Question Computer constantly rebooting

[Requiredusername]

Hi, I'm new here.

Really hope to get some help on this issue with my PC where it's stuck in a rebooting loop everytime I turn it on.

The thing is though - the longer I leave it off, the longer it stays on before constantly restarting again.

If I left it completely turned off for a month, it'll boot up fine and stay on for 2-3 days.

If I leave it off for a week before turning it on again, it'll load up fine and stay on for like 12 hours.

So the amount of time I leave it off is directly proportional to how long it'll stay on - just mentioning this in case it's an indicator of a certain faulty part.

Would really appreciate any help! Many thanks!

P.S. I read online this has happened with people after a Windows update and I made sure last time my computer was on that I updated it fully with every latest Windows update in case there was a patch released.

 

[thepersonwithaface45]

Sounds like a faulty power supply to me, can you change yours out with a spare if you got one to verify?

 

[Requiredusername]

Sounds like a faulty power supply to me, can you change yours out with a spare if you got one to verify?

Hi, thanks for the response.

That's what I was thinking too. I haven't got a spare one but will have to order a new one to test that out. I'm not the best at taking a PC apart so I can see that being a bit of a struggle, but will give it a go anyway.

Do you think it could be an HDD issue? One of the computer repair places I called said they might have to reinstall Windows etc.

 

[thepersonwithaface45]

Hi, thanks for the response.

That's what I was thinking too. I haven't got a spare one but will have to order a new one to test that out. I'm not the best at taking a PC apart so I can see that being a bit of a struggle, but will give it a go anyway.

Do you think it could be an HDD issue? One of the computer repair places I called said they might have to reinstall Windows etc.

In my experience, if you're computer is running but then just powers off and restarts, I think that would be more of a psu issue but it could be your harddrive. I would say the latter is more unlikely though. PSU swap wont be too difficult, just take pictures of your cable management and refer back to it so you can plug everything back in correctly.

 

[Requiredusername]

In my experience, if you're computer is running but then just powers off and restarts, I think that would be more of a psu issue but it could be your harddrive. I would say the latter is more unlikely though. PSU swap wont be too difficult, just take pictures of your cable management and refer back to it so you can plug everything back in correctly.

Ok, thanks.

Just to clarify, it doesn't run at all. It's stuck in a reboot loop where as soon as I turn it on, it restarts after a few seconds and then just keeps doing that. It doesn't load up and randomly restart.

 

[Third-Eye]

Ok, thanks.

Just to clarify, it doesn't run at all. It's stuck in a reboot loop where as soon as I turn it on, it restarts after a few seconds and then just keeps doing that. It doesn't load up and randomly restart.

Post your system specs. If it's boot looping it's more likely a problem with the CPU socket pins if it's an Intel system.

 

[Requiredusername]

Sure

 

[Third-Eye]

Sure

How did you get that report if the system was boot looping?

 

[Third-Eye]

When I start the CPU it show light in CPU but not shows any display in monitor. Is there any issue of display or anything else?

If you have your own computer issues, you should start your own thread for help so more people will see it.

 

[Requiredusername]

How did you get that report if the system was boot looping?

Oh sorry, never realized I got a response to the screenshot I posted.

So like I said in my original post, it does boot up fine if I've left it long enough - when I took the screenshot, it had been off for probably a month so I knew it'll turn on and stay on for a good 6 hours, which it did, and after that, it started boot looping again of course.

 

[Third-Eye]

Oh sorry, never realized I got a response to the screenshot I posted.

So like I said in my original post, it does boot up fine if I've left it long enough - when I took the screenshot, it had been off for probably a month so I knew it'll turn on and stay on for a good 6 hours, which it did, and after that, it started boot looping again of course.

If you have thermal paste available to repaste the CPU, I would take the CPU out and check the pins in the socket for damage from different angles. It's possible a pin is just shifted out of place from a bump to the case or there is one or more broken/melted pins. Just reseating the CPU may fix the problem.

 

[Requiredusername]

If you have thermal paste available to repaste the CPU, I would take the CPU out and check the pins in the socket for damage from different angles. It's possible a pin is just shifted out of place from a bump to the case or there is one or more broken/melted pins. Just reseating the CPU may fix the problem.

Thanks a lot, I'll open the computer up and see what I can do. Any issues, I'll report back.

Thanks again for the help!

