computer troubles

[vee_ess]

This is the wierdest...I have built a computer that keeps restarting at random regaurdless of any program im in. it is not the OS because it does this in Win ME & Win 2k. I have replaced all the hardware in it 1 piece at a time. Here is a list of all the parts: SPAM SPAMproduct SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAMreplaced w/
ABIT kt7a-raid mother board SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM same product
AMD ATHLON t-bird 1.00GHZ SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM replaced a 750 Duron
Western Digital 30 Gig HD SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM same product
Crucial 128mb pc133 ram SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAMCorsair Micro 256mb pc133
Antec case & 300W PS. SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAMreplaced a 250W Power supply
Mitsumi FDD SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM N/A SPAM SPAM SPAM (didn't replace)
Pacific Digitial 4x4x24x CDRW SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAMN/A SPAM SPAM SPAM (didn't replace)
S3 Trio-4 4mb video card (cheap crap) SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAMELSA Gforce2MX 32MB SDRAM

This is my base configuration in which it restarts, therefore all other add-in cards and drives are not the problem. I have replaced everything except the Burner and Floppy Drive with either another of the same model or same type of product. I did one thing wrong when replacing the video card was that i didn't format the hard drive and re-install everything.
The weirdest part...This thing restarts anywhere doing anything every 20 minutes to 4 hours, but when I plugged the power supply directly into the socket and not my surge protector, it only restarted about once a day, making it at least bearable.

[SinnopS]

well, oddness. forst of all, do which bios are you running? sometimes that makes a world of diffrence. you have the latest via drivers? i am thinking bios...see if thats it

[Keefe]

make sure that it is a athlon approved power supply and make sure that power management is turned off in the BIOS.

[junk21]

I had the same problem in win2k and my Geforce2MX, you need the newest NVIDIA driver 12.something, otherwise your PC will restart "randomly"... Good luck

[the_warlord]

um , what they said + download and install the latest 4 in 1 motherboard drivers for the via chipset from www.viahardware.com

the latest ones are V 4.32 i think:)

if your power outlet in your house is flakey, then the symptoms you describe will appear, although it sounds more like a software problem. see if you can borrow a "power conditioner" for a while. this device gives you a clean, regulated power supply.

good luck man!

[Superman53142]

I'd have to say the power supply may be too weak. SPAMI have an Antec 300W in my 1Ghz Athlon too but everyone's computer is different. SPAMYou may want to try getting an Enlight 340W or Enermax 431W and see if it still restarts spontaniously.

[Grinnin Reaper]

If you know someone that has a line monitor plug that into the wall for a day and see if you're gettin' surge's or power drops. SPAMA line conditioner may help if your line is getting surge's but I don't beleive it will be much help if your getting voltage drops. SPAMThe surge protector could just amplify the problem causing the increase of occurances like your seeing. SPAMIf your truly seeing diffrences depending on wether it's plugged into the wall versus the surge protector I doubt it's the software/drivers. SPAMYou may want to get a UPS anyway. SPAMOffice depot has some decent models under $100 dollars all the way down to about $50 if I remember right. SPAMAnyway it's a good investment even if it ain't the problem. SPAMYou could allways use an extra 10 minutes of fraggin' when the lights go out.

[Keefe]

Is your house newer or old? SPAMAlot of times old wiring does not give enough voltage to keep the power supply stable. SPAMOr, if you have tons of things plugged into one circuit that could cause the problem. SPAMWhen you are in the room and you turn on an electronic device do you ever notive a slight dimming of the lights? SPAMI live in a rather new house and i had that problem. SPAMI have 4 computers, a stereo, tv, vcr, dvd player and a bunch of other things in my room. SPAMI went out at bought a small UPS and it took the troubles away...plus when the power goes out you can still surf the web!!

[Northern_Soul]

Dunno the definitive answer to this but I do know certain web host software causes PCs to restart. I believe the one I saw in action was AOL. I was not working for the company involved therefore I could not investigate any further. Obviously a line of command had got caught up in the logout/shut down exe file. I would have loved to have had a try at fixing it but I could not. Probably not the same thing in this case though.

[vee_ess]

first off, sorry i didn't respond, i lost internet service as i usually use a free service and there are few and when i came back i couldn't find this, i didn't wee there was a search. i still saw the advice though.

the problem has come back strong with a vengance and i think i might think about ups's. (it never went away completely, just went mild.) I do have my lights go dim for a split second and then go back, so it looks like my voltage is not consistently high enough. yeah, my house is old, from october or november '85, only 2 months before me born :). I just realized that when i moved the comp to another room, and it happened less often, the new room doesn't have so many of the light dimming instances in a given time. thank you guys and gals.

also, i do have all the latest drivers and BIOS's when this does this. where can i get line monitors and power conditioners?

[vee_ess]

first off, i know it is not anything software related. it restarts even as i install the OS and as it has restarted while booting up before the OS starts booting up! :( craziness. yeah whenever i turn on my stereo, a monster system using well over a kwatt, lights dim and when bass comes on strong lights sort of flash, not bright flashes but visible dimming. also sometimes when there is even just a light on in any of the rooms, every once in a while they'll just dim.

i saw a voltage monitor at radioshack for 9.99 but it is an analog readout and so i would have to mod it so that it would pull a string or something so that i could see if the voltage ever drops. what do you think?

If you know someone that has a line monitor plug that into the wall for a day and see if you're gettin' surge's or power drops. SPAMA line conditioner may help if your line is getting surge's but I don't beleive it will be much help if your getting voltage drops. SPAMThe surge protector could just amplify the problem causing the increase of occurances like your seeing. SPAMIf your truly seeing diffrences depending on wether it's plugged into the wall versus the surge protector I doubt it's the software/drivers. SPAMYou may want to get a UPS anyway. SPAMOffice depot has some decent models under $100 dollars all the way down to about $50 if I remember right. SPAMAnyway it's a good investment even if it ain't the problem. SPAMYou could allways use an extra 10 minutes of fraggin' when the lights go out.

[TheRogue]

wtf was the point in bumping a 20 month old thread?

[CiKoTiC]

Newb. :nod: