I don’t know if it is my machine alone but, I just did the latest windows update and my machine started to endlessly restart itself. I did a rollback to before the update and it works fine again. So if others find they have this problem I thought I would say what it might be.
(it didn’t happen on My win2000)
Val
I have always avoided these things and didn’t even have SP2. I was worried about the sort of problems that you describe. I figured if it wasn’t broke I won’t fix it.
2 weeks ago I decided to upgrade to SP2 and chose the automatic upgrade option. I didn’t see a specific SP2 download. It seems they are steering everyone into the automatic update option. My worst nightmare came true. It ran all of the patches (about of 50 of them). When I re-booted I went into an endless cycle. I had to re-install the OS. What a pain. Thanks MS. What a piece of crap.
I guess it’s better to run one or two patches at a time instead of dozens.
I may have to reinstall xp myself. It still crashes and freezes intermitantly. I have scanned for viruses online and with my own antivirus. so I know it’s not that. I don’t think it’s faulty hardware because once it’s up and running nothing shows up. I just dread reinstalling XP. If I can just find what is causing it to restart. I still think it is because if the update because it was fine before that. Rolling back didn’t really fix it though. It’s wierd though it will restart then restat a number of times then it’s been fine for a couple of hours now. I though I had it fixed last night but then I turned it on this morning and I went through the cycle again. now it’s running OK again. I hate MS!
If someone has an idea of what to check I’m all ears.
In my experience the number one cause of this behavior is overheating
I thought that might be it as well but I turned it on in the morning and it’s cold where I am so it’s not that. I also thought about a bunk power supply. took off the second drive and CDRW. didn’t make any difference. It dies in Bios as well. which makes me think hardware. I even cleaned all the dust out.
I repaired it with the install disk and defragged C drive. now it seems OK. ???
If it starts to die again I’ll do a full memory check.
i hate intermittent sh*t.
well if it dies in bios it certainly isnt a MS problem.
memtest86 (iso version..boot from it)… let it run for a full pass.. about 45mins i think for 2gb.. not 100% sure tho.
I think it might have been my video card :roll: I took it out and looked in the fan. it was completely clogged with dust. so I think you were right about over heating. I replaced it with an older video card and it seems not to crash right now. But I have since done a bios repair and windows repair and now i don’t have hyperthreading. sigh… think I have to reinstall service pack1 and 2 to get it back. I feel like i’m going in circles.
Yeah seems odd that a reinstall would fix it if it did in in bios, along with the mem test have you popped it open and looked around? Somethings to look for are a bad fan on the vid card, loose or broken connectors on the cpu heatsink or even just a large build up of dust.
HEh, should of waited a few minutes to start typing 
If multi/hyper threading is not working now I doubt a sevice pack will fix it, Sometime windows will install with the wrong HAL, I don’t remember the fix off hand but I have posted it here on the forum before I’ll see if I can find it, anything beats finishing doing my taxes 
First make sure that hyperthreading is enabled in your bios, if it wasn’t I 'm pretty sure windows will not install with the correct HAL.
If it was enabled and just didn’t detect it then you can force the correct HAL with a fresh install of Windows Hit f5 when it prompts for a scsi driver and select ACPI Multiprocessor PC http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;330184
OK back to my taxes 
you can even do it without a fresh reinstall of windows.
**But make sure Hyperthreading is enabled in the bios FIRST**
1. Right click on my computer and choose properties
2. Click on the hardware tab and then click device manager
3. Double click on “Computer” and then right click on whats listed below (could be standard pc) and choose update driver.
4. Choose No not at this time and click next.
5. Choose install from a specific location and click next
6. Choose Don’t Search, I will choose the driver to install and click next.
7. Choose ACPI Multiprocessor PC and click next
then basically next all the way to the end… restart and you should now be up and running properly.
oh RErender, fix your link 
thats for security purposes 8)
ah nice :roll:
Hmm… i have acpi multiproccessor already there. I’ve reinstalled the driver anyway and I still only have two buckets (I have a duel xeon system) I can’t get it back to four buckets no matter what. :evil:
and your positive that HT is enabled in bios?
maybe try disable it.. reboot… go into windows… reboot.. reenable it.. reboot back into windows..
good luck
yep I positive HT is enabled in the bios. I’ll try what you say.
what about powersuppy problems? I have turned off automatic restart in windows and to keep a log of errors but nothing is showing up as that. It’s like someone is turning the machine off. It will be fine for hours then cycle through a series of shutdowns and then be fine for a while again. the bios has also said that the speed of the CPU’s have changed and I should check it in the setup.
rerender,
get your taxes done?
oh yah it magically went to four buckets while I slept. ???
:shock: that things possessed!
you might try http://www.discountcatholicstore.com/holywater.htm :lol:
Taxes? filed an extension
yeah it could be powersupply… unlikely tho i reckon.. but you never know. If you have a spare one around or one you can pinch from another computer for a day or so it might be worth while testing.
And it went to 4 buckets overnight!!! that is just weird!!
heh, well after taking the whole thing apart putting it back together and testing each stick of ram seperately clearing the bios by removing the battery and moving the jumper over and back the machine isn’t crapping out anymore (for a while) but I’m back to two buckets. heres a question How do you know if both CPU’s are running? I have two CPUs showing up in device manager but couldn’t it be one is virtual? or is that just stupid on my part? wouldn’t four show up? I can’t rember what it looked like before. I’m inclined to take one off, test the machine then take the other off put it in the number one slot and test the machine again. (maybe hyper threading is working and all I have is one cpu) I think I might be losing my marbles on this one.