Restarts after startup and restarts while trying to connect to Internet.

[amadeus]

Okay, my computer is having some strange problems.

When I attempt to start my computer, it will often have to restart up to TEN (10) times before I can properly run applications. It will give me no warning, temporarily shut off the monitor, and restart.

Likewise, this will occur when I try to connect to the Internet. It will also have to take up to ten (10) times before I can connect to the Internet.

I'm running Windows 98 with an NVIDIA video card (I've read elsewhere that perhaps this could be a problem) and the latest drivers. What could be going wrong?

Thanks,
Ryan

 

[bobgote]

my computer occasionally restarts as it connects to the net too. no idea what's going on.

 

[Rheinmetall]

When did it start? This problem of your's I mean. Did you install something? add new hardware?

 

[Hawkster]

if you were running XP I'd suspect the blaster worm but I don't think this applies to Win98. You have checked for viruses etc - may be worth doing just in case....

Are all your hardware devices properly connected (modem, video card etc) a loose board could be casuing the problem..

Otherwise try reinstalling drivers - (I've used nvidia card on win98 previously and never had this problem but you never know) if that fails then a reinstall of win98 may be the only option.

 

[ainwood]

Originally posted by rmsharpe
Thanks,
Ryan

This doesn't sound like RM

Have you done anything to your system recently? Is this a new problem?

Catastrophic crashes like this can be many things from bad memory to corrupted files to viruses.

Go to the control panel, and load up the "system". Click the "advanced" tab, and then the "startup and recovery" option. There is a check box there for "automatically reboot", and turn that off.

If it crashes again, you should (at least) get the blue screen of death, instead of a reboot. That blue screen should at least tell you what the problem is. Have a look at what error log it writes too - it will tell you on that tab (something like %SystemRoot%\Minidump - then do a search for that file (eg *minidump*, and have a look at it. What you are looking for is what caused the crash - something like "explorer.exe cause crash in module....." etc.

You can also try looking in the administration tools folder inthe control panel for the event viewer. That might give you a list of the errors.

Post back here what you find.

 

[bobgote]

well an update from me - haven't had the problem recently, but there's been a number of things i've done...

for me it could well have been blaster - as i have applied the patch for that recently. Unfortunately that wouldn't help Mr. Sharpe.

 

[nixon]

You could also try disabling some of the programs that run at startup. Try typing msconfig.exe and uncheck some of the apps.

 

[Centrifuge]

I used to get sudden restarts alot, but then I checked my bios and realized that my 5, 12, and 3 voltages were running to high. This was easilly fixed for me because I have an Antec "True Control" power supply, which allows fine tuning of the voltage through the front panel.

Which makes me think that if you don't have a virus of some sort, you may have a power supply issue. Perhaps you are using more volts than your PSU can support.

 

[nixon]

Couldn't it also be a RAM issue? Maybe some sort of faulty allocation or something like that....