I got a weird computer problem. I have two computers at home. Computer 1 shuts off randomly within the first 10 minutes or so. The monitor remains on. Computer 2 works fine.

So I took Computer 1 to a computer shop. The staff there set it up, and it ran fine for a few hours. They opened the case and said they couldn't find anything wrong with it. I took it back home, reconnected everything but it shuts off randomly again.

Things I've done to solve this problem:
- system restored to three days back (this started happening last night)
- ran AVG anti-virus in safe mode (took a few tries since it still shuts down in safe mode)
- ran lavasoft ad-aware in safe mode
- changed the power connections so that Computer 1 uses the power outlet that Computer 2 uses. Computer 1 still has the same problem. But Computer 2 can use Computer 1's outlet perfectly fine
- changed the power connector so that Computer 1 uses the black power wire that Computer 2 uses. Computer 1 still has the same problem. But Computer 2 can use Computer 1's black power wire just fine

Any ideas?

What exactly are you doing when it stops responding?
These can be signs of a defective graphics card.

I agree with Neil Jones.

High end graphics applications can cause your graphics card to cause trouble, if the graphics card is (in some way, shape or form) defective.

Thanks for the quick replies.

The computer shuts down even when I don't run any programs. Sometimes it shuts down before it even reaches Desktop.

-------

Ok, now I've opened the case and turned the computer sideways. It doesn't shut down randomly anymore for some reason. I can view movies and surf the net. I can even run Virus scans (I've ran AVG and BitDefender).

But I can't run Spybot or Lavasoft AdAware. Once I run either of these two, the computer will restart (instead of shutting down) during the scan.

So I guess it's safe to say that my computer's infected as opposed to a hardware issue? If that's the case, should I post a HJT log?

Thanks

Well if the system behaviour changes when you turn the case on its side and take the side off, then that points to a potential overheating issue.
By the way, you mention AVG and BitDefender. You're not running both of these at the same time on their resident protection? Two anti-virus running together will cause random reboots.

I agree with both problems (heat and 2 anti-spyware progs.) . Open your case again and vacuum it out, take the fan off the processor and give that a good vacuuming too. Just be careful not to suck in any cords in and make sure everything is back in place nice and snug.

I only use the BitDefender online scanner here:

http://www.bitdefender.com/scan8/

On the other hand, I have AVG installed. So I don't think it's a dual anti-virus problem, especially when I didn't install anything several months before this problem has happened.

I'll try the vaccuuming part.

Surprisingly the problem has stopped now, I think I'll just leave the case open and sideways.

Thanks for the help.

This is a short term solution. If you leave the side of your case open thats just letting tons and tons of dust in and after 2 weeks or so its just gonna cause more problems.

Def. vacuum it out and make sure all the fans are running when its on. I would also suggest finding some free software that can report hardware temperatures so you can pinpoint whats getting to hot. But usually random shutdowns are caused by processor temp or power supply.

Is the graphics card fan spinning?
What brand is the card?

Turn off the power and unplug it from the wall.
Pull the square 4 prong connection from the mother board and see if there is black in it or on the connector from the psu, like getting hot.
To pull that connection, press in on the little white prong and slightly wiggle it while pulling.

This post has been edited by cmpm: Jun 6 2008, 01:02 PM

Therefore from the sounds of it you need extra cooling inside your case - typically a decent fan will solve the entire thing.
Apart from the heatsink fan, do you have any fans in your computer?

The computer will still run at unsafe temps unfortunately without warning.

We have a computer that the fan on the graphics card quit, then the computer would shut down seemingly random.

I ran temp checks and got 140 f degrees on the cpu and 180 f degrees on the graphics card.

The graphics card had to be replaced but the problem was still there.

When we pulled the power supply, that male connection for that pic I posted showed black on two of the prong plastic protectors.

After replacing the power supply all is well and temps are in the safe ranges.

That's why I asked to pull that connection and inspect it.
It could be the power supply evenn though lights or other things may still work.

Fortunately I didn't have a damaged motherboard though it would have been eventually imo, had we let it go like it was doing.

Another fan in there is always good, but sometimes it's not the fans. We had 3 fans, one intake one out and the power supply fan that were all working but it was still shuting down.

Though the graphics card fan was not working which probably cooked the power supply or the other way around. And I heard that my particular graphic card fan was prone to dying within a year. Of course I had already bought the darn thing before I found that out.

I don't know much about hardwares, but there's one fan near my RAM (I think it's on the motherboard). There's also one inside my power supply.

Since the problem stopped, I ran AVG on it and it detected a lot of problems. I cleared them all but now, when I turn on my computer, I get a screen message saying that one of the windows system files is corrupted. It tells me to use the windows cd to repair it, which is what I'll do. After I get my computer running again, I'll try to get some program to test the temperature inside my computer.

Thanks

add a case fan...they're cheap...mount in the back top blowing out of the case...about 5 bucks...
get everest home here...after launching it,,click on the + sign beside computer then click on sensor ...get a screenshot and post it here so I can check your temps and voltage..