My computer reboots itself.

[white_wolf]

As the subject says my computer keeps restarting itself, like I hit the reset button on the computer. Does anyone know what is wrong?

[Paradoxical]

1. Are you getting the blue screen of death?

If so, does it mention anything about a "kernel panic"?

Have you been able to record any coded message?

If it's continually giving you the blue screen of death and rebooting, it is most likely a hardware problem. Could be software. But through my experience, constant rebooting is usually an issue with the motherboard or, more specifically, RAM.

I assume this is a Windows based OS.

[Arkansas Granny]

2. When my computer at work did this, it was a bad power supply.

They replaced it and it has been fine ever since.

[Betty88]

3. could you give us some more detail?

Like is it running fine for a time then it reboots or is it that you try to turn it on and it just keeps rebooting?

For example if you are playing games on it for 30 or 40 min then it reboots it could be a heat issue, and a good dusting might do the trick.

Or like the other poster said it could be your power supply, hard to tell without knowing something about your system.

You should probably post this over on the pc board lots of brain power hangs out there.

[white_wolf]

4. I don't get the BSOD.

I think it is the power supply. I've tried cleaning the computer with compressed air to get the dust off the fan since I thought it might be overheating, but it still messed up. I'm going to have to order a new power supply, lucky me, I hate working on computers and I've never put a power supply in before.

[hobbit709]

5. Power supply easy

4screws and the connections only work one way on each type.

[white_wolf]

6. Okay, thanks.

Is it generally better to get a higher wattage? I'm decided between a 350 Watt for 50 dollars or 750 watt for 150.

[hobbit709]

7. Unless you put in a high end graphics card

the 750 would be overkill. As long as the replacement is at least as large as the original, you wont have any problem. I usually put in a 450 in most computers.

[white_wolf]

9. Damn. There are cords connecting the power supply to everything

in the computer. Do I unplug them all? Probably a stupid question, I know.

[MicaelS]

10. Not too hard to replace a PSU...

Here's some links

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1031682/how_to_install_a_new_power_supply/

http://www.fonerbooks.com/r_power.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvClS_M-09o

[QED]

8. That used to happen to me

after I upgraded some of the components and installed a legal copy of Windows. The Windows Update thing was set to automatically check for updates and install - those required a reboot. I'd wake up in the morning to find that everything was closed and my desktop staring at me. It took a while to figure out - the default time is the wee hours of the morning.