Computer keeps turning itself off

[LHutton]

As title says, my computer keeps shutting down mid-session. Hardware or software?

I'm running a scan now. I'll update when complete.

[thesameguy]

Is it just going off, or actually shutting itself down? What OS?

[Rare White Ape]

How old is it?

Cleaned it for dust?

Checked everything is plugged in correctly? (on the inside, not just the outside)

[Alan P]

What are you doing with it when it shuts down? Could be heat related. As RWA says, check it out inside and clear any dust from fans and heatsinks.

[GreatScawt]

Have you tried restarting?

:assclown:




Sounds like it could be dust build up / overheating or some software acting up. I'd guess the former, though.

[LHutton]

4 years old. Windows 7 Home Edition.

[LHutton]

Okay I've taken the cover off. The only thing I noticed was that the CPU fan was fairly loose on 3 of the legs. Is this normal.

Is there any setting that can cause the computer to shut down at a specific time?

[Rare White Ape]

And so assuming you fixed your CPU fan, have you checked the operation of your computer? Did it fail again?

Does it turn off suddenly or is it a normal shutdown that the computer performs, just unexpectedly?

For the former it could easily be an temperature/weak hardware connection issue, where one piece of metal bends away from another when it reaches a certain temperature, then bends back when it cools again. This was the cause of my old PS3 dying; something in the power supply gave out after maybe an hour of use, would return to normal some time later, then fail again. It only has to flex by a few microns and the electrons won't be able to do their electron-y things.

For the latter, if it goes through the motions of properly shutting down then I have no idea. Maybe a virus. Formatdisc/reinstallwindows/buyamac

[Alan P]

It's possible the heatsink wasn't making proper contact with the CPU causing a heat based shutdown. Download a program called CPU-Z to monitor your temps.

[LHutton]

And so assuming you fixed your CPU fan, have you checked the operation of your computer? Did it fail again?

Does it turn off suddenly or is it a normal shutdown that the computer performs, just unexpectedly?

For the former it could easily be an temperature/weak hardware connection issue, where one piece of metal bends away from another when it reaches a certain temperature, then bends back when it cools again. This was the cause of my old PS3 dying; something in the power supply gave out after maybe an hour of use, would return to normal some time later, then fail again. It only has to flex by a few microns and the electrons won't be able to do their electron-y things.

For the latter, if it goes through the motions of properly shutting down then I have no idea. Maybe a virus. Formatdisc/reinstallwindows/buyamac
It's a sudden shutdown.

I wasn't really sure there was anything wrong with the CPU fan despite the play in the legs.

It hasn't failed again but it's been cooler today, so it does seem to be heat based.

I'm wonder could it be a voltage issue. I heard an alarm going on the street at the same time. There was no power cut as such though.

[LHutton]

It's possible the heatsink wasn't making proper contact with the CPU causing a heat based shutdown. Download a program called CPU-Z to monitor your temps.
Any reliable download spot?

[thesameguy]

http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html

[Rare White Ape]

Did you Bing that or Yahoo it?

[LHutton]

Cheers.

We have actually been power-cutting like crazy with freak monsoon lightning storms here recently and I'm thinking that sometimes, even when all power doesn't go off, it's enough to trip things.

[thesameguy]

Did you Bing that or Yahoo it?

I know the domain, and clicked to the download page. I download it a lot.

[LHutton]

All seems fixed now. I gave it a good dust. In hindsight though, I think it was a dodgy electrical power quality issue. I seem to recall a house alarm on the street going off every time my computer died even though some stuff was still on.