Computer Woes

[bennylaird]

I don't agree. A faulty HDD usually doesn't cause intermittent restarts.
A faulty HDD causes things to go slow & speed up & go slow & then certain aps will close with an error.
Reboots without warning are usually the M/B or the PSU.

In the past I would have said the same, but the problem was not related to the memory storage as I had fully checked it for bad sectors etc. Xp was reloaded 3 times. Same thing kept occuring with no real pattern. Put another drive in, problem fixed. Mind you power supply had been changed out at first, memory changed and then a new cooling fan, motherboard was next but I used an old drive to do diagnostics and everything was fine. I put the drive back in and it started random reboots again. Drive is now land fill.

Intermittant motherboard faults are also hard to find until you bite the bullet and change it out. The worst thing is suspecting a software error and wasting so much time trying to fix it. Usually resulting in reformatting, reloading etc.

[journeyman Mick]

Dazzler,
you've had all the technical/expert advise, now for the practical/fun advice .
1) Buy new box
2) Attach all your bits - screen, mouse, keyboard etc
3) Load all your software
4) Load all your data
5) Throw the other box out the window

Steps 1 -4 are pretty mundane but step 5 will go a long way to easing all the frustration and anger you've experienced due to its little tantrums.

Mick

[Ianab]

GIGABYTE - GA6VEML :eek:

It has prob'ly got 'fat caps'.

Yup.. got a few of those in the 'dead' box under the desk

The failing caps give the same symptoms as a dodgy power supply (hanging - rebooting). But a new PC, or at least the box may be the simplist option. The old machine is just a spare parts organ donor after that.

Cheers

Ian

[ivanavitch]

Pop the RAM out and clean the contacts with a soft cloth. Make sure you are earthed at the time (lean on the sink with your elbows). Refit and retry.

[felixe]

Hi Dazzler,
How is the power supply down in Tassie, has it improved since they changed the name of the HEC and privatised it? My memories are of fluctuating power, which leads me to recommending an uninteruptable power supply unit - UPS.
My current computer suffered a "brown out" in Brisbane last year, this caused the system to reboot while in the middle of a backup. Following this the computer became erratic and kept re-booting without warning (similar to yours) and also would freeze. Off to the local computer shop and it was found to have fried the MB and buggered the HD. So after discussions with the owner he recommended a UPS and we now have two powerware systems in place for the computers, at a cost less (per computer)than it was to replace the MB and Harddrive, the UPS costs $115 and the repairwork was a lot more. The best thing about the UPS is it connects by USB to the computer and if the power drops out completely it safely shuts the system down!
BTW, I was running a surge protector when it happened but this did not stop the drop in power and for the cost of not much more than a powerboard I now have better protection.

Regards,
Felixe.