Computer acting weird, random reboots and more.

Hello!

Like the title says, I'm experiencing weird behaviour from my computer. It does random reboots, mostly when playing. I've been trying to find the cause of this but had no luck. Also, sometimes when I boot it up it crashes during windows start up. I have to reboot it several times before it works. Any ideas on what's going on? I've run some stability tests and it doesn't seem there are any problems, yet there is.

Thanks in advance, Magnosian.

 

Says to me a driver problem,

Can you post your entire system specs, including PSU?

 

Thanks for the quick reply!

Here are the specs:
Motherboard: M2N68-AM ASUSTeK Computer INC.
CPU: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 6000+ 3.1 GHz
RAM: 2 GB
Graphic card: Radeon HD 4650
PSU: 400W FSP ATX-400PNF
OS: Win XP 32bit

Is there anything else I should add to that list?

 

Download the latest "Chipset" drivers for your MB from this link.

(You might have to boot into safe mode to have the system on long enough to install, F8 at Start-up)

Also, i forgot to ask before, what stability checks did you run, and how long for? and does the system work ok in safe mode?

 

My computer just crashed. I can start it up but I get no signal to the monitor. I just checked the monitor with another computer, it's working fine.

I ran some benchmarks to see if it would crash by that, I used 3DMark06, Ozone and other free programs. So it wasn't stability tests. I also checked the harddrive with Tuneup Utilities as the last time my computer crashed it was the harddrive. Nothing came up from any of the tests.

Before the crash I couldn't get into safe mode, it always rebooted when it started loading windows. Then I tried again, but with normal mode and it worked.

 

So you were unable to install the drivers? In safe and normal mode?

I've pretty much narrowed it down to either PSU or Overheat, the following questions will help reslove your problem.

How old is your pc? Does it have much dust inside?

Correct me if i'm wrong, but you are experiencing these random reboots at well, random times? Sometimes works, sometimes not? But

This could be PSU or temperature related problem as gaming makes hardware work to its max, producing max temperatures, but as it crashes sometimes straight away at boot says the PSU has died.

Makes me think a PSU failure, do you have a friend that could lend you one to try out? If so, do.

One way to rule in the psu, take it out and give it a good sniff, smell anything strange. anything burning?

If you can get into BIOS, check your voltages and temps in something like the "Hardware Monitor" section.

 

The computer is just over a year old. I built it in January last year. I did experience a few reboots just when talking with friends over skype and such. I'll check the PSU ASAP. Not sure if anyone has a spare PSU, but I'll look for one.

Also, it doesn't have much dust inside, I already tried cleaning it.

EDIT: The PSU seems fine, judging by the smell.

 

The smell test was just a rule in, just because it doesn't smell doesn't mean it works, but yes, trying out someone elses is the best option for now.

 

Alright, I'll return to you when I've tried another PSU or found out something else. Thanks for the help so far!

Oh, I forgot, the computer makes no sound when it's booting up, but it did before the crash.

 

After talking with a friend of mine who had a similar problem I've started to suspect the motherboard. Does this sound logical?

 

You have no sound at startup- not even the fan?- No bios beep, ?
As well as trying the psu in another pc,-As burrell said, could have been overheating, if the fan failed, or, has a loose connection, as the cpu would get hot very quick, and would shut down.

 

WARNING!!!!

Trying a broken PSU in another machine could cause damage to multiple components in the working system! You are better trying another PSU in your system.

 

Taking my input literally- If its dead, it cannot do any damage, as no power will get to another pc- I tend to forget that I use an old pc to test.

 

No, but this PSU is not dead, it is dying, therefor can still cause some considerable damage.

 

Sorry, misprinted

 

As I said, I tend to forget that I use an old pc to test.
Although I have not damaged another pc, testing that way, in all my years, obviously burrel has found sufficient problems to be concerned.
So, it is best to note burrells warning, about trying in another pc

 

The fans do start, but the bios makes no sound. When the fans start up, they first go normal speed then they slow down for a sec or two, as if a problem occured, then they go normal again. Not sure if that's something worth noting.

Unfortunately I have no other pc to test it in, but I should be able to get my hands on a working PSU soon.

 

Good, i think that's the best way to troubleshoot your system.

