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HP Recommended
HP Compaq Pro 6305 SFF
Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit)

Model #: HP Compaq Pro 6305 SFF
Product #: E6K87US#ABA
[personal information removed]
Software Build #: 12WWKCHW606#SABA#DABA
Service ID #: 20130923
PCBRAND #: HP

 

Hi,
I'm at a loss on what's happening to my computer. The computer is randomly restarting. When this first started happening...I honestly just thought the computer was doing updates and shrugged it off. I had went to another forum to ask for help and that got me into more of a mess than the one I was already in. Thankfully I was able to undo that mess with the system restore feature. So I really just want to focus on the restart issue. It's random. There's days the computer could be on for hours and it not happen. There's days the computer could only be on for a few minutes and it restarts. There's never any error message that pops up before or even after the computer has restarted.

I'm somebody that doesn't do a lot on this computer. I go to a few sites and it's not like I have 50 windows open at the same time. I'd say the longest time the computer is on is when it's scanning. Currently the only security program I have on the computer is Windows Security. I did have SuperAntiSpyware and ended up deleting it because I had the hope that maybe the programs being on the machine was causing a conflict. But I never see any viruses on Windows Security, nothing would show up on SuperAntiSpyware. I even temporarily downloaded Malwarebytes to see if it caught anything. Nothing. I've been trying to fix this problem on my own and I've done what others have suggested about turning off fast startup and unclicking automatic restart if there's a system failure. I've done HP diagnostics tests and nothing shows up as having anything wrong.

I downloaded a program to see if the computer was overheating and the temps look fine. Other than the random restarts, everything else seems to be working just fine. It's not like the computer is as slow as a snail or constantly freezing. I've tried using compressed air on the parts of the computer I have access to because I honestly don't see a way to open the computer up and truth be told, I'm kind of afraid to do it incase I can't get it back together.

Event Viewer isn't much help. It just lets me know the computer the system was rebooted without shutting down properly. Yeah, even I knew that one. I just don't know what else to do. And I wish I could say more but at the end of the day that's the only way to talk about the problem. The computer just randomly restarts on its own.

My uncle was here a couple of days ago and he's into computers. I mentioned the problem to him in passing and he thought that the machine's just wearing out. It's not like it's 15 years old but it's also not a year old either. I kinda want to say it's at least 7 years old.

I'm hoping somebody can help me. And if it's a worst case scenario of the computer is just wearing out, can I stretch the life of the computer by cutting down on using it? Maybe only turn it on when I truly have to? I have a kindle that I can do the light stuff on it and save the desktop use for serious stuff or when I want to type something out.

I'm sorry this is such a long post and I'm just hoping that somebody can help me with this. I appreciate it.

10 REPLIES 10
HP Recommended

Hi,

 

Random restarts can be caused by a number of issues:

1. Heat. You stated temps are okay.

2. Hardware problems. You stated HP hardware diagnostics passed. You could still have a intermittent hardware problem.

3. Bad or old drivers or system file corruption. I would run DISM and SFC commands using info at this (Link).  Are you using any additional older peripherals connected to the PC besides a mouse, keyboard, and monitor?

4. Failing power supply or a faulty power button switch could be causing the PC to restart at random times.

 

The PC could be blue screening giving an error code that might help to isolate the cause. Verify the PC is set to not restart when the system fails (restarts). Enter Advanced System Settings in search. Choose Advanced System Settings in search results. Select Advanced tab in System Properties.

 

Select Startup and Recovery. Verify Automatic Restart is not checked. Apply changes. This change should give a blue screen error if you have bad hardware or corrupted drivers.

 

Regards

 

 

HP Recommended

Hi,
Thank you for the reply. I'll start following your instructions one by one. I do want to post the heat log for you but let me do the other things so that way the computer has been on for awhile instead of it just being turned on.

1. Advanced system settings--Automatically restart is still unclicked.

2. I had tried the DISM/SFC commands before but I'll try it again. DISM--The restore operation completed successfully.
SFC scan--Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them. For online repairs, details are included in the CBS log file located at windir/Logs/CBS/CBS.log. For example C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For offline repairs, details are included in the log file provided by the /OFFLOGFILE flag. I'll break log up and paste it in a second.

3. Speccy-Operating System
Windows 10 Home 64-bit
CPU AMD A4-5300B 39 °C
Trinity 32nm Technology
RAM 4.00GB Single-Channel DDR3 @ 798MHz (11-11-12-28)
Motherboard Hewlett-Packard 1850 (P0)
Graphics HP LV1911 (1280x800@60Hz)
768MB ATI AMD Radeon HD 7480D (HP) 18 °C
Storage 465GB Seagate ST500DM0 02-1BD142 SATA Disk Device (SATA ) 36 °C
Optical Drives hp DVD-ROM SH-116BB SATA CdRom Device
Audio Realtek High Definition Audio

4. Stuff linked to computer: I've got HP speakers, keyboard, printer, monitor. I've got Linksys WIFI ethernet plugged into computer. I've got an ONN mouse. That's it.

