auto reboot when installing or uninstalling software

writhziden · 25 Jun 2012

Cold problems often indicate memory or voltage problems. Try removing your two 2 GB modules and leaving only the 4 GB modules installed. Is that something you would be comfortable doing to test?

As you add and remove hardware, follow these steps for ESD safety:

Shut down and turn off your computer.
Unplug all power supplies to the computer (AC Power then battery for laptops, AC power for desktops)
Hold down the power button for 30 seconds to close the circuit and ensure all power drains from components.
Make sure you are grounded by using proper grounding techniques, i.e. work on an anti-static workbench, anti-static desk, or an anti-static pad. Hold something metallic while touching it to the anti-static surface, or use an anti-static wristband to attach to the anti-static material while working. If you do not have an anti-static workbench, desk, or pad, you can use your computer tower/case by finding a metal hold in it, such as a drive bay.

Once these steps have been followed, it is safe to remove and replace components within your computer.

pintree3 · 25 Jun 2012

Yes, I have no problem adding or removing anything from my PC

writhziden · 26 Jun 2012

Alright, let us know how things go with the 8 GB of RAM instead of 12 GB.

pintree3 · 28 Jun 2012

Removed the 4G ram as instructed and showed a black screen HD working but no extra beeps or anything as to what is sometimes heard if something is wrong with hardware--the computer would not even go to the DOS prompt. I then moved the RAM cards to where the 2X2G cards were and PC went to BIOS (or was it me?). From there I did nothing & clicked on save and boot. PC started fine. Did this solve the problem of the crash/self boot when in/uninstalling? No? I now placed my 2X2G or ram where the 4G sticks were and am back to 12G.

Update: I had totally forgotten about the following simply because my PC moved across the globe and stayed in storage for about 8 months before I started using it again.
History of MY PC.
When 1st bought my PC it had an ASUS Sonar sound card and 8G of RAM. Somehow the sound card didn't like my mother board and so I exchanged that for the xtra 4G of ram. Things seemed to work fine but then this same problem stated here started. I and a geek friend tried a few things and could not solve the problem. We then reinstalled Windows and the problem went away. BUT now I could not tell you that this will solve the problem because, a few weeks later (of computer time as opposed to real time which is now) with more software installed the computer began having this same problem.
This tells me that perhaps the culprit may well be the CPU heat. Also everything is packed like sardines in the PC case making me question if a bigger tower case should have been used. I purposely paid extra for the power supply to make sure there would not be any power problems and now I'm wondering if the motherboard could handle what it has. I also know that the 12G of RAM is the most that Win 7 64bit home could handle and wonder if this maximum is causing strain in any way.

writhziden · 28 Jun 2012

When was the last time you blew the dust out of the PC?

To remove dust, follow the subsequent general procedure. If you have a desktop bought from Dell, HP, Sony, Lenovo, etc. make sure removing the desktop casing will not void your warranty first. Call the company if you are still under warranty and ask if it is okay to remove the casing and blow dust out. The procedure described is fine for laptops; just make sure no stickers are on panels saying if you remove the panel it will void the warranty.

Shut down and turn off your computer.
Unplug all power supplies to the computer (AC Power then battery for laptops, AC power for desktops)
Hold down the power button for 30 seconds to close the circuit and ensure all power drains from components.
Remove the casing for a desktop, or remove any screwed on panels and disc drives for laptops.
Blow out the dust inside by using a can of compressed air or a low pressure compressor. You will want to put the computer on a desk or table so you can maintain the can in an upright position if using a can of air. Blow into all crevices on the motherboard, heat sinks, cards, modules, etc. for a desktop. Blow into vents, opened panels, disc drive areas, USB ports, and the keyboard if it is a laptop. You may also want to blow inside the disc drive by replacing the drive to the laptop, starting the computer, opening the drive, and then turning off the computer and removing all power as described above including the 30 second power button step. For a desktop, you may also want to blow inside the disc drive by starting the computer, opening the drive, and then turning off the computer and removing all power as described above including the 30 second power button step.
Replace casing for the desktop. Replace panels and disc drive (if you have not already done so) for the laptop.
Plug power supplies in. AC adapter for the desktop. Battery and then AC Adapter for the laptop.
Start the computer and see if performance is better.

