Computer having random reboots and shut-downs.

SeweiSewei
edited January 2007 in Hardware
Okay, so a week ago, I brought my computer to my friend's house to LAN. On my way there, I made the mistake of placing my computer vertically on the back seat. Throughout the ride, the computer shock back and forth, and feel on its side on a soft surface. After the lan, I noticed that on the second boot screen, when it is booting up the devices and what not, at the end, it says "Boot from CD:" two times. I ignored that for a while seeing how it seemed trivial, but I accidently kick my computer gently forward, moving it accidently while it was on. The computer turns off with no BSOD or anything. I open my case and make sure all the hardware is tightened and all the plugs were at the right place, finding nothing unusal. I ignored it till today, when I plugged in my Zune into my computer, moving it a little trying to plug it into my USB slot. I do that, and the computer all of the sudden reboots. This had never happened to me before, and I never had the problem of random reboots.

I figure this may be due to my harddrive moving back in forth in the car, and I want to check If I damaged it. Is there any software that scans to see if your HDD is fine. Also, I would like to see your thoughts and suggestions on what is wrong with my computer.
Thanks in advance.

Comments

  • PterocarpousPterocarpous Rosie the Riveter Lives On in CA, USA! New
    edited January 2007
    Sewei wrote:
    Okay, so a week ago, I brought my computer to my friend's house to LAN. On my way there, I made the mistake of placing my computer vertically on the back seat. Throughout the ride, the computer shock back and forth, and feel on its side on a soft surface. After the lan, I noticed that on the second boot screen, when it is booting up the devices and what not, at the end, it says "Boot from CD:" two times. I ignored that for a while seeing how it seemed trivial, but I accidently kick my computer gently forward, moving it accidently while it was on. The computer turns off with no BSOD or anything. I open my case and make sure all the hardware is tightened and all the plugs were at the right place, finding nothing unusal. I ignored it till today, when I plugged in my Zune into my computer, moving it a little trying to plug it into my USB slot. I do that, and the computer all of the sudden reboots. This had never happened to me before, and I never had the problem of random reboots.

    I figure this may be due to my harddrive moving back in forth in the car, and I want to check If I damaged it. Is there any software that scans to see if your HDD is fine. Also, I would like to see your thoughts and suggestions on what is wrong with my computer.
    Thanks in advance.


    Hi Sewei
    It could be related to the bumping around when you transported the system or it could be a coincidence.

    I know you checked the hardware, but, to be sure....

    Shut down your computer
    Disconnect all external cables from the back and front of the case
    Open the case
    "Reseat" (unplug and plug back in) the memory and expansion cards. We'll hold off on futzing w/ the CPU until we see how this goes)
    ***********************
    Note:
    When handling the electronic components, do not touch any components or circuitry on the expansion cards or memory modules. Hold the memory modules and expansion cards by their edges. This is to avoid the hazards of ESD damage to your hardware.
    ***********************
    "Reseat" all of the data cables on both ends (at the motherboard and at the devices) (IDE, SATA, etc.)
    Reconnect only the mouse, monitor and keyboard.
    Connect the power cord to a quality surge suppressor or, better yet, an UPS (uninterruptible power supply)

    Fire it up and let's see what happens.
  • SeweiSewei
    edited January 2007
    Right now I am scanning my HDD for any problems. But before I reseat everything, if any hardware was lose, wouldn't I get a BSOD before my computer reboots. Also, what is with the "Boot from CD" thing I keep seeing. Thanks a lot.
  • PterocarpousPterocarpous Rosie the Riveter Lives On in CA, USA! New
    edited January 2007
    Sewei wrote:
    Right now I am scanning my HDD for any problems...
    Good idea.
    Sewei wrote:
    ...But before I reseat everything, if any hardware was lose, wouldn't I get a BSOD before my computer reboots...
    Not at all. How a system would behave during P.O.S.T. if a component or cable is not seated correctly would depend entirely on the component or cable and what part it plays during P.O.S.T. in that particular computer.
    Sewei wrote:
    ...Also, what is with the "Boot from CD" thing I keep seeing. Thanks a lot.
    If it is offering you an opportunity to boot from CD then it either isn't seeing the HDD or it is not recognizing the HDD as a boot device
    -OR-
    You have a bootable CD-ROM disc in your CD-ROM drive. It has detected the disc and is giving you the opportunity to choose between booting to the HDD or booting from the disc in the CD-ROM drive.
  • SeweiSewei
    edited January 2007
    Okay, I reseated everything and tightened every piece of hardware. Also, I reconnected the wires. However, I still get the message "Boot from CD" and checked bios to make sure everything was normal. When I came up to the windows user screen, right under my name it said 31 new messages, which I did not understand. I had some virus problems that I found and supposedly deleted 2 weeks ago. Could it be possible I have a virus?
  • PterocarpousPterocarpous Rosie the Riveter Lives On in CA, USA! New
    edited January 2007
    Sewei wrote:
    ...However, I still get the message "Boot from CD"
    This may be normal for your BIOS. There will be a setting, I believe, in your BIOS where you can turn this feature off.
    -OR-
    You have a bootable CD-ROM disc in your CD-ROM drive.... :nudge:
    Sewei wrote:
    ...When I came up to the windows user screen, right under my name it said 31 new messages...
    It is referring to your unread e-mail messages
    Sewei wrote:
    ...I had some virus problems that I found and supposedly deleted 2 weeks ago. Could it be possible I have a virus?
    Sure. Malware can definetly be the cause of your random reboots. If that is the case then the fact that the rebooting started after you moved the computer was a red herring. Just a coincidence.

    Please, post a new thread in our Spyware Forum. There are experts there who specialize in malware removal. :thumbsup:

    http://www.short-media.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=57
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