Random reboot

Hmmm ... strange stuff going on ...

I renamed the file, rebooted, web-cam was no longer working (seems to indicate the file was what it claimed to be, a driver for the web-cam). Replugged the web-cam, working fine.

However, the random reboots still happens. Even more, sometimes the PC just goes on all by itself at night.

Most of the time it doesn't event reach the end of the POST, and it shut downs again. Most of the times it repeats this a few times.

When reboot happens in while logged in windows, it's a clean reboot: the apps close, the shutdown message appears, it shuts down properly (no BSOD), then it tries to restart (as described before: POST screen, shutdown, wake-up, POST screen, shut down, ...).

Sounds like an hdw issue, which sucks as the PC is a Dell Dimension 9200 with tons of non-standard parts I can't switch.

If there's anything else I can try just let me know. Otherwise, I'm likely to be ready for a new PC ...

MaX.

HI,

I was already on the "HIgh performance" power setting plan, but I've manually reviewed the advanced settings and put everything to off/never.

One of thismorning's reboot has produced a BSOD with a minidump,
I've attached it, just in case.

MaX.

Yeah, I've only checked the power plan.

Now I've also checked in the device manager: I've 7 devices labelled "USB root hub" and all of them have:

- Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power ==> UNCHECKED
- Allow this device to wake the computer ==> UNCHECKED AND GRAYED OUT

I've found my Logitech G500 mouse has the option:

- Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power ==> UNCHECKED AND GRAYED OUT
- Allow this device to wake the computer ==> CHECKED

Same thing, under the keyboard category, I have 2 entries named "HID keyboard" (uh ? normal ?) and one "Microsoft SideWinder X4 keyboard (IntelliType Pro)", all of them with the same settiongs as the mouse.

Nothing else seems to have power management settings.

MaX.

MvdB said:

Ok well done... But please realise my screenprint with the usb devices is only an example. This needs to be done on ALL devices! Not only usb.

+, if you have one... Turn off your smartcard reader. Both in usb as in usb....

I checked all the devices, not only USB ones.

About the smartcard reader, what do you mean with "both in usb as in usb" ?
I have a card reader (SD/SM/XD/MS etc) but it's a dell thing that plugs straight into the motherboard. The devices appea runder the Disk scetion (4 discs, one for each card type). I can easily unplug the cable and see if that helps.

MaX.

More than 2 days without unexpected reboots / start-ups.

I didn't disable the card reader nor touch the device specific power settings.

It seems the changes I've done in the power management plan are enough to bring the situation back to normal. At leastm I hope so !

Thanks a lot for the help !

MaX.

hmmm... guess i spoke too early ...
Yesterday evening, PC woke up all by itself. Actually, it tried to wake up a few times,
reaching the POST screen and then shutting down. When it finally managed to boot, it went into repair mode (of course). 15min of repair but nothing helpful found.

I'm freakin' confused now: it's not only that sometimes it decides to shut-down ... sometimes it decides to power-on all by itself !!

MaX.