Computer starts by itself?

Good morning,
Running XP Home SP3 with most recent update.
I shut down about 11 each evening. A week or so ago I was told that the computer was on in the morning when my wife sat down about 5. Last night I checked mid morning and found that the power light and both external hard drives were "flashing". There was also a repetitive internal hard disc click. The computer was not ON, it appears that it was trying to turn itself on. While operating, it runs smooth as silk. I've done a full malware scan per MG guidelines and found nothing other than tracking cookies, so I've ruled out malware (tentatively, but have a post in that forum).
Last major event was the installation of a WD My Essential 1TB external hard drive. I hate the backup software as it is ALWAYS on and caused constant hard disc activity, so I disabled the start up file and turned off the service WD Smartware Background Service, leaving the WD Smartware Drive Manager enabled. The startup problem started about 1 week after the WD install.
Last night, when I reviewed the problem, I started up the machine, then did a shutdown as normal. The attempted restart was immediate, again, only enough power to light the drives but not actually initiate a startup.
No BIOS changes in ages, I have the most recent Dell BIOS for this machine. If the external hard drives are disconnected, the problem still exists so might be in the WD software?
Any ideas, and thanks...

 

Greetings, keni254...

Agreed: I'd uninstall the WD software as a troubleshooting procedure...

Almost sounds like a 'wake-on-LAN' situation: you might consider looking in BIOS and making sure everything's kosher there, and also check your startup group to see if the WD might have deposited a 'phone-home' entry...

 

I just discovered something that I will try and let you know. I reviewing the registry for unknowns, I found an entry from Memeo, with a timer setting of 1440, which is 24 hours in minutes. WD on some My Books (My 500GB) offered trials of Memeo backup software, which I never accepted. It was not offered on the new 1TB My Book Essentials that I just installed, but I am suspecious that WD may be using some Memeo components in there own backup software by agreement, enough that Memeo components are registered under the Memeo brand. I deleted the registry entry and shut down the computer and there was NO attempt to restart during the 10 minutes I left it off. I will try longer periods of time and again overnite and let you know.

 

Good shot - keep us posted...

 

Hey there,

IT maybe that the software that came with the new hard drive was set to auto backup at a certain time maybe 12a.m say.

There will be an entry in.. hmmm... task scheduler, forget the exact name way too tired today suffering a bit of brain freeze, its designed to start your p.c up a certain times to run a scan or backup start tasks etc.. have a look around or google how to access this - have a look and see if there are any scheduled tasks scheduled to run. My best guess is if any software was installed or even on the drive itself there maybe some software designed to trigger a backup and this has left an entry in task scheduler

There could be a wake on lan (network card activity) or even older school wake on fax if sent to modem.

Yeah have a look at this might help, copy and paste into your internet browser.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308569

Later guy

 

These guys can help!

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Sorry couldnt resist.

 

OK, here is where I am at:
Plan 1 to delete the Memeo backup registry entry did not work.
Plan 2 to dismount the WD VCD also sis not work.
Plan 3 last night I detached the USB2 cable and noted that during the AM the computer power light was on and it sounded like the hard disk was trying to do something although it was NOT on.
Per the comment above I also checked scheduled tasks and found nothing unusual.
This leads me to believe that there is either 1) malware involved, or 2) possible a boot issue. My boot.ini is fairly simple...

[boot loader]
timeout=8
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect /TUTag=8Z4I4M

...but there is a problem. The 8 second timeout is not working, the delay at boot where there should be a screen that lists the operating systems does not appear, I do see a flash only in upper right F2 for Safe Mode and F12 for Boot, but there does not seem to be enough time to hit the key in the time allotted, which is NOT 8 seconds. I am trying to get into the boot file to see if there is a call fto boot from external hard drives to start the computer which may have come in with the WD 1TB was installed.

The 2nd external hard drive is a WD 500GB that has worked fine for a year. I do have a wireless network, this desktop is connected to a wireless router via Cat 5cable but has been that way since June without problems.

I looked at the event log and the only ting that appears in the early morning hours, and it does appear several times daily, is a Service Control Manager error, without explanation.

So I am in need of guidance and some new ideas.

 

The boot loader only displays if more than one operating system is present. If there is only one it will not display, no matter what value you give the time out.

The key to access safe mode in Windows during boot is F8. Press this repeatedly quite fast just after the BIOS and you should get into the boot options menu. This will have options for safe mode with and without networking and other options.

 

I only watched a couple of 60 second tutorials on Smartware but it looks like that is the root cause of your problem.

A couple of threads you might want to read.

One for unmounting the VCD.

Second for disabling VCD software (I believe a newer fix but involves a firmware flash for the drive).

Let us know what you think.

 

Makes sense if there is only one operating system. Was googling F8 problems and found this...

In the open text document "boot.ini", add the text "/NoExecute=Optin", then press "Enter" add the below text in the same line :
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1\WINDOWS="safemode.ccm"/fastdetect/safeboot:minimal/sos/bootlog

If I add this then I would have two operating systems? XP Home (Normal) and Safe Mode? Then the 8 second delay would show the boot loader?

I recall that in factory default there were three, Normal, Restore and Safe Mode. It could be last time I reinstalled the OS that I deleted those in order to speed up startup.

 

Also found this as a complete new boot.ini (Must change XP Professional to XP Home)

boot loader]
timeout=10
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Safe Mode" /safeboot:minimal /sos /bootlog

Found it here: http://vlaurie.com/computers2/Articles/bootini.htm

 

Yes, that would work.

