Computer RESTARTS Self
After Hurricane CHARLIE our desktop computer has started behaving badly. Specifically it keeps restarting itself. Usually it will do so before it has completed booting up. We have attempted to run scandisk, but it has never been able to finish before it restarts itself. Maybe I am imagining this but I think I often hear a small noise inside the computer just before it restarts.
I am wondering if this is a mechanical failure in either the switch or the reset button. If so, it seems logical that I might start the computer normally and then before it has a chance to reset itself to unplug the switch from the motherboard. By alternating the switch unplugged I hopefully could isolate which one it is, or else confirm that they are not the problem.
So what is my question? Would this work? Is there any problem with trying this or might it cause any other problems or damage to the computer?

Regarding Charlie: was the machine on during a power surge/ failure? Did it get wet?

Can you get into Safe Mode? Pressing F8 after BIOS Posts?

Do you have a CD or floppy you can try to boot?

As to your switch question I don't see how your tests would be harmfull, although I would guess what you're hearing is your hard drive.

Regarding Charlie: was the machine on during a power surge/ failure? Did it get wet?
Can you get into Safe Mode? Pressing F8 after BIOS Posts?
Do you have a CD or floppy you can try to boot?
As to your switch question I don't see how your tests would be harmfull, although I would guess what you're hearing is your hard drive.

The computer did not get wet. So far as I know it was off when we lost power.
I can try booting from the CD or Floppy. And I'll try the F8
One thing making me lean/hope to the hardware problem is that we have two hard drives with Win XP on both and on booting up we are asked which XP drive we wish to boot from. We have the same problem no matter which disk we boot from. Absent some form of virus it seem unlikely that both versions of XP on two different drives would become corrupted in the same way at the same time.
I haven't tried any experiment yet awaiting the verdict of the groups accumulated wisdom.

Unconnect your devices (CD-drives, Hard-drives, Floppy etc) one by one (booting the pc each time you remove one) to see if the problem persists. If you have on-board VGA, use this so that you can take out your Gfx card too. I very much doubt its your Front-panel reset or power button and they are very sturdy.

You might notice the somewhat similar post from the last day or two... maybe these suggestions might also apply here...
PC reboots itself. Not sure what the problem is. by allany
my pc keeps rebooting by myztkl-kev
Computer RESTARTS Self by AlexKidd2