've had a new BSOD:

A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.

If this is the first time you've seen this stop error screen,restart your computer. If this screen appears again follow these steps:

Check for virusus on your computer, reomove any newly installed hard drives or hard drive controllers.Check your hard drive to make sure it's properly configured and terminated.
Run CHKDSK /F to check your hard drive corruption, and then restart your computer.

Technical information:

*** STOP: 0x0000007B (0xF7C49524,0xC0000034,0x00000000,0x00000000)

please tell me whats wrong so I know whether I have to get a new computer, because if I do I need to do it soon as my laptop is away for repairs and this is my only computer at the moment.

 

[hypochondriac]

I get them randomly, I might not be doing anything, then *click* its gone.
Then sometimes when I turn the computer on it does it halfway through booting.
Never shutting down though.

Heres a .zip of the .dmp files:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/4cuj2a

 

[hypochondriac]

Sorry for double post, does anyone know whats wrong with my pc from the .dmp files?

 

[hypochondriac]

Thats fine, it did slip far down the board.
Plus you don't need to apologise, you're doing me the favour.

Since then there's been a few more crashes, BSOD spouting things wrong with all aspects of the hardware! Each one is different, I feel like I'm collecting them all like Pokémon lol.

 

[hypochondriac]

yes I do.

Although this problem occured before I reset my PC to factory settings and therefore before I installed them if you think it has something to do with it.

 

[hypochondriac]

Hmm I don't have a network which is odd.
I connect to the internet (BT) via ethernet. But it was connected via USB before when it started.

Thank you for all your help, i'll get back with results...if any.

 

[hypochondriac]

If you connect to BT via Ethernet then you DO have a network. Just a very small one of one PC and the router.

Yeah I kinda contradicted myself with that one. But I don't have a multi-PC network.

Is that AVG 8.0? And does it include the firewall? I have seen this go a little mad lately on a few client PCs. So try ripping it out and swapping to Avast as suggested above.

Yes it is AVG8 with the firewall, I'll swap it for avast.

Also - the most common cause of sudden reboots in the summer is heat. When was the last time you cleaned out the dust and carp from your PC? Unplug it and open up the side. Check the fans for dust buildup. Clean it out carefully with an old toothbrush\paint brush. Ideally a can of compressed air. (Don't use a hoover)

Finally - what type of PSU have you got in there? Is it a cheapo unbranded one? OR a decent quality one? It could be failing...

It's not very hot in my house, but I'm gonna be honest, I've never cleaned out the computer, its an old family one we got from PC world years ago, it has a big inpenetrable looking case that I couldn't even begin to think how to open but I'll give it a go later.
I'm gonna assume the PSU is a crappy one (I've no idea what make).

After a crash... what happens if you unplug it and leave it alone for 30mins? Will it then start clean? OR is it still BSODing in that case?

Well it doesnt always have a BSOD on start up, infact it's quite rare considering how many times it's just randomly stopped.


@flibby:
That driver cleaning program didn't even have a list of the right drivers, for instance it said I had Creative and Realtek audio drivers when I have Soundmax. So I couldn't remove the driver. So I tried to do it via the device manager in the computer properties, but then it wouldn't connect to the internet because it was the ethernet port driver, so I got it working again eventually and downloaded the latest driver...All was well untill it did it again just a few mins ago

 

[hypochondriac]

AH... where in the world, but that place... I would keep a very close eye on the system. Expect the PSU to give up soon as usually awfully low quality. And when they do die, they tend to take out the PC with them.

Get in there and clean out the dust. Some patience with the case will show you the way in.

Personally, I'd check out the PSU and think of replaceing it. If you can get a PSU tester - great. If not, just buy a new PSU. (But not a cheap and nasty)

Bad power can do what you are describing.


Also note - as you see less problems at the start of the day this is why I am thinking heat buildup.

Where in the world indeed, God knows what I was thinking, but I was young.

Well it's all turned to excrement now... I used a can of compressed air and a paintbrush like advised to clean out the tons of dust accumulated over the last 5 odd years, and now I can't even start it up. I've been trying for some time and I'm getting a myriad of BSODs -new and old- and other error messages, even safe mode will rarely start.
I'd upload all the .dmp files but I cant get into my system heh.

When you say the PSUs take the PC with them, do you mean to say the sysem (w/PSU) won't start (like it's doing) or even if I replace the PSU the other components are defunct?

With my laptop away for repair and my PC on it's deathbed with a terminal ailment, I'm now resorted to a friends laptop.

PS can anyone recommend me a PSU?

 

[hypochondriac]

As it was a family computer my parents didn't want to wait for me to fix this one and/or build a new one, so they went to pcworld....again (and got lumped with norton)....and we now have a new computer.
Patience is a virtue, I could've saved them some money, but hey least it aint my wallet.

Yeah I was gentle, nothing came off.
I'll try cleaning the slots.