 

Alright, I tried replacing the PSU, didn't help. Could it be the motherboard after all?

 

Hmmmmmmm

Could be the MB, but i want to make sure it is before i suggest you start throwing cash at it.

Try and see if you can get into BIOS without it crashing, then monitor the temps and voltages, report back your findings.

Also, remove all unnecessary components, (remove GPU, leave just one RAM stick) see if everything boots ok.

Also i know this is a pain, but it will rule out drives and software problems, Try booting from a Linux Ubuntu CD.

For a more in depth How to Bench test, look here.

We WILL get to the bottom of this.

just keep your head up and try not to get too frustrated! :banghead

 

Okay, I'll do what you say. I was going to buy a mobo tomorrow after school, but I suppose I'll do what you say. You know this better than I do.

I'll edit step by step during the process.

EDIT: Wow, I'm so shocked. I already tried checking each RAM several times, but this time it booted up when removing one of them. :S It's very strange. Do you have any good programs to test if the system is stable?

 

Something I noticed after editing my post... nothing shows up on the screen when using a graphics card. I'm almost 100% certain my reserve one works, so there's something wrong there. I'll test the reserve card tomorrow after school which should be in 18 hours or so.

 

Just try booting using onboard video for now, this will help rule in the MB.

To test RAM, boot Memtest from a CD/DVD.

Let it run for several passes. Other stability checkers require you being able to boot into windows long enough to run them, if you are able to get into windows for a period of time, run prime95 for 30 mins. While doing this, keep an eye on your temps using CPIUDHardwareMonitor.

 

As I have no CD/DVD available I'll use prime95 and monitor the temps.
The computer has been running without any problems since my last post. Going to download prime95 now!

 

Ah, i was hoping you would run Memtest and find some errors!

Thankyou for replying so quickly on all posts, this really helps me in helping you, and probably gets you better advice as it is fresh in my head.

Just ask if you struggle to get Prime95 to work, it can be a pain sometimes.

 

I could try to get my hands on a cd or two tomorrow, but until then this will have to do.

I should only test the working RAM right? Would be quite hard testing a RAM which disables boot up.

So far no abnormalities in temp.

 

Good, that will help check the RAM.

Test ALL RAM that was in the PC during the freezes, remember to test one stick at a time.

Good show, any figures?

Are these temps from BIOS? or from CPUIDHWM?

If it was from CPUID.. was that with Prime95 running?

 

It was CPUID with Prime95 running. It's on "Blend".

Of course it's higher temps than normal but nothing crazy, around 68-70 C on CPU. Then I have two temps which I am not sure what they are. TMPIN0 and TMPIN1. TMPIN0 has 61 C and TMPIN1 has 38 C.

At the moment I only have one stick of RAM in the computer, the only one I was able to boot up with.


BTW, where is the best place to put my RAM and graphics card which I am not using right now? They're lying on my wooden table at the moment.

 

Actually that's is rather close to maximum temps. But Prime95 pushes the CPU to the absolute MAX, which the other programs that "caused" the PC to crash like Skype would not be anywhere near as demanding!

i usually put them on a spare Component box, like MB box, or cpu cooler etc, but a Wooden table is the perfect place to put them!

So just to clarify in my head, since removing the RAM sitck, you havn't had ant crashes?

I guess for now, we'll just have to wait for you to be able to run Memtest tomorrow, or ASAP and then we can hopefully pin point the problem.

 

I had the impression that I shouldn't be worried about temps unless they go over 75 C, I guess I was wrong.

You are correct, no crashes since I removed the RAM stick. The computer has only been running for 35 minutes though, 30 minutes with prime95. Should I let prime95 continue?

 

Even my GPU doesn't get that hot!


But, It'd be unfair to say you are wrong,

Problems can occur after running a CPU over 70c for a period of time.

Varies from CPU to CPU, but just to give you an idea, i have never seen my CPU get over 50c even with quite a considerable OC, but i use the Corsair H-50 aftermarket cooler, which probably helps.

Even my GPU doesn't get that hot!

So hopefully your problems solved, leave Prime95 for another 30 mins, an hour total, after that, try and run some programs and do some things that crashed your PC before and see what happens.

I'm off for now, i'll reply to any replies tomorrow.