pintree3 · 28 Jun 2012

The PC is just about dust free. This is on of the 1st things I did when I noticed the problem. I bought an actual air compressor for this reason alone since I do it so often and cans of compressed air add up in cost.

writhziden · 28 Jun 2012

Given the time between issues starting again, this feels like software to me. It could be memory or hard drive based causing corruption of the system, though. That may mean a bad hard disk, bad RAM, bad CPU memory controller, or a bad motherboard.

pintree3 · 29 Jun 2012

Ok if a software issue--then should I do a complete windows reinstall? If hardware then the only way to test this would be -a- after the windows re-installation and if problem is still there to take it to a pro shop? or???

writhziden · 29 Jun 2012

A Windows re-install may help. You would need to take it slow to determine whether it is hardware; let us help you find drivers and do not install any software until after all drivers and Windows updates have been installed. Once you have the system clean re-installed with only Windows updates installed (no drivers installed other than those by Windows), please provide us with your msinfo32 file:

To get this: Start Menu -> Type msinfo32 into the Search programs and files box -> When it opens, go to File, Save -> Save as msinfo32.nfo and save in a place you will remember -> Let it finish the process of gathering and saving the system info -> Right click the .nfo file, click send to compressed (zipped) folder -> Upload the .zip file here.

Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

pintree3 · 03 Jul 2012

Update. The last 10 days or so my PC would reboot on its own right after I turned it on. On a couple of occasions this week it actually did not autoreboot but actually auto shut itself off on turning it on. My 2nd last time I did that was real panic since I turned it on in the morning, immediately on boot I tried to install the windows installer and it turned itself off and then would not turn on at all. What I mean is it acted as if there was no electricity whatsoever--no power--no humming of hard drives or fans, no little lights on the front of the case--nothing what-so-ever. Remember, how I said that at times the slightest touch of my PC would cause it to reboot? Anyhow I checked the plugs and still no go. I then unplugged everything, every USB cable, monitor cable etc. Opene3d my pc. Removed my 4 RAM sticks, cleaned them with alcohol, rechecked to make sure everything, every wire and all was tightly in, replugged everything and luckily all started well again. I turned it off and on a few times without installing anything this time and all was "OK" so to speak again. This was really worrisome making me think that perhaps it's my power supply the problem.
Anyhow I now did a fresh install of my Windows7 Home premium 64 bit. And as instructed I will await your reply regarding adding drivers and software.
Also, If I may: On reinstalling the PC showed my drives and one of them was listed as "System Reserve" on what I think was the same drive as my C: drive since it had about the same Gigs as my C drive has. However, I also noticed another drive, seeming the same one with about the same Gigs. What is odd about this is that it seems to have taken some of my original C: drive and split it into 2. Is this possible? I did not use it as my OS installation drive. And used what I believed to be my true C: drive for this. Once the installation was complete I noticed that I now have a drive, labeled " System Reserved D: " Showing it had about 70MB out of 100MB free. Opening this drive showed it empty. absolutely nothing in it. Windows updated itself. Then on reboot and me changing my taskbar setting and a few similar cosmetics and then went online to write you this. I checked this folder again and it now has the following d folders: -1- $RECYCLE.BIN, Boot, System Volume information. and files: Bootmgr (no extension) and BOOTSEKT.BAK
The "boot" folder also exists in another physical drive. BTW a 'boot' folder never but never existed before prior to this new Win7 Installation. What's it doing there and where does it come from?
Also, Do I need the above " System Reserved D: " drive? and if yes, it's needed, is it safe to change its drive letter? Prior to this new installation my then D: drive was where about 2/3 of my software was installed and also where many of my shortcuts in other drives and folders point to.
Why?