Strange problem

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mart1n

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Hi, first post here so sorry if it's in the wrong section. I am looking at a freinds pc as he is having a lot of problems with it locking up or restarting on its own.
It is a Packard Bell I Media 5094 running XP home SP2. sometimes it will restart when it gets to the user log in stage other times not. If you can log in, it will crash when you try to open control panel, or any document folders, and a DrWatson error message pops up and the pc freezes. I think I have ruled out any virus / spyware etc as the system has been scaneed fully with everything I can think of and even the Hijack this log looks ok. The display is also a bit strange, with odd colours appearing on things ie. task manager toolbar will be pink and sometimes the buttons do not appear until you hover the mouse over them, in addition to this, the monitor will appear loose its signal occasionaly for a second or two. It is not the monitor as this is the second monitor and the symptoms are the same. I am thinking maybe PSU or RAM failure? anyone got any other ideas? My mate is pretty skint so cant realy afford to keep trying lots of different things.
Thanks in advance, and sorry about the long post.
 
Well I think your on track with the PSU and RAM could also be Video. Have you tried safe mode to see how it runs?
Also try to reset the Bios to default.
If noting else I would try to reinstall windows to rule out software and if you still have problems at least you'll be sure its hardware , which it sounds like it is.
 
I would start with the video drivers, then video card itself. If that's not the problem, look at a bigger PSU or the PSU may be dying. Check your temps too.
 
While I was poking around with it yesterday I discovered the CMOS battery was dead so instructed my mate on how to change it and reset CMOS settings and he reckons the system working fine now. The symptoms didn't strike me as being common with battery failure, and I didn't notice any of the regular CMOS battery failure symptoms (time and date change etc) I will be looking at it again on Monday eve and will run a RAM test just in case. Will update on the condition of his pc then just in case anyone else experiences the same problem. A couple of quid for a new CMOS battery beats forking out for new RAM and a PSU anyday.

Cheers for the suggestions.
 
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