Computer Randomly Restarting

[Istonian]

My computer has been randomly restarting. I get to my desktop, Sometimes get a while, but eventually it restarts and freezes. Anyone know how to help?

 

[dude_se]

sounds like a virus to me... you mean it freezes and restarts? no messages or anything. i had a prob like this before. a virus was triggering some sort of command prompt to switch off my pc after 60 seconds. i would try checking for viruses and stuff first of all unless your sure you are clean, oh and check your startup processes.

 

[Istonian]

I am clean. Startup processes are at a minimum. I can go about an hour before restarting. And there are no messages.

 

[dude_se]

well could it be your graphics card? i had a simular prob on my old pc (think i still do). it just started freezing and it went into 16 colours then restarted. maybe it could also be that your pc is overheating. i noticed you overclocked your pc from your sig

 

[root]

I assume you're using XP?

right click your my computer, select properties.
select the advanced tab
click the last settings button (under startup and recovery)
under the heading system failure uncheck the box labled automatically restart.

this won't fix the problem, but rather than restarting the system will blue screen giving you an error message that will say something like
the system encountered a fatla error in system file soundcarddriver.sys

which you can either google for or come back here and type out...

then you'll get a better answer as to what is causing it.

 

[Istonian]

Well it might be my graphics card bc of the new drivers I had to install. The temps for my stuff went up 1 degree after oc and it does it while at stock speeds. Good comment root, but I have already tried that and I think it is working. It has not restarted for a while.

 

[Istonian]

And it restarts and in the process of restarting it freezes. That was for dudes earlier question.

 

[Rudster8161]

your PSU might not be able to power all the compents. when a PSU cant provide enough power it shuts down shutting down your computer with it

 

[root]

my computer was randomly restarting a little while back.

couldn't figure out what the hell it was, went to the trouble of re-installing XP and everything. then when it was still restarting I started swaping out hard drives.

turned out to be my dvd writter. whilst it still worked apparantly perfectly, read and wrote CD's occasionally it'd mess up...

unplugged it and not had a problem since.


that anecdote aside. if you're still haveing random restarting problems, and you've rulled out all driver problems, (like if you can work perfectly well in safe mode).

then it might be time to start methodically unplugging things looking for a dodgy device.

 

[Raffaz]

my computer was randomly restarting a little while back.

couldn't figure out what the hell it was, went to the trouble of re-installing XP and everything. then when it was still restarting I started swaping out hard drives.

turned out to be my dvd writter. whilst it still worked apparantly perfectly, read and wrote CD's occasionally it'd mess up...

unplugged it and not had a problem since.


that anecdote aside. if you're still haveing random restarting problems, and you've rulled out all driver problems, (like if you can work perfectly well in safe mode).

then it might be time to start methodically unplugging things looking for a dodgy device.

That might not be a drive error mate, it could be down to the PSU. It might not be to cope with that extra bit of power needed to run the drive, im not saying your wrong, just thought id throw another possible solution in there