computer question

[CAP1]

ok. the computer in the back room of my house. it's an approx. 3 year old acer(yea i know, ya don't hafta tell me). it's running windoxe xp sp 2.


it is(was) connected to the internet. i keep it back there for when mom visits. there's rarely been any problems with it. till now that is.

 she told me that when she'd try to log into her bank account, that the screen would go black, then it'd reboot. i figure no problem, go in, and run spybot. it runs for about 45 seconds, then the system reboots. so i put it into safemode, and ran spybot there. after a minute or two, it simply stops. so i try to do a system restore. nada. now unless i bring it into safemode, it runs on an endless rebooting cycle.

 i'm trying to not have to buy another one, so does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

thanks!!

[branch37]

My PC had the "endless rebooting cycle" you mention and it was because of a power surge.  I ended up replacing the mother board 

[CAP1]

My PC had the "endless rebooting cycle" you mention and it was because of a power surge.  I ended up replacing the mother board 

if it's got a bad motherboard, it's a target now. 

[gyrene81]

if it's got a bad motherboard, it's a target now. 

May be a heat issue, or the PSU going bad...as of right now you're looking at a minimum of a reload just to get to the point where you can rule out software.

[batch]

could be alot of different things......... might just be so dirty inside that its getting hot enough to reboot that fast....... last time I seen something like that was on mother-in-law computer......... her power supply fan wouldnt even spin it had so much dust built up in it......

on the other hand I also had a similar problem with a windows installation on someones computer....... simply reinstalling windows fixed it......

or it might be a more serious problem...... hard to say

always try to fix the easy things first though....... check if it needs cleaned up........ check all the internal connections, cards, etc........ try reinstalling windows...... try a different PSU.......

dont always have to rush out and buy a new computer everytime something goes wrong

[trigger2]

It's getting past POST so odds are, it's not a mobo issue, seems more like a HD issue, if you're not getting the "beeps of death" on startup, it pretty much rules out Processor, Mobo, and memory. So if you have an XP OEM, just run that, if not, PM me.

~Trig.

[TinmanX]

Very much sounds like a heat issue to me.

[trigger2]

Very much sounds like a heat issue to me.

Not to me, because if it was heat, it wouldn't happen when responding to programs, it would happen in response to time, so it would seem more "random." How he is describing it is when he goes to start a program or visit a few specific websights, it reboots, and in safe mode, freezes, and freezing is not something that comes from heat (it's lack there of, heh, sorry, had to make the pun ). Again, I think it's the HD...

[branch37]

What are the "beeps of death"        <<<< Computer stupid 

[MrRiplEy[H]]

If it runs in safemode chances are a device driver is bad or your antivirus crashes the box.

Or one very likely chance is that you have a virus. Format, reinstall windows and see again.

[batch]

reading back through the post reminded me of what you said........ tried to restore and now unless you enter safemode youre on a rebooting cycle.......... seen this happen plenty of times when the system shutoff or stopped during a reboot checkdisk.......... it wont startup in normal mode until the checkdisk is completed and unfortunately because it was stopped inadvertantly it will never complete.......

however I think this symptom is unrelated to the original problem ....... a complete format and reinstall may fix both problems....... or it may just fix the reboot problem and leave you with the original

that would be the first step though..... chances are good that if its another problem (heat, PSU, etc) youll never get through the first step and will have to start looking at the hardware side of things

[OOZ662]

What are the "beeps of death"        <<<< Computer stupid 

BIOS (Basic Input-Output System) POST (Power On Self Test) beep codes. You'll note that in most cases a computer will beep once when you first turn it on. If more than one beep occurs, there's been a hardware failure.

[CAP1]

cool...thanks for the responses guys.

the only things mom usually does on that machine, is check her bank account, pay some bills online, and she seems hooked on those stupid flash type games....you know....like the ones at popcap? she says she's never clicked a link or anything, but we'll see.

 i also forgot to mention, that the first thing i did was to disconnect that machine from the router.


gonna check it tonight, to see if the powersupply fan is functioning.......and make sure it's not caked with dirt.

 i wasn't planning on replacing it. if it's toast, and not a relatively easy fix, then there simply won't be a computer back there anymore.

thanks guys!

[trigger2]

I wasn't planning on replacing it. if it's toast, and not a relatively easy fix, then there simply won't be a computer back there anymore.

Reinstalling the OS will pretty much fix anything (unless it's a hardware issue ), and it's pretty easy to do, like I said, if you don't have an XP OEM, PM me and I'll see if I can get you hooked up with one.

[CAP1]

Reinstalling the OS will pretty much fix anything (unless it's a hardware issue ), and it's pretty easy to do, like I said, if you don't have an XP OEM, PM me and I'll see if I can get you hooked up with one.

thanks dude...i'll look when i go home tonight. while i bought the machine frm a computer shop, in a sealed box, i seem to remember no cd being in there....but i'm not sure. there is the serial number authentication sticker(or whatever they call that thing) on the computer though.