Computer keeps restarting!

[X7JAY7X]

Here is my setup:

Gigabyte GA-MA78GPM-DS2H
GSKILL 2GB Memory
(2) 500GB Seagate Sata Drives
Antec Case and Power Supply
StreamZap Remote
Avermedia PCIe Combo Card
Hauppauge HVR-1600
Windows XP SP3 with all updates
SageTV 6 (not beta)

I have no uptime with my HTPC. I will be lucky if I can get a day or two out of it. Either the remote stops working and the only way to fix it is restart or the computer restarts by itself and it is stuck in the bios bootup on "verifying dmi pool". If it is stuck in bios the only way to fix it is to go into the Bios and load the failsafe settings and then it will boot up again. Do you think this is a hardware or software issue?

Could the motherboard be bad? Does SageTV not work with Service Pack 3?

Thanks
Jason

[vexhold]

Well, if its stalling at the BIOS, then its not Windows. Try updating your BIOS firmware and if that doesnt work. RMA.

[steven017]

What have you tried so far in your troubleshooting?

Here's a link to some things you can try in regard to the PC hanging at "Verifying dmi pool": http://www.duxcw.com/faq/computer/dmi.html. Maybe you'll get lucky and its just a settings issue. Worst case scenario I suppose is bad board.

Steven

[stevech]

Originally Posted by X7JAY7X

Here is my setup:

Gigabyte GA-MA78GPM-DS2H
GSKILL 2GB Memory
(2) 500GB Seagate Sata Drives
Antec Case and Power Supply
StreamZap Remote
Avermedia PCIe Combo Card
Hauppauge HVR-1600
Windows XP SP3 with all updates
SageTV 6 (not beta)

I have no uptime with my HTPC. I will be lucky if I can get a day or two out of it. Either the remote stops working and the only way to fix it is restart or the computer restarts by itself and it is stuck in the bios bootup on "verifying dmi pool". If it is stuck in bios the only way to fix it is to go into the Bios and load the failsafe settings and then it will boot up again. Do you think this is a hardware or software issue?

Could the motherboard be bad? Does SageTV not work with Service Pack 3?

Thanks
Jason

When the PC sticks in the BIOS, will a power off and on (may also need pull the wall plug to remove standby power) let it boot without a BIOS reset? I have two identical mobos that won't reboot after certain windows crumps, unless I soft-power-off the PC. It hangs in USB enumeration. Rare though, that XP crumps.

[X7JAY7X]

I havent actually seen it restart so I don't know if it just shuts off or if there is some sort of error in windows first. I have not tried to pull the power when it is stuck in Bios. I do shut it off and turn it back on several times with no luck, it just hangs on dmi until I manually reset the bios. I saw in another forum that someone said these boards are very buggy, don't know if it is true though.

I checked a few days ago and there was no bios upgrade as of then.

[gplasky]

Start with the basics. Pull out all of your cards and drives except the one boot drive and start trouble shooting from there. If you have other memory you can use do that too. Then start putting them back in one at a time, boot and let run for a while. Make sure the drive (and then drives) are being identified correctly. Auto usually works but you might want try setting them if you still have issues. If you still have issues with just memory, 1 drive and mb then I would seriously consider RMA it.

Gerry

[hockeyfan]

I had a similar computer issue. I spent two months debugging the darn thing never to find it. Finally swallowed my pride and took it back to the computer shop and they ran continuous motherboard tests for 48 hours and determined it was the motherboard. Since it was replaced there has been no issues. So my warning is be careful not to waste too much time.

[X7JAY7X]

I already wasted too much time on it. I am about to order a ASUS mobo with onboard nvidia 8300. I am going to try and RMA this one back to GIGABYTE. If they do it I will probably sell it.

[TallMomof2]

I've had the same thing happen to me on two different computers 5 years apart. The first PC, the last prebuilt PC I ever owned, first had a bad power supply. When that was replaced it started the constant reboot, never posted. Turned out when the power supply went it took the memory sticks with it.

The second time it was on the kids' homebrew PC. The CPU fan stopped working, the kids ignored the warnings (they NOW know better) and the CPU fried. It was in the constant reboot cycle never posting. After replacing the CPU it was still in the reboot loop so I replaced the motherboard with one from my spare parts bin and all is good.

Good luck with the troubleshooting.