Computer problem. Wrong forum I know.

An easy way to tell is, after cleaning...and be sure to get the heatsink and fan on the CPU...run with the cover off for a bit. If the problem does not persist, heat was a likely cause. The next could be an aging power supply especially if running a P4 with one of about 300 watts which was a common build back then. A weak PS will do wierd things. Another problem I have heard of but not seen was some bad capacitors that escaped from the factories years ago and affected several motherboards. The visual clue is said to be a "dome" forming or visible leaking from the component. These electrolytic capacitors will look be shaped like small tomato soup cans, BTW. Lastly, and an actual experience of mine with an ATI card a while back was a bad driver. If it's been recently updated (and never use MS updates for hardware drivers), roll it back to a previous one. Good luck.

agreement. It's fairly clean inside but I'll have Robbie do a proper cleaning and we'll try running it open with a fan blowing on it as well. At some point, assuming my disability pension ever comes through, this will become our third and least important computer used pretty much exclusively for internet access with little or no downloading.

We're virus clean because I'm a tiresome housecleaner in that regard, running AVG and various spyware programs regularly.

Many thanks again for your input, but more thoughts also welcome.

Rob

....check your CPU and video card fans to make sure they're working properly. They're not expensive to replace; however if you let them go too long, your hardware can toast.

the case and said "Hee-ull !!" but so far it continues its blithe way. Perhaps "Out damned spirt, return to your vile realm and leave us in peace" would be a better approach.

Otherwise I'm headed to Ollivander's, or whoever has taken over the shop, for a wand.

Thanks

Rob

...you probably have an overheating PC due to either 1) excess dust; 2)a failed fan somewhere in the PC, or; 3) a bad power supply.

Take the PC out of its present site, set it up where you can see it clearly, remove as much of the case as possible, clean its inside by blowing it out with canned air from a computer store and reboot. Check all the fans that should come on and if one doesn't, replace it. After grounding yourself, make sure all RAM sticks and cards are securely seated. One of these steps should solve the issue.

And, why leave the PC on when not in use?

blue screen, and he didn't mention one. I'm not even sure Windows will log the event.

Another thing that can do it is having a power supply with just enough wattage to handle the equipment installed by the factory and later upgrading by adding additional and/or bigger power drains like a whiz-bang video card, faster hard drives(s), CD/DVD burners, etc. When you eventually try to do something fancy with too many power drains all at once the computer can have a conniption fit.

It won't do that long before the power quits completely, usually with burnouts around blown capacitors.

I put more powerful power supplies in two of my desktops for the same reasons.

the Graphics card was a later purchase from the same retailer (now out of business), plus we've gone through about 4 hard-drive upgrades. We're currently running 2, a 300Gig and something else my son installed.

I think taking the panels off, cleaning everything in sight, re-settling the RAM and maybe the Video Card and then re-booting with the side off and a fan might be the best idea. As soon as I can afford it this one gets relegated to the loft as an e-mail and Google machine only. No downloads.

Robbie is due a new desktop for Uni as they call it in Britain, and a laptop too for note taking since his writing is not great but his keyboarding skills are.

Many thanks to all who have given this problem their attention and thought. I am most appreciative.

Rob

"shuts down and restarts for no apparent reason"

If he has it set to restart on fatal errors there will be no blue screen. If it is set to allow bluescreen it will assuming that simple overheating is not the problem--he hasn't mentioned whether he has cleaned and cooled the system yet.

Setting system properties to allow bluescreen (rahter than auto reboot) will also assist in "curing" boot loops.

Most events are logged (even fatal ones, and have since NT 3.1) but some few are not--but then he has yet to mention whether he has checked.

logged by Windows?

Bad RAM for instance often gets written to the log before actual crash and blue screen.

Bad block on HD can also get error written before actual fatal error results in crash.

Overheated video card can do it too.

black as if you've pressed the re-set button, and reboots as normal.

Just to show what a poorly educated computer person I am, how do I find the System Events log? I'm more than happy to try it.

Rob

go to Control Panel/Adminstrative Tools/Event Viewer. You will see listing for at least 3 categories. These are Applications, Security and System. The events are written largely in geek speak. Some you can click on to get the MS explanation which will only cause more confusion.

are. I tried that once, but did not renew it. I don't recall what it is.

control panel admit tools