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Hi can anyone help ?

Its like this ... I'm using Windows XP and I am using IE 6 ... and my computer keeps rebooting itself especially when I am online. I scan the computer periodically and it seems free of viruses. I understand the Sasser virus does this to computers but I have specifically run the Sasserfix program and it came up clean.

This rebooting happens especially when I am on-line and rarely happens when I am using the comp for other, off-line purposes. Does anyone know if its a hardware, modem issue ? or do I suspect some kind of virus that is as yet undetected ? Or is it due to insufficient RAM ?

I have checked both the line and the ISP but there seems no problem there. I am using a ADSL broadband modem by the way ...

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by TKSS
Member Avatar for TKSS

it could be a hardware related issue. I had a problem with an IBM computer doing this and it was the PSU....someone had switched the voltage to 230 instead of 115 (115 for US power).

I've also seen this happen when processors overheat. If your case isn't properly ventilated, it might be a good idea to throw in a fan.

One of the easiest ways to tell if this is hardware related is to do the following:

  1. Reset all BIOS settings to default.
  2. Disconnect all non-essential hardware such as CD/DVD/etc
  3. Ensure the case is clean of dust...dust causes static build up
  4. Run a scandisk to check for corruption then do a defrag
  5. Run a full antivirus scan...if you have none, try the free antivirus AVG
  6. install a thermostat inside your case to check the temperature or feel around inside when it is booted...ensure it isn't heating up
  7. Hook up one piece of hardware, boot up, ensure it is working, shutdown, hook up another piece of hardware, boot up, ensure it is working, repeat until all hardware is hooked up. If something causes it to hang...you'll know the culprit

Perhaps somewhere in this process you'll be able to spot what is causing the problems. I generally find that a rebooting (looped reboot) OS is caused by the OS being corrupt first and hardware second.

PS: I did find that we had problems with one W2K client rebooting because of Norton Antivirus. We had removed it from the client to switch suites and for some reason it did not remove fully (bloated app...I hate norton...but we have to use it) and it kept rebooting over and over. We got a fix by searching around on the norton site and found that someone else had experienced the same problem.

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