I am unsure, but I know a dead optical drive stopped a friend's computer from POSTing (it would just hang while checking that channel), so I made the assumption. Really just a suggestion, I don't have the hardware know-how to determinewhat if it can actually cause such reboots, but in retrospect, if they are inconsisent (ie one time it boots fine first try, wihle others it takes varying numbers of tries, then it is unlikely to be your drive, which should treoetically generate consistant patterns of failures. But since it apparently doesn't wrok, there is no sense having it connected to your comp unless you are trying to fix it.
Anyway, I wouldn't trust 2/$5 bulk surge protects with much. My UPS (350W, I think (weak...) ), cost me only $30 and has 4 battery/surge outlets, 2 surge outlets, and a USB hookup (which I guess is pretty common for UPSs, although I don't use it). Made by Belkin. And even though it's battery is weak, it appears to be able to handle load (at a LAN I had my comp and monitor running off of it, as well as another comp, an LCD, a very old linux box, and a 15 inch CRT. Heh, we ran that whole 12+ computer party off 2 outlets in a 1950s building :0