rebooting computer

[tim123]

My computer keeps on rebooting itself.

Is there some diagnostics program somewhere I can use to find out why?

I've got XP.

(and yes I will take this as a hint that I should buy a new one but I can't do that quickly ATM)

TIA

tim

[Zippy]

Does this happen without warning? Do you get the confirm shut down/reboot dialog?
Assuming not the above and you are virus free it sounds a bit like a power problem. Have to tried making sure all the cards and cables are seated correctly?

[NickFitz]

Does this happen without warning? Do you get the confirm shut down/reboot dialog?
Assuming not the above and you are virus free it sounds a bit like a power problem. Have to tried making sure all the cards and cables are seated correctly?

WZS (the emboldened bits in particular). I had a PC that kept rebooting itself without warning - as in, it just suddenly rebooted itself, no orderly shutdown-and-restart - and after much dicking about the guy who'd put it together fixed it by going in and making sure all the cards, memory modules, etc., were correctly seated.

I can't remember now what exactly turned out to be the problem; I think it was a loose seating on the video card, which was cutting-edge for those times in that it sat in an AGP slot.

I do remember that I gave the guy who built it a massive bollocking for taking so long to work out WTF was wrong with it

That guy was, of course, me

[dinker]

You could have a look in the event log, otherwise it`s trial and error.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308427

[blacjac]

I've had a couple of computers do this due to overheating, try downloading speedfan to see if that's the problem.

[Fred Bloggs]

On a couple of occasions I've had the power supply socket on the Mobo have the power supply plug work loose. I think the plenty cheapness standards that these things are built to makes them a bit iffy (quality wise) sometimes.

[ferret]

As the posts above show, can reboot for myriad reasons.

Right click My Computer, choose properties, click Advanced tab, click Settings under Startup and Recovery.

Check out some of the options here. If you take the tick out of "Automatically restart" then you sometimes get the BSOD which will give an error code you can jot down and Google. Make sure the other options of writing an event log and send admin alert are on and you can then check the event viewer to see if there is any other handy info.

If you have added any new hardware recently or updated drivers then could be due to a dodgy driver and the above method would help narrow that down.

As the others have said though do check all connections on the main board and make sure all heat sinks and fans (check the video card one too if your graphics are not on board) are clear from dust / spinning OK.

[tim123]

Does this happen without warning? Do you get the confirm shut down/reboot dialog?

Yes, No

Assuming not the above and you are virus free it sounds a bit like a power problem. Have to tried making sure all the cards and cables are seated correctly?

No, but it's a static fixture on the floor so why would any have become un-seated?

tim

[tim123]

You could have a look in the event log, otherwise it`s trial and error.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308427

This is what I want

thanks

tim

[Zippy]

No, but it's a static fixture on the floor so why would any have become un-seated?

tim

Because someone has moved it without your knowledge? It has been knocked?
I really would check as it wil take 5 mins and could save you a lot of grief.