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Mysterious PC rebooting (1 Viewer)

Ari

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Aug 3, 1999
Messages
202
Ever since I assembled my first PC some months ago, I've always had the problem of my PC rebooting all by itself. Sometimes an app would hang and sometimes I'd get a blue screen before the PC reboots but sometimes the computer will just reboot without any warning.
I don't know what causes this but I do have a few suspects: bad RAM, inadequate power supply, inadequate cooling etc. but I haven't determined what circumstances the reboots happen -- it's totally unpredictable.
Here's what I'm running:
Athlon 900
Asus A7V
256MB PC133 RAM
Seagate 30GB
Plextor CDRW
GeForce2 MX
Win 98SE
 

Iain Lambert

Screenwriter
Joined
Jun 7, 1999
Messages
1,345
If you think it might be bad RAM, try going into the BIOS and set the memory to be clocked at the FSB speed of 100, rather than the FSB+1/3 which is the normal setting for PC133 memory. By underclocking the memory it should be more stable (if, as you guess, that is where the problem is). Alternatively, it might be the power (it often is with Athlons). What are you rated for?
 

Ari

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Aug 3, 1999
Messages
202
I've actually already set the FSB (early on) to 100 but I still get the same problem.
I've got a 300-watt PS but it's not "Athlon-approved". I do quite a bit of video capture and editing so I'm thinking of upgrading to a 430-watt Athlon-approved PS.......
 

Jeff R.

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
May 31, 1999
Messages
175
I had a similar problem years back when I put together a dual processor system. I diagnosed the problem as inadequate cooling primarily from the high end video card I had installed. I added a couple additional fans (one inside the case and one on the video card) and the problem went away. Try running your computer a little while without the cover and see if you still have the same problem. Removing the cover should provide sufficient cooling but probably isn't a very safe perminant solution.
 

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