Random Reboots

[davidov]

yeah yeah i know, sorry people here comes the 1000st topic about it but all the other were about overheating and i beleive thats not the case this time.

Ok here it goes, I have a AMD athlon 64 3000+ processor, K8N neo platinum motherboard, Readon 9800 pro graphics card, and 1 slice of 512 MB kingston DDR RAM.

Well... for weeks now i have been having these frustrating random reboots...sometimes when launching a song, other times when booting up excel, and on other occasion just when doing nothing.... making playing new games near impossible.

At first everybody said it were bugs in my OS, then they blamed my pc from overheating...but last night somebody told me to do a mem check...well...all i know is that it was raining errors during the check (something near the 900.000).

So 2 questions:
1. (quite obvious)..is my memory screwed up?
2. would buying new memory completely fix the problem of random reboots?

thnx for your help in advance :)

[jabarnutcase]

So 2 questions:
1. (quite obvious)..is my memory screwed up?
2. would buying new memory completely fix the problem of random reboots?

1. Yes (Most likely)
2. Yes (Most likely)

(You might first try re-seating the Ram and run another test, but my guess is that it's bad).
If it fails the test again, replace it.

Funny, before I even got to the end of your post, I first thought of heat, then bad memory.

In fact, I had the same problem more than once and replacing the bad Ram fixed the problem.

I might add that Kingston is a GREAT Company to deal with....go to their site, request an RMA number, send the stick in, and they will replace it free of charge.....no questions asked.

Oh- and Welcome to the PC Guide Forums. ;)

[davidov]

hehe cool, thnx for the quick reply :)

Well about replacing the Ram, that's another funny story....
When I ordered the Ram, new motherboard, and processor.... the company automaticly placed the Ram in the board for me.
They put it in slot 1, just like it should....but my system refused to boot up at all.
Send some friends to look on the net for me, and they found out that I wasnt the only person having this problem. People all over the world said "try placing it in slot 2" and woosh my pc lit up like a christmas tree and everything was solved.

I guess i'll slot 1 and 3 just once more and run a test before I start sending my Ram across the globe :)

[jabarnutcase]

Strange that using it in Slot two works but not Slot one.
As you mentioned, apparently inherent with that Motherboard.
Running the test with the ram in other Slots can't hurt. (Some Motherboards, you can't even do that...but if it boots, my guess is that it will still fail the test).

If you happened to know anyone who had a Computer that used the same type DDR RAM, and didn't mind you "playing" around (I know, a long shot), you could place the Ram in the other computer and run the same memory test.

If it failed again, that eliminates your Motherboard and Ram slots as a problem.

Of course there can be other problems too, but when memory fails a test it will certainly cause problems, and eventually may fail completely, so you have to replace it regardless of other possible problems or not.

My money still goes on "problem solved with a new stick"....good luck.
:)

[classicsoftware]

While you are at it, check the capacitors on the motherboard. They should be flat and smooth. If they are bulging, then the motherborad needs to be replaced. This is a common problem.

Had a PC in the shop with the same problemas yours. Random re-boot. Failed memory tests. replaced memory, reinstalled OS still random re-boots. Had to replace the motherboard. Thank god for warranties...

[Paleo Pete]

Bad Capacitors (http://www.PCGuide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=25482)