Computer randomly restarts

[ComputerHazard]

It don't give any warnings when it shuts off. It just shuts off and reboots it self. And I can hear the fans running and the modem don't feel warm.

Every once in a while when it decides to shut off the computer screen turns completely black and it beeps. So, if that tells you anything!

 

[littleangel89]

My computer once had the same problem. The fan is still running loudly when I start the computer.There's some problem with the hardware, especially with the motherboard. Maybe it's about time to get a new one

 

[popflier]

It don't give any warnings when it shuts off. It just shuts off and reboots it self. And I can hear the fans running and the modem don't feel warm.

Every once in a while when it decides to shut off the computer screen turns completely black and it beeps. So, if that tells you anything!

I had the same problem recently with one of my desktops. I knew it wasn't my hard drive because I had just replaced it so that could really only leave my motherboard or memory. I ran MEMTEST and ended up getting a ton of errors so I knew changing out my memory could probably solve it...and it did.

Check your memory. Run MEMTEST and see what the results are. Do a Google search for it. You should be able to pick it up for free on download or sometimes for $5 - $10 from people.

 

[seanspotatobiz]

It don't give any warnings when it shuts off. It just shuts off and reboots it self. And I can hear the fans running and the modem don't feel warm.

Every once in a while when it decides to shut off the computer screen turns completely black and it beeps. So, if that tells you anything!

What are the specifications, including PSU, of the machine? How old was the machine when this started happening? Have you upgraded any hardware recently? Does it happen usually when you're doing something in particular (e.g. gaming)?

I had this problem and confirmed that it was due to faulty memory modules. For your first test, trying burning Memtest86+ to CD, restarting and letting Memtest run overnight. Report your results in the morning. It's important to let it run for this extended period (I once had an error that only occurred approx. once every seven passes!).

^Edit: In reference to the comment above mine, Memtest86+ is free and you ought not pay anything for it, unless you don't have a CD burner. I think you can also get it to run from a USB stick though. I'd say a floppy disk is less reliable.

 

[popflier]

What are the specifications, including PSU, of the machine? How old was the machine when this started happening? Have you upgraded any hardware recently? Does it happen usually when you're doing something in particular (e.g. gaming)?

I had this problem and confirmed that it was due to faulty memory modules. For your first test, trying burning Memtest86+ to CD, restarting and letting Memtest run overnight. Report your results in the morning. It's important to let it run for this extended period (I once had an error that only occurred approx. once every seven passes!).

^Edit: In reference to the comment above mine, Memtest86+ is free and you ought not pay anything for it, unless you don't have a CD burner. I think you can also get it to run from a USB stick though. I'd say a floppy disk is less reliable.

Yes, seanspotatobiz is absolutely right. Run MEMTEST overnight. That's really important and he's right that you could end up with an error on the 7th pass or later and that could be the source of your issue. I was going to post that info too, but was running out the door when I made my post and didn't include that info. Sorry about that.

And yes...MEMTEST is free, but if you don't have a burner or want to own a silver pressed disc with it on it then you can pick one up for roughly $5 or $10 from people who sell them online.

If you run the test and find that you do not receive any errors then I'd first look to your hard drive and then to your motherboard. I had a laptop that was doing the same thing (different computer than the one I mentioned before) and my memory checked out okay, but a new hard drive and fresh reinstall of windows fixed the problem.