please help me fix my frustrating computer

[bigbenv]

My computer is annoying me. It will run for about 20 minutes and reset itself. I'd really appreciate if someone could help me, so i'll try to describe the system and a little history of my problems with it.
I put it together a little less than a year ago. its a Slot 1 PIII 667. not overclocked, seems to run cool enough. started out with an A-Trend motherboard which later experienced BIOS problems and now has been replaced with a Sanyo i think. originally it had 128 megs of pc 133. that burned out in the old motherboard, and was replaced, plus an additional 64 meg chip was added. I've got a 32 meg ATI video card, vortex 2 sound, 20 gig hd, and windows 2000.
About a week ago it started to reset itself once in a while. Also it came up with a blue screen fatal error like i used to see with win 98 once in a while. having seen weird memory errors when the first chip went, i looked at that first. when i took the 64 meg chip out the problem remained, so i took the 128 out and put the 64 meg chip in the first slot. the computer ran, albiet slowly,for a day or two with no problem. assuming i had found the problem i went ahead and order a new chip that should arrive tomorrow. then today it started to reset itself again. Also i should note that things dont always seem towork right after it resets itself, explorer windows don't want to pop up, although it seems like it is running under task mannager. So anyway, i don't know what to do, i don't want to put the new chip in and burn it out. could my power motherboard or power supply be ruining things. I did have a bios get fried or ruined on the first one. Or is windows to blame? Or is it something more bizare like the humidity of the summer in my basement bedroom? Thanks a lot for reading this far and for trying to help. I'll try to reply to any questions, assuming my computer will let me

 

[frizzlefry]

I'm thinking possibly heat related. Can you monitor the temps? Also I think Win2K likes more than just 64MB. I thought requirement was 128. Not sure though. Its possible also that you have a bad PS. Anyway for you to test the output and stability? o-scope or something. Is there another CPU you can test out with?

Other than that, I would check your BIOS settings and make sure that your RAM is good.

Good luck. HTH

 

[bacillus]

do you mean your pc reboots itself(= reset itself)?
if this is what you mean, then I suggest you go to system properties and uncheck reboot on error. this will give you a chance to see what the problem is without win2k automatically rebooting on you.

 

[Duvie]

It sounds like heat to me as well...Is that 20 minutes if you leave it just sit ot doing some load on it?

It also could be a ps going bad...I had one freak on me and kept random rebooting, I replaced it and never had problem since...Does it happen after just sitting or when you launch something from one of the drives?

Watch the temps for that 20 minute period and see if they rise...generally compuet to idle temp takes a few minutes to settle down...

 

[KBTibbs]

Wow...a flakey windows 2000...hmmm

If it isn't heat (you sure it isn't heat?), it could be power issue, or a HDD issue, or (not likley with Win2000) a software issue. Maybe some other things else, but someone else will have to come up with those. Just how regular it this?

First, it could be the HDD, the IDE cable, or the IDE controler that are starting to act up. If you have any spare parts, try them and see if you have the same problems.

It could be power. How is your PSU working? Are your drives sometimes slowing down like they aren't getting enought power?
Do you have a UPS? Have you tried another outlet in another room?

Finally, software. Do you have any scheduled tasks (like software updates) that might spark a reboot (they might not think they are successful and try over and over again)? Could you perhaps have a prank program on there? Check the processes you are running...

Well...thats just about all I can think of. And most of them are fairly rare things. Hope it all works out for you!

 

[Duvie]

bacillus,

sounds like he is still getting BSOD anyways...so it must be set that way already...

 

[bigbenv]

well, i really don't think it should be heat folks. I thought that myself since it's been getting warmer lately, but it's not that warm in my room. anyway, i took the side off the case and blew a fan right on the mobo and it did the same thing anyway. thanks to everyone so far.

 

[Evo7]

Does anyone think that maybe someone is controlling the computer through the internet ??

 

[KBTibbs]

Hacker=possible but not likley. I mean, surely someone who had such control over someone else's PC would do something else (like a DDOS attack) or just as a node to route your connection through to avoid detection. Just rebooting would be a waste (and a way to bring attention to such a method of control). Why would a hacker risk making their zombies be formatted? They would loose the trojan or what ever...

Iguess for the sake of arguing that maybe someone could be pulling an exploit that just will cause a reboot, so how about it...whats your internet connection?

