PC RESTARTS RANDOMLY - HELP!!!

[unrealwiz]

Hi all I lately have been having a big problem!! My PC Shuts down and restarts at random times when i open random programs. It restarts while im running programs, reformatting, installing, running PC-Doctor or Anti virusand it restarts. Mostly everything I do.

I have a HP Pavilion a867c

Windows XP SP2

Specs

3.4 GHz

1 Gig of Ram

250 gig HDD

8600GTS SCC 256MB

430 Watt PSU.

I'm not overheating my CPU is around 60 degrees.


i did Start>Control Panel>Performance and Maintenance>System>Advance. On start up and recovery>system failure i unchecked automatically restart to get a blue screen with an error but it still shuts down and restarts. HELP!!

                                                   

[fwilson]

unrealwiz,

You say this happens during reformatting and installing.  I am assuming you have reinstalled XP on the problem machine. If you have not reinstalled and have recently installed or upgraded any drivers, I would take a close look at them. 

Download the DOS version of PC-Doctor for your computer from the HP website.  Create a PC-Doctor DOS boot CD (or floppy disk) as per instructions on the HP website. Run the DOS version to directly check the hardware and take any windows or driver problems out of the equation. See if the restart problem remains in DOS.  Note any errors.
 
Where and when the restart happens can give you clues as to what is going on.  If it always restarts in the RAM test look at ram.  Video tests, video cards etc.  If it is totally random, power supply, heat or poorly seated chips or cards.

Let me know how it is going, I’ll check the board through the weekend.

-Fred

P.S. Here is the link for the PC-Doctor DOS for your machine

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareDownloadIndex?softwareitem=pv-25052-2&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&product=448709&os=228

 

[unrealwiz]

Thanks for the reply fwilson, 
I did system recovery and half way it shuts down and restarts, when that was finished every time i tried to install Microsoft windows update my pc would restart. I have 2 ram pieces of 512MB I tested them by taking one out and see if the problem persists and it still happened. Lately I been hearing my pc make squeaking noises while in use. Can a bad HDD cause systems to restart?

Running PC-Doctor, scanning with Mcafee, sometimes Internet Explore, uninstalling/installing at random times it would shut-down restart.



Ive been asking around maybe my power supply is the suspect..

On start up my fan turns on for 3 seconds then off then on again.. It NEVER done that before.

I'm gonna get another power supply hope thats the issue

btw my power supply is:

Dynex® - 400-Watt ATX CPU Power Supply

    * 400-watt power supply
    * ATX 12V v2.2 compliance
    * Compatible with Intel® and AMD multicore processors
    * 4.7" fan; fan speed control function
    * Low power consumption on standby
    * Short-circuit, overvoltage and overcurrent protection
    * 24-pin main connector, PCI Express connector and SATA connector
    * Includes one 24-pin-to-20-pin adapter and power cable


2 months old. Maybe it not enough for my pc?

[fwilson]

The Power Supply is a good place to start.  I have had machines act exactly like yours with underpowered / bad power supplies.