Computer Spontaniously Shuts Down

[Sarah]

Having a problem where computer is working fine then all
of a sudden it beeps six or seven times and shuts down.
Doesn't matter what I am in but tends to happen when
online.

When I reboot the machine it says that "One of your disks
needs to be checked for consistency." Is this an XP
issue? Has anyone come across this problem?

Thanks.

 

[GTS]

This kind of sudden shutdown is most often a hardware problem. An
overheating CPU is a likely cause. Some motherboards/BIOS combos will give
an alarm and shut down on detection of excessive heat. You might start by
checking that your CPU fan (and other fans) are operating. If they seem
normal, see if running with the case open/off affects it. Also, you should
count the EXACT number of beeps and check your system doc. (or manufacturers
web site) re. the meaning.

The message "One of your disks needs to be checked for consistency" is
standard when restarting after an abnormal shutdown.