random reboots without BSOD - sometimes several daily

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  1. Posts : 332
    Windows 7 32bit Home Premium
    Thread Starter
       #31

    Thanks for the reply. I'm scared to run a diskchk. The last time I tried that several months ago after one of the reboots, it corrupted my OS boot files because it rebooted while in the middle of the diskchk. Then my PC could no longer boot into Windows. It was a nightmare trying to recover my OS at that point. Putting in the Windows DVD and running "repair computer" failed to repair startup, and the only last thing that worked was trying a system restore from the Windows DVD - thankfully I had a restore point currently, otherwise the OS would have been gone. So now I'm terrified of running another diskchk because I never know when the next reboot will be.

    It went into another round of reboots around 36 hours ago, but none since. Once it starts happening it doe sit multiple times, and even in the bios or safe mode, and it's even happened during memory tests off the CD.

    I'll try the Driver update utility and double-check for loose wires again. I did run the diskchk several months ago successfully once, after the first series of reboots, and things did not improve. I thought I saved the results but I can't seem to find them now - if I can locate them later I will post what it said after the scan. I would like to run diskchk again because it's rebooted a ton of times since my last scan but I'm just scared of the OS getting corrupted again if it reboots while scanning. I haven't run the scannow command though - but again I'm scared I'll get a reboot during scanning and corrupt the boot files again.

    The fact that sometimes it happens exactly as I click a link or video in a browser, and other times it will happen in idle or even in bios or safe mode or running a CD memory check, makes me think it's likely not a loose wire since the timing of some of the reboots are precisely when I click something - it must be related somehow. I never once get a BSOD - always a sudden reboot.

    I reverted my bios to stock settings the other day and kept them there, though that hasn't improved things.
    Last edited by tgfyhre; 10 Jul 2014 at 12:53.
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  2. Posts : 26,863
    Windows 11 Pro
       #32

    Be sure to create a restore point manually before enabling Driver verifier. It can be the only way to get back. System Restore Point - Create
    Be sure when enabling Driver verifier that you only enable on non Microsoft drivers.
    Yes, what you say about chkdsk is true. Once you start chkdsk you cannot stop until it completes.

    Please pay close attention to what you are doing when the restart happens. It will help if it is certain activities that will cause it. My first instinct is a dead short somewhere or a bad PSU. Most errors will cause a BSOD, there are not really a lot that will cause an instant shutdown. Is it like you just pulled the power plug out, And instant shutdown?

    EDIT: also check and make sure your rig is configured for small dump files. You may have done it before, but sometimes with the shutdowns or BSODs, it can change things. Dump Files - Configure Windows to Create on BSOD
    Also, make sure you have a Minidump folder in C:/Windows/Minidump. If you don't have a folder called Minidump, create one there.

    Attachment 325012
    Last edited by essenbe; 10 Jul 2014 at 13:45.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 332
    Windows 7 32bit Home Premium
    Thread Starter
       #33

    I do have kernal memory dump enabled, but the reboots never leave a dump. I also have a minidump folder.

    The reboots are instant. One moment I'm surfing, and the next, I click on a link or video and instantly the screen goes black and the system reboots. The fans go off and everything stops and restarts. No advance warning. Like I just pulled the power plug. Sometimes it happens just when in idle. Sometimes it happens in safe mode. It happens in spells. I can go days or weeks okay and then I go through a night of hell as it goes into fits of reboots. First one or two, and by the end of the day it's going through a loop of them. The fact that it happens sometimes at the exact click of a mouse really confuses me. If it was a loose wire or plug then what are the odds it would happen just at the second I click on a video or link? Sometimes I'm watching a video stream and it's fine, then if I click on the progress bar to skip ahead, BAM! Reboot! I'm totally out of ideas and sadly money too otherwise I'd just buy a new PC at this point. I need this to get me through the end of the year and I have no idea how that's going to happen at this rate (without corrupting all my data from the constant crashes).
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 332
    Windows 7 32bit Home Premium
    Thread Starter
       #34

    Okay, I ran the driver update utility from the Intel website you linked to. Here's what I got back:

    Intel Chipset Software Installation Utility (Chipset INF) Product Detected Intel® 6, 5, 4, 3, 900 Series Chipsets Current Version Installed 9.1.1.1019
    This version is valid.

    Wireless Networking (WiFi) Product Detected Marvell Yukon 88E8056 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller Current Driver Installed 11.22.3.9
    This device is unknown or unsupported. Please contact the manufacturer for possible updates.


    Product Detected Marvell Yukon 88E8056 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller Current Driver Installed 11.22.3.9 This device is unknown or unsupported. Please contact the manufacturer for possible updates.

    Product Detected Marvell Yukon 88E8056 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller #2 Current Driver Installed 11.22.3.9 This device is unknown or unsupported. Please contact the manufacturer for possible updates. More information>>


    The Nvidia video and HD audio drivers were also listed as unsupported, but I just updated them 2 nights ago from NVidia so they are ok. So nothing was updated.

    Does the scannow command run the risk of corrupting Windows like chkdsk does if it reboots while running it?
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 26,863
    Windows 11 Pro
       #35

    I do have kernal memory dump enabled
    That's not right, you want small memory dumps. Just like this.

    Attachment 325058
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 26,863
    Windows 11 Pro
       #36

    As far as I am aware, scannow will not corrupt system files, it does the opposite. It checks for missing or corrupted files and tries to repair them. But, I have never seen a case where it corrupted anything. The Intel utility only provides drivers for their products, so unknown means they are not Intel Products. You should be able to find a driver from your Motherboard's web site.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 332
    Windows 7 32bit Home Premium
    Thread Starter
       #37

    Okay, I changed my setting to minidump as pictured above. I'll run scannow tonight. I haven't had a reboot since the other day now. But that's just it - I start to think maybe it's okay and then it randomly happens.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 332
    Windows 7 32bit Home Premium
    Thread Starter
       #38

    I ran scannow last night and it found no problems. Just a few minutes ago I had a reboot. It was fine all weekend - ran it half the day on Friday and Saturday with no issues.

    I put my hand on my video card tonight and the top (the exposed circuit board side) was red-hot to the touch. The last temp I remember seeing for that was around 58, which is where it tends to hover when it's really hot in my apartment, which it is. Right now it's reading 54.

    If the video card overheats, could that be the cause of these instant reboots and reboot loops? It seems after the computer has settled down for awhile after a series of reboots, it's fine for while. When it happens it goes into spells where it will keep rebooting all evening until I leave it alone for a while. Does it make sense that it could be the video card? I don't have another card to try and I have no onboard video out so I need my video card to remain installed. It's just a guess - because really I'm out of ideas.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 26,863
    Windows 11 Pro
       #39

    If the card overheats, it could cause a shut down, or more than likely a Blue Screen. But, 58 isn't close to overheating.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 26,863
    Windows 11 Pro
       #40

    tgfyhre, Do you have any friends with an extra PSU you could, beg ,borrow or steal? What I am seeing is typical PSY failure, but I would like you to be able to check it before spending money. We have checked almost everything else we can check other than the PSU and the Motherboard.
      My Computer


 
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