PC just randomly shuts down

[Lino]

No matter if I am using Windows or Linux. Every now and then for no apparent reason, the PC just turns off.

I am thinking

a) Perhaps I need to use compressed air and disassemble and reassemble it?
b) The PC is somehow suddenly starting to over heat? (Refer to a)
c) The power supply is dying on me.
d) A random component is starting to die.
e) My PC is evil and possessed?

 

[LazyLion]

um yes... 4, Blue... and a tea strainer!

seriously... my guesses are b or c and thus you should do a.

 

[CrzWaco]

I would also say the power supply is not enough or dying.

Overheating does your pc beep before it goes off?(is this turned on in the bios?)

 

[Lino]

No beeping at all, nothing nader no sign. This option is turned off in the bios. It just started a week ago. Then refused to start for an hour. Came back everything was fine until this evening. Just shut down, no warning nothing.

Damn random

 

[Ghost02]

Check in your bois, try make the temprature warning alarm go off before it shuts down. Also check PSU vs. consumption. Cleaning your pc isn't neccesaraly a bad thing either

 

[Lino]

Will do, I just wish it was a constant thing. However there is no logical frequency when it does it.

I know it is not stress (high CPU usage) for few days ran 3 virtual machines, listened to music, surfed web, copying files. All at the same time. No problems.

This evening just surfing the web and bam. Weird

 

[d0b33]

I had the same problem with a computer the other day, I swapped around the PCI cards, memory modules and all was fine.

Memory was probably the problem but I had to swap the PCI card to get the PC to boot up.

 

[StbA]

Memory 1
PSU 2

 

[UnoPanelvan]

No matter if I am using Windows or Linux. Every now and then for no apparent reason, the PC just turns off.

I am thinking

a) Perhaps I need to use compressed air and disassemble and reassemble it?
b) The PC is somehow suddenly starting to over heat? (Refer to a)
c) The power supply is dying on me.
d) A random component is starting to die.
e) My PC is evil and possessed?

First check some basics
Is the CPU fan and heatsink free of dust
Is the fans running properly

Then boot with Hiren Boot CD with XP via CD/DVD/Stick and run the memory tests, CPU stress test and also browse the Internet.
if problem still persists then for overheating remove CPU and clean Heatsink/CPU and replace with new heatsink compound like Artic Silver.

If System still crash but temperatures is now OK then replace RAM and then PWR supply. (Make sure all not needed cards is removed)

I think the overheating is the crux of the problem but it could also be memory leaks. The computer will act slower and slower till it crashes, sometimes with messages appearing that memory could not be read. Use Windows Task manager>Performance and look at the page file graph to see if it continually grows. That means the graph always moving higher at constant ramp.

Good luck.

 

[Lino]

Thanks for all the advice, I shall be doing all of this. Going to buy can of air first to remove all traces of dust etc from PC.

 

[grubsner]

I had this problem when the Processor fan (the one on the Heatsink) decided to stop working. When the fan was turning slow, due to dust and possible a busted internal something, the PC would work, but when the fan stopped the PC reset inself.

Check the CPU fan...