Random restarts

[Astra]

Hi,

Lately I've been having an issue with my computer randomly restarting...It happens right after I start the computer up, I'll get on the internet to check email, and it will shut down and restart, after this it usually doesn't happen again for the rest of the computer use, only the first time of the day.

Basic specs:
-Dell XPS 9000/435t
-Intel Core i7 975 @ 3.33Ghz (stock - never overclocked)
-nvidia GeForce GTS 240 (also stock)
-12GB RAM
-Windows 7 Ultimate x64

Everything is stock except:

What I've done:
-Added Corsair force GT SSD (contains OS and main/ most used programs)
-Added 1TB WD caviar Black HDD (contains everything else)

What needs to be done:
-Replace CMOS battery (got one error (never got it again), clock keeps changing, just needs to be replaced just in case...Haven't gotten around to it yet)
-Possibly replace RAM...I get a BSOD once a month or so, but mdsched.exe claims no problems...probably lying...Can't remember what the error says.


*I just disabled automatic restart, so I haven't had a chance to see if that makes a difference yet.

It just started happening this summer (I do live in a notoriously hot area, and the room the computer is in is usually around 80 degrees normally (over 100 outside). This problem just started happening a month or so ago, so I have no idea how it will react to the colder house temperatures of winter. I have no idea if this is contributing to the problem or not...

All drivers *should* be up to date...I recently had a problem with the computer randomly freezing right after startup (about in the same place as the crash (while checking email)) but then after resetting, it was usually good for the rest of the day/ night...I updated the motherboard drivers from Intel, and the freezing stopped, but the restarting started. It's been awhile since I did this, so I can't remember if it would freeze more than once, or if the restarting happened after (in other words, I'm not sure if there's a direct relation between the freezing and restarting...)

Anyways...I fear it may be an overheating or a PSU problem...I've attached a report from hardware monitor...This is about 30 minutes after the restart, so it's been running normally for about 20 minutes or so. I hope someone can make something of those results...I have no 'normal' to compare them too, so I don't know if voltage is too high or low, or likewise if temperature is too high or low...

Any help is appreciated!!

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Astra]

Update:

Disabling automatic restart did nothing; I still have the exact same problem, it will just restart like 2 or 3 minutes after first startup, then all subsequent startups for awhile will not generate the problem.

Sorry for the double post, but I noticed i was moved to general discussion, and I seem to have gone quite far from the first page...Do I need to post any more information regarding this problem? There are no recent minidump files (the latest one is from December 2011 or something), and there's no BSOD, so no error codes or anything to report.

Any help is appreciated!

 

[mitchell65]

Well you have outlined some known (to you) problems with your PC so logic suggests that you solve these first particularly I would think the potential RAM poblems. Run Memtest a few times to see what that comes up with. there are a number of guides for this but here's a couple that I found:
How to Use Memtest86 to Check for Bad Memory (RAM) in a PC
or this:
Tutorial: How to use Memtest - TechSpot Forums

 

[CreepinJesus]

Just to confirm, we're talking 'standard' shut downs, rather than BSODs or power failures?

I'd check the system logs for the shut down items. Open 'Event Viewer' from the Start menu (easiest way is to search for it). Browse to Applications and Services Logs > Microsoft > Windows > Diagnositcs-Performance > Operational. In here, look for entries with Event IDs in the 200s. I'm not sure if they will have any information on the cause of the shutdown, though.

There's also this tutorial from Brink which may help: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/160855-shut-down-view-details-last-shutdown-computer.html

 

[Astra]

mitchell65:

Thanks for the reply. I've been meaning to run memtest...I'll run it tomorrow when I have more time and post the results. The BSOD I get for RAM hasn't happened in a month or so...It's been so long I threw out the paper with the error written on it. The CMOS battery isn't big deal, but I was hoping I could solve the random restarts without replacing the RAM....But if it's the cause and it must be done, it must be done.

CreepinJesus:

Thanks for the reply. It doesn't really "shut down" per se...I'll be reading something or doing something and the screen will just go black and a couple seconds later the computer is starting back up again...Almost as if it loses power for a second, then starts back up again...It basically "dies", then restarts. The weird part is that it doesn't do it again after it's happened once...I can turn it off and on again and it won't happen again...It'll only happen after a cold start.
There are a couple "warnings" that are 200, but nothing between 201 and 300, and it restarted yesterday and there aren't any entries from the 16th. There was one error with ID 300, but that's about it...Not sure it's that's significant.

 

[mitchell65]

The CMOS battery isn't big deal

I would tend to disagree there. It is such an easy problem to solve that it makes sense to rectify it now. It is highly possible that the battery failure is causing the blank screen. May not be but surely it makes sense to fix it now!

 

[Astra]

The CMOS battery isn't big deal

I would tend to disagree there. It is such an easy problem to solve that it makes sense to rectify it now. It is highly possible that the battery failure is causing the blank screen. May not be but surely it makes sense to fix it now!

Sorry, I didn't mean the problem wasn't a big deal, I meant the fix wasn't a big deal...As in: like $3 for the battery....Whereas the RAM would be like $100+ for new modules.

 

[Astra]

Sorry for another double post.

Just ran memtest: no errors.

Good news that the RAM is fine, but bad news because now I really have no idea what is causing this problem.

Hopefully I'll have enough time to replace the CMOS battery later this week.

Any other ideas on what may be causing this problem?

 

[shorty701s]

Have to go to bed. I'll post (get it? bad nerd joke) in the morning. I have a strong feeling that this is a power issue and not a RAM issue...

 

[mitchell65]

Renew the battery. It will take just a few minutes. About as long as I have spent suggesting you change the battery

 

[Astra]

mitchell65:

I said "when I have more time" because I've been working doubles and post from work on breaks, so I legitimately haven't had any time.

That being said, I sacrificed some sleep and replaced the battery tonight. Haven't booted up the computer yet, so I don't know if it helped, I'll post back when I have more time to find out.

shorty701s:

Bad nerd joke indeed, and I do get it. I have a suspicion that it's a power issue as well, which is why I attached the hardware monitor results....Do you perchance know of anything else I can do to definitively pinpoint the issue?

 

[Astra]

Update:

Replacing the CMOS battery did not solve the problem. I'm still quite confused as to what is causing this problem.

Any help is much appreciated!