compulsiveguile
New Member
I'm posting this under this category because I assume this problem is caused from a hardware issue. I'm running Windows XP SP2 on my Sony VAIO (3.2 GHz Pentium 4, 1 gig RAM, 128mb ATI Radeon). Okay so here's the issue. My computer has started randomly restarting/rebooting. I've noticed it on three different occasions.
1. When I select switch user (not log off), I get to the login screen where different pictures are displayed next to user names. When I select any other user than the one that "Switch User" was selected from, *click* my computer reboots.
2. Whenever I attempt to view a corrupted/incomplete file, *click* my computer reboots. I've noticed this especially when I've either partially converted a video file or download a corrupted video file. It seems as though the computer starts to "think" and can't sort things out, so it overloads and shuts down.
3. When the computer is in sleep mode it will randomly reboot. Nobody touches anything, and the computer will restart.
I'm at a loss of what the problem could be. I have done various optimization tasks such as running virus/spyware scans (AVG and Ad-Aware) and other cleanup Apps (such as CCleaner and Advanced Windows Care). Is it a matter of the processor or some other component overheating? I have not had this problem before (this did not start after I added a new hardware component or anything of that sort). The only drastic change I made to the computer was reinstalling Windows XP (spring cleaning so-to-speak). This problem did not start immediately after the reinstallation either. I also cleaned off the processor and other hardware such as fans, etc. with dust-off. I assume that it isn't a memory problem seeing as I have one gb of RAM. I've even tried swapping around the sticks of RAM on the motherboard. Perhaps maybe an electrical issue such as MOBO battery needing replaced or some other power issue? This is quite frustrating. Please help!
1. When I select switch user (not log off), I get to the login screen where different pictures are displayed next to user names. When I select any other user than the one that "Switch User" was selected from, *click* my computer reboots.
2. Whenever I attempt to view a corrupted/incomplete file, *click* my computer reboots. I've noticed this especially when I've either partially converted a video file or download a corrupted video file. It seems as though the computer starts to "think" and can't sort things out, so it overloads and shuts down.
3. When the computer is in sleep mode it will randomly reboot. Nobody touches anything, and the computer will restart.
I'm at a loss of what the problem could be. I have done various optimization tasks such as running virus/spyware scans (AVG and Ad-Aware) and other cleanup Apps (such as CCleaner and Advanced Windows Care). Is it a matter of the processor or some other component overheating? I have not had this problem before (this did not start after I added a new hardware component or anything of that sort). The only drastic change I made to the computer was reinstalling Windows XP (spring cleaning so-to-speak). This problem did not start immediately after the reinstallation either. I also cleaned off the processor and other hardware such as fans, etc. with dust-off. I assume that it isn't a memory problem seeing as I have one gb of RAM. I've even tried swapping around the sticks of RAM on the motherboard. Perhaps maybe an electrical issue such as MOBO battery needing replaced or some other power issue? This is quite frustrating. Please help!
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