My box sux0rz

[Crowbar]

I'm having a huge problem with my computer. After being off for more than 20 minutes, it takes many tries for it to start. I have to start it, then restart it again and again for it to finally "catch" and open windows. and after that it usually reboots on its own a couple times before becoming "stable" and letting me begin to use the computer. Then at random points in my computer use, the machine either freezes, or reboots on its own. I've found no explanation for this. Sometimes it locks up or reboots when I open up a new window on the internet, when I start a new program, when I do something in a program (say, click on "save" for a picture in photoshop) but often it just randomly reboots. I'll be chatting on AIM or Yahoo with my fiance' or with friends, and the computer will for no reason at all, reboot. Then once it reboots, it takes two or three "self-restarts" to become ready for use again. I've spent the last 30 minutes trying to get my computer started and join prodigious. The farthest I've gotten is to open Counterstrike and get to the main menu. Then it reboots.

I vacuumed out the inside of my box, it was real dusty. I've reset the configurations in my CMOS and BIOS to Fail-Safe defaults, Optimized defaults, reset configurations to last known good config. I'm running out of ideas. I believe the problem may be with Windows XP and my hardware. I've got an AMD Athalon 1 GHz, 512 PC133 RAM, 350wt power supply, GeForce2 GTS graphics card, Sound Blaster Live audio (which has known issues with WinXP, but I've got those new drivers). The computer came with Windows ME, and hasn't had this problem since I put XP on, however the problem has gotten much worse these past two days, and I've had XP for a few weeks. Any ideas would be appreciated. I'm going to reformat again and put Windows ME back on when I get a chance. What I wouldn't give for the $2500 to buy an Alienware Area-51 laptop...

[ConGregation]

Whoa! and we let this guy in Mmmm?!?!?

 

 

Somebody help this guy out!!!

[Guest ZDamage]

Self restarts? Video card overheating is my guess. Make sure the fan is spinning on that card. I had the same card and it came NOT spinning. I had to hardware the fan to the correct nodes to get it to spin.

[[Mmmm]Homer]

Bah, me likes XP.

[Gond]

May also want to check for new chipset drivers. I built a puter for my wife a while ago and it would do some freaky random stuff till I updated the chipset drivers and then all was fine. Never had the need to reboot 3 times to become stable though...just the random restarts & lockups.