Do you think the stuff the scan fixed might have helped the issue? How will this work? If there's more things you want me to do, I'll do it. Can the thread remain opened if it's a case of waiting to see if it happens again?

Thank you again for the reply. 🙂

 

HP Recommended

I hope this works because the log is simply too long to post straight forward.

 

https://1drv.ms/u/s!AhAiiZU2Nk97gX8dZzuuY1yXGu0h?e=ykTVD7

HP Recommended

Hi,

 

You're very welcome.

 

The temps look good. Run the PC to see if it is stable after using DISM and SFC commands.

 

Fixing corrupt system files can help. Try disconnecting the WIFI adapter or USB dongle if you can use the onboard Ethernet adapter. 

 

I am thinking you may have a power supply problem if the symptom persists. And then a failing power switch (power on button) can cause system restarts. I think you stated the PC is about seven years old. Components start to fail at this point in time.

 

A short can cause system shutdowns (this can cause the power supply safety features to shut the PC down)  but your PC restarts. Disconnect SATA storage, DVD drive, and the front panel card reader. You can't run Windows in this case but check to see if the system remains on (no restart).

 

The RAM could be flaky. Reseat the memory modules or try different, known good modules. Test the RAM using Windows memory diagnostics or run Memtest86.

 

The last thing would be to install a new HDD or SSD. Then install Windows clean on the new storage device to check stability.

 

Regards

HP Recommended

Hi,

I purposely left the computer on for a few hours after I made that post because I wanted to see what would happen. It didn't restart but at the same time I'm still wary. These restarts are just that random. It might not do it today but it might do it tomorrow after the computer has been on for 5 minutes. 😞 I truly hope this solved the issue because I just don't have the means or skills to fix stuff on the inside of the computer itself. I wouldn't have gotten to the points I did get to without reading posts from people like yourself. I'd be staring like a deer in headlights if I had to do any of this stuff without looking stuff up.

 

Yeah, it's about 7 years old. I was holding onto a Windows XP computer until they stopped updates on that version and then had to replace a working computer in order to get this one that had Windows 7 on it at the time until I upgraded to Windows 10.

 

I'm going to wait and see what happens before I try and attempt to do anything else I feel comfortably doing. Still have fingers crossed that the corrupted files were the problem. Everything's just been tearing up this year and I just don't have a way to replace the machine or fix it. 

 

I do want to ask that question again--just in case it's a worst case scenario. I'd like to try and start backing up everything on USB drives (don't have a burner on this computer) so I won't lose anything. Do you think I can stretch life out of this computer? It might be a stupid question but it's one I'm curious about. I realize the answer might be a bitter pill to swallow--doesn't matter if you're on the computer for one hour during the whole week or if you're on the computer for 15 hours every single day. I'm just curious if I can only use the computer for necessity items and hopefully just replace the computer later on down the line. And would it be better for the computer if I cut down the virus scanning from a full scan to a quick scan? Again, I'm sorry if this is a stupid question. I guess I'm just trying my best to milk this computer for as long as I can. I don't even know about the prices of desktops these days. I'm hoping they're cheaper since I know so many people prefer tablets and working on their phone to using a desktop.

 

I thank you again for taking the time to reply to me and walking me through what I can do. I appreciate it. 

HP Recommended

I'm very cautious in saying this but the computer hasn't randomly restarted in the past couple of days...Here's hoping I don't curse it by saying this/taking note of this.

HP Recommended

😞 It just restarted randomly. No errors. Went to event viewer and the only errors showing up is just letting me know the previous system shutdown was unexpected and The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first. This error could be caused if the system stopped responding, crashed, or lost power unexpectedly. 

 

I was so hoping it'd be fixed. I  have to do something right now but I'll come back and do the other steps you recommended that I feel comfortable handling on my own. And I guess if that doesn't work, I guess the computer's just shot. 😞

HP Recommended

Test the RAM using Windows memory diagnostics or run Memtest86.--Ran the memory test and nothing bad turned up.

 

I guess that's all I can do. I hope babying it will make it last a bit longer but I do appreciate you taking the time to reply and help me. Thank you again.

HP Recommended

Hi Grzwacz, I have the same as above.  My computer randomly freezes or it suddenly goes black and restarts.  It has happened when it was plugged in and when it was on battery power.  The computer is only a year old; the warranty expired at the end of November.  I don't recall this ever  happening before a few months ago but is becoming more frequent.  (Happened twice yesterday - one freeze up and an hour later a black screen restart).

 

I've run every test that I know; used compressed air to blow out dust.  

 

I use this computer every day and generally for many hours.  I'm about ready to write it off but I hate to buy another computer after only a year.  Any thoughts?

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