unwanted shutdowns

[bruce graber]

I would like to leave my computer running all the time, and only have monitor
shutdown at specified amount of time. My power management settings are set
for what I want, but cpu still randomly shuts down when not used for a while?

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

I would like to leave my computer running all the time, and only have
monitor shutdown at specified amount of time. My power management
settings are set for what I want, but cpu still randomly shuts down
when not used for a while?

Perhaps this is a BIOS setting?

 

[bruce graber]

I am fairly computer illiterate. If it was bios setting, I didn't change it
and don't know how to change it back. Can you help?

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I would like to leave my computer running all the time, and only have monitor
shutdown at specified amount of time. My power management settings are set
for what I want, but cpu still randomly shuts down when not used for a while?

The *cpu* shuts down"?

The cpu is a small chip on the motherboard inside the case of your
computer. You probably mean that the computer shuts down, not that the
cpu does.

If the computer shuts down randomly, your problem is considerably more
likely to be a hardware one than one with Windows.

 

[bruce graber]

any ideas on trouble shooting hardware problem?

 

[Malke]

any ideas on trouble shooting hardware problem?

General hardware troubleshooting:
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Hardware_Tshoot

However, since you say you are "fairly computer illiterate", it would
probably be a better idea to let a professional take a look. Testing
hardware failures often involves swapping out suspected parts with
known-good parts. If you can't do the testing yourself and/or are
uncomfortable opening your computer, take the machine to a professional
computer repair shop (not your local equivalent of
BigComputerStore/GeekSquad). If possible, have all your data backed up
before you take the machine into a shop.

Malke

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

any ideas on trouble shooting hardware problem?

See Malke's message in this thread. She knows much more about hardware
than I do.