Computer Shutting Down then Restarting

Laker · **Posted:** Sat Jan 08, 2011 9:07 pm

Does anyone know what would cause a computer to shut down and restart on it own?

My computer has been doing that off an on all day. A few times if it doesn't restart, I'll push the power button and nothing happen. But if I unplug the power cord from the PC and replug it in, it will restart.

fordloco · **Posted:** Sat Jan 08, 2011 9:27 pm

Only an educated guess but by unplugging it, you are giving it a "hard boot" which is something the power button isnt doing and should. So very possibly you have developed an intermittent short in the button circuitry and that is causing it to go on and off.

safico9 · **Joined:** Sun Feb 24, 2008 3:23 pm **Posts:** 682

Lots of things..

-PSU dying
-Motherboard battery dying
-Virus 'you probably know by now'

most probably it's the PSU/PSU fan

Laker · **Posted:** Sun Jan 09, 2011 1:12 pm

I also forget to mention. When its unresponsive and I unplug it and replug it. Of course the green light on the back isn't on, but I just barely tap the socket and it comes on.

Thanks guys :Kool

fordloco · **Posted:** Sun Jan 09, 2011 6:24 pm

Laker wrote:

I also forget to mention. When its unresponsive and I unplug it and replug it. Of course the green light on the back isn't on, but I just barely tap the socket and it comes on.

Thanks guys :Kool

Ah Ha, now we have direction, I had this problem last Summer. Only difference was I could not get it to stay on. Power Supply in my case. Easy replacement for aroung $50.

Kevin77 · **Posted:** Sun Jan 09, 2011 7:53 pm

My guess is the most common problem...power supply.

DaveD · **Joined:** Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:33 pm **Posts:** 6105

My guess was thermal shutdown--but not in the middle of January
This sounds like my problem from last Summer. I bought the power supply and it still kept shutting down until I bought a new CPU fan and case fan...

Laker · **Posted:** Mon Jan 10, 2011 2:31 am

From what I have been reading, and your suggestions. I have came to the same conclusion, it is either the power supply or fan.

Thanks guys :rock

Laker · **Posted:** Wed Jan 12, 2011 5:40 pm

Update: Monday about 2 pm the computer locked up and the fan starting real fast. Finally it shut itself off. The rest of the day and yesterday I couldn't get it to stay on long enough to get on the internet.

What sucks is not having a way to take it somewhere to get it looked at. My mother has my vehicle, and she doesn't do well driving in snow.

safico9 · **Joined:** Sun Feb 24, 2008 3:23 pm **Posts:** 682

Did you try cleaning the PSU fan? I'm assuming it's clogged with dust..
Open your PSU and give it a good cleaning, you'll probably need a new one anyway so i wouldn't worry about removing the fan and blowing all the dust away 'you'll be surprised how much dust is inside' :mrgreen:

This will buy you some time until you get a new one.

Laker · **Posted:** Wed Jan 12, 2011 7:45 pm

Haven't did that yet, will give try that.
The computer is between 4 years old... so it probably does have a lot of dust built up. :oops:

Thanks

slowpoke · **Posted:** Thu Jan 13, 2011 9:25 pm

I had that a few years back and it was a virus. My computer would stay on for about 1 minute then shut down. it did that everytime til i called Microsolf, they gave me a link to a patch and after running it, the virus was gone. I hope it's nothing major for you Laker

DaveD · **Joined:** Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:33 pm **Posts:** 6105

Laker wrote:

Update: Monday about 2 pm the computer locked up and the fan starting real fast. Finally it shut itself off. The rest of the day and yesterday I couldn't get it to stay on long enough to get on the internet.

What sucks is not having a way to take it somewhere to get it looked at. My mother has my vehicle, and she doesn't do well driving in snow.

If it's a fan issue, it is thermal based. I'm guessing it's automatically shutting down due to the cpu being too hot (like Lisa Robertson in a bikini)
Try http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/ and see what the temp is for the CPU. If it's high (46 and up for Celsius) then it is thermal.

Laker · **Posted:** Fri Jan 14, 2011 11:14 pm

DaveD wrote:

Laker wrote:

Update: Monday about 2 pm the computer locked up and the fan starting real fast. Finally it shut itself off. The rest of the day and yesterday I couldn't get it to stay on long enough to get on the internet.

What sucks is not having a way to take it somewhere to get it looked at. My mother has my vehicle, and she doesn't do well driving in snow.

If it's a fan issue, it is thermal based. I'm guessing it's automatically shutting down due to the cpu being too hot (like Lisa Robertson in a bikini)
Try http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/ and see what the temp is for the CPU. If it's high (46 and up for Celsius) then it is thermal.

Thanks for the link, unfortunately my Intel processor isn't supported with that. :Kool

I get the following message

My processor is highlighted in blue.

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Computer Shutting Down then Restarting

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