Strange computer behaviour

d3moliti0n

d3moliti0n

d3moliti0n

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11 Aug 2007
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Hi

Over the past few months I had been having some computer problems, originally with the graphics card which I think just needed a graphics driver update as the issues disappeared after I installed new drivers. Then, I was having problems with my computer getting BSOD's (when playing games, it didn't happen outside of games), which I think was something to do with the overclock/voltage of my CPU as once I altered that a bit, it stopped happening.

But last night, my computer just restarted out of nowhere, not a BSOD or anything, basically the screen just went black and my computer booted up again. And it happened again about 40 minutes ago. But about 5 minutes ago my computer just randomly logged off from my user profile thing (even though it's the only one on the computer/Windows, it just took me back to the login window). Also, I noticed something weird a few days ago as I put my computer on standby as I was going out, then when I got in and turned my computer back on, it had restarted itself. Another weird thing is when I'm watching something in full screen, it will exit the full screen mode randomly.

I honestly have no idea if these things are linked but it seems weird that they are all happening at the same time. I don't think it's a virus or anything like that as I don't know how one would get onto my system as it's pretty secure as far as I'm aware and I've not had any serious virus problems in years. Could this be a hardware or software/Windows issue? Any idea what the problem is?

Thanks
 
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No one have any idea what the issue could be? I run a full system virus scan last night with nothing showing up and I've just had another random reboot now out of nowhere.
 
My symptons were nothing like yours but at the same time they were really weird, and folk said it sounded like my psu though no one could say for deffinite so i left it. Ended up the psu went and took the mobo with it.
 
Lemin said:
How To Disable the Automatic Restart

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/tipstricks/ht/disautorestart.htm

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/windows7/ht/automatic-restart-windows-7.htm

Disable the Automatic Restart, & then you will see bsod error
Click to expand...

Ok, quick update. I have disabled the automatic restart and yet my computer is still just randomly shutting down. It basically just switches off and then it boots up from the hardware check screens.

It's also happening more often now, it's happened twice within the past five minutes, but then I can go a few hours to all day without it happening and then it will happen again, and maybe again within five minutes of it happening that time.

I am assuming it's a hardware problem somewhere. Does anyone have any idea which components I can check that could be causing the problem?

Thanks.
 
You could measure voltages with a multimeter and watch for variances under load. Or fit a spare and see if the failures continue.

Which PSU do you have?
 
I'm still experiencing this reboot problem and I want to try and get it sorted out and fast.

My computer spec:

Dual-Core E2180 running at 3GHz
2GB Corsair XMS2 PC6400 memory
Gigabyte GA-73PVM-S2H mATX motherboard
GeForce GTX 260 216 core
Windows XP 32-bit

The PSU I currently have installed is a CoolerMaster Real Power modular 520W. I have had it since May 2009, so about one year and five months.

The rest of my computer is about two years and five months old as I've owned the motherboard, processor and memory since May 2008. The GPU I have had since February this year. The two HDD's are the oldest components, both of them are SATA drives from 2006, one a Maxtor and one a Hitachi which I moved over from my old computer.

I don't own a multimeter and I don't own any other power supplies so I can't test the PSU right now. I don't really own any spares for my computer, so I can't swap anything out for other components.

Over the weekend I've not experienced one reboot, since about last Thursday or Friday was when the last reboot happened until today when I have had about four or five.

I would assume it's probably down to a hardware problem somewhere but I don't know where to start looking.

Any suggestions?

Thanks
 
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I had the same issue where my PSU would just switch off for 1 second and turn back on, this would happen randomly withing every hour or two.
I narrowed my issue down to XMP try turning off XMP in the bios, sure your memory may then get detected as 1066 insted of the 1600 but its just to try something else.
If it stops doing the reboot then there is a compatability issue with your memory with the mothorboard.
I have 12GB of 1600 mem that I have to run at 1066 :mad:

Its worth a try anyway.
 
TheMightyDude said:
I had the same issue where my PSU would just switch off for 1 second and turn back on, this would happen randomly withing every hour or two.
I narrowed my issue down to XMP try turning off XMP in the bios, sure your memory may then get detected as 1066 insted of the 1600 but its just to try something else.
If it stops doing the reboot then there is a compatability issue with your memory with the mothorboard.
I have 12GB of 1600 mem that I have to run at 1066 :mad:

Its worth a try anyway.
Click to expand...

I don't understand how it would be a memory problem considering this reboot thing only started happening recently. Before that I have never experienced this issue before.
 
