Expert: Rider - 1/3/2008

Question
I have a Dell 8200 running MS XP operating system. The computer boots fine, but after running three or four minutes, shuts down and restarts. Any help would be appreciated.

Answer
When your computer starts ok with out any hardware or OS (Operating System errors reported from the last shutdown) then shuts down unexpectedly the problem could be one of may things.

You need to check the system log files to see if there are any errors reported. If you have an error in the system log then go to Microsofts web site and search for the error code if the verbage doesn't indicate the problem.

If there are no errors in the log file you need to troubleshoot your computer starting with:
Virus
Heat
Memory
Processor

To narrow it down you need to do some trouble shooting.

First - I suggest you have a reputiable anti-virus, anti-trojan, and anti-spyware programs installed. Then when you restart the computer go into 'Safe Mode' and run these programs to clean any virus,trojan's, or spyware on your computer.

Second - While you are cleaning your computer keep an eye on it, if it restarts while in 'Safe Mode' this will rule out any problems with the Operating System.

Third - If it restarts in 'Safe Mode' you will need to go into your BIOS and see if there is a 'Hardware Monitoring' section, look under advanced. Check the operating tempature of the Processor and the Motherboard. Depending on the processor it will run from 35*C to 55*C (you will have to check the spec of the processor on the processor manufacture's web site, I am going from the last two systems I worked on with heat problems.) The mother board should run from around 20*C to 35*C in tempature. If either of these are higher than manufacture's specifications you need to increase your cooling by adding one or more fans, move the computer to a more open area to get cool air and disapte the heat that is buidling up while the system is operating.

Four - If the tempatures are in the normal operating specifications that the motherboard and processor manufactures indicate then it could be the memory or the processor.

Five - Memory if you suspect a memory problem some motherboard manufactures have an option in the BIOS called Advanced diganostics. This will display on the video any errors that come up when the system boots. If your motherboard doesn't have this option you will have to pull one memory module out start the system, check to see if it shuts down. If it doesn't pull out another one, retry, and so on until you have checked all the memory. Replace the bad ones.

Six - Processor if all the above test prove negitive (by this I mean the problem still remains) it is either your motherboard or the processor.

What is boils down to is if you have a componet that is starting to fail and only fails under stress or heat then it is hard to narrow down. The steps above should get you close to the problem if not solve it.

HTH
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