My PC keeps restarting itself help please!

G4PBuser · 03-17-2004, 01:59 PM

Hi im new here. Not a good way to begin I guess. LOL!
My wife and I have a 3 year old Gateway PC. In the last week it has started locking up more and more. Then it restarts itself. It does it when you get to your desktop after a cold boot. It does it in the middle of viewing web pages or opening a program. Just restarts itself.
Over the weekend I wiped it clean and did a format of the HD. I then installed the Windows 98SE disk that came with the computer. All was fine. For 3 days. Now its doing it again. It wont even boot up now. It gets to the desktop and locks up every time. It wont respond to anything. I have to hold the power button down to get it to turn off.

If not for the Powerbook Im on now we wouldnt have a computer at all. My wife wants "her" computer back up and running.

Thank you in advance for any help with this problem.

preet2u · 03-17-2004, 03:03 PM

This could be either a simple heat issue ( which i think it is) or could be a case of faulty memory

Check the temperatures of ur CPU in the bios ...n' post 'em ..
As i understand from ur post ..ur system is 3 years old ..n' if there has been dust accumalation on the Cpu heatsink fan ..it could lead to increase in CPU temps ..Hence the freezeing of the system.
What i would suggest is that u clean the CPU heatsink Fan .. probably apply a new layer of heatsink compound(artic silver)
N' as an immediate solution ..leave the side panels of ur Case open.

Alternatively .. if u don't find the temperatures high ..then ..u can try by removing one of the memory modules (i'm assuming that there are 2 ..) or try out with different memory

*edit*
Please post ur system specs the nxt time u post

ekÃ†sine · 03-17-2004, 04:26 PM

thats some good advice preet. i think it is most likely from a power supply failing or the processor is overheating. i'm not sure about memory being the culprit, i suppose that is possible since that computer is quite old.

m3z · 03-17-2004, 08:03 PM

Also have you check for viruses he could have a worm??!!

paintballer · 03-17-2004, 08:08 PM

This happens to my laptop whenever I play games on it. I think its heat but I havent really looked at it yet. Also, it can't be a virus m3z. When you format your hard drive the viruses will be wiped (unless of course he has multiple hard drives and the virus was on one of them.)

G4PBuser · 03-17-2004, 10:02 PM

I have one HD a 15 GIG. Its a 566mhz,64mbRam.
I cleaned it out when i Installed the NIC card 4 days ago.
Thanks for the help guys. I will take it apart and reclean it just in case.

03-17-2004, 01:59 PM	#1 (permalink)
G4PBuser Newb Techie Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 2	My PC keeps restarting itself help please! Hi im new here. Not a good way to begin I guess. LOL! My wife and I have a 3 year old Gateway PC. In the last week it has started locking up more and more. Then it restarts itself. It does it when you get to your desktop after a cold boot. It does it in the middle of viewing web pages or opening a program. Just restarts itself. Over the weekend I wiped it clean and did a format of the HD. I then installed the Windows 98SE disk that came with the computer. All was fine. For 3 days. Now its doing it again. It wont even boot up now. It gets to the desktop and locks up every time. It wont respond to anything. I have to hold the power button down to get it to turn off. If not for the Powerbook Im on now we wouldnt have a computer at all. My wife wants "her" computer back up and running. Thank you in advance for any help with this problem.

03-17-2004, 03:03 PM	#2 (permalink)
preet2u Ultra Techie Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 872	This could be either a simple heat issue ( which i think it is) or could be a case of faulty memory Check the temperatures of ur CPU in the bios ...n' post 'em .. As i understand from ur post ..ur system is 3 years old ..n' if there has been dust accumalation on the Cpu heatsink fan ..it could lead to increase in CPU temps ..Hence the freezeing of the system. What i would suggest is that u clean the CPU heatsink Fan .. probably apply a new layer of heatsink compound(artic silver) N' as an immediate solution ..leave the side panels of ur Case open. Alternatively .. if u don't find the temperatures high ..then ..u can try by removing one of the memory modules (i'm assuming that there are 2 ..) or try out with different memory edit Please post ur system specs the nxt time u post __________________ Screenshots of my Desktop.....Post ur\'s too AMD AthlonXP3000+@ 2.2GHz, Cooler Master Aero 7+, Gigabyte 7NNXP , 1GB Kingston HyperX PC3200 Dual Channel , MSI FX5600 VTDR 256 ,Pinnacle PCTV , 120+120GB Barracuda , Liteon 52x CDRW , Samsung DVDROM , Benq DW1620 16x DVD ReWriter, Phillips 21\" TV,Samsung Syncmaster 763MB,Logitech Cordless MX DUO , Thermaltake Silent PurePower 480W Butterfly Series PSU, Win XP SP2,RH9. Creative DDTS100 Decoder, Creative Inspire TD7700 7.1 Speakers Search tech forums B4 u post { Thanks for this one! Emily }

03-17-2004, 08:03 PM	#4 (permalink)
m3z Junior Techie Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 81	Also have you check for viruses he could have a worm??!! __________________ Motherboard:Gigabyte GA-8KNXP SATA 8X/4X AGP PRO Processor:Pentium 4 3.4 Video: NVidia TNT2 RIVA, Sound Blaster Live Ram: 4 gig of Kingston DDR Ram (3200) Hard Drive:maxtor x2 120 gig ATA133 w/ 8meg buffer

03-17-2004, 08:08 PM	#5 (permalink)
paintballer Super Techie Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 317	This happens to my laptop whenever I play games on it. I think its heat but I havent really looked at it yet. Also, it can't be a virus m3z. When you format your hard drive the viruses will be wiped (unless of course he has multiple hard drives and the virus was on one of them.) __________________ Athlon 64 X2 4200+ Biostar T-Force 550 2GB Gskill Ram 250GB Western Digital 200GB Western Digital 2 DVD Burners Apevia 500W PSU XION Solaris Case XFX GeForce 8600GT Hanns·G HG-191RP 19" 2ms Widescreen LCD Ubuntu, Windows XP ________________________ Acer Aspire 5570-2609

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

03-17-2004, 04:26 PM	#3 (permalink)
ekÃ†sine Wizard Techie Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 3,940	thats some good advice preet. i think it is most likely from a power supply failing or the processor is overheating. i'm not sure about memory being the culprit, i suppose that is possible since that computer is quite old.

03-17-2004, 10:02 PM	#6 (permalink)
G4PBuser Newb Techie Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 2	I have one HD a 15 GIG. Its a 566mhz,64mbRam. I cleaned it out when i Installed the NIC card 4 days ago. Thanks for the help guys. I will take it apart and reclean it just in case.