Many now can not imagine their life without daily use of a computer. Even 10 years ago it was a luxury, today almost everyone has a PC or laptop. We are becoming increasingly dependent on such equipment. Monthly reports, photographs that are dear to the heart, personal documents, and much more - all this today is not stored on paper, but on the PC hard drive. Let's talk about common problems, in particular, why the computer shuts down by itself.
A bit of general information
A computer is an expensive and very complex electronic equipment that requires periodic maintenance and proper operation. To say that the computer is malfunctioning or unstable, without observing elementary rules, is generally not necessary.
You are probably wondering why the computer shuts down by itself? To give an unambiguous answer to this question, it is necessary to sort through a large number of options, which is what we, in fact, will do in this article. But before that, I would like to note that any computer or laptop, regardless of age or technical condition, must be updated from time to time. It so happens that the technology simply worked out its own, the resource of the motherboard or other important component was used up, and there are failures. But now we will try to more specifically deal with why the computer shuts down by itself, how to fix it, and whether it is possible at all. But first things first.
Excessive dust
Probably, in computer repair workshops, specialists have long ceased to be amazed at the amount of dust that can settle in the system unit. Nevertheless, it can make an unforgettable impression on you. If you purchased your PC more than a year ago and never opened its cover for the sake of curiosity, then do it. Of course, if the equipment is still under warranty, then this is not worth it, since the obligations signed in the contract will be violated. And if suddenly the system unit fails not because of you, and the seals are already broken, you will have to repair it at your own expense.
So what to do if the computer turns off, you ask? Open the system unit cover and see if there is dust. Excessive amounts of it can contribute to overheating of key nodes (video card, processor), etc. As a result, protection is triggered and the PC turns off. In any case, it will not hurt to purge the dust with a conventional vacuum cleaner. True, it is necessary to be extremely careful and first to de-energize the equipment.
Operating system issues
Before you climb under the cover of the system unit, you must understand your own operating system. If all the problems started after reinstalling Windows, it is obvious that this is the reason. In addition, the case may be related to a malicious program that came to you through the Internet or a memory card. Changing the source code of the operating system files will lead to errors. The system will try to fix them by rebooting. Therefore, first of all, install an antivirus program.
Another important point is that not all assemblies, in particular pirated ones, work stably. This is obvious, so try to install a licensed OS, or a "clean" pirate if possible. Try to install another OS, if the problem persists, then you need to look elsewhere. Of course, you need to start with the simplest thing, we’ll talk about this.
Dried thermal grease
In general, quite often a breakdown on a PC is associated with overheating of the main working nodes. Dried thermal grease is one of the main reasons for that excessive, critical heating. Modern computers are reliably protected from heating. If the temperature reaches a critical maximum, the PC shuts down. It will turn on after 5-15 minutes, that is, when the node cools down. But the PC will turn on and turn off again after a couple of minutes, and this will be repeated indefinitely.
The reason can be very commonplace - the drying of thermal paste. What is thermal paste, you ask? The so-called thermal interface is necessary for efficient heat removal from the working area. This is a viscous substance that helps cool the processor, video card and all those places where there are coolers. So, computer repair will be required exactly when the paste dries. It must be changed at least once every few years, at least it is recommended to do so.
The computer shuts down during operation: causes and solutions
As noted, often the essence of the problem is too high a temperature. The processor in this case is the most vulnerable spot. The fact is that during operation it is very hot, therefore this unit is extremely dependent on the effective operation of the cooler. Often the problem is as follows. You overclocked the processor and increased its power by, say, 10%. In this case, the fan spins at the same speed. This will inevitably lead to overheating of the processor and, possibly, its failure. Nevertheless, if the acceleration is carried out correctly, according to the instructions, then problems are unlikely to arise.
Computer repair after the processor crashes is fast, but very expensive. A powerful CPU will cost you a significant amount of money. Determining if a processor is a weak link is very simple. To do this, you can download a program that controls its temperature. If it reaches the upper limit, you will definitely notice it. It remains only to take appropriate measures.
About power supply
There are relatively few situations where the power supply unit is the culprit of a sudden outage, but they do occur. Most often this happens due to its insufficient power. For example, you bought a system unit, and then changed the video card and processor to more powerful analogues. At the same time, the power supply unit (PSU) remained standard. During an increase in the load on it, say, when starting some demanding game, it may simply not provide the “stuffing” of your system unit with sufficient power and turn off.
If the computer turns off when you turn it on, then things are really bad. Most likely, you will need to replace the power supply with a more powerful one. By the way, this parameter must also be calculated so as not to spend too much. The more powerful the system unit as a whole, the more productive the PSU should be. By the way, look at its cooling, perhaps there is too much dust.
Shutdowns due to video card and RAM
If the computer turns off during the game, then most likely we are faced with a malfunction of the video card. The problem may be that the cooler can not cope, as a result, the temperature rises and the protection works. If you overclocked the video card, then return everything to the factory settings and the problem may disappear.
As for the RAM, it is better to start the diagnosis with it. If you notice periodic system freezes , brakes, incorrect playback of video files and games, then it may be in RAM. You can check it under load using the AIDA 32/64 program.
Motherboard
This is the most expensive and important element of the system unit. It is on the motherboard that the whole system rests. If the computer turns off during boot, this may be a signal that it is time to check the "mother". If the capacitors fail, then they can be re-soldered. If microcracks formed in the solder, then there is a chance that they will fill with dust, and everything will fall into place. Otherwise, you will have to change the board.
There is also such a crucial element as the chipset, it is located on the motherboard and is cooled by a small metal cooler. So, often it overheats, which is why the OS reboots. Check it with a multimeter and change the cooler if necessary.
I / O device disconnected
Often there are problems with the periodic shutdown of the keyboard, mouse, webcam and other peripheral devices. Fortunately, most of these ailments are easily and quickly eliminated. Something is being treated by installing the latest drivers. If this does not help, then it may be in the port to which the device is connected. If the keyboard on the computer is disconnected, check the relevance of the driver, the operability of the port. If all else fails, take the keyboard to the workshop for verification; perhaps this is the case.
It so happens that the sound on the computer suddenly turns off. In this case, it makes sense to check the same port, and then the wire going to the column. It is possible that your sound driver has flown, in this case no sounds will be played on the PC. Fresh driver can be downloaded on the official website of the manufacturer.
How to configure your computer
An important role is played by the correct system configuration. This refers to various BIOS settings, in particular, it is not recommended to overclock a PC. If you are doing this, then soberly assess all the risks. On personal computers that are too weak, overclocking will not give any performance boost. It is advisable to always use the factory settings and frequencies, which will guarantee a long and uninterrupted operation. For example, if the computer monitor is turned off during operation, this may indicate a gradual failure of the matrix. It will be easier for you to buy a new display than to repair an old one. This breakdown does not depend on you much, but that's all that is in the system unit, it is better to leave it as it is.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are a lot of reasons why the computer shuts down by itself. To quickly deal with the problem, it is recommended to use monitoring programs. So you can control the temperature of all components. If necessary, you can run a test under load, which will show what exactly is failing, and why the PC shuts down. As for the repair, it is unlikely that you will be able to qualitatively solder the capacitors of the motherboard, but replace the thermal grease or perform a purge from dust under the power of everyone. For the computer to work for a long time, it is necessary to ensure a stable voltage. To do this, use voltage stabilizers, and you will be happy.