Help! My computer unexpectedly restarts!

[fatazz]

Every now and then, my computer just restarts unexpectedly and comes backs with a notice that it has recovered from a serious error. It's called a "stop error," it started happening about two months back and I don't know why.

I'm running Windows XP (if you didn't know by now) and I'm usually running Firefox and iTunes. Can somebody tell why this started happening and how to prevent it from happening? Microsoft doesn't tell me crap other than they'll look into it.

[thequestion]

Most of the stop errors I've received dealt with bad drivers. Usually the error has a hex number along with it (EX: 0x00000000) what were the numbers given with the stop error? Second is there any warnings or errors in your event viewer under system or applications?

[nextgenxbox]

Is the the complete error message you get? Post the ENTIRE error that appears on the screen.

My friends PC kept restarting without errors... and it was because the inside of the PC was dusty as hell. ;)

[fatazz]

Most of the stop errors I've received dealt with bad drivers. Usually the error has a hex number along with it (EX: 0x00000000) what were the numbers given with the stop error? Second is there any warnings or errors in your event viewer under system or applications?

It happens randomly so I don't remember the hex number. What does the hex number tell you?

[thequestion]

Usually the hex number(s) can tell where your computer went wrong.

Link (http://www.aumha.org/win5/kbestop.php)
^That site lists the number to the problem and solution.

[fatazz]

It had something to do with a driver I know but I can't remember which. Also I checked under Event Viewer and found TONS of errors and warnings, all of which the source is the disk, with the this message:

"The driver detected a controller error on \Device\Harddisk5\D"

I'm not sure about the number but if it happens again I'll be sure to write it down. Does this help?

[lordfoul]

For starters I'd install the latest drivers for your motherboard. Turn off the automatic reboot so you can actually see the error when it happens and then record it.

1.Right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.

2.Click the Advanced tab.

3.Under Startup and Recovery, click Settings to open the Startup and Recovery dialog box.

4.Clear the Automatically restart check box, and click OK the necessary number of times.

5.Restart your computer for the settings to take effect.

BSOD errors...
number of error (parameter, parameter, parameter, parameter) name of error

[striker1211]

Well, what is your D: drive for starters? I assume it's a internal hard disk? If so it might be on it's way out. Use an app like SpeedFan (it has a s.m.a.r.t. tab) to check it's health. That causing a total system freeze though sounds like it may be power supply related. If you have 5 hard disks (as the error makes me assume) you might be stressing your power supply a bit too much and the drive may be faulting when the line voltage is too low. All just guesses here, need a bit more info if possible.

[klitzy]

Take it...Get some peanut butter and rub it all over your computer. Then whenever you are angry with it, lick some peanut butter off of it. Always make me feel better.

[lordfoul]

Take it...Get some peanut butter and rub it all over your computer. Then whenever you are angry with it, lick some peanut butter off of it. Always make me feel better.

lol

.

[sevver]

I am going to tell people who call for help with their W95 computers that don't do well with High Speed Internet to do that from now on.;)

[fatazz]

I think it's fixed now. I haven't been getting the errors lately. Thanks.

[sevver]

Was it the Peanut Butter? How did you fix it? Inquiring minds want to know...

[fatazz]

Nevermind. It took a dump again. Where would it tell you the hex number to see what happened? I found nothing other than it had to do with the device driver (?) and that it was "System Error."

[striker1211]

When the blue screen comes up it will be at the bottom right before "contact your administrator blah blah"

[prophet737]

Is your file system fat32 or ntfs. The majority of automatic restart problems like yours that I have seen happen to people who haven't converted over to the ntfs file system yet. I'm not saying you'll get less error after all it's a mirosoft OS. But ussually if your getting the automatic restart with the ntfs the problem turns out to hardware related and not software ie .dll related.

[the-fiddler]

Is there any chance its your ipod driver. I had to remove all use of an ipod on one of my computers that my nephew's, niece and daughter uses. It would randomly reboot when changing aircraft in Flight Sim 2004 and gmax (3d editor). It was driving me nuts to the point that I thought

"Lets remove the ipod software and drivers and see if it continues to reboot"

It was reproducable by playing Flight Sim 2004 and then changing the plane you wanted to use. I found after removing the said ipod components it stopped rebooting in the above Flight Sim scenario.

[striker1211]

Is there any chance its your ipod driver. I had to remove all use of an ipod on one of my computers that my nephew's, niece and daughter uses. It would randomly reboot when changing aircraft in Flight Sim 2004 and gmax (3d editor). It was driving me nuts to the point that I thought

"Lets remove the ipod software and drivers and see if it continues to reboot"

It was reproducable by playing Flight Sim 2004 and then changing the plane you wanted to use. I found after removing the said ipod components it stopped rebooting in the above Flight Sim scenario.

Wow thats the most seemingly unrelated error i've ever seen. Can you load custom planes on Flight Sim 2k4? It could be it was looking for removable devices and it seen the ipod or something.