Need Help Windows XP shuts down unexpectedly

[Guest]

I've run Ad-Aware, MS Spyware, Spyware Doctor, McAfree Antivirus, and SpyBot
but it keeps coming back. I start my computer and it runs for a few minutes
(sometimes up to 10 minutes) and then everything goes off (without warning)
and my power button on my Dell tower glows orange. I'm only able to restart
my computer if I hold down the button for a while until the whole thing goes
dark. Then I can restart the computer and the whole thing happens again. The
timing before powerdown has always been different each time. Last week I was
able to keep my computer on for more than 8 hours, but this week, I'm not so
lucky.

I think it's a trojan but I can't seem to keep my computer on long enough to
do anything about it. "shutdown -a" doesn't prevent shutdown, and neither
does changing my Power options to "never." Help, please!

(This tower is only 1 yr. 2 mths. old and I only use it maybe 16 hours a
week.)

Sad to say the computer shuts down in SAFE mode also. I can't keep it
running long enough to figure things out. And yes, I did do the whole McAfee
virus scan, twice...it found nothing.

I did check my drive for errors, no luck there. There are no error
messages before Windows XP shuts down unexpectedly.

Please help!!

Thanks

 

[Ghostrider]

I've run Ad-Aware, MS Spyware, Spyware Doctor, McAfree Antivirus, and SpyBot
but it keeps coming back. I start my computer and it runs for a few minutes
(sometimes up to 10 minutes) and then everything goes off (without warning)
and my power button on my Dell tower glows orange. I'm only able to restart
my computer if I hold down the button for a while until the whole thing goes
dark. Then I can restart the computer and the whole thing happens again. The
timing before powerdown has always been different each time. Last week I was
able to keep my computer on for more than 8 hours, but this week, I'm not so
lucky.

I think it's a trojan but I can't seem to keep my computer on long enough to
do anything about it. "shutdown -a" doesn't prevent shutdown, and neither
does changing my Power options to "never." Help, please!

(This tower is only 1 yr. 2 mths. old and I only use it maybe 16 hours a
week.)

Sad to say the computer shuts down in SAFE mode also. I can't keep it
running long enough to figure things out. And yes, I did do the whole McAfee
virus scan, twice...it found nothing.

I did check my drive for errors, no luck there. There are no error
messages before Windows XP shuts down unexpectedly.

Please help!!

Thanks

The problem appears to be physical rather than anything to
do with software. The usual suspects are: (a) Heatsink/fan
mounting on the CPU may be faulty, resulting in an elevated
temperature and safety shutdown; (b) Unstable power supply
or inadequate power supply; (c) Poor air circulation through
the computer case, and so on. Begin troubleshooting with the
simple, such as installing a computer monitor. Next, run the
computer with the side panels or case removed, and graduate
up to swapping out the power supply, and so on. Good luck.

 

[Guest]

Hi Ghostrider,

The problem appears to be physical rather than anything to
do with software. The usual suspects are: (a) Heatsink/fan
mounting on the CPU may be faulty, resulting in an elevated
temperature and safety shutdown; (b) Unstable power supply
or inadequate power supply; (c) Poor air circulation through
the computer case, and so on. Begin troubleshooting with the
simple, such as installing a computer monitor. Next, run the
computer with the side panels or case removed, and graduate
up to swapping out the power supply, and so on. Good luck.

Do you have websites explaining how to do these things above that you are
talking about?

 

[Ghostrider]

Hi Ghostrider,




Do you have websites explaining how to do these things above that you are
talking about?

A good place to start might be Dell since the system is from
it. Other than that, search around the tech forums at sites
such as http://www.pcmech.com/. Better sources are texts from
the computing section of bookstores such as Barnes & Noble,
Border's, etc.

 

[Guest]

Another place you might want to take a look at is the system event viewer it
might tell you if ther is a hardware issue, also take a look at a program
called motherboard monitor it might tell you if you get a high heat warning
form your system, i think it is still offered at download.com.

 

[Guest]

Where is the system event viewer? Is the system event viewer part of the
Adminstrative Tools in Windows XP?

 

[Guest]

Never mind. I found the Event Viewer.

Another place you might want to take a look at is the system event viewer it
might tell you if ther is a hardware issue, also take a look at a program
called motherboard monitor it might tell you if you get a high heat warning
form your system, i think it is still offered at download.com.