 

[Requiredusername]

If you have thermal paste available to repaste the CPU, I would take the CPU out and check the pins in the socket for damage from different angles. It's possible a pin is just shifted out of place from a bump to the case or there is one or more broken/melted pins. Just reseating the CPU may fix the problem.

Hi, so I've opened up my PC today to try out what you suggested. I've attached pictures of what I found - it all looks okay to me. Please let me know if I'm wrong.

https://imgur.com/OQmTvvh

View: https://imgur.com/OQmTvvh

https://imgur.com/pdC43CD

View: https://imgur.com/pdC43CD

https://imgur.com/Yei4wPT

View: https://imgur.com/Yei4wPT


I haven't got thermal paste however, so I'll order it and look up how to put it on. I will then let you know if it worked. If it does, I'll be infinitely grateful to you. I've had my PC sat idle and unused for several months now.

 

[Third-Eye]

Hi, so I've opened up my PC today to try out what you suggested. I've attached pictures of what I found - it all looks okay to me. Please let me know if I'm wrong.


View: https://imgur.com/Yei4wPT


I haven't got thermal paste however, so I'll order it and look up how to put it on. I will then let you know if it worked. If it does, I'll be infinitely grateful to you. I've had my PC sat idle and unused for several months now.

Please tell me you cleaned the paste off the CPU before turning it upside down and placing it in the CPU socket in the last picture. If the issue wasn't the CPU socket pins, it surely will be now if you didn't clean off the paste.

The socket pins looks mostly normal except for a couple pins, but with only one picture of the socket and one angle, I can't really tell if some of the pins are just shadowed weirdly because of the light source or if there is actual damaged pins.

 

[Requiredusername]

Please tell me you cleaned the paste off the CPU before turning it upside down and placing it in the CPU socket in the last picture. If the issue wasn't the CPU socket pins, it surely will be now if you didn't clean off the paste.

The socket pins looks mostly normal except for a couple pins, but with only one picture of the socket and one angle, I can't really tell if some of the pins are just shadowed weirdly because of the light source or if there is actual damaged pins.

I haven't yet received thermal paste in the mail. Once I do, I'll be sure to clean the old one off and pop the CPU back in correctly.

The pins look fine to me too, but just for good measure, I'll include some more pictures for you.

https://imgur.com/lYwjAz3

View: https://imgur.com/lYwjAz3

https://imgur.com/VPte92E

View: https://imgur.com/VPte92E

https://imgur.com/LfD5Md4

View: https://imgur.com/LfD5Md4


I've also been suggested to replace the PSU because if overheating was the issue, it would take CPU mere minutes to overheat and for beeps to go off as opposed to staying on for hours like my computer does when I turn it on after a long time.

If reseating the CPU doesn't work, I'll try that next and report back.

 

[Third-Eye]

I haven't yet received thermal paste in the mail. Once I do, I'll be sure to clean the old one off and pop the CPU back in correctly.

The pins look fine to me too, but just for good measure, I'll include some more pictures for you.

View: https://imgur.com/lYwjAz3

View: https://imgur.com/VPte92E

View: https://imgur.com/LfD5Md4


I've also been suggested to replace the PSU because if overheating was the issue, it would take CPU mere minutes to overheat and for beeps to go off as opposed to staying on for hours like my computer does when I turn it on after a long time.

If reseating the CPU doesn't work, I'll try that next and report back.

All the pins look fine. I still think it was likely just the CPU needing to be reseated in the socket. It might possible be due to too much force from the heat-sink being screwed down. You don't have a stock Intel cooler, because your system comes with a Dell CPU cooler that screws down. If the PSU was failing, the system likely wouldn't even be turning on to give you the 5 beep error message, but it's still a possibility.

Sometimes the CPU will need to be reseated in the socket because of a shifted CPU socket pin. Common issues that cause the pins to shift are usually because the heat-sink is too tight on the CPU, the system was hit or jolted with force when it's just sitting or during a move and sometimes when placing the system down. If it's enough force it can shift a pin out of proper contact and prevent the system from booting. This can also make memory channels stop functioning but still allow the system to run normally.

 

[Requiredusername]

All the pins look fine. I still think it was likely just the CPU needing to be reseated in the socket. It might possible be due to too much force from the heat-sink being screwed down. You don't have a stock Intel cooler, because your system comes with a Dell CPU cooler that screws down. If the PSU was failing, the system likely wouldn't even be turning on to give you the 5 beep error message, but it's still a possibility.

