Random System Rebooting

[geo3tech]

My mom's computer is an old compaq from 2001. It's like 1.2 amd and like two 256mb ram.

My mom is having problems working on it because it keeps on restarting randomly. I took each of the memory sticks, tested using each of them individually, and then it still rebooted. I was pretty sure it wasn't the memory sticks that were screwed up, if it was that means both of em were bad. Anyways, does that mean it's a heat problem or a motherboard, other problem???

O yeah. one weird problem. Sometimes when the comp reboots, it doesn't start up, we get the black screen of death, but it comes back alive if we leave it alone for like 1-5 min alone, while it's still powered on and the monitor comes on and then, shutsback down like randomly.

Could u guys please give me advices? I appreciate it.

 

[brinks]

Maybe there is sometime wrong with your power supply.

 

[zerozero]

Check and make sure that all fans are turning. How dirty is it? Dust prevents heat transfer so using canned air, clean it up if it is dirty (including video card fan and PSU). After a reboot, enter bios and check temperature for overheating problems. If that doesn't fix it, do a minimum startup (HDD, 1 memory stick and video card) and let it run to see if problem reoccurs. Yes your PS might be going but almost anything could cause the restart. Try all the hardware in another computer (like you did for the RAM) and see if any piece causes shutdown.

 

[gabe]

*ding* *ding* *ding* *ding* Survey Says!! PSU

 

[jcline]

I have had that issue happen with bad memory, so it would be worth testing new memory.

What OS?

How many fans? How long since you cleaned out the case and case fans?

 

[geo3tech]

I have had that issue happen with bad memory, so it would be worth testing new memory.

I already tested each memory stick seperately. Both still rebooted. So i'm assuming it's not the mem's fault.

Check and make sure that all fans are turning. How dirty is it? Dust prevents heat transfer so using canned air, clean it up if it is dirty (including video card fan and PSU)

I have cleaned it and it's pretty clean. Some dust is on the heatsink, but i can't get that unless i rip it out.

After a reboot, enter bios and check temperature for overheating problems

After a reboot, enter bios and check temperature for overheating problems

This is a compaq from 2001. So it doesn't really have a temperature function in bios so i can't check it out.

 

[geo3tech]

Okay. now the computer won't load up windows. What's up??? I have done virus scans and cleaning up but nothing was detected. So is this psu problem?

 

[gabe]

*cough*Swap out the PSU*cough*

 

[quartz01]

its may be the PSU, but I have a compaq Persario 5005cl from 2001 and it came loaded with Windows ME (worst OS ever!!!) and had almost the exact same problem!!! as soon as i installed mandrake 10.0 (linux) i had no problems what so ever. I am now running windows XP home edition and have never encountered the same problem again

 

[vance43211]

I had the same problem with my kid old computer (Compaq Presario 500 something)

it have a problem with pc133 ram

changing it to pc100 fixed it

that was stange too. because any computer that handle pc 100 should handle pc 133 ram