Jessica said:
My comp. started blacking out recently. I am not sure what's causing this.
Does anyone know how to fix it or what's wrong?
Could be a lotta things. Did you install any software or
drivers or make any other changes or was there a
thunderstorm just before it started happening? Any of those
could have caused the problem. Other than that, since you
haven't provided us with much detail, you might start here:
1. Make sure your CPU and case temperatures are OK, and
that the CPU fan, case fans, and any other fans are
working.
2. Shut down your computer and turn off power *at the
surge protector* (which cuts off standby power while
leaving your computer grounded) or unplug it. Take
the standard protections against static electricity
(wear a wrist strap or keep one hand grounded at all
times).
3. Open up your computer and dust it out. *Do not use a
vacuum cleaner* - it might cause static discharge.
Get some dust remover spray (RadioShack has it) and
a dust mask, and take your computer outside and spray
out the dust. Keep the end of the spray straw at least
six inches from any components and keep it moving so as
to avoid excessive thermal shock to the components.
4. Reseat all the modules, including the memory modules,
and cables inside your computer.
5. Turn on your computer, and if it boots, run a few cycles
of "memtest86" (download from
http://www.memtest86.com)
to thoroughly check out your memory. You should get zero
errors. If it doesn't boot, shut down and remove your
CMOS battery and check its voltage (or just replace it).
In any case, Clear CMOS (see your mainboard manual for
how to do it) and set up your BIOS again.
-- Bob Day
