Unexpected Shutdowns

  • Thread starter Thread starter Littlebullet
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Littlebullet

My computer has started to shutdown whenever it feels like it and it seems
there are many people having the same problem. I have replaced my cpu fan
just in case it was a heat problem but this did not fix it. The only thing
that I can remember changing just before this started to happen was that I
installed Windows Live One Care but I have checked the forum for this product
and nobody seems to have reported similar problems. Can anyone help because
is driving me nuts?
 
=?Utf-8?B?TGl0dGxlYnVsbGV0?= said:
My computer has started to shutdown whenever it feels like it and it seems
there are many people having the same problem. I have replaced my cpu fan
just in case it was a heat problem but this did not fix it. The only thing
that I can remember changing just before this started to happen was that I
installed Windows Live One Care but I have checked the forum for this product
and nobody seems to have reported similar problems. Can anyone help because
is driving me nuts?
Click to expand...

Next time dont try to fix a software problem with a hardware solution.
 
Next time Plato, please don't send me links to pointless websites that offer
no solution to my problem which could be a software or hardware issue!
 
Do you have an ATI graphics card? I have this same problem on my older
laptop running an ATI graphics card. My current one with nVidia has no
issues.

I think it was a windows/driver update that started it on my other laptop -
it's actually been doing it for about 1 1/2 years now though (on XP Pro).

Lori
 
Littlebullet said:
My computer has started to shutdown whenever it feels like it and it seems
there are many people having the same problem. I have replaced my cpu fan
just in case it was a heat problem but this did not fix it. The only thing
that I can remember changing just before this started to happen was that I
installed Windows Live One Care but I have checked the forum for this
product and nobody seems to have reported similar problems. Can anyone
help because is driving me nuts?
Click to expand...

Unexpected shutdowns are almost always caused by hardware failure, not
software. There are other ways besides a processor fan that a computer can
overheat, and overheating may not be the cause. To determine for sure
whether this is hardware or software (possibly bad drivers):

1. Look in Vista's own troubleshooting tools for clues, Problem Reports &
Solutions and Event Viewer:

Start > All Programs > Maintenance > Problem Reports and Solutions > View
Problem History

Start Orb>Search box>type: eventvwr.msc

2. Consider The First Question of Troubleshooting: what changed between the
time things worked and the time they didn't? Perhaps you installed a
driver, added some hardware, etc.

3. It is often useful to boot with a Linux live CD such as Knoppix. If the
machine exhibits similar behavior under Linux (which is a completely
different operating system) then you know for sure hardware is to blame.

4. Here are general hardware troubleshooting steps:
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Hardware_Tshoot

Standard disclaimer: I can't see and test your computer myself, so these are
just suggestions based on many years of being a professional computer tech;
suggestions based on what you've written. You should not take my
suggestions as a definitive diagnosis. Testing hardware failures often
involves swapping out suspected parts with known-good parts. If you can't
do the testing yourself and/or are uncomfortable opening your computer,
take the machine to a professional computer repair shop (not your local
equivalent of BigComputerStore/GeekSquad). If possible, have all your data
backed up before you take the machine into a shop.

Malke
 
Littlebullet said:
My computer has started to shutdown whenever it feels like it and it seems
there are many people having the same problem. I have replaced my cpu fan
just in case it was a heat problem but this did not fix it. The only thing
that I can remember changing just before this started to happen was that I
installed Windows Live One Care but I have checked the forum for this product
and nobody seems to have reported similar problems. Can anyone help because
is driving me nuts?
Click to expand...


When you say shutdown what do you mean? does it just all of a sudden power
off or does it do a shut ?

I had a problem with a power supply once and the PC would just off. Thought
it was a over heating problem for a long time. This problem can also start
out of the blue and make you think something else is causing it. ie Live one
care which may have nothing to do with the problem.

Hope this helps
 
bp said:
When you say shutdown what do you mean? does it just all of a sudden power
off or does it do a shut ?

I had a problem with a power supply once and the PC would just off. Thought
it was a over heating problem for a long time. This problem can also start
out of the blue and make you think something else is causing it. ie Live one
care which may have nothing to do with the problem.

Hope this helps
Click to expand...

Hi Guys

Thanks a lot for your suggestions. I have just done a BIOS update for my
motherboard. The update said it would fix a problem with Creative Sound
Cards. Since the update my comp has not shut down. Fingers crossed!!!
 
Next time dont try to fix a software problem with a hardware solution.
Click to expand...


On the contrary, random shutdowns are much more likely to be a
hardware problem than a software one.
 
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