Computer Restarts for no reason

[Xerlic]

About a week ago, my computer started to restart or freeze for no reason. It would do this at random times, such as when I was browsing a website or playing FFXI. It would usually take a few tries to start up the computer again. IE, reboot, windows starts up, reboots again. After a couple times of doing this, the computer would work fine for a day or so.

Today, after rebooting 10 times in a row, I decided to do something about it. Hoping it was software related, I booted Windows in Safe Mode to run a virus scan. Didn't turn up anything. Then did a partial format and then a full format. Things got a little better since I can do stuff like browse websites or do stuff in Word/Powerpoint. But, every time I try to install FFXI, the comp either restarts or freezes again.

At this point, I'm assuming it's an issue with hardware and not software. I'm guessing it's a problem with memory since a few times I got a blue screen saying something about dumping physical memory. I don't know how else to isolate the problem. I don't think it's a heating problem since the room where the computer is located is pretty cool, and I haven't really changed any of the hardware in the computer for over a year.

Any thoughts? Help pls. =(

[Koga]

I'm not too good with hardware but I would guess its bad memory/RAM and your PC is crashing whenever it starts working off the bad 'sector' so to speak.

[GSDragoon]

Sounds like a classic overheating problem. Check for dust and that the heatsink and fan are on and working properly. What happens is your montherboard has a setting in the BIOS to automaticly shut down if the CPU reaches a certain temp. This way it shuts down before anything breaks. So you go to turn it back on and it's still hot, and turns back off automaticly. Are you overclocking?

[Killgannon]

could be any number of things

PSU going bad
HDD going bad
RAM going bad
or just overheating

try using ultimate boot cd (ubcd.sf.net) and running memtest86, and whatever HD you have's test utility

[Kitami]

Personally, I would start with checking how much dust is collected on the heat sink and CPU and check to see if the CPU itself isn't over heating. The temperature of the room being cool helps, but the CPU itself can still overheat if heat sink is going bad or thermal paste/thermal pad-thing the CPU has on it is going bad. I once had this happen and it caused my computer to restart a lot and slow down to crawl, but after blowing out dust and reapplying new thermal paste it fixed the problem perfectly.

If that doesn't seem to help, I'd next examine the HD. Since you mentioned it got a little better after a format, but freezes upon trying to install, that might allude to the fact that the HD has gone bad and you need to replace it.

Anything beyond that would kind of look like a Mobo problem, and that'd be a worse case scenario to worry about, so I would look at the CPU temperate and HD and see if that didn't help before worrying about the Mobo.

Other people can probably give you more in-depth ways to check for errors, but these are just the steps I would personally take. Good luck finding the problem.

[Shuemue]

Quite possible that it's just Windows falling over. FDISK that bitch.

[Vyvian]

A seemingly reason-less reboot in windows XP = a blue screen of death that was so fast you didn't see it.

I'm guessing it's a problem with memory since a few times I got a blue screen saying something about dumping physical memory.

Especially if it happens repeatedly. I'd run a chkdsk /f /r c: and let it check for file-system damage (it will tell you to do it at reboot).
You may also just check if your ram is seated properly and your virtual memory settings are adequate for any application overload. FFXI for example can take up to 512mb of ram to keep up if you're doing something really intensive (like dynamis or besieged).

Windows behaves one of 2 ways when it starts to have memory issues; it either locks up for a long time trying to figure it out in some infinite loop, or it immediately gets blocked by the NT memory management, shows you a blue screen, and usually instantly reboots right after so you don't usually see the blue screen.

Memory errors are usually problems with the installed programs, sometimes chkdsk can fix erroneous areas of the file system and the problem goes away, secondly if you have too low (or no) virtual memory, you could be using too much ram and ran out of addressable space, and the worst case scenario is 1 tiny part of 1 of your chips is bad and windows freaks out whenever it gets addressed.

[Snowknight26]

Vista:
Windows Key + Pause/Break -> Advanced System Settings -> Settings under Startup and Recovery -> Uncheck Automatically Restart.

XP:
Windows Key + Pause/Break -> Advanced Tab -> Settings under Startup and Recovery -> Uncheck Automatically Restart.

[Xerlic]

Thanks everyone for the tips. I'm pretty sure that the problem is faulty RAM, but I'll know for certain tomorrow. I pulled out 2/3 of my RAM sticks, and my computer hasn't restarted yet when I've installed several programs, so I'm crossing my fingers. I'm going to burn an UltimateBootCD iso tomorrow, so I'll be able to run memtest to find out for sure.

I ran chkdsk and that didn't report any errors. Also, cleaned out a lot of dust that was in my tower and on the various fans. Hopefully this fixes my problem. BTW, I'm using Windows 2000, not XP. I know all about the default setting in XP where it restarts on a blue screen to make it look like it wasn't Windows fault in a crash lol.

[Xerlic]

Spoke too soon. =( Just got a blue screen that said this:

0x0000000A (0x80041DFC, 0x00000002, 0x00000000, 0x8044A22C)

8044A22C base at 80400000, Date Stamp 38429617 - ntoskrnl.exe

Beginning dump of physical memory.

No clue what this means. XD

[Koga]

0x0A is hardware issue iirc.

[Snowknight26]

Generic help goes here.

[Sigi]

Historically, that error refers to failing hardware, usually memory.

[Bardicrune]

Check your motherboard and powersupply capacitors. They may be leaking. I work for a company that had a problem with thousands of computers that used faulty capacitors in the motherboards and powersupplies. We had the exact same symptoms you have described. PC's restarting on their own and bluescreening. You can normally visibly determine if this is the problem. The capacitors will be swollen or leaking a brownish fluid. Check the website http://www.badcaps.net for more info.