 

Update on where I am:
Safe Mode now shows up and the 8 second delay screen is back, but the arrow keys on the keyboard don't work. I've been doing some forum searching and a number of forum entiries indicate that newer USB keyboards have key functionality problems. I am borrowing a PS2 keyboard today to check. This may be the reason why the F2 and F8 keys don't work. either I have Microsoft Natural Ergonometric 4000, software and drivers are current, but this is another issue.

I've attached a screen shot from a small .mov file that shows what is happening (Can't upload .mov file). There is a sequence of four light events, power, HD activity, DVD burner, DVD player, in that order, repeated four times, then there is maybe a 15 second pause, then the series of four events happens again.

If the WD external hard drives have the USB cable disconnected, the PC still does this. If the USB cables are connected, then the lights on the hard drives also flash. From the effort from above on the WD hard drives I think we can exclude them as being the source of the PC lighting event. The only thing I haven't been able to do yet is check the parameters in the BIOS for the new WDHD until I solve the keyboard issue, to make sure it is not calling for a startup from a remote disc.

There is nothing in the event log for the time that this occures. Last night I shut down about 10. Nothing happened for the next hour when I went to bed. At 2 in the AM, the lights were flashing per the video file?

This weekend I did another virus/malware scrub and found only low risk tracking cookies. The hard disk is running smooth as silk with none of the activity that might indicate a virus/malware problem, so I am pretty confident that we can rule this out also.

So I am open to suggestions...
Why is this happening? The key may be that it apparantly starts early AM same time every day?
The PC is not wireless although it is connected to a wireless network router by LAN (CAT 5). Could there be an automated attempt to access from the outside? The wireless router does have password encrypted protection per Linksys setup instructions.

 

If you look in "advanced options" (or similar name) within the BIOS, you may well find a Wake on timer event setup area. Make sure this is disabled and you should be fine. There may also be an option in the BIOS, probably in the same place, to enable support for USB keyboards/mice. Enable this/these (if there are one for keyboard and one for mouse) and see if that fixes your keyboard problems.

BTW, for future ease, if this happens again, I would recommend obtaining one of these:
http://www.chinatraderonline.com/Files/USB-Series/USB-Connectors/USB-to-PS2-Adapter-21155568810.jpg
They allow your USB keyboard to be converted to PS/2 with no extra software.

I would not recommend one from the site above, I just took the first appropriate image.

The adapter should be available for about £1 - £3 or $.50 - $2

 

Thanks, you guys have been great.
Just so happens I have a USB/PS2 connector but couldn't get that to work, then it occurred to me that I have the greater problem with USB, and that is that there are so many USB peripherals connected...when I got the first WD external HD I also changed out the USB card for USB2 with only 4 slots. So the keyboard I had was actually connected through a hub. I pulled it and plugged it into the front face of the PC and now I get BIOS access, the F keys and arrow keys work.

The thing is this BIOS has not been upgraded since 2004 so it doesn't seem to have everything I need. I see no entries for the external HD, and no advanced option. I did see a Legacy option and everything there is ON except sound.

I also got a response from the Malware forum and they confirm that it is not malware since the PC is off. They suggest an NIC card option may have me starting but I have no card in this PC, I am connected to a wireless network via CAR 5 cable to a wireless router. Tonight I will unplug the cable and see if that has an effect. Tomorrow look into the router setup on the wireless network for an early AM trigger.

Will continue to look through the BIOS and startup options that I now have back and advise.

 

There is no setting in XP that can wake your computer from the power off state unless your motherboard has the WOL option,"this is what we are talking about right not standby mode?" so it must be in the bios, so I'd be looking only at the bios and the power switch.

Check the bios for WOL "wake on Lan " as Caliban said and disable all other wake on or similar modes if you have them,also disable PME 'Power management event' again if you have it,also look for an ACPI 'Advanced Configuration and Power Interface' setting or menu.

Disconnect the power switch from the from panel and see if it auto powers up.

EDIT in control panel/power options disable standby and select do nothing when you hit the power button,if this hasn't already been suggested

 

Also disable Hibernate to make sure its turning off.

 

Problem sovled!

First, in response to the last post, my BIOS does not have WOL "wake on Lan " PME 'Power management event' or ACPI 'Advanced Configuration and Power Interface'. There is a Power Management line in the BIOS menu but nothing the sub menu that seems to apply.

In any event, Tuesday moring the PC would not boot, period. I did all checking I could, checked inside the box also, eventually took the PC into my local tech and his diagnostics identified that the power supply had failed. Replaced the power supply and PC is back up and running. I monitored this AM for a repetition of the lighting events that started this thread and they did not occur. So it appears that this whole thing has been a prelude to a power supply failure.

The only thing that doesn't jive with me yet is the apparant regulatiry of the lighting events being always early AM, but I won't be losing sleep of that anymore.

Relative to the BIOS I have a follow-on question. My BIOS is Dell A12 which has not been updated since mid 2004. Is a BIOS so mfg/system/hardware specific that there are no generic updates. Reference to a Phoenix BIOS always seems to indicate the quality of that BIOS, but does Phoenix provide third party BIOS updates. I am guessing that with the current A12 BIOS that there is a lot of technological improvements that I could not take advantage of because of an out dated BIOS? Can you point me to a reference that discusses this?

Thanks again for all your help.

 

There usually won't be any improvements in the bios update that will 'unlock' performance advantages,you should only update the bios if your PC has a problem and a bios update fixes it.

There is no generic bios update,a bios update is specific to the motherboard model only,not PC model or bios chip i.e. Phoenix ,if you can find the manufacturer of your motherboard and the exact model number you may be able to find a bios update but its unlikely because Dell often don't use large brand motherboards with extended tech support web pages.

Glad you solved your problem.