Sometimes the CPU will need to be reseated in the socket because of a shifted CPU socket pin. Common issues that cause the pins to shift are usually because the heat-sink is too tight on the CPU, the system was hit or jolted with force when it's just sitting or during a move and sometimes when placing the system down. If it's enough force it can shift a pin out of proper contact and prevent the system from booting. This can also make memory channels stop functioning but still allow the system to run normally.

Hey many thanks! That does make sense; I hope just the CPU needed reseating. Thermal paste should be here by tomorrow and I'll put everything back together promptly, turn the computer on and wait a couple hours to see if anything's changed.

Thanks for your help and insight once again! Much appreciated!

 

[Requiredusername]

All the pins look fine. I still think it was likely just the CPU needing to be reseated in the socket. It might possible be due to too much force from the heat-sink being screwed down. You don't have a stock Intel cooler, because your system comes with a Dell CPU cooler that screws down. If the PSU was failing, the system likely wouldn't even be turning on to give you the 5 beep error message, but it's still a possibility.

Sometimes the CPU will need to be reseated in the socket because of a shifted CPU socket pin. Common issues that cause the pins to shift are usually because the heat-sink is too tight on the CPU, the system was hit or jolted with force when it's just sitting or during a move and sometimes when placing the system down. If it's enough force it can shift a pin out of proper contact and prevent the system from booting. This can also make memory channels stop functioning but still allow the system to run normally.

Hi, so the paste arrived today. I cleaned the old paste off using some nail polish remover off of both the CPU as well as the heatsink and lay down a fresh thin layer on both and put everything back in like before.

Now the PC only turns on for less than 2 seconds before shutting down then reboots, and the cycle continues. I'm afraid the issue has only worsened now 😩 Before it'd do the same thing, but only after staying on like normal for a while.

What do I do now? Is it that I have done something wrong?

 

[Third-Eye]

Hi, so the paste arrived today. I cleaned the old paste off using some nail polish remover off of both the CPU as well as the heatsink and lay down a fresh thin layer on both and put everything back in like before.

Now the PC only turns on for less than 2 seconds before shutting down then reboots, and the cycle continues. I'm afraid the issue has only worsened now 😩 Before it'd do the same thing, but only after staying on like normal for a while.

What do I do now? Is it that I have done something wrong?

First, take out the battery to reset the bios to defaults and then after 5 minutes, place it back in and try booting. If it doesn't boot, loosen the screws for the heat-sink mount a little, about a 1/4 or 1/2 turn at a time with the system off. If it boots it means the heat-sink was tightened down too much. When it boots, check the temperatures in bios. For your system it should be less than 50c at idle. Make sure to check temps in Windows too.

I'm gonna have another look at the CPU socket pins to see if I missed anything. Edit - You never said whether you had cleaned off the paste before you put the CPU paste side down on the CPU socket pins. If you didn't clean the paste off, I wouldn't be surprised if that is why it won't work now.

https://imgur.com/Yei4wPT

View: https://imgur.com/Yei4wPT



Also you don't need to put paste on both the CPU and heat-sink. For the type of heat-sink you have, you would put a small amount of paste (small pea sized) only on the CPU in the center before installing the heat-sink to spread it out. Spreading the paste on both the CPU and heat-sink will often introduce air bubbles, which will make temperatures increase. I prefer not to spread the paste on the CPU, because it's just faster to drop a bit of paste and install the cooler. Spreading the paste can also sometimes allow air bubbles to form when placing the heat-sink down. You can still spread it out if you want, but only do it on the CPU.

 

[Requiredusername]

First, take out the battery to reset the bios to defaults and then after 5 minutes, place it back in and try booting. If it doesn't boot, loosen the screws for the heat-sink mount a little, about a 1/4 or 1/2 turn at a time with the system off. If it boots it means the heat-sink was tightened down too much. When it boots, check the temperatures in bios. For your system it should be less than 50c at idle. Make sure to check temps in Windows too.

