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Dell Xps 420 - Cutting out and rebooting

  • 30-10-2011 5:15pm
    #1
    godtabh
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 23,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    I have a Dell Xps 420

    It was working fine up until about half an hour ago it was working great.

    Now when you turn it on it boots up, goes through log in and then 5-10 minutes later turns off and starts rebooting itself. Some times it has a couple of beats and doesn't reboot. Some to times the beats are different but I think it was possible 3 medium length beats.

    Any one have any ideas?


Comments

  • #2
    yoyo
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,017 Mod ✭✭✭✭yoyo


    godtabh wrote: »
    I have a Dell Xps 420

    It was working fine up until about half an hour ago it was working great.

    Now when you turn it on it boots up, goes through log in and then 5-10 minutes later turns off and starts rebooting itself. Some times it has a couple of beats and doesn't reboot. Some to times the beats are different but I think it was possible 3 medium length beats.

    Any one have any ideas?

    You will need to use the bios beep codes to help diagnose the problem, look here. My guess is bad memory is causing a BSOD hence the auto reboot, it could also be an overheating issue,

    Nick

    My Beer Glass collection site 🍺

    My Irish Callcards site



  • #3
    godtabh
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 23,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭godtabh


    All fans appear to be working. Pc sees all ram when logged in before powering off.

    I have hoovered to see if dust would be an issue but still the same


  • #4
    godtabh
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 23,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭godtabh


    I recorded the sound. About 10 secs into the clip

    http://www.mediafire.com/?z26ns1nl2a0yoap


  • #5
    JonathanAnon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23,718 ✭✭✭✭JonathanAnon


    godtabh wrote: »
    Now when you turn it on it boots up, goes through log in and then 5-10 minutes later turns off and starts rebooting itself. Some times it has a couple of beats and doesn't reboot.

    Can you clarify .. you log in to Windows successfully, then you're working away and it reboots itself ... also does it reboot by a) Windows shutting down properly OR b) by the power just going just like you'd plugged it out..

    Did you try booting to Safe Mode, or a different CD based O/S (Ubuntu from CD for example) and see if it exhibits the same characteristics.. ?


  • #6
    godtabh
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 23,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭godtabh


    Log on and windows seems fine then the power turns off like some one unplugged it.

    I've tried safe mode and recovery mode and same thing happens.


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  • #7
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    IF you can log on successfully within windows, it might be worth giving a gander at the logs as to why it is rebooting, this link will show you how to access and read the system logs.


  • #8
    JonathanAnon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23,718 ✭✭✭✭JonathanAnon


    I would also try "Last Known Good Configuration" from the Advanced Menu... which I'm sure you probably have already.

    Because it's happening at the same time in the boot process, I would think it's something to do with the Windows installation (i.e. corrupt file, messed up application, virus, malware) rather than something hardware related..


  • #9
    yoyo
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,017 Mod ✭✭✭✭yoyo


    It really does sound like memory error, RAM problems may make the machine look to work, but continuously fail, do a memtest86+ test, leave it looping for a while, any memory errors and youve found the problem, you can get Memtest Here

    Nick

    My Beer Glass collection site 🍺

    My Irish Callcards site



  • #10
    fatmander
    Closed Accounts Posts: 117 ✭✭fatmander


    If you have more than one stick of ram, try removing all but one, if it reboots, try a different dimm.
    press f8 straight after the bios beeps, select 'disable auto system restart on system failure'.
    This should let you get some idea from interpreting 'technical information' in the bsod message
    I agree with yoyo, sounds like bad ram
    Could also be video ram problem


  • #11
    godtabh
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 23,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭godtabh


    Will have a go with the ram ( has 4 sticks).

    Alsomthere is no bsod. It powers down and boots up again through the normal process.


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  • #12
    godtabh
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 23,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭godtabh


    It appears that two dims of ram are soldered in. Two had quick release tabs two didn't? Neve seen that before.

    Took out two dims. PC saw two had been taken out. Doing a pre-boot system assessment now. Passed that.

    Doing a hardware digsnostic now.


  • #13
    godtabh
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 23,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭godtabh


    I think it could defo be a ram thing. Right on the money lads.

    Took two dims out. Two working grand. A bit slower than normal (shocker there!)

    So a simple ram problem! Was very closes to buying a new mac as I thought this was toast


  • #14
    yoyo
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,017 Mod ✭✭✭✭yoyo


    godtabh wrote: »
    I think it could defo be a ram thing. Right on the money lads.

    Took two dims out. Two working grand. A bit slower than normal (shocker there!)

    So a simple ram problem! Was very closes to buying a new mac as I thought this was toast

    Memtest I linked to is the best for diagnosing the dodgy stick, also, Mac computers, unlike popular belief funnily enough are susceptible to having hardware fail as much as PCs, after all they run on the same components!!

    Nick

    My Beer Glass collection site 🍺

    My Irish Callcards site



  • #15
    godtabh
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 23,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭godtabh


    was thinking about a mac for the simple reason I wanted to try something different.

    All dims are up and running. I had recently moved the PC so I reckon that the ram must have come lose or something.

    Have the PC up on adverts so still hoping to sell it and get a mac.


  • #16
    yoyo
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,017 Mod ✭✭✭✭yoyo


    godtabh wrote: »
    was thinking about a mac for the simple reason I wanted to try something different.

    All dims are up and running. I had recently moved the PC so I reckon that the ram must have come lose or something.

    Have the PC up on adverts so still hoping to sell it and get a mac.

    www.ubuntu.com ;)

    Nick

    My Beer Glass collection site 🍺

    My Irish Callcards site



  • #17
    fatmander
    Closed Accounts Posts: 117 ✭✭fatmander


    I'd like to see a pic of the soldered ram, never seen that in 15 years of computer repair.
    If u wanna buy a mac, then god bless you(might as well believe in god, fairies, goblins etc), no respect for your own cash?, enjoy the walled garden of mac
    happy trip


  • #18
    godtabh
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 23,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭godtabh


    fatmander wrote: »
    I'd like to see a pic of the soldered ram, never seen that in 15 years of computer repair.
    If u wanna buy a mac, then god bless you(might as well believe in god, fairies, goblins etc), no respect for your own cash?, enjoy the walled garden of mac
    happy trip

    on closer inspection it looks like there is different connection types and probably not soldered in. Will have to check with a torch tonight.

    And lets not turn this into a pc/apple fanboy thread


  • #19
    yoyo
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,017 Mod ✭✭✭✭yoyo


    fatmander wrote: »
    I'd like to see a pic of the soldered ram, never seen that in 15 years of computer repair.
    If u wanna buy a mac, then god bless you(might as well believe in god, fairies, goblins etc), no respect for your own cash?, enjoy the walled garden of mac
    happy trip

    Soldered RAM, That certainly screams Apple :P . We'll update the RAM for only a few hundred, not even joking but on newer Imacs I think Apple prevent you using any hard drive other than official ones, totally out of order, that and non user replaceable batteries.

    Nick

    My Beer Glass collection site 🍺

    My Irish Callcards site



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