 

[bigbenv]

I doubt that a hacker would have anything to do with it. I'm just on a home computer, so who would care? plus i go through a router, and have a Road runner connection, so it's not the easiest hack around, they'd probably hit someone without the firewall, right?

 

[bigbenv]

I can't think of any software that would be trying to update either. I run weather bug, but it's never been a problem before. I noticed inoculate started giving me a warning that i need to update a few days ago, but it then proceded to say all my virus files were up to date.

 

[frizzlefry]

How likely would you want to do a reinstall of Win2k. Have you checked the PS yet? Is there some more RAM you could swap out with? Also, what exactly is the BSOD message if there is one?

 

[bigbenv]

and what is BSOD?

 

[bigbenv]

well, i don't have an extra powersuppy on hand. umm, i tried each of the ram chips i have, the 128 alone gave me the same problems, the 64 alone worked for a couple days, and now i'm having problems.

 

[bigbenv]

i'd rather not reinstall if i can avoid it. It just seems a very strange problem, this is a machine that would run rock solid without rebooting for weeks at a time.

 

[NelsonMuntz]

BSOD=Blue Screen Of Death

 

[bigbenv]

i don't know what else i can say, it hasn't been giving me blue screens before rebooting at all now, but it definately seems to be about a 20 minute cycle, and when it restarts, explorer doesn't work right.

 

[frizzlefry]

Have you tried the suggestion earlier that suggest that you uncheck the system reboot on error? That way we can see what's going on with the error. It'll spit out some codes which can then be taken over to technet and possibly find an answer to.

 

[bigbenv]

i will if someone will tell me how.

 

[frizzlefry]

It says so right there in the post. Ok here it is

1) Right click on my computer
2) Select properties
3) Select advanced tab
4) Select Startup and Recovery
5) Uncheck auto reboot

 

[bigbenv]

thanks..., sorry i was gone for a minute having to reboot
fortunately, i got a blue screen error this time.
i'll type it in so people can look it over

 

[bigbenv]

ok, i changed that property,
heres the BSOD message

***STOP: 0x00000001 (0X00000060, 0x00000002, 0x00000000, 0xF1C89844)
*** Address F1C89844 base aF1C80000, DateStamp 397e26a4- Cdr4_2K.sys
Beginning dump of physical memory

that's it. obviously some memory addresses, but maybe somebody knows what the file named has to do with it?

thanks to everyone who's helping

 

[frizzlefry]

CDR4_2K.sys??? Hmmm.... Looks like a corrupted file. If I'm not mistaken this is used for CDROMs? I think it is used by adaptec software. Looks like it's a probelm with the adaptec software. Any info you can give on this?

-edit-
Have you installed SP1? IF so have you installed SP2?

-edit 2-

This is straight off technet. I'm not sure if you're having the same problems with your CD drives, but it may be worht a shot.


On Tue, 22 May 2001 00:51:49 -0700, aburley@capu.net wrote:

>Hello Folks,
>
>I am running Win 200 Pro Service Pack 1.
>
>Currently, I do not have access to my CD-ROM drive. I have tried
>everything under the sun to fix the problem. This is the message I
>noticed in the device manager.
>
>This device is not working properly because Windows cannot load the
>drivers required for this device. (Code 31)
>
>Click Troubleshooter to start the troubleshooter for this device.
>
>
>Thanks,
>
>Anthony


From a previous post by another user:

"This is a rather common problem when installing the Adaptec software.
Below is a solution I copied and saved from this group. It works.

Procedure as follows: (note - you may only have to do steps 7 - 10)

1. Reboot to console and logon.
2. CD to WinNT/system32/drivers
3. rename cdr4_2k.sys cdr4_2k.old
4. rename cdralw2k.sys cdralw2k.old
5. exit
6. Upon reboot I get the os back with no cdrom devices.......
7. regedit
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11
CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}]
8. delete UpperFilters and LowerFilters
9. Close regedit and reboot
10. You should get your cdrom devices back."

 

[bigbenv]

i don't think i've installed any packs. i have install adaptec software, i have a plextor burner. Actually i installed the newest cd creater which i believe is Roxio. I wonder if something is left over that is causing problems. It seems like a weird way for such a problem to show itself.

 

[frizzlefry]

Depending on your connect speed, try downloading SP1 and installing it. It may resolve the problem. Win2K had some problems with their cdrom drivers so that may be it. I believe SP1 fixed this problem. Anyone want to correct me on this?