No BSOD points to PSU really. Or thermal shutdown. Your rig all sparkly and clean, or full of dust? All fans running? Have you run memtest to rule out RAM?
 
Yes, I thought the same with my issue, but when I disabled mine I haven't had an issue since.
Also a combatability issue doesn't mean it won't work at all, it could work for a while then just throw a tissy-fit, mine got that bad it was rebooting every 40 or so mins, I couldn't even run a complete memory test due to the rebooting, but once I disabled the XMP it stopped the rebooting and I was able to run memtest86+ for just over 5 hours (3 complete passes) and I left my PC on all night encoding video (20 odd hours) and no reboot.

I am not saying it is the cause, but just something to test, and there is no harm in testing something.
 
Sounds more like your RAM could just be faulty if it can't run at its XMP settings? Can you at least run it at 1333 so you dont feel too bad? :) What RAM, mobo is it?
 
Liampope said:
No BSOD points to PSU really. Or thermal shutdown. Your rig all sparkly and clean, or full of dust? All fans running? Have you run memtest to rule out RAM?
Click to expand...

That wasn't the case for my issue, my case is all clean (gets cleaned every 4 to 6 months) all temps are low I got no BSOD even with the autorestart disabled, it was even rebooting while running memtest.

This doesn't mean its a PSU issue, I had tried another 1kW PSU in mine and it was still rebooting, then I just turned off XMP and it stopped rebooting.

However, this may not be the case for them, but just something to test.
 
Liampope said:
Sounds more like your RAM could just be faulty if it can't run at its XMP settings? Can you at least run it at 1333 so you dont feel too bad? :) What RAM, mobo is it?
Click to expand...

Sorry for hijacking this thread :(

Oh btw everything works fine if I move everything to a different motherboard, and if I put other memory that was on the mem support list from Gigabyte site.
Its just when I put my 6*2GB Crucial Ballistix Memory and run it as XMP, where its fine with it disabled.

Also XMP is enabled on the other motherboard and its all fine.
None of the hardware are faulty, they just don't wana play nice with each other thats all.

Quote from Gigabytes product page: http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3305#sp
1.6 x 1.5V DDR3 DIMM sockets supporting up to 24 GB of system memory(Note 1)
2.Dual/3 channel memory architecture
3.Support for DDR3 2200/1333/1066/800 MHz memory modules
4.Support for non-ECC memory modules
5.Support for Extreme Memory Profile (XMP) memory modules
(Go to GIGABYTE's website for the latest memory support list.)
Click to expand...
Notice that 1600 memory isn't on the list, and only a few are on the supported list.

My System Specs:
OS: Windows 7 Pro (64bit)

MOB: new Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R Rev 1.0 (latest beta bios F7f)
CPU: Intel i7 920 (D0) @2.667GHz.
GFX: GeForce GTX 480
DISPLAY: iiyama ProLite E2407HDS
CPU COOLER: new Cooler Master V8 CPU Cooler (Socket 940/AM2/AM2+/AM3/LGA775/LGA1366) [RR-UV8-XBU1-GP]

MEM: 6GB kit (2GBx3), Crucial Ballistix Tracer 240-pin DIMM (with LEDs), DDR3 PC3-12800 memory module
MEM: new 6GB kit (2GBx3), Crucial Ballistix 240-pin DIMM, DDR3 PC3-12800 memory module
MEM TOTAL: 12GB @1600MHz (XMP) - Now running @ 1066MHz (no XMP)

HDD: new 2 * Western Digital Caviar Black 640GB SATA 6Gb/s 64MB Cache - OEM (WD6402AAEX) as RAID 0 (1.3TB)
HDD: Hitachi HDP725050GLA360 (500GB)
OPTICAL: new LG CH10LS20 10x BluRay-ROM / 16x DVD±RW Drive - Black (OEM)
OPTICAL: LITE ON DH-20A1S - Internal DVD burner

SND: Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium - Fatal1ty Professional Series 7.1 Sound Card (70SB088600000) [70SB088600000]

CASE: new Antec 1200 Twelve Hundred Ultimate Gaming Case - Black [0761345-08120-7]
PSU: new Antec CP 1000W Modular Power Supply [0761345-06101-8]

Oh if need be I can always buy 2 lots of these, which are on their supported list (says I can use all 6 slots for these) and i can put this 12GB into our server:
OCZ Gold 6GB (3x2GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C8 1600MHz Triple Channel (OCZ3G1600LV6GK) [OCZ3G1600LV6GK] (CAS8) about £115 a set.
 
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