Solution:
Consumers report that malfunctioning capacitors have caused a wide range of problems, such as systems locking up, crashing, or rebooting without warning. Although it’s possible that capacitors can fail because of a bad power source, some ruined motherboards may be due to a bad component source. If you think your PC’s reboot problem is due to leaky capacitors, your first course of action is to see if the system is still under warranty. If it isn’t, probably your best bet is to go to a local repair shop to have the motherboard replaced.
However, chances are you don’t own a motherboard with faulty capacitors. Still, you might encounter a problem with your PC automatically rebooting. If you’ve ruled out a capacitor problem, consider these possible problems and solutions.
Power failure. There’s not much you can do to prevent a sudden power failure, whether due to an electrical storm or your local electric company. If the power goes off, even briefly, your PC likely will reboot on its own—and then remind you that you didn’t turn off Windows correctly. You may not be able to prevent a power failure, but make sure your system is plugged into a heavy-duty power strip and surge protector.
Change your WinXP setting. Unlike previous versions of Windows, Windows XP is set, by default, to automatically reboot when a fatal error occurs. (You know, the dreaded “blue screen.”) The Event Log will tell you what the error was, but it might be better to identify what it is at the time the error occurs.
Incompatible software or drivers. In addition to fatal errors, software incompatibility is another reason for your PC to reboot on its own. Have you installed a new application lately, or a new or updated driver for a piece of hardware? If you think it’s a software problem, check the manufacturer’s Web site or Windows Update to see if either location has a patch you can download that will fix the problem.
For additional information and further instructions, please refer to the article in the "See Also:" section below. |