I managed to reset the registry which helped boot the thing up a bit more than usual. I got some files off so I could try and reset it with the windows disk.
It didn't work last time but my dad is adamant that his mate is good at computers and "knows" it's something to do with software i've installed, even though it started happening before I installed anything. When the HDD was formatted it still gave me BSODs whilst installing windows so it couldn't be anything I've added if its a fresh install.

 

[hypochondriac]

I ended up getting excited about taking the PC apart that I took it completely to bits (not build my first rig yet)

When I rebuild it, nothing showed on the screen but I'm not too bothered as I cant do anything with it anyway and we have a new one.

The major turn of events is that the new one, virtually box fresh, randomly turned itself off and gave a BSOD. Which is most odd.
I looked at my surge protector and the "protected" green light wasn't illuminated, we had an electrician in the other day and maybe something he did buggered up the PSU?
I've replaced the surge protector and it's been fine since, but i'm worried the new PC is gonna slowly start dying already.

 

[hypochondriac]

I don't like to say it, but that is Purple Shirt quailty for you...

haha don't worry I'm well aware. It came with a free trial of norton, (as well as my parents buying it) and even the fact I'm getting away with not paying for it still didn't draw me into keeping it, it didn't let me do anything.
(It was utorrent that had trouble working, but since uninstallation it's still playing up, but thats another story, one which I'm unsure I should be discussing.)

Here is Corsair showing you want happens to cheapo PSUs when they are run at only 75% load:
http://corsair.com/cinema/movie.aspx?id=622747

That was a rather funny video, and I actually think mine may have done that in the night maybe, because myt PSU does smell a little like burning, although it runs.

Cheers for all your help by the way. I'm just sad it didn't turn out better.

 

[hypochondriac]

I'd love to and to be honest I don't think my parents would even notice they hardly use it, watching my mum try and work out how to access her e-mail online because I was too fed up of backing up her outlook msgs all the time was quite funny, she has a warped view on how it all works!

Ok so surprisingly I don't think it was norton that was restricting me after all, I got rid of it and put AVG on and that couldn't connect to the server to update. Re-installed, same problem, then Avast equally the same problem. I have no trouble connecting to the internet...I'm on it now after all.
(Also I tried another torrent in utorrent from another tracker and it worked fine, must be the tracker)
I thought maybe my BT home hub's firewall is restricting, but I couldn't even connect to the home hub, something is really not letting me communicate externally apart from through the browser.

I wouldn't say the smell was that strong but it did smell.

PS you REALLY hate their uniform don't you!

 

[hypochondriac]

Ahh ok I'll stop talking about those with the purple shirts then ain't been on the forum long, don't want to get banned.

True I've not much clue how my car works...

I've been through the Network and Sharing Controls and all the vista firewall stuff and nothing I try helps. The problem is I can't update the AV, because it cannot connect to the server. Vista is being very picky and prefers norton, it didn't have a problem untill I got rid of it and now it's sabotaging my new AV's untill I go back to it heh.

Those IPs bring up the home hub stuff, but the Home Hub Manager program supplied doesn't want to know.

 

[hypochondriac]

Well it's getting worse and worse, the internet doesn't work at all, the wireless works, hence how I'm on here, but it says connection interupted. (some of the bt yahoo web pages work oddly)

The OS theme (the black taskbar, window frames etc.) have all gone to the grey windows 98 theme that I can't change.

It crashes occasionally and then when the scrolling bar loading screen apears it sometimes doesnt complete, it just keeps scrolling and scrolling.

Theres nothing on this computer to bugger it up, no illegal software that could contain viruses or anything.

The programs were allowed through the firewall, i've checked nearly everything that would inhibit the action but still nothing.

 

[hypochondriac]

I reset to factory and its back to normal now, despite about half a dozen BSODs in the first hour or 2!
Although now the win98 look theme as gone etc and it functions....ok...will they still accept the return or will they think I'm being picky?

I tired changing the theme back like you described and went to the vista one and it just changed the background back to the default and all the window frames stayed.

It has 3GB ram and an AMD Phenom 9500 Quad-core 2.20GHz, <£500

 

[hypochondriac]

I was just flicking though the forum and the desktop wallpaper flashed up a couple of times, then windows said it had a serious error and told me to save my work because it was going to reset.
After it reset the indexer apparently stopped working a couple times (according to the warning messages)

This does not bode well and I am taking it back, along with that sodding Norton!!!

Is there any chance (because this new pc broke so early) that it's nothing to do with the pc (nor the surge protector as that has been changed in vain) and its something to do with the bt home hub or my external hard drive?
ie what if I get another new one and it the errors keep coming.

With my laptops graphics card busted and 2 pcs in a row broke, I'm not having much luck with electricals at the moment!!

 

[hypochondriac]

I'd need time to get the parts and my parents would rather just get one imediately. (I'd much prefer to build one)
Is there a grace period after which I cannot take it back (like a 14 day money back garuntee)? because the PC is at least useable until I get the parts.

At least if I build one thats faulty I know its not the fault of those in purple.
Is there any chance that my external HDD (Maxtor one touch III 500GB) or my BT Home Hub could be causing such defects?