Spontaneous Reboots

[Ollie Cook]

I've just taken delivery of a new system which reboots spontaneously. It only happens when being used; if you leave it alone it doesn't reboot. The reboots don't follow a pattern that I can see; and happen with any program.

The spec is as follows:

ABit Socket 370 mobo with BX chipset
Intel Celeron 433 (66MHz FSB)
64MB 100MHz SDRAM
ATI Gury-128 AGP 16MB graphics adapater
Quantum U-66 10.2GB EIDE HDD
Creative 48x CD EIDE
SB16PCI sound card
ps/2 keyboard and intellimouse
HP Scanjet 3300 USB

The system is running Win98SE.

Any ideas?

Ollie

[Mntsnow]

Usually from my experiances a "spontanious reboot" is caused by 'dirty power" or heating problems

Mntsnow

[Ollie Cook]

Thanks for the swift reply. The CPU temp is loitering around 40degC and according to the BIOS all voltages are within .1V of the specified value.

Does that sound good/bad/indifferent?

Regards,
Ollie

[BEOR999]

I suspect a power surge hrough the logical switch, try a surge protector, or replace the switch...

[Nathan G]

To see if its a heat problem, remove the chassis covers and see if it improves or stops re-booting (possibly place a fan blowing in for test).

[Ollie Cook]

I will try a surge protector; one other thing... sometimes the power switch doesn't work.. do you think that's a connection?

Rgds,
Ol.

[Nathan]

If you received the system fully assembled, then I would call the company and make them fix it.

There is another thought though. What kind of software did you install after getting it? Maybe something within one of the programs is the problem.

Have you tried turning off power management in both CMOS and in Windows?

[BBA]

PCI WINmodems have also been known to cause spontaneous rebooting, not that you have one, or do you? I suspect you have some kind of modem.

[Starcraft_Ak]

i have spontanious rebooting problems too and i have an lt pci winmodem could that cause it? i also have a 2x propetuary cd-rom drive and when that's being accessed it'll do it too. (thats kinda weird a 2x in a k6-2-350 o/c to 450 huh)

[BEOR999]

sometimes the power switch doesn't work..

If it's ATX, then I would suspect the logical switch need's replacing. I would still reccomend a surge protector on this one though.

If it was heat related I would expect the PC to shut down and you would be unable to power on again for 5-10 min's while the temp reduced.

As you explain it, it is a re-boot. So PSU, or Switch...

[Ollie Cook]

BBA: I don't have a modem, only a NIC which I use to connect to my home LAN (and thence via fibreoptics to the internet).

I will telephone the company now to see what they say; armed with all this advise they can't deny me!

All the best, and thanks

Ollie

[Ollie Cook]

Well; they have tentatively suggested that it may be a mobo problem.. I'm going to get them to look at the system in the new year..

Thanks for your continuing help,
Ollie

[cyphen]

i had a very similar problem about 2 years ago with a system i put together - sometimes it was spontaneous reboots, but there were certain circumstances where i could make it reboot - for instance using quarterdeck manifest under dos and clicking on one of the panels ( i forget which) i sent the MB back, and the processor back to the respective companies i bought them from. They tested the mb and said it was fine, and sent it back to me. Turns out the processor was faulty, and i got a new one, and the problems vanished. Food for thought.

[UncaDanno]

I was having spontaneous reboot problems a while back. Wiped and reloaded, replaced modem, sound card, video card, and PS. New mobo did the trick (under warranty, thank God).

[This message has been edited by UncaDanno (edited 12-27-1999).]