I'm gonna have another look at the CPU socket pins to see if I missed anything. Edit - You never said whether you had cleaned off the paste before you put the CPU paste side down on the CPU socket pins. If you didn't clean the paste off, I wouldn't be surprised if that is why it won't work now.

https://imgur.com/Yei4wPT

View: https://imgur.com/Yei4wPT



Also you don't need to put paste on both the CPU and heat-sink. For the type of heat-sink you have, you would put a small amount of paste (small pea sized) only on the CPU in the center before installing the heat-sink to spread it out. Spreading the paste on both the CPU and heat-sink will often introduce air bubbles, which will make temperatures increase. I prefer not to spread the paste on the CPU, because it's just faster to drop a bit of paste and install the cooler. Spreading the paste can also sometimes allow air bubbles to form when placing the heat-sink down. You can still spread it out if you want, but only do it on the CPU.

Hey, so I tried the two things you suggested. I took the battery out for 5 mins and popped it back in. The PC would continue its pattern and shut down a couple seconds into booting.

Then I loosened the heatsink a tad bit at a time, and it seemed to elongate the amount of time the computer stayed on before rebooting. One time, it actually stayed on for almost a minute before it shut back down.

So yeah, that's where I am now. Also, I did clean off the paste before applying a fresh layer. I just referred to a couple of videos online and followed them.

Do you have any other suggestions I could try out to fix my PC?

Many thanks!

 

[Requiredusername]

First, take out the battery to reset the bios to defaults and then after 5 minutes, place it back in and try booting. If it doesn't boot, loosen the screws for the heat-sink mount a little, about a 1/4 or 1/2 turn at a time with the system off. If it boots it means the heat-sink was tightened down too much. When it boots, check the temperatures in bios. For your system it should be less than 50c at idle. Make sure to check temps in Windows too.

I'm gonna have another look at the CPU socket pins to see if I missed anything. Edit - You never said whether you had cleaned off the paste before you put the CPU paste side down on the CPU socket pins. If you didn't clean the paste off, I wouldn't be surprised if that is why it won't work now.

https://imgur.com/Yei4wPT

View: https://imgur.com/Yei4wPT



Also you don't need to put paste on both the CPU and heat-sink. For the type of heat-sink you have, you would put a small amount of paste (small pea sized) only on the CPU in the center before installing the heat-sink to spread it out. Spreading the paste on both the CPU and heat-sink will often introduce air bubbles, which will make temperatures increase. I prefer not to spread the paste on the CPU, because it's just faster to drop a bit of paste and install the cooler. Spreading the paste can also sometimes allow air bubbles to form when placing the heat-sink down. You can still spread it out if you want, but only do it on the CPU.

Hi there, looks like I've tired you with the constant problem reporting. Would really appreciate it if you could quickly suggest something if you can. Thanks.

 

[Third-Eye]

Hi there, looks like I've tired you with the constant problem reporting. Would really appreciate it if you could quickly suggest something if you can. Thanks.

I'm not sure that I can help you anymore to be honest. You may have damaged your CPU socket when you placed your CPU upside down on the socket pins and you couldn't tell me if you had cleaned the paste off the CPU before doing that. It's possible you got thermal paste on the socket pins. The motherboard itself is very old, so it may just be defective from age.

 

[Requiredusername]

I'm not sure that I can help you anymore to be honest. You may have damaged your CPU socket when you placed your CPU upside down on the socket pins and you couldn't tell me if you had cleaned the paste off the CPU before doing that. It's possible you got thermal paste on the socket pins. The motherboard itself is very old, so it may just be defective from age.

I think you may have missed my last response to your suggestions before. I'll copy and paste it here.

Hey, so I tried the two things you suggested. I took the battery out for 5 mins and popped it back in. The PC would continue its pattern and shut down a couple seconds into booting.

Then I loosened the heatsink a tad bit at a time, and it seemed to elongate the amount of time the computer stayed on before rebooting. One time, it actually stayed on for almost a minute before it shut back down.

So yeah, that's where I am now. Also, I did clean off the paste before applying a fresh layer. I just referred to a couple of videos online and followed them.

Do you have any other suggestions I could try out to fix my PC?

Many thanks!

 

[Third-Eye]

Also, I did clean off the paste before applying a fresh layer. I just referred to a couple of videos online and followed them.


Many thanks!

You still don't understand what I am saying about the thermal paste. You put your CPU in the CPU socket, paste side down on to the CPU socket pins. I asked if you cleaned the paste off before you did that and you never answered, possibly because you did not understand what I was asking.