Abrupt spontaneous hard shutdown

  • Thread starter Thread starter dbuchanan
  • Start date Start date
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dbuchanan

Hello,

I have a Dell Optiplex GX620 (still in support) I have Vista 64-bit
Enterprise (SP1) installed.
I have been having problems with spontanious hard - no warning - shutdowns.
I have been having this problem both before and after SP1.

The system will shut down with no warning - the screen abruptly goes blank -
and then the system will begin a restart. It will then go to the "Windows
Error Recovery" screen where it offers to start in safe mode.

This seems to occur with no discernable cause. I am working in a Word
document, working on some other simple application like NotePad or not be
working on it at all.

I have had 26 shutdowns since I installed Vista (October) and over half of
those (14) have been since I installed SP1 (late March) and half of those
again (7) have been since Dell exchanged my motherboard, my processor and my
memory (a week and a half ago).

What will tell me what causes this?

Thank you,
Douglas
 
dbuchanan said:
Hello,

I have a Dell Optiplex GX620 (still in support) I have Vista 64-bit
Enterprise (SP1) installed.
I have been having problems with spontanious hard - no warning -
shutdowns. I have been having this problem both before and after SP1.

The system will shut down with no warning - the screen abruptly goes
blank - and then the system will begin a restart. It will then go to the
"Windows Error Recovery" screen where it offers to start in safe mode.

This seems to occur with no discernable cause. I am working in a Word
document, working on some other simple application like NotePad or not be
working on it at all.

I have had 26 shutdowns since I installed Vista (October) and over half of
those (14) have been since I installed SP1 (late March) and half of those
again (7) have been since Dell exchanged my motherboard, my processor and
my memory (a week and a half ago).

What will tell me what causes this?

Thank you,
Douglas
Click to expand...


It could well be video drivers causing this. When Windows starts up again,
do you get any message that video drivers are recovering?

It could also be overheating. Check that the internal fans are working and
that the CPU heatsink is clear of 'grunge'. You may want to check out the
fan/heatsink on the video card if present.

The power supply may not be up to the job either. If the power light on the
front panel is not as bright as it used to be, that is an indication that
your PS is on its way out. Check the fans in the PS for dust build up.

The power supply may be struggling too if you have added hardware to the
internal configuration..

--
Mike Hall - MVP
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