Computer Reboot Problems
Troubleshooting a computer with a rebooting issue can range from relatively easy to outright maddening. If the computer is in a mode where it is constantly rebooting, any repair made can be confirmed quickly when the computer powers up and doesn't reboot. Conversely, if the rebooting problem is an intermittent one, perhaps only rebooting two or three times a day with no rhyme or reason that can be determined, the process will take much longer.
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Power Supply
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Often referred to as the "Ghost in the machine" by the tech crowd, a computer's power supply is one of the first modules to suspect. As power supplies age and dirt builds up inside them, the likelihood that the power supply will overheat increases. What symptoms exactly will occur when this happens is impossible to predict, but rebooting is certainly one of the problems that can be created under these conditions. To establish if the power supply is the problem, swap out the power supply with a known good unit, preferably one with a higher wattage rating. If the problem is an intermittent one, it will be necessary to bench test the computer for an extended period to ensure that the problem has been corrected.
RAM
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RAM is another likely candidate when troubleshooting a rebooting issue. While memory testing software does exist, the preferred method to troubleshoot this issue is to swap out the RAM with memory of equal or better specifications. As with the power supply, if this problem is intermittent, an extensive bench testing period will be required.
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Motherboard
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Less likely than either of the first two candidates, but still a possibility, the motherboard can cause a rebooting failure. Typically, the CPU will shut the system down if it overheats, but the motherboard has any number of chips that, when pushed to the extreme, can react with unknown results. As with the RAM and the power supply, the best way to ascertain if the motherboard is the problem is to replace it. In this case, if it is at all possible, the motherboard should be replaced with exactly the same make and model. This component will also need to be tested to ensure that the length of time that reboots used to occur in has passed before any confidence in the repair can be made.
Virus
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At one time a virus was circulating in the wild that caused Microsoft Windows computers to reboot. The best way to ensure that this is not the issue is to boot into safe mode, and see if the computer becomes stable. If it does, reboot the system and boot into safe mode with network support so as to be able to run an online virus scan. Please note: the chances of this being the cause of a rebooting issue are very low.
Operating System
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Moving to the "I've tried everything else and still can't find the problem" category is the Operating System. Microsoft Windows 2000 and XP can get into a rebooting loop which needs to be manually corrected, but there is no other reported issue with any other OS doing the same. Since it is also impossible to guess what effect any random corruption of the OS may have on a system, it is theoretically possible that the problem is caused by the OS. To eliminate this possibility, unplug the computer's hard drive (both data and power to be sure), install another drive and then install the same version of the Operating System on the newly installed hard drive. Test the system with the recent OS installation extensively, and if the rebooting issues has been cleared, it will be necessary to backup all of the data on the system's original hard drive, perform a clean install of the OS on the original hard drive and then restore the data.
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