Thankyou again for the swift replies. i'm surprised no-one else got involved in this thread!

 

Actually the temps are up at 76-78 C now.

Oh and I hope you don't forget that I can't start get any signal to the monitor when my graphic cards are inserted. No solution to that yet.

Thanks for all your help though! I'll report the results from memtest later tomorrow.

EDIT: The temp is lowering now, down to 64 right now.

 

STOP! Now those kinda temps really could damage the poor thing!

I think the thing is stable now,but maybe only time will tell

Yep that's the next problem, atleast we've solved the freezing problem, we hope! I'll start on that when we get a stable system first

Yep, good, that'll just confirm the ram is to blame.

 

Follow burrel 'back to basics' through with him, with the following little notes in the back of your mind, that may, or, may not be relevent.
Have you checked the radion graphics card fan ?- I notice that although this is an excellent budget card, some seem to think it will run a lot of games well, with 1024mb of its own memory, but looking around it seems some feel it peaks when pressured too much, or, for a relatively short time with the more intensive gaming.
The fans on graphics cards can get quite a build up, and not always obvious until taken out and blown with a can of compressed air.
The psu maxes out at around 15v on the 12v rail, so that might also be helping, when intensive gaming.
If you have no beep at startup, then have you got the onboard speaker? Did it beep before, or, is the beep shut off in your bios.
If the psu is being stressed whilst intensive gaming, then the voltage to the ram, might be varying causing the instability.

 

Good idea, but that would be hard to confirm.

 

Sorry, didn't check replies until now.

I've shut down the computer, but as I said earlier the temp went down and landed somewhere around 64C. The max temp it came up to was 78C though.

Oh and Baklogic, my HD4650 only has 512MB, not 1024. I don't fully understand you when you say the fan can "get quite a build up." Are you talking about dust? Will a vacuum cleaner do?

I'm going to bed now though, I'll reply tomorrow around 3-4pm unless I can get on during school.




P.S When we've found a solution to this problem, you wouldn't be so kind to help me look for a new processor?

 

Must've done something wrong earlier. As a last thing before going to bed I tried inserting the graphics card again and start the computer.
Guess what? It worked. After the memtest tomorrow I'll play some heavier game and see if it crashes.

Note for myself: Don't always rush things, take it easy and go over the steps several times.

 

That is worrying that you got up to 78c, but everything seems ok for now, so touch wood.

No problem, i love spending other people's money, when we've got the problems solved, give me a budget and i'll have a look for you.

 

I do have onboard speakers, the bios made several beeps when only having the damaged RAM stick in. But when both the working one and the damaged one were inserted no beeps were made.

I'm going down town soon to get some cds, I'll report back after putting memtest on it.

 

I must be doing something wrong.. I burn the .iso file to a dvd, restart the computer, press F8 and choose CDROM and it just starts up Windows. What am I doing wrong?

 

Sorry about no replies earlier, i've been busy.

Ah, err i have never actually used dvd's with memtest before, maybe that's the problem. Did you download the bootable .ISO file? Maybe unplug the HD for now, see if that helps.

And about the vacuum cleaner, that is not a good idea, a vacuum creates an immense amount of static charge which could kill just about everything, compressed air is the best way to clear out dust.

 

Aww, crap. I bought DVDs so that I could use them for movies as well. Do I have to use CDs?

 

No, probably not, i was just saying that i have never used DVD's.

Read Plodr's reply and check you did things correctly.

 

I did what he said. ImgBurn did the thing, nero didn't seem to understand what I was trying to do. After 17 hours of memtest and 33 passes I had 0 errors.

 

Right, good, looks like the current system is stable.

Now put the GPU back in and see what happens.

 

Actually, I've had the GPU in the computer the whole time, no crashes whatsoever.

 

Ah, ok then.

Looks like my work here is done. Any more problems?

Now how much of your hard earned cash would you like to spend on a new CPU?

 

Thank you for all your help. It saved me the trouble of spending a lot of money and still not work it out.

About the CPU, I don't have the money right now but in June I'll go to Dreamhack (Not sure if you know what that is) so I want to have a somewhat good CPU by then. So after counting I came up with around 1000-1500 kr which should be between £90ish and £140.