Computer Failure Win 10 Cyclical Reboots.

[menzies233]

Computer has been fine for ages, normally just leave it running 24/7 as I don't like switching them off and on if they are working OK.

Well today I was busy downstairs and came back to my room to check e mail and the computer was sitting at a blue screen with a message that the diagnostics had failed and that Win 10 could not be started properly.

I initially thought it was a joke by my Son who often loads "cracked monitor" and "BSOD" screens just to make my day, however, this was real.

Reboot the machine and it is going into endless cycles of rebooting, sometimes as quickly as the POST screen, sometimes it would get as far as the Win logon and occaisionally as far as the desktop. But within seconds it would power off and reboot again and again.

I used a laptop to check for solutions on the net, they range from problematic Win updates to removing and patching various files.

I knew this was not the case as nothing had been installed recently, and there had been no updates.

The machine would start up and run fine in safe mode so I suspected maybe a corrupt driver, but that did not explain the random reboots at the POST screen.

I reset the BIOS to optimal defaults and on normal boot it still went haywire. Just by chance I went to pull the side cover and touched the case - It was RED HOT!

It seems like the power supply - Cooler Master 1000W, draws cooling air in from the base of the case, this had become clogged with loads of fine dust particles on its main filter screens.

I took a vacuum cleaner to it and sucked out all of the old junk and hey presto away it went.

I did a check with SFC / Scannow and all of the system files are intact. So all seems to be well.

Just in case anyone is having similar problems with what was previously a stable build, just check your airflow, the ambient temp in my room at the moment is 43C and that is with a fan running full belt, so I guess the computers are feeling the heat here just now.

Edited April 4, 2016 by menzies233

[lostinisaan]

Computer has been fine for ages, normally just leave it running 24/7 as I don't like switching them off and on if they are working OK.

Arrai Waa?

[menzies233]

Computer has been fine for ages, normally just leave it running 24/7 as I don't like switching them off and on if they are working OK.

Arrai Waa?

The reason it runs 24/7 is it is hooked up as a server for movies music torrents etc. The other reason being is that about 90% of electronic failures occur at power on, so if you leave it running it just keeps running! In a past life I used to look after a large electronics manufacturing site, we ran what was at the time state of the art test kit, Old HP Vectras controlling Noise Figure Meters and Spectrum Analysers, millions of dollars worth of kit, we never switched them off if ever possible as like I said, most of them would fail at power on - if it is working and running, leave it alone - Arrai Waa?

Edited April 4, 2016 by menzies233

[nabbie]

Replacing the circle battery?

Or

Heat loosening?

Or

Ants invading your M/B?

[Chicog]

Overheating will often cause that.

Would suggest you turn it off, and if you can do it easily, open her up and blow the dust off. Also check that the fans are all working. (should do a good clean once a year or so anyway).

Once it's cooled down, try it again.

If it's still doing it, then take it to an engineer, it could be a failing power supply.

[Tywais]

Overheating will often cause that.

Would suggest you turn it off, and if you can do it easily, open her up and blow the dust off. Also check that the fans are all working. (should do a good clean once a year or so anyway).

Once it's cooled down, try it again.

If it's still doing it, then take it to an engineer, it could be a failing power supply.

And if you know how to do it, clean and replace the heatsink compound on the CPU, chipset and graphics card if it has one. These dry up over time and I do it as part of preventative maintenance. If you are uncomfortable doing it yourself then a computer tech can do it easily.