Computer crashes/reboots randomly.

[Kazimir]

Hello everyone, I'm having a big problem with my computer and can't figure out whats wrong with it. I had it built and it's had this problem since the first day I got it, so I know it's not a virus. The computer will randomly crash and reboot. It will do it when I'm not doing anything sometimes. It has done it as soon as right while windows is loading up to 6-7 hours after it's been on. Sometimes many times in a row. It will also crash while windows is shutting down when I try to do a restart. I've checked out everything. Nothing appears to be loose on the inside and it's not an overheating issue as nothing has gone over 37 Celsius. When I originally got it sometimes it would give me a BSoD and the error would point to the video card. However I have since sent the computer in and they replaced the video card. And I got it a couple times again when I got it back but haven't had it happen once in the last couple weeks. After tinkering with it for a while and making sure everything was up to date I decided I would go ahead and reinstall Vista since nothing else I could think of was working. This took a while as the computer continued to crash and reboot itself more frequently while in the middle of the reinstall. I've put it in safe mode a couple times for hours and it never crashed during it. However it would when I try to restart windows again from safe mode.


Right now the computer has:

Windows Vista home basic 32-bit
Intel(R) Core 2 Quad CPU Q6600 2.40GHZ
RAM: 3071 MB
EVGA Nvidia Geforce 9800 GTX+
nForce 780i SLI
950 W Power Supply

I can't help but think it has something to do with the motherboard. I have ever since it first started happening. Any advice would be appreciated and thanks for any help you may be able to give. Let me know if you need any more info.

[Broni]

Navigate to: C:\Windows\Minidump folder.
If you see any .dmp files, zip all of them, and attach zipped file to your next reply.

[xavier]

Try going to control panel> system> advanced & click on setting button instart up & recovery window click on the check box for auto restarss to clear it & then check apply & ok.See if this helps.

[Kazimir]

I already have tried turning the automatically restart option off and it didn't work. Also there is no Minidump folder for whatever reason.

Thanks for the replies!

[xavier]

Try a test  with a diff power supply

[xcharge50]

Can you provide more info about the motherboard, model, bios model an version?

Also  maybe you should test you ram for 1 day
Here is a great tool :http://www.memtest86.com/memtest86-3.5.iso.zip

You seem to know enough to understand what I just wrote. Just ask if you need help 

[Kazimir]

The motherboard is a MSI P7N Diamond nForce 780i SLI.

I don't know that much about computers just some things I've learned from others. I don't know how I would find out the bios model or version.

Thanks again for the replies.

[Kazimir]

Is there any way I can safely test the power supply to make sure it's working properly? I don't have one to replace it with to test it out. Also I've ran the memory diagnostic tool but nothing came up. But what I don't know is whether or not the tool is only minor in effectiveness or if it is good for telling me weather one of my ram sticks is bad or not.

Okay well, here is an update I have had it in Safe mode for quite some time now and it just crashed/rebooted. It lasted for a couple hours this time and quite a few more hours previous times when the comp usually crashes/reboots on average every 10 to 20 minutes while not in safe mode. I always put it in safe mode after it has crashes/rebooted in normal mode so that I can see the difference in how much longer it lasted.

Also if it makes a difference I would like to add that sometimes it reboots straight back to windows and other times it gives me the options of booting normally or going into the various safe modes. Not sure if that really matters though.

[JJ 3000]

I had it built and it's had this problem since the first day I got it,

I would have taken it back

Try replacing your hard drive's data cable.

Run hard drive diagnostics
http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287

[kriscrash4x4]

I had this problem with a computer i had and i couldnt stand it.
i was so mad i just bought a new computer but when i posted
this problem the answers here were similiar. they also told me to do
system checks with programs to check whether it was a software
problem or a hardware problem it became rather involved
so i decided to keep it for a rainy day in case i get board.
I just wanted something that would work now instead of working
on a broken computer for weeks and be down all the time

[Kazimir]

Never mind. I got my hopes up, it's still messed up.

[JJ 3000]

I need some clarification on weather or not a bad ram stick could cause nothing on screen to show up.

Yes

Did you hear any beeps when you put the second stick in by itself?

[homeincome]

Is there any way I can safely test the power supply to make sure it's working properly?


use analog or digital tester

[Kazimir]

Yes

Did you hear any beeps when you put the second stick in by itself?

Although everything seemed fine, it eventually did crash and reboot. There were no beeps with either stick.

Also I got a BSoD this time.
STOP: 0x0000000A (0x0000BAE4, 0x0000001B, 0x00000000, 0x81C38BD2)

Going to test the hard drive if the computer will stop crashing before I can download the tool. Will look into the analog/digital tester also.

Thanks again for the replies.

[JJ 3000]

Going to test the hard drive if the computer will stop crashing before I can download the tool.

If you have another computer, you can download the diagnostics disk then burn it to a CD. You have to boot to the CD.

Try replacing your hard drive's data cable.