presario 5838 keeps restarting

Hi All,

This'll be short...since my computer keeps restarting and I lose
whatever I'm working on...

Presario 5838
Win 98 SE
no recent upgrades or installs

computer spontaneously restarts...in Windows, in Dos, while various
software is running, when nothing is running

The monitor goes black, indicator light blinks orange
HDD light goes out, Power light stays on and I can hear the fan still
running

After a few miutes, the HDD indicator light blinks, the monitor light
comes on then the screen comes on as the system reboots (usually into
the Scandisk with the message "to avoid seeing this screen, shut down
windows properly"

I've tried to run a thorough scandisk (in Dos & windows),,,it restarts
before it can finish

I've tried to run a virus scan and Ad-Aware full system scan

again...it hasn't been able to complete before a restart.

I've reinstalled windows, i've reinstalled the video drivers

i've gone into MSConfig and unchecked anything that didn't need to be
checked

it's restarted itself while in safe mode

Any advice would be greatly appreciated
Thanks...Karen

p.s. I replaced the power supply about a year ago

 

Can you remove the case lid, see if it does it.

 

Restarts are often due to either an overheating processor or a memory
failure. "doS" suggested you remove the cover from the case, and that
is a good idea for several reasons. One is that it will allow more air
into the case and possibly allow better cooling. Also, it will allow
the following:

First, is the fan for the processor running? If so, is the heat sink
too hot to touch with your fingers?

If you are OK on those tests, suspect your RAM if you are failing from
a failure to a DOS floppy disk boot.

If the DOS boot is OK, and you fail upon a HD boot, it could still be
RAM, but could also be the HD. Take it one step at a time and tell us
what you observed.

 

Interesting, it reboots after a few minutes, but you were able to re-
install windows. What resources does a Windows install not use? High
order memory.

Over-heating and RAM problems usually manifest themselves with other
random faults including re-boots. Do you get any other problems, such
as hangs, Blue Screens of Death? When you say that it re-boots after a
few minutes, how long is a few minutes?

If a boot from a DOS floppy is stable, you could run a thorough Scandisk
from DOS.

There are other possibilities worth following up, all done one at a
time. Otherwise you might not know what was the problem if you solve
it, or create new problems and not know what caused the problem.

Blowing out the accumulated detritus is always a good idea. Buy a can
of compressed gas designed for blowing out dirt, you can buy them from
computer stores and photographic stores. Hold the fans when you clean
them, otherwise the current generated by a revolving fan may do damage.
Pay particular attention to unoccupied ISA and memory slots, fans and
heat sinks. Dirt can conduct electricity and inhibits cooling.

 

Hi all,

Thanks for the responses. I've taken the cover of the unit, and pulled
out and put back in: the video card, the sound card, and the two RAM
chips...the system has been running fine ever since. I was able to
complete a full scan disk, anti-virus scan and ad-aware scan (all
negative). No re-starts whatsoever.

Now to put the case back on and see what happens!

Cheers,
Karen )