my pc is having...issues again

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This morning @ 2:25 my computer turned itself on(damn my floppy drive for being so loud) then as I went to see what it was doing it shut down, I tried turning it on only to have it shutting down on it's own. It did that for an hour, then I un-plugged it. What is going on with it? I cant get a virus because it is not connected to the net, but it was made when windows 98 was around (now it is running windows 2000 professional edition with service pack 4 and puppy linux as a dual boot) so is it dieing?

Can you access the BIOS at bootup? If so, there should be a page that shows the voltages and temperatures. Check if those values are within norms and leave it there and see if your computer reboots itself.

I did try to access my BIOS but it just shut down while I was checking it before. But everything looked the same.

could be that your power supply is dieing, or there is a issue with your motherboard. Are there any clicks or any sounds that have developed that wernt there before?

It could be that a program is set for scheduled tasks, and is messing up, but I am not sure how this works, or even possible in windows 98. This is probably were I would start, maybe someone knows more about it and could tell you what to look for if that could be a problem. EDIT, after rereading things, this wouldnt be the problem if it is restarting even before the OS boots

If that is not it, then I would move on to this next step.
I would probably start with flashing the bios. If you ever changed any settings in the bios, or ever tried to overclock the computer or anything, flashing it to its default will reset anything that might have been changed that could be causing your problem. Make sure you know what your doing if you try this, as if you mess up, you might be left with a large paper weight. Most likely, this probably isnt the problem, but it is what I would try first.

Most likely, if it is hardware, it is the power supply that is shot. It will turn on, but once it warms up, it is overheating, having trouble sending the correct voltage, and shutting down. If the power supply is still on, but sending a incorrect voltage, the system can look like it is turned off, or crash, and turn back on again. (at least I think that is how it works) If it shuts down, but the case fans are still running, then that would be a big clue that it is with the power supply.

It could be a hard drive failing, but that really wouldnt explain the computer turning back on?

TBH, if there is something wrong with the PSU or hardware, unless you have something laying around to throw in it for free, I wouldnt spend any money on it, and instead save that money to put towards a netbook, or a cheap used system (something that isnt a decade old). Recently, someone brought a windows 98 computer to me wanting to get it fixed, I didnt even look at it, and told them they would be better off, to throw that one in the trash, and put the money towards a new one, then to pay someone to fix it. You can get computers dirt cheap nowadays

Agreed, if it reboots even in the BIOS screen, power supply and motherboard are the prime suspects. Well the CPU is another one. Have you checked if the fans are working? Especially the one on the CPU?

Also, do you have any expansion cards in that computer? If so remove all of them except the display card if there's one, and try entering the BIOS again.

Another slightly far fetched possibility is the power and reset switch. If you know your ways, remove the wires connecting those switches to the motherboard and use a screw driver to short the power pins to turn on the computer.


That's done by setting the wake up timer in the BIOS unless it's done in hardware by some expansion card. If you really suspect this, clear the CMOS and remove all the expansion cards.


If the computer keep rebooting itself, flashing the BIOS is a very bad idea. Just clear the CMOS. You may also want to replace the CMOS battery just in case.

You beat me to it. I was thinking a CMOS reset was what CloudWalker was meaning. OTOH a cleared CMOS will never end up with a machine becoming a "paper weight", whereas an interrupted re-flash of the BIOS will do just that.

Anyway - I largely agree with the remote diagnosis of "dying PSU" - except for the fact that shugo974 says the problem started up with his machine turning itself ON, unattended. Maybe he has a poltergeist in the house?

(Or a BIOS that is getting VERY confused, and doing a timed boot?)

The BIOS should NOT (ever) be reflashed. In fact, reflashable BIOS was a very bad
idea compared to earlier PROM BIOS, since any reflashing can KILL the computer.

Likely causes of a computer turning itself on:

#1: You just got a new cell phone and left it on the computer.
Permanent damage is possible, but it usually just confuses the mouse
or corrupts the memory, and, indirectly, files being saved. If software
controls the power, then the power switch is just like a mouse button(*).

#2: You smoke, or your heat furnace does, and conductive smoke dust
is starting to short out the computer. DUST IT OUT WITH DUSTER SPRAY,
especially making sure the fans work and see what has accumulated on them.

#3: Cockroaches are living inside the computer. Permanent damage is
imminent.

(*)Somehow the power button is broken or shorted out by any means
like the three listed above. It also explains the rebooting if the computer
thinks it is being turned on and off constantly.

#4: Power surge, but the other symptoms may be from damage if not
from CMOS error. A CMOS error can be fixed by removing the battery,
and then replacing it soon, unless it leaked and cannot be removed.

Automatic rebooting is something I have NEVER heard of happening
over and over again after Linux boots, but if it even happens in BIOS,
the problem is not software.

yes, a cmos reset would work, it would be smart to try that and ignore my suggestion of a flash.

The reason I suggested flashing the bios, is because updating to the most recent version of the bios might take care of a compatibility issue that has developed somewere along the line, causing problems. I updatehe bios on my computers all the time, when new version come out, and I have never had a problem, BUT, like others said, it would be a VERY bad idea if the computer keeps shutting down, very bad idea, not sure why I suggested it, I guess I didnt put the two together

Besides setup, BIOS contains ALL STANDARD DRIVERS.
Microsoft breaks the standards and to give an example,
the BIOS even has a printer driver, so why does every
brand of printer and every version of windows need its
own driver? I can print on any printer using a very old
computer whose BIOS printer driver has less than 200 bytes.
I may even be able to connect that computer's keyboard
to the printer and make a computerless word processor (typewriter).

If that wasn't true, then the BIOS couldn't boot the disks,
it couldn't use the keyboard nor the video card, nor the mouse,
nor the printer, nor beep when it turns on, nor your Linux CD
or USB drive, or floppy drive, or whatever else it has.
BIOS has enough code to support a program that may
do anything with no operating system at all. BIOS has
enough drivers to run a 3D screen in DOS BASIC.
It doesn't "GET" incompatible. Only new things that
are made incompatible on purpose (but maybe some new things
like USB 3.0 may justify reflashing for compatibility IF YOU NEEDED THAT).

I don't think its a compatibility problem or BIOS problem.
I think the power button is stuck, or you would be getting errors.
A 10 year old machine wouldn't turn itself on in the middle of the night
for no reason... or does it have a feature for doing something like that
and you've heard about it or used it before? I have never heard of
a computer turning itself on... and then off on off on off on off on.
The turning itself on part really points to the power button.

If you plug it in, and it turns itself ON (then off on off on), its the power button!
(or maybe some chip the power button is connected to, but probably not)

If it turned itself OFF for no reason and started doing that,
then it could be something else.

Have you given your PC a good cleaning lately. Run a registry check, defragmentation and revmoval of defective entries. The defragment your disk. Your PC will run faster.

ruveyn