PC clean but keeps restarting

Sean Quagmire

I have run scans with superantispyware and Kaspersky in safe mode with networking. Both scans have detected and removed trojans and spyware but still the PC keeps randomly rebooting in normal mode.

This happened last year and I had to get the PC fixed by PC World. Since that I have been running regulary AV scans and making sure its kept up to date - so why is it back to rebooting itself? Could this be a really deep embedded Virus..

I even have the settings set so it shouldnt restart when a crisis hits but it does anyway.

Any advice appreciated..

Eviledna

Sounds like a hardware problem to me as opposed to a virus.

Try downloading CPUID hardware monitor to have a look at the temperatures on your board, processor etc. I had a similar problem of restarting before and it turned out to be insufficient thermal glue on the processor which caused it to overheat and trigger the restart mechanism. Google the maximum temperatures for your components, starting with your processor, compare, and if it's running too hot you know you are overheating.

Also have a look at your process list in Task manager (assuming it's a PC) and see if there are any suspicious processes chewing up the processor cycles. Google their names if you are unsure if it's genuine/not.

Sean Quagmire

Thanks.
I was thinking it's a hardware problem alright..

Does CPUID report what the problem could be when it does a scan?
I read somewere that it could be down to tired plug fuses or just weak connenctions.

Is it possible for the PC to crash if there are too many operations running in task manager? I dont think it's ever been under that much strain but I'l check it out.

mrjoneill

I wiped xp of a pc and put it on afresh and everything was ok and when I put on the drivers from the vendors web site and this problem like yours began but by rolling back the drivers I isolated it to a driver for the newtwork card. So these problems are not always hardware. I have seen similar with virus and with a hardisk that was failing. This last one showed up as unable to take downloads from updates to the operating system with a consequence that there was a build up of them and it was constantly trying to update shutting down the machine in the process of restarting to complete the process. So one would want to keep an open mind to isolate the problem first of all the obvious sorting out is it infected, is there a heat problem/ hardware problem, then is it a software problem.

Eviledna

Sean Quagmire wrote: »

Does CPUID report what the problem could be when it does a scan?
I read somewere that it could be down to tired plug fuses or just weak connenctions.

It will simply tell you the temperatures of your components. As I said, google the maximum temperatures of your processor, graphics card etc and compare them. This would be a simple diagnostic method to see if it is overheating.

Sean Quagmire wrote: »

Is it possible for the PC to crash if there are too many operations running in task manager? I dont think it's ever been under that much strain but I'l check it out.

Yes, it is possible. As mrjoneill said it is important to keep an open mind. This could be anything from a hard drive failing to a malicious script messing with you. I always like to rule out hardware first, as it is the more fatal of errors. Remember you can always re-install an OS, but a knackered HD or processor is gone forever.

I suggest you undertake a process of elimination. Do the temp check first. If everthing is normal, check out the processes running. Anything unusual? Google it. If you know a bit about components within the machine, open it and make sure everthing is connected securely. Have you recently added components to your box? Could it be an insufficient power supply?

When you've done a few checks come back to us here with your results.:)

ASJ112

do you have the logs from the scanners ?