Computer is constantly rebooting itself.

Fadardo

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Jun 10, 2007
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I am trying to fix an our church's computer that constantly reboots itself randomly.

95% of the time it usually reboots while in the boot process even before windows drivers have begun to be loaded into memory, sometimes before the ram has even been detected, other times shortly after the hdd has been detected.

Sometimes I can make it into windows for about 1-2 minutes, but usually restart itself about 10-20 seconds into boot process.

I've been able to eliminate the problem down to the motherboard, cpu or the psu. Since I don't have any spare parts to swap out how can I go about narrowing it down to these last three components.

Its an old celeron computer from 2001. So its understandable that a component eventually died on it.

Any help is appreciated.
 

Fadardo

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Jun 10, 2007
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The heatsink isn't hot when touched and the cpu fan is still spinning, so I don't think its an overheating cpu.

I reset the cmos, by taking out the battery and reseting the jumper just like the mobo manual instructs. So if the bios settings somehow screwed up the CPU voltage they are now back at factory default.

Still I'm getting the exact same symptoms.

On a side note, my computer ALWAYS restarts instantaniously after i press [del key] to enter bios.
 

Cutthroat

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Apr 13, 2002
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If there`s more than one stick of RAM try them separately, and also in different slots.

Visually inspect the motherboard, especially for busted, leaking capacitors.

Reseat all power connections and cards.

Unlikely but, try pressing something else other than `DEL` during POST, if it crashes try swapping the keyboard.

But my guess is the PSU as well.
 

Fadardo

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Jun 10, 2007
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Originally posted by: Cutthroat
If there`s more than one stick of RAM try them separately, and also in different slots.

Visually inspect the motherboard, especially for busted, leaking capacitors.

Reseat all power connections and cards.

Unlikely but, try pressing something else other than `DEL` during POST, if it crashes try swapping the keyboard.

But my guess is the PSU as well.

Yup I've done most of that already.....

I've already checked the ram, swapped it out with a stick I 100% know works.

I've already inspected for any blown capacitors or anything out of the ordinary.

I've already re-set every cable except the main mobo 20pin power connector.
There are no expansion cards to reseat; everything is onboard including gpu and spu.

When I occasionally make it into windows or past the point I can press [del] to get into bios the comp doesn't reset when [del] is pressed. Tried with a new keyboard as well.


I'm just wondering if it could be the mobo since it ALWAYS restarts instantly when entering bios. Maybe the temperature gauge is faulty on the mobo and it restarts the comp because it thinks the cpu is overheating....?
 

Cutthroat

Golden Member
Apr 13, 2002
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Could be a bad mobo, but the only way to tell is to eliminate everything else as a possibility first. Since you are trying to fix and old PC I would try to find an old PSU somewhere first, if it doesn't work, you likely need a new mobo, probably new PC in this case.
 

Fadardo

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Jun 10, 2007
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I just took a closer look at the mobo( god I don't know how I could have missed this) and 5 of the capacitors are bulging and the tops are covered in dried yellow gunk(likely capacitor fluid).

So I got some blown cpacitors, so whats the next assumption I should make? That my psu is likely the culperate in causing the capacitors to blow?

I have a cheap $25 digital multimeter and no experience using it, could I test the psu with that?
 

Cutthroat

Golden Member
Apr 13, 2002
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Originally posted by: Fadardo
I just took a closer look at the mobo( god I don't know how I could have missed this) and 5 of the capacitors are bulging and the tops are covered in dried yellow gunk(likely capacitor fluid).

So I got some blown cpacitors, so whats the next assumption I should make? That my psu is likely the culperate in causing the capacitors to blow?

I have a cheap $25 digital multimeter and no experience using it, could I test the psu with that?

Cheap manufacturing from the era when your mobo was made is the reason your caps are blown. PSU probably is OK. If you can find another motherboard that will support everything you have plugged into it that would be your cheapest option. Or you could look into a cheap Dell or something.