Weird Shutdown Problem (PLEASE HELP)

[Croyt]

Ok. It started like 2 months ago, where my computer would randomly shut down once ever like 5 days.

WELL NOW my computer shuts down like once every frikin hour. It is the most inconvenient thing in the computer world.

Every time I try defragmenting it shuts down.

Every time I run a virus scan it shuts down.

I dont know what to do. It is really frustrating. It's kind of old, it is a 2004 Medion computer. I thought it was the power source but I just replaced it and the problem is still happening.

PLEASE HELP ME

 

[Bahawolf1]

It might be over heating.

Put your hands by the vents, and use your judgement in the amount of heat coming from the vents. If it seems to be hotter than normal, or even hot enough to burn, there is probably over heating.

You could also see if the fans are spinning on the bottom of the laptop. - If you are confident and know what your doing, check the heatsink fan. Disassemble the laptop, until you find the heatsink.. then check to see if the fan spins at all.

Also, how does it shut down? - Does Windows go through the shutdown process, or does the computer black out as if its losing power?

 

[Croyt]

Yea, it could be overheating I suppose. When it shuts down it just goes black then pops up the Windows XP loading screen.

And by the way its a desktop not a lap. If that makes a difference

 

[Bahawolf1]

So, it is restarting then..

1) Check the fans..
2) Run memtest..
3) Run drive fitness test..

Does it occur in safe mode as well? - Download a utility called Prime95, which performs fairly extensive stress tests. Then boot into safe mode, and run the utility and let it run for at least a day. If it does not restart, you can deem it is software related (perhaps a virus).

Is it blue screening before it restarts?

 

[Croyt]

Ok thanks Ill try that. It does shut down in safe mode as well. it is not blue screening.

Thank you so much. Im not on my desktop right now, so I will check as soon as I get home

 

[A True Folder]

it is not blue screening.

makes it sound like a psu

 

[Bahawolf1]

makes it sound like a psu

It is very possible that it is a power supply.. or it could be bad memory.

After you run DFT / Memtest as an introductory diagnostic.. you can do a number of things..

1. Buy a new power supply and check to see if it fixes the issue (30 day return policy if it doesn't!)
2. Buy a power supply tester / multimeter and test the output of the unit

Check the motherboard for blown capacitors.. and then, continue on with checking the power supply.