mcp6453

A non-profit organization for which I volunteer just received a donation
of ten Dell computers with XP. They all have fresh installations.
Normally I power up new computers and let them run a while to make sure
everything is working as expected.

Just now, I think one of them rebooted on its own after running for more
than a day. It may have rebooted on its own before now. What utility can
I use to monitor the up time such that I can tell if the computer is
rebooting? (It does not have bad caps on the motherboard. Plus, it came
from a company with a gigantic IT department. Presumably there was
nothing wrong with the computer.)

Ghostrider

mcp6453 wrote:

> A non-profit organization for which I volunteer just received a donation
> of ten Dell computers with XP. They all have fresh installations.
> Normally I power up new computers and let them run a while to make sure
> everything is working as expected.
>
> Just now, I think one of them rebooted on its own after running for more
> than a day. It may have rebooted on its own before now. What utility can
> I use to monitor the up time such that I can tell if the computer is
> rebooting? (It does not have bad caps on the motherboard. Plus, it came
> from a company with a gigantic IT department. Presumably there was
> nothing wrong with the computer.)

Might as well use Windows XP's own Event Viewer under Administrative
Tools in Control Panel. Eventlog in the System folder will show when
the computer re-cycled. There might also be error reports, indicating
any problems or issues. Also check the Application folder for unusual
events.

JS

Check the Event logs for any evidence of services
shutting down and restarting within a short period of time.
(System events)

JS

"mcp6453" <mcp6453@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:euHZo5KCJHA.4700@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>A non-profit organization for which I volunteer just received a donation of
>ten Dell computers with XP. They all have fresh installations. Normally I
>power up new computers and let them run a while to make sure everything is
>working as expected.
>
> Just now, I think one of them rebooted on its own after running for more
> than a day. It may have rebooted on its own before now. What utility can I
> use to monitor the up time such that I can tell if the computer is
> rebooting? (It does not have bad caps on the motherboard. Plus, it came
> from a company with a gigantic IT department. Presumably there was nothing
> wrong with the computer.)

Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM

"mcp6453" <mcp6453@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:euHZo5KCJHA.4700@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>A non-profit organization for which I volunteer just received a donation of
>ten Dell computers with XP. They all have fresh installations. Normally I
>power up new computers and let them run a while to make sure everything is
>working as expected.
>
> Just now, I think one of them rebooted on its own after running for more
> than a day. It may have rebooted on its own before now. What utility can I
> use to monitor the up time such that I can tell if the computer is
> rebooting? (It does not have bad caps on the motherboard. Plus, it came
> from a company with a gigantic IT department. Presumably there was nothing
> wrong with the computer.)

If they have Internet connections it may have been an automatic update.

--
Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM
Do not reply with email

mcp6453

Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM wrote:
> "mcp6453" <mcp6453@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:euHZo5KCJHA.4700@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> A non-profit organization for which I volunteer just received a
>> donation of ten Dell computers with XP. They all have fresh
>> installations. Normally I power up new computers and let them run a
>> while to make sure everything is working as expected.
>>
>> Just now, I think one of them rebooted on its own after running for
>> more than a day. It may have rebooted on its own before now. What
>> utility can I use to monitor the up time such that I can tell if the
>> computer is rebooting? (It does not have bad caps on the motherboard.
>> Plus, it came from a company with a gigantic IT department. Presumably
>> there was nothing wrong with the computer.)
>
> If they have Internet connections it may have been an automatic update.
>

It definitely rebooted, but there are no errors in the Event Viewer. Is
there any way to tell if the reboot was caused by an automatic update?

Twayne

> Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM wrote:
>> "mcp6453" <mcp6453@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:euHZo5KCJHA.4700@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>> A non-profit organization for which I volunteer just received a
>>> donation of ten Dell computers with XP. They all have fresh
>>> installations. Normally I power up new computers and let them run a
>>> while to make sure everything is working as expected.
>>>
>>> Just now, I think one of them rebooted on its own after running for
>>> more than a day. It may have rebooted on its own before now. What
>>> utility can I use to monitor the up time such that I can tell if the
>>> computer is rebooting? (It does not have bad caps on the
>>> motherboard. Plus, it came from a company with a gigantic IT
>>> department. Presumably there was nothing wrong with the computer.)
>>
>> If they have Internet connections it may have been an automatic
>> update.
>
> It definitely rebooted, but there are no errors in the Event Viewer.
> Is there any way to tell if the reboot was caused by an automatic
> update?

Not that I know of, but unattended updates often do that. Who knows
what updates it may have had to download, including SP3? Unless system
restore is turned off, there should be a restore point for the reboot
since the system files changed; That would give a "when" at least.
Set the updates to notify but let me install; then it can't happen
again and see if it re-boots again.

How about writing a small batch file to count, say once per minute, and
echo the up time to the screen? But don't schedule it or anything. A
reboot should reset it.


HTH

JS

Check the creation date and time for the Windows Update uninstall folders.
Example: C:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB951748$

JS

"mcp6453" <mcp6453@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:eaNpgPLCJHA.1228@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM wrote:
>> "mcp6453" <mcp6453@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:euHZo5KCJHA.4700@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>> A non-profit organization for which I volunteer just received a donation
>>> of ten Dell computers with XP. They all have fresh installations.
>>> Normally I power up new computers and let them run a while to make sure
>>> everything is working as expected.
>>>
>>> Just now, I think one of them rebooted on its own after running for more
>>> than a day. It may have rebooted on its own before now. What utility can
>>> I use to monitor the up time such that I can tell if the computer is
>>> rebooting? (It does not have bad caps on the motherboard. Plus, it came
>>> from a company with a gigantic IT department. Presumably there was
>>> nothing wrong with the computer.)
>>
>> If they have Internet connections it may have been an automatic update.
>>
>
> It definitely rebooted, but there are no errors in the Event Viewer. Is
> there any way to tell if the reboot was caused by an automatic update?