Computer shuts down by itself?

[Guest]

We have a Pentium 4 3.0 GHz comptuer with 512 MB of RAM in our office. The
sole purpose of this computer is to record video feeds from our security
cameras.

Other than Windows XP, McAfee VirusScan Enterprise, the Camera software and
any additional drivers/software required for the computer to function, there
is nothing else on this computer. The video feeds are recorded on a 500 GB
hard drive and are transfered to server manually at the end of every working
week.

The problem is that the computer shuts off by itself every night. Video
records show that it usually occurs around 10 PM. When the computer is turned
back on the next day, it requires a full boot (not resuming from Standby or
Hibernate) and there is no signs of an abrupt shutdown. No error messages in
the system logs, no request to submit error reports. It appears that the
computer is shut down normally. It is connected to an APC battery back up,
which also shows no logs of power loss.

Anyone know what might be causing this? THe comptuer is running Windows XP
Professional w/ SP2 with all the latest updates from Microsoft Update.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Lem]

We have a Pentium 4 3.0 GHz comptuer with 512 MB of RAM in our office. The
sole purpose of this computer is to record video feeds from our security
cameras.

Other than Windows XP, McAfee VirusScan Enterprise, the Camera software and
any additional drivers/software required for the computer to function, there
is nothing else on this computer. The video feeds are recorded on a 500 GB
hard drive and are transfered to server manually at the end of every working
week.

The problem is that the computer shuts off by itself every night. Video
records show that it usually occurs around 10 PM. When the computer is turned
back on the next day, it requires a full boot (not resuming from Standby or
Hibernate) and there is no signs of an abrupt shutdown. No error messages in
the system logs, no request to submit error reports. It appears that the
computer is shut down normally. It is connected to an APC battery back up,
which also shows no logs of power loss.

Anyone know what might be causing this? THe comptuer is running Windows XP
Professional w/ SP2 with all the latest updates from Microsoft Update.

Thanks in advance!

Have you checked the various settings in Control Panel > Performance and
Maintenance > Power Options?

 

[Guest]

Yes we have. Everything is set to be always on (Never shut off). Even the
monitor of the computer is set to never shut off.

 

[Guest]

It may be a virus scan set to turn off the computer after each scan. I know
trend micro has the option to turn off computer after a complete scan with no
threats detected. Also you may check the Scheduled tasks in Start > All
programs > Accessories > System Tools > Scheduled Tasks. And last but not
least you may check your event viewer again and check to see what the final
programs running were and check them for problems. It may not be an error
just a regular log. Check them all in depth. Good Luck and let us know.

Joe

Kemco Technician

 

[Sharon F]

Yes we have. Everything is set to be always on (Never shut off). Even the
monitor of the computer is set to never shut off.

Checked power management settings in the BIOS screens?

Saw a tech video once where similar behavior was due to the night cleaning
crew unplugging a machine to plug in a vacuum..

 

[Guest]

The VirusScan is an On-Access scan, which in other words means it is
constantly searching for viruses while the computer is connected to the
network. There is no scheduled scan that occurs. As long as the computer is
connected to our Domain Network, (which is intern connected to our McAfee
Server) there is no scheduled scan that occurs.

With respect to Scheduled tasks, there are none listed.

The event viewer doesn't show much help. The last recorded event of the day
is the Virus definition update which occurs at 5 PM each day (about 5 hours
prior to the computer shutting down), if necessary.

I'd like to make a few notes:
The hard drive is 200 GB, not 500 GB, but in this case it should not matter.
The comptuer shuts down at random times and is not always at a consistant
time. Although it usually happens within an hour, before or after, 10 PM.

 

[Guest]

Power loss is not in the question here. The machine is plugged into an APC
battery back up. Both the battery and windows (which is configured to work
with the battery back up program) should have logged a blackout if that was
the case.
In addition to that, Cleaners do not have access to the room that this
computer is in.

 

[Guest]

You may be having an overheating problem. Does the Air Conditioning get
turned off over night? It is possible with the heat waves we've been
experiencing that your computer is overheating and just shutting before any
errors can be found or logged. Your motherboard manufacturer should have a
diagnostic utility that monitors your temperatures. Thats the last thing I
can think of. It makes perfect sense with it shutting off at night while no
one is there in which a lot of people turn the air off at night when they
leave or it is set on a timer. You may check these things. I wish you luck.

Joe

Kemco Technician